Gov. Jack Stanton Quotes in Primary Colors (1998)

Gov. Jack Stanton: [handing Picker the scandalous information concerning his dealings with Reyes] This is the only copy left. I want you to have it because it might help you to know what someone else may find. I shouldn't have looked for it. I'm really sorry.

Gov. Fred Picker: Fuckin' cocaine. You know, I was really so successful at everything I did. Business, politics, hell, I could handle anything... except cocaine. Only I didn't know that because of cocaine. That's what really fucked up my marriage. It wasn't anything else. And...

[pause]

Gov. Fred Picker: I did go to bed with 'Renzo once or twice. Hell, it was just a coke thing. I could do anything, so I did that too.

[pause]

Gov. Fred Picker: I'm seeing a really nice woman now... I suppose I have to tell her.

[voice breaking]

Gov. Fred Picker: Hell of a price to pay, isn't it?

Gov. Jack Stanton: Well, maybe no one will find out.

Gov. Fred Picker: Well, you did... in a day. I should never have said yes to Mrs. Harris. But I liked what Harris was doing, and I thought I'd give it a week, and it just took off. Once I did that blood thing, God...

Gov. Jack Stanton: [interrupting] ... but that was great politics.

Gov. Fred Picker: Yeah... amazing, wasn't it? Jack, I'd like to thank you for coming here, the honorable way you have. I was wrong to stay in. I just hope that maybe when I quit, they won't hit it as hard. And my boys, I really don't want them to know about 'Renzo. The problem is, the bottom line is, I'm going to be a national joke... and I'm going to have to explain it all to my boys... either way. Because no matter what I do, the press is still going to find out the rest of it, aren't they?

Gov. Jack Stanton: If they think it will sell one newspaper, yes.

Gov. Fred Picker: [breaking down] Oh, my God.

Gov. Jack Stanton: [putting his hand on Picker's shoulder] If there's anything I can do... anything... that can make it a little better...

[stands and leaves as Picker weeps]

Gov. Jack Stanton: You know as well as I do, that plenty of people playing this game, they don't think that way. They're willing to sell their souls, crawl through sewers, lie to people, divide them, play on their worst fears for nothing! Just for the prize.

Gov. Jack Stanton: I'm going to tell you something really outrageous. I'm going to tell you the truth.