David Strathairn Quotes

Noah Vosen You know as well as I do decisions made in real time are never perfect. Don't second-guess an operation from an armchair.

Rev. Russell Simon, what do you think you're doing sitting in a corner?

Simon Birch Thinking about God.

Rev. Russell In a corner?

Simon Birch Faith is not in a floor plan.

Dave Hey, find anything?

Fern ROCKS!

Edward R. Murrow This instrument can teach; it can illuminate; yes, and even it can inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it's nothing but wires and lights in a box. There is a great and perhaps decisive battle to be fought against ignorance, intolerance, and indifference. This weapon of television could be useful.

Noah Vosen This is a Code 10 Abort. I want everyone back in their vehicles, this is a Code 10 Abort!

William Seward Even if every Republican in the House votes yes, far from guaranteed, since when has our party unanimously supported anything? But say all our fellow Republicans vote for it, we'd still be twenty votes short.

Abraham Lincoln Only twenty? We can find twenty votes.

William Seward Twenty House Democrats who will vote to abolish slavery? In my opinion...

Abraham Lincoln To which I always listen.

William Seward Or pretend to.

Abraham Lincoln With all three of my ears.

William Seward We'll win the war, sir. It's inevitable, isn't it?

Abraham Lincoln Well, it ain't won yet.

William Seward You'll begin your second term, with semi-divine stature. Imagine the possibilities peace will bring. Why tarnish your invaluable luster with a battle in the House? It's a rats nest in there. The same gang of talentless hicks and hacks who rejected the amendment ten months ago; we'll lose.

Abraham Lincoln I like our chances now.

Abe Attell It's all out on bets.

Chick Gandil That's not good enough!

Abe Attell Hey! Don't worry, you'll get your money soon enough.

Chick Gandil When?

Swede Riesberg And how much?

Abe Attell A hundred grand, like I said. Twenty after each game.

Happy Felsch Wait a minute, that's five games. I thought we were just dumping a few.

Abe Attell No, you lose the first three.

Eddie Cicotte Kerr's pitching the third. He's not with us.

Swede Riesberg So, what? We don't hit for him, he'll fold. He's a busher!

Abe Attell After that, we gotta play it by ear. We gotta make this look good, fellas....

Eddie Cicotte Chick, where's the money I asked for?

Chick Gandil Look under your pillow.

Eddie Cicotte What?

Chick Gandil Compliments of Sport Sullivan.

Ray McDeere How'd you land a job like that with a brother in the slammer?

Ray McDeere I get it. Don't worry, I'd probably have done the same thing.

Mitch McDeere You're always there for me, Ray...

Ray McDeere I'd have done the same thing. You think I want to tell the guys around here that I got a brother at Harvard?

Edward R. Murrow The line between investigating and persecuting is a very fine one, and the junior senator from Wisconsin has stepped over it repeatedly…. We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law.

Theseus The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve: Lovers, to bed; tis almost fairy time.

Oberon Now, until the break of day.Through this house each fairy stray.To the best bride-bed will we,Which by us shall blessed be;So shall all the couples three.Ever true in loving be;And the owner of it blest.Ever shall in safety rest.Trip away; make no stay;Meet me all by break of day.

Noah Vosen I wanna know what he's gonna think before he does, every dirty little secret he has.

Edward R. Murrow We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.

Theseus Merry and tragical? Tedious and brief? That is hot ice and wondrous strange snow.

Noah Vosen Issue a standing kill order on Jason Bourne, effective immediately.

Edward R. Murrow Referring to a line from ] recited by Senator McCarthy: Had Senator McCarthy looked just three lines earlier he would have found this: "The fault dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves...”

Rev. Russell Congratulations, Simon. You've just made our first full-contact Christmas pageant. Well, do you have anything to say?

Simon Birch Can I have my baseball cards back?

Rev. Russell No, you may not! Oh, Simon. What happened to tonight?

Simon Birch I don't know. Sex makes people crazy.

Rev. Russell Well, um... that maybe true. But that is still no answer. Simon, you spend more time downstairs alone in a corner than you do with the other children. You frighten them with your stories of being an instrument of God.

Simon Birch They're not stories.

Rev. Russell And, you interrupt my sermons, and you refuse to apologize. I'm out of ideas, Simon. I can't talk to your parents because, well, they don't attend church. And I can't talk to Rebecca, because, well...Simon, I think what I'm trying to say is, well, we all need a break from you. So, once this all simmers down, and Marjorie Albright's father decides to accept your apology, we'll discuss letting you back.

Simon Birch What about the retreat?

Rev. Russell Joe will go alone. And it's about time I had a talk with him too. Simon, I'm sorry. But, as the Bible says, "There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way.

Simon Birch To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good; to flog noble men is wrong.

