--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started in the mailroom, literally, as…" description: "\"I started in the mailroom, literally, as an intern... in 1974. The legislator I was working for at the time said, 'I want you to get your law degree an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/claire-mccaskill-5688_degrees_i-started-in-the-mailroom-literally-as-a_1011907.png" --- # I started in the mailroom, literally, as an intern... in… ![“I started in the mailroom, literally, as an intern... in 1974. The legislator I was working for at the time said, 'I want you to get your law degree and come back here and get elected and be the first woman governor.' I kind of took that guy seriously - I thought that sounded like a pretty good…” quote by Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/claire-mccaskill-5688_degrees_i-started-in-the-mailroom-literally-as-a_1011907.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/claire-mccaskill-5688_degrees_i-started-in-the-mailroom-literally-as-a_1011907.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/claire-mccaskill-5688_degrees_i-started-in-the-mailroom-literally-as-a_1011907.png) > “I started in the mailroom, literally, as an intern... in 1974. The legislator I was working for at the time said, 'I want you to get your law degree and come back here and get elected and be the first woman governor.' I kind of took that guy seriously - I thought that sounded like a pretty good idea.” [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early career advice can shape ambitions, but personal agency determines ultimate path. **In simple terms:** Advice influences but doesn't dictate career. Key Takeaway Take control of your own career decisions. Themes career politics mentorship ambition gender Mood thoughtful inspirational Type narrative reflection When to use this quote - internships - law school - political campaigns - public service Key Concepts leadership political pathways gender equity Questions to Reflect On - Did the advice align with your values? - How do you evaluate mentorship advice? A Different Perspective Mentors may have biases that limit vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Come Elected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-elected-2202643/) [Degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrees/) [Elected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elected/) [Elected Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elected-woman-2202642/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [I want you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-want-you/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Pretty good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-good/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Started Mailroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-mailroom-2202641/) [That guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/that-guy/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Woman Governor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-governor-2202644/) ## Related quotes > [You get elected, often, if you're a woman, on the strength of the women's vote; then you get into office, and you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clift/you-get-elected-often-if-you-re-a-woman-on-the-strength-of-the-women/) [Eleanor Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clift/) > [Of course, I am the first democratically elected woman president in Africa, and that raises a lot of expectations. Because I represent the aspirations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/of-course-i-am-the-first-democratically-elected-woman-president-in/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [You know I think the president has to really focus on getting elected to a second term in 2012. And I need to focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/you-know-i-think-the-president-has-to-really-focus-on-getting-elected/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [Mental toughness must be developed before you start fighting because you don't want to be that guy who quits in the ring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-griffin/mental-toughness-must-be-developed-before-you-start-fighting-because/) [Forrest Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-griffin/) > [I wasn't a class clown, I never developed this comedic flair as a kid. Even when I decided to become an actor, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/i-wasn-t-a-class-clown-i-never-developed-this-comedic-flair-as-a-kid/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [You know, I think when people fly the nest a little too soon, as far as getting involved in movies, anything beyond the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubba-sparxxx/you-know-i-think-when-people-fly-the-nest-a-little-too-soon-as-far-as/) [Bubba Sparxxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bubba-sparxxx/) > [I have a few different managers, and one of them hit me up today and was like 'I'm going to set you up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-bunting/i-have-a-few-different-managers-and-one-of-them-hit-me-up-today-and/) [Shane Bunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-bunting/) > [Skiing is my favorite sport, because, that's the only sport that is actually better to watch the worst the person is at it. "That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/skiing-is-my-favorite-sport-because-that-s-the-only-sport-that-is/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [I am not a member of the chamber of commerce for show business, believe me, but there are some really good people in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-fuller/i-am-not-a-member-of-the-chamber-of-commerce-for-show-business/) [Kurt Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-fuller/) > [My fear is that the Tea Party gets a charismatic leader. Because all they're selling is fear and anger. And that's all Hitler sold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-reiner/my-fear-is-that-the-tea-party-gets-a-charismatic-leader-because-all/) [Rob Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-reiner/) > [I've always wanted to do blow with Genghis Khan, 'bet that guy knows how to party. I also think a bottle of wine with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mendez/i-ve-always-wanted-to-do-blow-with-genghis-khan-bet-that-guy-knows/) [Mike Mendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mendez/) > [I kind of wish people didn’t know who I am, that I could just lie, say I’m a speechwriter for Obama. This is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-kind-of-wish-people-didn-t-know-who-i-am-that-i-could-just-lie-say/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [People see you onstage and, yeah, I'd want to be that guy.I want to be that guy myself very often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/people-see-you-onstage-and-yeah-i-d-want-to-be-that-guy-i-want-to-be/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [And I could see his internal struggle become an all out war. "It wouldn't have made a difference. Not with Adrian involved," he said……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/and-i-could-see-his-internal-struggle-become-an-all-out-war-it-wouldn/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) ## More by Claire McCaskill > [No commander in chief would ever say, 'I'm not going to listen to the guys on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/no-commander-in-chief-would-ever-say-i-m-not-going-to-listen-to-the/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [Only in Washington would the Republican operatives get the entire press corps ginned up over the notion that I'm going to be home campaigning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/only-in-washington-would-the-republican-operatives-get-the-entire/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I'm going to work with Republicans when they do things I agree with and I'm going to fight Republicans when they're doing things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-m-going-to-work-with-republicans-when-they-do-things-i-agree-with/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I'm a moderate. I hang out in the middle. I vote against my party with some regularity and try to compromise. It doesn't appear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-m-a-moderate-i-hang-out-in-the-middle-i-vote-against-my-party-with/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I think, first of all, you know, Washington has a bad habit of a very short attention span.