--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As mayor, I made decisions I never…" description: "\"As mayor, I made decisions I never thought I'd have to make: to close schools; pause construction; turn our convention center into a field hospital; an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/marty-walsh-4000_boston-marathon_as-mayor-i-made-decisions-i-never-though_2771585.jpg" --- # As mayor, I made decisions I never thought I'd have to… ![“As mayor, I made decisions I never thought I'd have to make: to close schools; pause construction; turn our convention center into a field hospital; and cancel the Boston Marathon for the first time in its history.” quote by Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/marty-walsh-4000_boston-marathon_as-mayor-i-made-decisions-i-never-though_2771585.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/marty-walsh-4000_boston-marathon_as-mayor-i-made-decisions-i-never-though_2771585.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/marty-walsh-4000_boston-marathon_as-mayor-i-made-decisions-i-never-though_2771585.jpg) > “As mayor, I made decisions I never thought I'd have to make: to close schools; pause construction; turn our convention center into a field hospital; and cancel the Boston Marathon for the first time in its history.” [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Made unprecedented decisions during crisis: school closures, field hospital, marathon cancellation. **In simple terms:** Crisis forced tough mayoral decisions. Key Takeaway Prioritize public safety in emergencies. Themes leadership crisis management public health policy Mood urgent responsible Type political administrative When to use this quote - city governance - public health - event planning Key Concepts governance emergency response Questions to Reflect On - What criteria guided these decisions? - How to balance safety and community needs? A Different Perspective May face political backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boston marathon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston-marathon/) [Cancel Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancel-boston-3245983/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Hospital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hospital/) [Hospital Cancel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hospital-cancel-3245984/) [Mayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mayor/) [Mayor Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mayor-decisions-3245982/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pause/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [Listen, I'm a guy from Boston. Secretary of Labor. Former mayor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/listen-i-m-a-guy-from-boston-secretary-of-labor-former-mayor/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [Being a mayor, you can accomplish a lot in six or eight months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/being-a-mayor-you-can-accomplish-a-lot-in-six-or-eight-months/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [As a mayor, I don't make my decisions based upon whether it is a "Democrat" issue. You make your decisions based upon the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/as-a-mayor-i-don-t-make-my-decisions-based-upon-whether-it-is-a/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [I've always supported legislation for a woman's right to choose. And as mayor - I ran as an open, pro-choice candidate for mayor. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/i-ve-always-supported-legislation-for-a-woman-s-right-to-choose-and/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [I wouldn't say I'm personally pro-life. I would just say I'm a pro-choice candidate, I'm a pro-choice mayor, I was a pro-choice legislator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/i-wouldn-t-say-i-m-personally-pro-life-i-would-just-say-i-m-a-pro/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [You don't have a second shot at being mayor for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/you-don-t-have-a-second-shot-at-being-mayor-for-the-first-time/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [My job as Mayor is not just to govern for the year or the moment, but to mark the way forward, and build for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/my-job-as-mayor-is-not-just-to-govern-for-the-year-or-the-moment-but/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [As mayor, you have to make a decision quickly and it affects people instantly, almost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/as-mayor-you-have-to-make-a-decision-quickly-and-it-affects-people/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [As mayor, I launched an apprentice program. As mayor and as a labor leader, I've seen them change the lives of women and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/as-mayor-i-launched-an-apprentice-program-as-mayor-and-as-a-labor/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [As mayor you pray every night, you know, the one thing I guess that can keep me up at night is public safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/as-mayor-you-pray-every-night-you-know-the-one-thing-i-guess-that-can/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [Those 2 Terrorist who bomb the Boston Marathon, kill innocent people, damage ordinary people like me and you, just because of there hate for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/those-2-terrorist-who-bomb-the-boston-marathon-kill-innocent-people/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“I'm the only person I know who has slept through a fire drill. Apparently, I pulled the alarm. Yeah, I sleepwalk. Sometimes I sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-the-only-person-i-know-who-has-slept-through-a-fire-drill/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [There is a unique energy surrounding the Boston Marathon that you can't help but feel. It includes every runner and every person along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hastings/there-is-a-unique-energy-surrounding-the-boston-marathon-that-you-can/) [Amy Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-hastings/) > [Until we fully understand what turned two brothers who allegedly perpetrated the Boston Marathon bombings into murderers, it is hard to make any policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/until-we-fully-understand-what-turned-two-brothers-who-allegedly/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [We can never completely prevent another tragedy like the Boston Marathon attacks from happening. But every American should ask themselves if their community is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-can-never-completely-prevent-another-tragedy-like-the-boston/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) ## More by Marty Walsh > [Receiving the care that you need, and are entitled to, shouldn't be a struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/receiving-the-care-that-you-need-and-are-entitled-to-shouldn-t-be-a/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [I don't think you can judge the fate of labor on one vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/i-don-t-think-you-can-judge-the-fate-of-labor-on-one-vote/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [I don't really think about legacy. I just think of how fortunate I am to have had the opportunities in my life. You know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/i-don-t-really-think-about-legacy-i-just-think-of-how-fortunate-i-am/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [Getting from good homes to good jobs depends on good transportation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/getting-from-good-homes-to-good-jobs-depends-on-good-transportation/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [Everyone in this country should be able to work one job and be able to raise a family on, not have to work two,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/everyone-in-this-country-should-be-able-to-work-one-job-and-be-able/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [Whatever happens, I know one thing: Boston will stay true to its values. We believe in keeping each other safe. We believe in caring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/whatever-happens-i-know-one-thing-boston-will-stay-true-to-its-values/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [In Boston, we don't lead by ourselves. We lead as the capital city and economic engine of a great Commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/in-boston-we-don-t-lead-by-ourselves-we-lead-as-the-capital-city-and/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [We believe in a Boston where housing is more than a commodity, it's our community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/we-believe-in-a-boston-where-housing-is-more-than-a-commodity-it-s/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [I will fight for our families, I will fight for our seniors, and for our children, and for our veterans, and our immigrants, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/i-will-fight-for-our-families-i-will-fight-for-our-seniors-and-for/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [We believe in Boston.