I think itโs time to open the books on questions that have remained in the dark on the question of government investigations of UFOs. Itโs time to find out what the truth really is thatโs out there. We ought to do it because itโs right. We ought to do it because the American people, quite frankly, can handle the truth. And we ought to do it because itโs the law.
John PodestaSo I think in those circumstances, there's some potential that you could see a big pendulum swing like 1994, which people you thought weren't vulnerable all of the sudden get in trouble.
John PodestaI think that people have to have to have a sense of what ideas are one the progressive side, the Democratic side in order ultimately to be effective in the political world.
John PodestaRealistically, I think we are not prepared to go home until we do get more teachers and lower class sizes.
John PodestaI think that what we've been able to do is put together both a good group of scholars and analysts and people who aggressively want to make the case to the American public.
John PodestaIf you ask the people who are professional political analysts, they would say that the way redistricting has worked, that the Republicans have something of a lock on the House until a redistricting occurs after 2010, particularly as a result of what DeLay did in Texas.
John PodestaIn fact, I think that Governor Clinton, when he was running, and President Clinton, when he was serving, actually governed with a wide range of advisors and a perspective that blended the best of ideas from the center and the left.
John PodestaIf medicine was practiced in 1965 the way it's practiced today, there's no question that prescriptions would have been included in Medicare.
John PodestaUltimately I think what people care about, particularly on an issue like Social Security, is not really what's right and what's left but what's right and what's wrong.
John PodestaI think if you look at yesterday's New York Times poll, particularly when you judge Democrats in Congress versus the Republicans in Congress, people put a little more faith, or even a little more than a little more faith in the Democrats in Congress.
John PodestaThe American people have the right to know and understand the laws they live under. And they tend to demand answers sooner or later.
John PodestaSo I think it's important to communicate with the people in terms of what the real facts are on these proposals and try to have a discussion and a dialogue that gives people information. I think they're hungry for that rather than just political rhetoric.
John PodestaI believe that President Clinton considered the legal merits of the arguments for the pardon as he understood them, and he rendered his judgment, wise or unwise, on the merits.
John PodestaDonald Trump has been someone who has basically taken every position that Vladimir Putin has.
John PodestaIf that's your definition of the Clinton faction, then I think that that seems to be in ascendancy. That might include a guy like John Edwards, who's just starting this new center in Chapel Hill to deal with issues of poverty and work.
John PodestaI have great respect for Bernie Sanders, there was a moment where he opposed the Paris Deal... I was frustrated with him, but he and I have a very good relationship... and I have great affection for him, but I do think when he criticized the Paris agreement, I didn't think it was the right position.
John PodestaFinally, my biggest failure of 2014: Once again not securing the #โ disclosure of the UFO files.
John PodestaThis tough-love, winner-take-all narrative dominating policymaking is far too limited a way to think about how a complex, modern, diverse economy like ours expands and thrives. The strongest periods of economic growth in the 20th century were also times when incomes rose across the board.
John PodestaThe only Trump constant seems to be his unpredictability. America lives in a state of constant turmoil. There were those who thought maybe that would calm down when he became president, but what has happened is that the pressures of the presidency have actually exaggerated those tendencies.
John PodestaI did answer all of the questions put to me today, ... Nothing in my testimony in any way contradicted the strong denials that the president has made to these allegations, and since I have been asked to return and answer some additional questions, I think that it's best that I not answer any questions out here and reserve that to the grand jury.
John Podesta