Climbs Quote by Paul Keating
“For John Howard to get to any high moral ground he would have to first climb out of the volcanic hole he's dug for himself over the last decade. You know, it's like one of those deep diamond mined holes in South Africa, you know, they're about a mile underground. He'd have to come a mile up to get to even equilibrium, let alone have any contest in morality with Kevin Rudd.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Political commentary, 2010
John Howard must overcome his own deep moral failings before he can claim any ethical superiority over Kevin Rudd.
In simple terms: He must fix his own flaws first.
Key Takeaway
Address personal shortcomings before judging others.
Themes
politics
ethics
leadership
Mood
critical
serious
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political debates
- public perception
- leadership challenges
Key Concepts
moral accountability
self-improvement
Questions to Reflect On
- What steps can a leader take to rebuild moral credibility?
- Can personal redemption affect public trust?
A Different Perspective
Self‑criticism can be politically costly.
![“I've often thought about that and the only suitable member to join me on that climb [to Everest] was George Lowe: he was strong, a good man on a mountain, with a great sense of humour, and I liked that. I think George and I could've done that together ... I've probably never told George that.” quote by Edmund Hillary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/165/edmund-hillary-3760_climbs_i-ve-often-thought-about-that-and-the-on_12447.jpg)
