--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never been a quitter. To leave…" description: "\"I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as president I must put the inter..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8c/richard-m-nixon-727_america_i-have-never-been-a-quitter-to-leave-off_8417.jpg" --- # I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my… ![“I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as president I must put the interests of America first Therefore, I shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow.” quote by Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8c/richard-m-nixon-727_america_i-have-never-been-a-quitter-to-leave-off_8417.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8c/richard-m-nixon-727_america_i-have-never-been-a-quitter-to-leave-off_8417.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8c/richard-m-nixon-727_america_i-have-never-been-a-quitter-to-leave-off_8417.jpg) > “I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as president I must put the interests of America first Therefore, I shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow.” [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker asserts a personal aversion to abandoning duty, yet decides to resign for the nation's benefit, prioritizing collective interest over personal ambition. **In simple terms:** Resignation driven by national interest Key Takeaway Duty can outweigh personal resolve Themes leadership ethics public service responsibility political sacrifice Mood determined sober reflective Type political personal historical When to use this quote - political crisis - health issues - scandal fallout - policy deadlock Key Concepts integrity national interest personal vs. public duty Practical Applications - public statements - succession planning Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to put country before self? - How should leaders balance personal convictions with public expectations? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidency/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) ## Related quotes > [The call to make that decision is not mine, because obviously I won't resign and I'm not a quitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-villas-boas/the-call-to-make-that-decision-is-not-mine-because-obviously-i-won-t/) [Andre Villas-Boas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-villas-boas/) > [I hereby resign this office of president of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-hereby-resign-this-office-of-president-of-the-united-states/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I thought I raised a ballplayer. You're nothing but a coward and a quitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/i-thought-i-raised-a-ballplayer-you-re-nothing-but-a-coward-and-a/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [If you give up before your goal has been reached, you are a "quitter." A QUITTER NEVER WINS AND A WINNER NEVER QUITS. Lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/if-you-give-up-before-your-goal-has-been-reached-you-are-a-quitter-a/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [In the face of adversity, you find out if you're a fighter or a quitter. It's all about getting up after you've been knocked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-griffin/in-the-face-of-adversity-you-find-out-if-you-re-a-fighter-or-a/) Archie Griffin > [“Develop the muscles for hard work and never be an early quitter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/develop-the-muscles-for-hard-work-and-never-be-an-early-quitter/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [If you fall off a horse, you get back up. I am not a quitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/if-you-fall-off-a-horse-you-get-back-up-i-am-not-a-quitter/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [I'm just not a quitter and I just never, ever give up. I was forced to adapt because if I didn't, I was losing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-schroder/i-m-just-not-a-quitter-and-i-just-never-ever-give-up-i-was-forced-to/) [Ricky Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-schroder/) > [I was never brought up to be a quitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-drummond/i-was-never-brought-up-to-be-a-quitter/) [Andre Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-drummond/) > [“ ‘You don’t strike me as a quitter.’ ‘Then you don’t know me very well,’ I replied.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/you-don-t-strike-me-as-a-quitter-then-you-don-t-know-me-very-well-i/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [Next time you want to quit, think who you want to be. Quitters never win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-hebert/next-time-you-want-to-quit-think-who-you-want-to-be-quitters-never-win/) [Julie Hebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-hebert/) > [I'm a quitter from serving myself and bearing fruit that rots on the shelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zion-y-lennox/i-m-a-quitter-from-serving-myself-and-bearing-fruit-that-rots-on-the/) [Zion Y Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zion-y-lennox/) > [Nobody remembers a quitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nobody-remembers-a-quitter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I might be a douchebag, but I’m not a quitter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-ney/i-might-be-a-douchebag-but-i-m-not-a-quitter/) [Sara Ney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-ney/) > [There comes a time when you're losing a fight that it just doesn't make sense to keep on fighting. It's not that you're being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/there-comes-a-time-when-you-re-losing-a-fight-that-it-just-doesn-t/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) ## More by Richard M. Nixon > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I have earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life I have never obstructed justice,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-earned-every-cent-and-in-all-of-my-years-of-public-life-i-have/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions. It has become a common cause of all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/restoring-nature-to-its-natural-state-is-a-cause-beyond-party-and/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [What kind of nation we will be, what kind of world we will live in, whether we shape the future in the image of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/what-kind-of-nation-we-will-be-what-kind-of-world-we-will-live-in/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Once you get into this great stream of history you can't get out. You can drown. Or you can be pulled ashore by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/once-you-get-into-this-great-stream-of-history-you-can-t-get-out-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The ultimate test of a nation's character is not how it responds to adversity in war but how it meets the challenge of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-ultimate-test-of-a-nation-s-character-is-not-how-it-responds-to/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [History is a pathetic junkyard of broken treaties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/history-is-a-pathetic-junkyard-of-broken-treaties/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I refuse to make a decision that somebody else can make. The first rule of leadership is to save yourself for the big decision.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-refuse-to-make-a-decision-that-somebody-else-can-make-the-first/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/those-who-hate-you-don-t-win-unless-you-hate-them-and-then-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I made my mistakes, but in all of my years in public life, I have never profited, never profited from public serviceI have earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-made-my-mistakes-but-in-all-of-my-years-in-public-life-i-have-never/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I know you heard what you thought I said, but what I said isn't what I meant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-know-you-heard-what-you-thought-i-said-but-what-i-said-isn-t-what-i/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I want to be sure...that nothing is done on these veterans. Is that understood?...Is the word out? That they are not to touch em,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-want-to-be-sure-that-nothing-is-done-on-these-veterans-is-that/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“Nations not possessing great power can indulge in the luxury of criticism of others; those possessing it have the responsibility of decision. Faced with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/nations-not-possessing-great-power-can-indulge-in-the-luxury-of/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The peace we seek in the world is not the flimsy peace which is merely an interlude between wars, but a peace which can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-peace-we-seek-in-the-world-is-not-the-flimsy-peace-which-is/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The great silent majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-great-silent-majority/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) [Explore all 388 Richard M. Nixon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. 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