Quotes by

Ron Fournier

Dont underestimate questions from the crowd technology has made voters more informed than ever. – Ron Fournier

Voters dont have to love him, Romney advisers say, but they will respect him. – Ron Fournier

Political consultants are pugilists, masters in the dark art of negativity. Which is why its surprising to hear Democrats such as Steve McMahon and Republicans like Rich Galen urging their presidential candidates to be more, well, positive. – Ron Fournier

By nominating Chuck Hagel to be his Defense secretary, President Obama is putting forward an aloof contrarian who doesnt suffer fools – a striving politician who considers himself above politics. – Ron Fournier

Ive been leading newsrooms for a while now and its been an honor serving as Editor in Chief of N.J., but I really think that my best shot at moving the needle in politics is by getting close to it – by reading, reporting, tweeting and writing. – Ron Fournier

Movies such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in 1939 to Dave in 1993 portray Washington leaders as the ultimate Everymen – decent people just like you and me, only thrust onto greatness. – Ron Fournier

Dont kid yourself. President Obamas decision to withdraw 33,000 troops from Afghanistan before he stands for reelection is not driven by the United States position of strength in the war zone as much as it is by grim economic and political realities at home. – Ron Fournier

Part of the problem is voters know relatively little about Romney. And some of what they know about him complicates his task: Romney has a history of flip-flopping on issues, hes extraordinarily wealthy, and he can be tone-deaf about what moves voters. He just doesnt seem comfortable in his skin. – Ron Fournier

Hollywood has a history of raising expectations beyond Washingtons reach, of appealing to the very American desire to mythologize political leaders, particularly the president. – Ron Fournier

Republicans would have preferred the court overturn the health care bill, an act that would have underscored Obamas biggest liability – the perception among voters, including those who like and trust him, that he has been ineffective. – Ron Fournier

At the start of his second term, one wonders less about Obamas fitness than his willingness: Why doesnt he do more to build and maintain the relationships required to govern in era of polarization? – Ron Fournier

With gridlock the norm, Congresss approval rating is below 10 percent and the public has lost faith in its national leadership. – Ron Fournier

You can almost see voters nodding their heads at home: The publics faith in politicians and political institutions has been on a steep and dangerous decline for decades, because elected leaders fail to deliver. – Ron Fournier

The failure of the White House and Congress to seriously address the nations fiscal situation is certain to broaden the belief among many voters that the U.S. political system is broken. – Ron Fournier

Washingtons answer to a self-inflicted financial crisis reminded Americans why they so deeply distrust the political class. The fiscal cliff process was secretive and sloppy, and the nations so-called leadership lacked the political courage to address our root problems: joblessness and debt. – Ron Fournier

Were living in an era of unprecedented change, and I want to be a part of documenting it. – Ron Fournier

Shock, confusion, fear, anger, grief, and defiance. On Sept. 11, 2001, and for the three days following the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil, President George W. Bush led with raw emotion that reflected the publics whipsawing stages of acceptance. – Ron Fournier

For a man who has compared himself to Theodore Roosevelt and the nations challenges to those of the Gilded Age, Obama put forward a tepid agenda. – Ron Fournier

Say what you want to say about the rest of his presidency, including his tone-deaf response to Katrina and a war waged in Iraq on false pretenses, Bush connected with Americans in the aftermath of 9/11 because he looked as frail and unforgiving as we felt. – Ron Fournier

Although we were never pals and occasionally butted heads, my relationship with Clinton and his wife, Hillary, made me a better journalist. – Ron Fournier