Candidate Quote by Katy Tur
““you have to understand something about presidential elections in general. The politicians devise strategies and court donors years in advance. At the same time, newspapers and networks carefully decide which reporter they’ll match with which candidate. Trump wasn’t part of anyone’s plan. For that matter, neither was I. Five days into my New York trip, while I was running an errand, I got a call from a friend at work. “Hey, Katy. Heads up,” the friend said. “Deborah Turness [my boss] is going to assign you to Trump full-time. [David, another boss] Verdi is going to call. If you don’t want to do this, you better figure out what you’re going to say to get out of it. Don’t let on that I told you, but get ready.” Anxiety. Indecision. Italy. My vacation with Benoît is in just over a week. On the other hand, as good as life can be in Europe, there’s also a lot of professional boredom. It would be nice to get some TV time. And New York is unbeatable in the summer. I hung up and paced the sidewalk. Then I called a friend from CBS. “They want me to cover Trump full-time,” I told him. My friend had covered Romney in 2012. “What do I do?””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Podcast with Katy Tur, 2023
The speaker describes the sudden, unplanned assignment to cover a high‑profile political figure, highlighting the tension between personal plans and professional demands.
In simple terms: Unexpected work changes cause stress and force quick decisions.
Weigh personal priorities against career opportunities.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- covering a political campaign
- travel planning
- negotiating assignments
- managing anxiety
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How will you balance personal commitments with sudden work demands?
- What strategies can you use to negotiate or decline?
The assignment may conflict with personal life and lead to burnout if not managed.