In his own words

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 8, 2001

The following quotes were drawn from published and unpublished interviews, including 30 interviews by the St. Petersburg Times since 1986.

"The governor will not run the Florida Senate, and I wish he'd stay the hell out of our business." -- On the Senate floor in 1975 after Gov. Reubin Askew tried to help a longtime friend succeed Barron as Senate president.

"The editorial boards have done more to enhance my power in the Senate than anybody else." -- May 20, 1982

"Would it be too much power if someone in your delegation had it?" -- Posed to reporters who questioned his power over the Senate in 1982

"I might not have the tact to be governor. I would want to get rid of too many bureaucrats who don't do a damn thing but live off the taxpayers. And besides, I'm not very good at hosting teas and having my picture taken with strangers." -- April 25, 1982, in announcing he would not run for governor after much speculation that he would oppose Gov. Bob Graham's re-election.

"I don't want to ever know where in the hell I'm going to have lunch on Tuesday for the rest of my life." -- 1982 explanation of why he didn't join clubs

"I don't hide here. I just don't like cities. They are demeaning and lack consideration for people." -- At his north Florida ranch, Nov. 25, 1986

"It's like mixing sugar with manure. It doesn't improve the manure, and it ruins the sugar." -- June 8, 1987, to describe a medical malpractice bill

"This is a matter of no public interest. If you were right in the middle and knew everything I know, you wouldn't know anything worth writing about." -- Nov. 20, 1986, defending his attempt to keep his divorce file secret

"I sure as hell feel sorry for people who don't drink because when they get up in the morning, it's the best they are going to feel all day." -- Nov. 8, 1990, interview

"I'm not drinking as much as I used to. I spill more now than I used to drink in the Legislature." -- After he was struck by lightning in July 1993

"The people of America and especially Florida have to be thinking how did we get into this horn-blowing, woman-chasing, draft-dodging president we have. Florida might want to apologize to George and Barbara by voting for Jeb -- just a crazy political thought." -- June 24, 1994, interview on the governor's race

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