News conferences are the only chance the American public has to see Ronald Reagan use his mind. Sam Donaldson More Quotes by Sam Donaldson More Quotes From Sam Donaldson The questions don't do the damage. Only the answers do. Sam Donaldson media-training damage answers I'd rather work with someone who's good at their job but doesn't like me, than someone who likes me but is a ninny. Sam Donaldson likes inspirational jobs So when I cover the president, I try to remember two things: First, if you don't ask, you don't find out; and second, the questions don't do the damage. Only the answers do. Sam Donaldson president trying two I saw a large, red dried swath that I immediately identified clearly as blood. I covered the war in Vietnam. I saw a lot of it [blood] there. Sam Donaldson vietnam war blood And really, the basis, I think, of achieving some success in what I want to do today comes from my mother's push to get me to read and to make something of myself from the standpoint of an education. Sam Donaldson mother want thinking Let's face it: Many on the political right believe this president ought not to be there - they oppose him not for his polices and political view but for who he is, an African American! Sam Donaldson political views believe If you sent me to cover a pie-baking contest on Mother's Day, I'm going to ask dear old Mom why she used artificial sweetener or stole the apples! Sam Donaldson apples mom mother It was kind of exciting being on the radio. Not everybody was on the radio. Sam Donaldson radio kind exciting Call me a braggart, call me arrogant. People at ABC (and elsewhere) have called me worse. But when you need the job done on deadline, you'll call me. Sam Donaldson jobs people needs And on election night I'd go down to city hall in El Paso, Texas and cover the election. In those days, of course, we didn't have exit polls. You didn't know who had won the election until they actually counted the votes. I thought that was exciting too. Sam Donaldson texas cities night There was a little bit of ham in me. And there's a lot of people say there's a lot of ham in me. Sam Donaldson ham littles people Some days the competition would beat me and I'd go home thinking awful thoughts, want to hide under the bed, depressed. But of course, in the news business, when you're working a daily news broadcast, you get your victories and defeats every day. Sam Donaldson victory-and-defeat home thinking My mother gave me a push. If I hadn't had her, maybe I wouldn't have had the push. If I hadn't gone to military school, maybe I wouldn't have decided to get with the program. Maybe I'd be running a bulldozer, rather than going on and doing something more. Sam Donaldson military mother running My mother did all she could to control me, but at age 14 she sent me to a military school. Sam Donaldson military mother school It wasn't until the late '70s that a lot of people knew me. Sam Donaldson late people I didn't come east of the Mississippi for the first time in my life until I was 26 years of age, but I knew. I read magazines, I listened to radio, I watched television. I knew there was something out there, and I wanted a part of it. Sam Donaldson east age years My personal opinion is that guns kill people. Sam Donaldson gun personal-opinions people As I went to college, I went into radio and television. Now I suppose most people think that's one step ahead of basket weaving as a major in college, but it was part of the journalism department. Sam Donaldson college people thinking If you have a setback, and you're not doing well and then you overcome it somehow, it always sticks with you. You know it could happen again. Sam Donaldson wells sticks overcoming Well, I was born in El Paso, Texas, it was in the nearest hospital to the family farm. Sam Donaldson hospitality born texas
