Anyway, so here I was caught between Johnson on the one side, who was my leader, I was his whip, and here was my dear friend, personal friend, Kennedy, and they're going to go into my state and ruin it. What am I going to do?

- George Smathers

Don't look at the downside of everything that comes along. It helps life move along so much smoother and nicer.

- George Smathers

I don't believe in social equality, and they know it.

- George Smathers

I liked Nixon fine, but Nixon was not a partier.

- George Smathers

The people of our state will no longer tolerate advocates of treason.

- George Smathers

But to make a long story short, I decided that I was going to run, and I announced that I was going to run for president in Florida, I would be the favorite son from Florida, and that would stop Johnson and Kennedy from dividing up the state.

- George Smathers

Kennedy was a lot of fun, always. He had something going on. But not Nixon.

- George Smathers

Of the fellows least likely to be president, you'd have to vote Jack No. 1.

- George Smathers

The pilot came back and said he had just heard that Kennedy was shot.

- George Smathers

The outcome can truly determine whether our homes will be destroyed, whether our children will be torn from their mothers, trained as conspirators and turned against their parents, their home and their church.

- George Smathers