Rev. Russell Proverbs 17:26, that's very good, Simon. But, perhaps you're familiar with this one as well: "Folly is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

Simon Birch Good sense makes a man slow to anger...

Rev. Russell Simon...

Simon Birch ...and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Rev. Russell Oh, Simon. What do you want me to do? What do you want me to say?

Simon Birch I want to know that there's a reason for things. I used to be certain, but now I'm not so sure. I want you to tell me that God has a plan for me, a plan for all of us. Please.

Rev. Russell Simon...I can't.

Rev. Russell I'd like to take a few minutes to discuss some of the upcoming activities on the church calendar.

Simon Birch Here we go.

Ben Goodrich What's wrong, Simon?

Simon Birch Who knows what God thinks about current events?

Rev. Russell Does someone have a question?

Ben Goodrich Uh, no, sir - um, your honor, no,...Father, thank you. No, sir.

Rev. Russell It's always nice to see new faces in the congregation. I'd like to invite them downstairs to join my wife and children, and myself for coffee and doughnuts downstairs after the service.

Simon Birch What does coffee and doughnuts have to do with God?

Grandmother Wenteworth Simon, you better be quiet!

Rev. Russell Simon, is there something you'd like to share with us?

Simon Birch I said, "What does coffee and doughnuts have to do with God?

Rev. Russell They're merely refreshments so people can socialize and, uh, and discuss the upcoming activities.

Simon Birch Who ever said the church needs a continental breakfast?

Rev. Russell -Simon!

Simon Birch I doubt that God is interested in our church activities.

Rev. Russell -Simon!

Simon Birch -If God has made the church bake sale a priority, then I'd say we're all in a lot of trouble.

Edward R. Murrow To those who say people wouldn't look; they wouldn't be interested; they're too complacent, indifferent, and insulated, I can only reply: There is, in one reporter's opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse, and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost.

Eddie Cicotte You promised me a $10,000 bonus if I won 30 games this year.

Charles Comiskey So?

Eddie Cicotte I think you owe it to me.

Charles Comiskey Harry, how many games did Mr. Cicotte win for us this year?

Harry 29, Mr. Comiskey.

Eddie Cicotte You told Kid to sit me down for two weeks; that cost me five games.

Charles Comiskey We had to get your arm ready for the series.

Eddie Cicotte I would've won at least two of those games, and you know it.

Charles Comiskey I have to keep the best interests in the club in mind, Eddie.

Eddie Cicotte I deserve that $10,000.

Charles Comiskey 29 is not 30, Eddie. You will get only the money you deserve.

Edward R. Murrow We will not walk in fear, one of another…. We are not descended from fearful men — not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and to defend causes that were, for the moment, unpopular….

Edward R. Murrow Funny thing, Freddie, every time you light a cigarette for me, I know you're lying.

Liz Oh, my God.

Mother How is this possible?

Whistler Cryptography systems are based on mathematical problems so complex they cannot be solved without a key.

Liz Jannek must have figured out a way to solve those problems without the key and he hard-wired it into that chip.

Crease Turn it off.

Whistler Anybody want to crash some passenger jets?

Crease I said turn it off.

Bishop Turn it off!

Carl So, it's a code-breaker.

Bishop No, it's The code-breaker. No more secrets.

Edward R. Murrow Stonewall Jackson, who is generally believed to have known something about weapons, is reported to have said, "When war comes, you must draw the sword and throw away the scabbard." The trouble with television is that it is rusting in the scabbard during a battle for survival.

Eddie Cicotte I always figured it was talent made a man big, you know, if I was the best at something. I mean, we're the guys they come to see. Without us, there ain't a ballgame. Yeah, but look at who's holding the money and look at who's facing a jail cell. Talent don't mean nothing. And where's Comiskey and Sullivan, Attell, Rothstein? Out in the back room cutting up profits, that's where. That's the damn conspiracy.

Abraham Lincoln Thunder forth, God of War.

Edwin Stanton We'll commence our assault on Wilmington from the sea... Why is is this burned? Was the boy playing with it?

Abraham Lincoln It got took by a breeze several nights back.

Edwin Stanton This is an official War Department map!

William Seward And the entire cabinet's waiting to hear what it portends.

Gideon Welles A bombardment. From the largest fleet the Navy's ever assembled.

Abraham Lincoln Old Neptune, shake thy hoary locks.

Gideon Welles Fifty-eight ships are underway, of every tonnage and firing range.

Edwin Stanton We'll keep up a steady barrage. Our first target is Fort Fisher. It defends Wilmington port.

James Speed A steady barrage?

Edwin Stanton A hundred shells a minute. Till they surrender.

William Fessenden Dear God.

Abraham Lincoln Wilmington's their last open seaport. Therefore...

Edwin Stanton Wilmington falls, Richmond falls after.

