Andrew Cuomo quotes:

Marriage equality changed life for people.

It's time for the people of the Empire State to strike back.

Climate change is a controversial subject, right? People will debate whether there is climate change... that's a whole political debate that I don't want to get into. I want to talk about the frequency of extreme weather situations, which is not political.

The Declaration of Independence says when government fails, the people have the right to replace it. Well, New York State government has failed and the people have the right, indeed the people have the the people have the obligation, to act.

My father was against the death penalty, and that was hard in the Son of Sam summer when fear was driving the desire for the death penalty.

As my Sicilian grandfather used to say, you get more flies with honey than with vinegar, right?

I believe public education is the new civil rights battle and I support charter schools.

I am fiscally prudent and socially progressive. I believe in protecting a woman's right to choose. I believe in marriage equality.

I'm sort of the Antichrist to the Conservative Party.

Lesson 1 from Spitzer: Don't alienate the legislature on Day 1.

I've been not only articulating the dissatisfaction with Albany, I've been acting on it. I've been very aggressive in bringing public integrity cases and public corruption cases and bringing cases against sitting legislators.

Politicians are good listeners. Because if they're not, they aren't politicians for very long.

I'm a Queens boy at the end of the day.

Ninety percent of the students take the 'preferred lender.' Why? Because that's the nature of the relationship. You trust the school. The school is in a position of authority.

I am against the death penalty.

I believe global warming and climate change are real threats to our planet.

I respect the state workers and I respect their unions, but we simply can't afford to pay benefits and pensions that are out of line with economic reality.

The essential job of government is to facilitate, not frustrate, job development.

The other states look to New York for the progressive direction.

Anyone who says there is not a change in weather patterns is denying reality.

I never thought I would be divorced.

I was elected to come to an incredibly dysfunctional capital and make the government work better, and that's what I'm doing.

I'm not going to raise taxes; I'm not going to have a wage increase for public employees.

It's troubling for me as a Catholic to be at odds with the church.

You know, you cut taxes for the rich sometimes and it sits in a bank account. You cut taxes for the middle class, they will spend the money.

There was never a war on poverty. Maybe there was a skirmish on poverty.

Once you start saying, 'Let's talk political, my own politics, my own aspirations,' it can become not just distracting in that it takes time, but it can become confusing and frustrating, and is this now a political agenda or a governmental agenda.

I'm going to change everything you believe about HUD.

I am the government.

There is energy and power in a crisis.

I'm running for governor; I'm not running for a legislative office.

I believe we need to attract a new generation of the best and brightest to public service and I believe that government can be a source of inspiration, not degradation.

To be clear... no one is above the law.

I've been not only articulating the dissatisfaction with Albany, I've been acting on it. I've been very aggressive in bringing public integrity cases and public corruption cases and bringing cases against sitting legislators

I know how bad Albany is. I know it better than most. I understand why people are angry. I'm angry. The question is going to be, how do you change Albany, what is the plan for change, and then how do you actually get it done?

New York State is upside down and backwards; high taxes and low performance. The New York State government was at one time a national model. Now, unfortunately, it's a national disgrace. Sometimes, the corruption in Albany could even make Boss Tweed blush.

There is no dispute that Albany needs to be changed. There is no dispute that the current situation in Albany is untenable. Nobody knows that better than I do.

If there's a silver bullet in the battle to recapture Albany, it is the re-engagement of our citizens. This capital has become a physical metaphor for the isolation and alienation of our people.

I believe women still face a glass ceiling that must be shattered.

Fight as hard as you can, and then understand there's going to have to be some amount of reasonable compromise.

The time has come to return integrity, performance and dignity to New York and make it the Empire State once again.

Too often government responds to the whispers of lobbyists before the cries of the people.

There are 10,000 local governments in the state of New York. Ten thousand! Town, village, lighting district, water district, sewer district, a special district to count the other districts in case you missed a district.

We need marriage equality in every state in this nation. Otherwise, no state really has marriage equality, and we will not rest until it is a reality.

The other states look to New York for the progressive direction. New York made a powerful statement [legalizing marriage equality], not just for the people of New York, but for people all across this nation.

I have a portrait of Saint Thomas More in my office.

I think there's a lot to learn from Rockefeller on how to pass legislation.

People are rightfully upset about Wall Street abuses and excess.

Very few people go into politics to be reviled.

The need to understand prescription information can literally be a matter of life and death.

Showed good business judgment, knowing that these continued lawsuits would be the untimely death of the gun industry.

There was never a war on poverty. Maybe there was a skirmish on poverty

I worked in the Clinton administration.

You can be a lender who wants to compete and have a better product, but you just can't get to the students. The schools are controlling the access to the students.

What made Manhattan Manhattan was the underground infrastructure, that engineering marvel.

Whether you voted for me or not, going through the Democratic process had made me a better candidate. I am a smarter, better candidate.

Flooding damage is not customary for New York, especially downstate.

A governor can be a very good friend to people. A governor can be a formidable force.

People go into politics because they want the affirmation, and they want the applause.

The essential job of government is to facilitate, not frustrate, job development

I believe discrimination still exists in society and we must fight it in every form.

I think naturally my orientation is from my father.

I want to be the candidate placed on the ballot by the people, not the party.

I'm a harsh critic of the status quo.

I don't think anyone would argue with the notion that there have been serious abuses on Wall Street.

I believe Wall Street needs serious ongoing regulation.

People who assume I want to run for elected office may be dealing from a bad assumption.

Their problem is not me and the Democrats; their problem is themselves. Who are they? Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay? Is that who they are? Because if that's who they are and they're the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the state of New York...

He was the keynote speaker for our better angels.

I've worked on the urban agenda all my life. All. My. Life.

I don't know people who don't say, boy the government is working better now,

I don't think bonuses are always bad.

I haven't lost my head yet.

Lesson from Pataki's success is: Use the political moment.

New York State is upside down and backwards; high taxes and low performance.

I'm in politics. I'm in government, so nothing surprises me

There's no such thing as a 100-year flood.

There is also something called the Legislature. There is something called the press. There is something called people. These are all different players on the stage.

There's a rhythm to the legislative session and there are rhythms to legislative sessions. So I think that's very important to take into consideration when you are deciding what to do when.

I did experiment with marijuana when I was a youth.

If I'm breathing in 2016, I'll be happy.