Dan Rather's Sound Bites

A tough lesson in life that one has to learn is that not everybody wishes you well.
Dan Rather

Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.
Dan Rather

An intellectual snob is someone who can listen to the William Tell Overture and not think of The Lone Ranger.
Dan Rather

And now the sequence of events in no particular order.
Dan Rather

Are the Democrats going to dance the mandate Macarena?
Dan Rather

Be careful. Journalism is more addictive than crack cocaine. Your life can get out of balance.
Dan Rather

Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow.
Dan Rather

Despite what many Americans think, most Soviets do not yearn for capitalism or Western-style democracy.
Dan Rather

Don't taunt the alligator until after you've crossed the creek.
Dan Rather

Fear rules almost every newsroom in the country.
Dan Rather

For years Don Imus was just - boy, he was merciless in his criticism of me. Maybe it was justified, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt.
Dan Rather

I don't back down. I don't cave when the pressure gets too great from these partisan political ideological forces.
Dan Rather

I got addicted. News, particularly daily news, is more addictive than crack cocaine, more addictive than heroin, more addictive than cigarettes.
Dan Rather

I had someone at the Houston police station shoot me with heroin so I could do a story about it. The experience was a special kind of hell. I came out understanding full well how one could be addicted to 'smack,' and quickly.
Dan Rather

I'm proud to say I've never been anybody's lapdog.
Dan Rather

I've always tried to be fair, even-handed, not an advocate for any group.
Dan Rather

I've tried everything. I can say to you with confidence, I know a fair amount about LSD. I've never been a social user of any of these things, but my curiosity has carried me into a lot of interesting areas.
Dan Rather

If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all.
Dan Rather

Journalists should denounce government by public opinion polls.
Dan Rather

Never eat spinach just before going on the air.
Dan Rather

Once the herd starts moving in one direction, it's very hard to turn it, even slightly.
Dan Rather

Only votes talk, everything else walks.
Dan Rather

Performing doesn't turn me on. It's an egomaniac business, filled with prima donnas - including this one.
Dan Rather

The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called "truth".
Dan Rather

They may have turned this up, whether you had the Paula Jones case or not. But again maybe not, but again that's like if a frog had side pockets he'd probably wear a handgun.
Dan Rather

This race is hotter than a Times Square Rolex.
Dan Rather

Those market researchers... are playing games with you and me and with this entire country. Their so-called samples of opinion are no more accurate or reliable than my grandmother's big toe was when it came to predicting the weather.
Dan Rather

To err is human but to really foul up requires a computer.
Dan Rather

What I say or do here won't matter much, nor should it.
Dan Rather