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-think-first-of-all-you-know-washington-has-a-bad-habit-of-a-very/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I worry about the lack of experience that Rex Tillerson has had on the diplomatic front and, frankly, I think that's true for many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-worry-about-the-lack-of-experience-that-rex-tillerson-has-had-on/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [First of all, Donald Trump cabinet or - I call it the 3-G cabinet, Goldman, generals and gazillionaires. And I think it's one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/first-of-all-donald-trump-cabinet-or-i-call-it-the-3-g-cabinet/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I want to compliment the fraternity and sorority organizations for taking the time to meet with us and then removing their support from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-want-to-compliment-the-fraternity-and-sorority-organizations-for/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [My first obligation is my job. It's very hard to really get into campaign mode when you've got to focus on doing the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/my-first-obligation-is-my-job-it-s-very-hard-to-really-get-into/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [ What is most heartbreaking to me is the young women who don't report \[being raped\] because they were drinking, and they feel like it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/what-is-most-heartbreaking-to-me-is-the-young-women-who-don-t-report/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [ \[Hillary Clinton\] and I are fine. Are we going to be besties for the rest of our lives? No. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/hillary-clinton-and-i-are-fine-are-we-going-to-be-besties-for-the/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I have fought the establishment, run primaries, my entire career. I think that for Planned Parenthood or NARAL or the Human Rights Campaign to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-have-fought-the-establishment-run-primaries-my-entire-career-i/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [Corporate governance is a huge issue too. We don't have women on these corporate boards. More than half of the students in law school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/corporate-governance-is-a-huge-issue-too-we-don-t-have-women-on-these/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I've got a really hard election. If you had a really hard election and it was after Labor Day would you go to North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-ve-got-a-really-hard-election-if-you-had-a-really-hard-election-and/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [After holding hearings to get input from Missourians, I led the fight to pass legislation that protects seniors from predatory lending in the mortgage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/after-holding-hearings-to-get-input-from-missourians-i-led-the-fight/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) [Explore all 100 Claire McCaskill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) ## More Degrees quotes > [ \[Photography is \] likewise even French impressionists. So the Sculls bought pop. It was politics, and they moved with it. And I think that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/photography-is-likewise-even-french-impressionists-so-the-sculls/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [I was a full time student either at Stony Brook or NYU getting my masters degree. After I graduated with my masters I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-algieri/i-was-a-full-time-student-either-at-stony-brook-or-nyu-getting-my/) [Chris Algieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-algieri/) > [Life comes from death. To the degree that I can live in the death of Jesus - to that degree I can channel God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/life-comes-from-death-to-the-degree-that-i-can-live-in-the-death-of/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [As hard as I try to live with some degree of faith in my life, I just can't believe that the full moon can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/as-hard-as-i-try-to-live-with-some-degree-of-faith-in-my-life-i-just/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [ What are you for? It may be, to a degree, consoling that white brothers and sisters did not vote for \[Donald\] Trump, and do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/what-are-you-for-it-may-be-to-a-degree-consoling-that-white-brothers/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [My mother taught me three things, respect, knowledge-search for knowledge, it's an eternal journey. That's like my hair-cut, the line, 360 degrees, find knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/my-mother-taught-me-three-things-respect-knowledge-search-for/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [I work with different actors with varied degrees of experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-baker/i-work-with-different-actors-with-varied-degrees-of-experience/) [Sean Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-baker/) > [We are only alive to the degree that we can let ourselves be moved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hyde/we-are-only-alive-to-the-degree-that-we-can-let-ourselves-be-moved/) [Lewis Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hyde/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The insolence of base minds in success is boundless; and would scarce admit of a comparison, did not they themselves furnish us with one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/the-insolence-of-base-minds-in-success-is-boundless-and-would-scarce/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [Each year we pump at least six billion tons of heat-trapping carbon into the innermost layer of our atmosphere, whose outer extent is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-gelbspan/each-year-we-pump-at-least-six-billion-tons-of-heat-trapping-carbon/) [Ross Gelbspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-gelbspan/) [Browse all 3,453 Degrees quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrees/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started in the mailroom, literally, as an intern... in 1974. 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