William Seward And the war... is done.

John Usher Then why, if I may ask are we not concentrating the nation's attention on Wilmington? Why, instead, are we reading in the Herald that the anti-slavery amendment is being precipitated on the House floor for debate—because your eagerness, in what seems an unwarranted intrusion of the Executive into Legislative prerogatives, is compelling it to its... to what's likely to be it's premature demise? You signed the Emancipation Proclamation, you've done all that can be expected—

James Speed The Emancipation Proclamation's merely a war measure. After the war the courts will make a meal out of it.

John Usher When Edward Bates was Attorney General, he felt confident in it enough to allow you to sign—

James Speed Different lawyers, different opinions. It frees slaves as a military exigent, not in any other—

Abraham Lincoln I don't recall Bates being any too certain about the legality of my Proclamation, just it wasn't downright criminal. Somewhere's in in between. Back when I rode the legal circuit in Illinois, I defended a woman from Metamora named Melissa Goings, 77 years-old. They said she murdered her husband, he was 83. He was choking her and she grabbed a-hold of a stick of firewood and fractured his skull and he died. In his will he wrote: I suspect she has killed me. If I get over it, I will have revenge. No one was keen to see her convicted, he was that kind of husband. I asked the prosecuting attorney if I might have a short conference with my client. And she and I went into a room in the courthouse, but I alone emerged. The window in the room was found to be wide open. It was believed the old lady may have climbed out of it. I told the bailiff right before. I left her in the room she asked me where she could get a good drink of water, and I told her Tennessee. Mrs. Goings was seen no more in Metamora. Enough justice had been done; they even forgave the bondsman her bail.

John Usher I'm afraid I don't see—

Abraham Lincoln I decided that the Constitution gives me war powers, but no one knows just exactly what those powers are. Some say they don't exist. I don't know. I decided I needed them to exist to uphold my oath to protect the Constitution, which I decided meant that I could take the rebel's slaves from them as property confiscated in war. That might recommend to suspicion that I agree with the Rebs that their slaves are property in the first place. Of course I don't, never have, I'm glad to see any man free, and if calling a man property, or war contraband, does the trick... Why I caught at the opportunity. Now here's where it gets truly slippery. I use the law allowing for the seizure of property in a war knowing it applies only to the property of governments and citizens of belligerent nations. But the South ain't a nation, that's why I can't negotiate with'em. If in fact the Negroes are property according to law, have I the right to take the rebels property from em, if I insist they're rebels only, and not citizens of a belligerent country? And slipperier still: I maintain it ain't our actual Southern states in rebellion but only the rebels living in those states, the laws of which states remain in force. The laws of which states remain in force. That means, that since it's states laws that determine whether Negroes can be sold as slaves, as property - the Federal government doesn't have a say in that, least not yet then Negroes in those states are slaves, hence property, hence my war powers allow me to confiscate'em as such. So I confiscated em. But if I'm a respecter of states laws, how then can I legally free em with my Proclamation, as I done, unless I'm cancelling states laws? I felt the war demanded it; my oath demanded it; I felt right with myself; and I hoped it was legal to do it, I'm hoping still. Two years ago I proclaimed these people emancipated - "then, hence forward and forever free." But let's say the courts decide I had no authority to do it. They might well decide that. Say there's no amendment abolishing slavery. Say it's after the war, and I can no longer use my war powers to just ignore the courts decisions, like I sometimes felt I had to do. Might those people I freed be ordered back into slavery? That's why I'd like to get the Thirteenth Amendment through the House, and on its way to ratification by the states, wrap the whole slavery thing up, forever and aye. As soon as I'm able. Now. End of this month. And I'd like you to stand behind me. Like my cabinet's most always done. As the preacher once said, I could write shorter sermons but once I start I get too lazy to stop.

John Usher It seems to me, sir, you're describing precisely the sort of dictator the Democrats have been howling about.

James Speed Dictators aren't susceptible to law.

John Usher Neither is he! He just said as much! Ignoring the courts? Twisting meanings? What reins him in from, from...

Abraham Lincoln Well, the people do that, I suppose. I signed the Emancipation Proclamation a year and a half before my second election. I felt I was within my power to do it; however I felt that I might be wrong to do it; I knew the people would tell me. I gave em a year and a half to think about it. And they re-elected me. And come February the first, I intend to sign the Thirteenth Amendment.

Edward R. Murrow No one familiar with the history of his country, can deny that congressional committees are useful. It is necessary to investigate before legislating.

Noah Vosen Where the hell is he, people?

Mitch McDeere Anything I can do for you?

Ray McDeere Sure. Get me out of here.

Mitch McDeere Where to?

Ray McDeere Anywhere I can see a whole lot of sky. I get through the days, I even eat the food. It's amazing how much you miss the sky.