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/we-believe-in-boston/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [The majority of people who come to America come for a better life, just like the Italians, the Jews, the Irish, and the Polish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/the-majority-of-people-who-come-to-america-come-for-a-better-life/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [Education is the lifeline of the city of Boston in a lot of ways, as far as preparing and educating young people for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/education-is-the-lifeline-of-the-city-of-boston-in-a-lot-of-ways-as/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [Every day, I talk to people about their commutes. What I hear, and see, are traffic jams, delayed trains, not enough buses. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/every-day-i-talk-to-people-about-their-commutes-what-i-hear-and-see/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [It's only fair that Boston's success benefits all Boston's children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/it-s-only-fair-that-boston-s-success-benefits-all-boston-s-children/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) > [There are people in politics who you meet and you don't realize what that relationship will end up being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/there-are-people-in-politics-who-you-meet-and-you-don-t-realize-what/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) [Explore all 118 Marty Walsh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) ## More Boston marathon quotes > [We can never completely prevent another tragedy like the Boston Marathon attacks from happening. But every American should ask themselves if their community is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-can-never-completely-prevent-another-tragedy-like-the-boston/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [Until we fully understand what turned two brothers who allegedly perpetrated the Boston Marathon bombings into murderers, it is hard to make any policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/until-we-fully-understand-what-turned-two-brothers-who-allegedly/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [There is a unique energy surrounding the Boston Marathon that you can't help but feel. It includes every runner and every person along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hastings/there-is-a-unique-energy-surrounding-the-boston-marathon-that-you-can/) [Amy Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-hastings/) > [“I'm the only person I know who has slept through a fire drill. Apparently, I pulled the alarm. Yeah, I sleepwalk. Sometimes I sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-the-only-person-i-know-who-has-slept-through-a-fire-drill/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Those 2 Terrorist who bomb the Boston Marathon, kill innocent people, damage ordinary people like me and you, just because of there hate for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/those-2-terrorist-who-bomb-the-boston-marathon-kill-innocent-people/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [There was no way to lock down, or tighten up, or Fail-Safe into Security Theater a race that covers 26.2 miles, a race that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/there-was-no-way-to-lock-down-or-tighten-up-or-fail-safe-into/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [For three years, I lived in a miniscule apartment on Beacon Street, less than a mile from the Boston Marathon explosions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/for-three-years-i-lived-in-a-miniscule-apartment-on-beacon-street/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [Watching the spontaneous acts of kindness, compassion, and generosity, courage, and bravery in the aftermath of the Boston marathon bombings was so deeply moving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/watching-the-spontaneous-acts-of-kindness-compassion-and-generosity/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [This wasn’t just an attack against the Boston Marathon... It was an attack against the American public and our democratic use of the streets.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amby-burfoot/this-wasn-t-just-an-attack-against-the-boston-marathon-it-was-an/) [Amby Burfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amby-burfoot/) > [ US government policies are continuing to do exactly the same thing \[produce terrorism\]. Two days after the Boston marathon bombings, there was a drone… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/us-government-policies-are-continuing-to-do-exactly-the-same-thing/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Finally, we must bear in mind that guns are not the only tools of mass killing. In America, by far the worst mass murder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/finally-we-must-bear-in-mind-that-guns-are-not-the-only-tools-of-mass/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [Instead of arguing about whether we're allowed to describe Muslim terrorists as 'Muslim terrorists,' why don't we argue about whether it's a good idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/instead-of-arguing-about-whether-we-re-allowed-to-describe-muslim/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [I've run the Boston Marathon 6 times before. I think the best aspects of the marathon are the beautiful changes of the scenery along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-ve-run-the-boston-marathon-6-times-before-i-think-the-best-aspects/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“A novel is something that stands at the end of a lengthy process called writing. It is not a preexisting Platonic form embedded within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-nelson/a-novel-is-something-that-stands-at-the-end-of-a-lengthy-process/) [Victoria Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-nelson/) > [Two days after the Boston marathon bombings, there was a drone strike in Yemen attacking a peaceful village, which killed a target who could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/two-days-after-the-boston-marathon-bombings-there-was-a-drone-strike/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Browse all 42 Boston marathon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston-marathon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As mayor, I made decisions I never thought I'd have to make: to close schools; pause construction; turn our convention center into a field hospital; and cancel the Boston Marathon for the first time in its history.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marty Walsh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/as-mayor-i-made-decisions-i-never-thought-i-d-have-to-make-to-close/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boston marathon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/as-mayor-i-made-decisions-i-never-thought-i-d-have-to-make-to-close/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/marty-walsh-4000_boston-marathon_as-mayor-i-made-decisions-i-never-though_2771585.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/marty-walsh-4000_boston-marathon_as-mayor-i-made-decisions-i-never-though_2771585.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/marty-walsh-4000_boston-marathon_as-mayor-i-made-decisions-i-never-though_2771585.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As mayor, I made decisions I never thought I'd have to make: to close schools; pause construction; turn our…” — Marty Walsh", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Marty Walsh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As mayor, I made decisions I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/as-mayor-i-made-decisions-i-never-thought-i-d-have-to-make-to-close/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/as-mayor-i-made-decisions-i-never-thought-i-d-have-to-make-to-close/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```