Theseus No epilogue, I pray you, for your play needs no excuse. Never excuse, for when the players are all dead, there need none to be blamed.

Thimbletack Master must destroy the book!

Arthur Spiderwick NO! No, we need to protect it! Keep it inside the circle, and safe from the ogre! I just need more time, Thimbletack. I need more time.

Eddie Cicotte What's the scoop, Harry?

Harry Mr. Comiskey sent these down for you. A congratulations for a successful pennant race.

Eddie Cicotte That's awfully white of him. He didn't happen to mention when we can expect that bonus he promised us in return for taking the flag, did he?

Harry This is your bonus.

Swede Risberg Cheap bastard.

Kid Gleason Look, fellas, if it was up to me...

Eddie Cicotte Kid, we've got no beef with you. It's flat.

Abraham Lincoln Well, Mr. Representative Ashley! Tell us the news from the Hill.

James Ashley Ah! Well, news...

Abraham Lincoln Why for instance is this thus, and what is the reason for this thusness?

William Seward James, we want you to bring the anti-slavery amendment to the floor for debate...

James Ashley Excuse me? What?

William Seward ...immediately, and... you are the amendment's manager, are you not?

James Ashley I am, of course, but... immediately?

William Seward And we're counting on robust radical support, so tell Mr. Stevens we expect him to put his back into it, it's not going to be easy, but we trust...

James Ashley It's impossible. No, I am sorry, no, we can't organize anything immediately in the House. I have been canvassing the Democrats since the election, in case any of them softened after they got walloped. But they have stiffened if anything, Mr. Secretary. There aren't nearly enough votes—

Abraham Lincoln We're whalers, Mr. Ashley!

James Ashley Whalers? As in, uh, whales?

Abraham Lincoln We've been chasing this whale for a long time. We've finally placed a harpoon in the monster's back. It's in, James, it's in! We finish the deed now, we can't wait! Or with one flop of his tail, he'll smash the boat and send us all to eternity!

William Seward On the 31st of this month, of this year, put the amendment up for a vote.

Edward R. Murrow This is no time for men who oppose Sen. McCarthy's methods to keep silent or for those who approve. We can deny our heritage and our history but we cannot escape responsibility for the result. There is no way for a citizen of the republic to abdicate his responsibilities. As a nation we have come into our full inheritance at a tender age. We proclaim ourselves as indeed we are, the defenders of freedom where ever it still exists in the world. But we cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.

Noah Vosen Jesus Christ. That's Jason Bourne...

Edward R. Murrow We have currently a built-in allergy to unpleasant or disturbing information. Our mass media reflect this. But unless we get up off our fat surpluses and recognize that television in the main is being used to distract, delude, amuse, and insulate us, then television and those who finance it, those who look at it, and those who work at it, may see a totally different picture too late.

Crease Don't tell me you can't do it because I know you can. And don't tell me you won't do it because I've got to have it. I need to know, and I need to know now.

Mother Guys, that federal building's been scheduled for demolition since August. Housed the ] and Department of Agriculture. Been vacant for a month.

Carl The NSA never had an office in San Francisco. Their West Coast operations are out of Los Angeles.

Crease Oh, God. Yeah, thanks. Jannek's grant is from the NSA. How could you be so goddamn stupid?!? Two guys show up, say they're government, and you just buy it.

Whistler They probably were government - just not ours.

Bishop Everybody pack up whatever you can. This place isn't safe.

Mother What are you doing?

Bishop I'm going to a concert.

Bishop The probable level of security is very low. But if you guys don't want to take that chance just to keep me out of jail, fine, I understand, I'll do it.

Whistler Well, Bish, I can't speak for the other guys, but I'm in it for the money, I don't care if you go to jail.

Carl Me neither. I'm in.

Mother Uh... could we maybe just go back to the "they might kill us" part?

Bishop Mother, if I thought that was likely to happen, I wouldn't bring this to you. But there is a risk.

Whistler And it pays $175,000!

Mother I'm in.

Crease You guys will be chalk outlines without me. All right, what do we need?

Bishop Carl?

Carl The, uh, young lady with the Uzi, is she single?

Bishop Uh, you know, Carl. Carl, this is the brass ring. Now you've got to think bigger thoughts.

Carl I just want her telephone number, that's all. Please?

Bishop Hey Abby, how about a lunch? You can chaperon.

Bernard Abbot No, I will not do this.

Bishop Hey, Abby, Abby, come on, now the FBI'd give him twins-

Abbot NO!

NSA Agent Mary Wait a second. You can have anything you want, and you're asking for my phone number?

Carl Yes.

NSA Agent Mary 273-9164. Area code 415.

Carl Thanks. I'm Carl.

NSA Agent Mary I'm Mary.

Abbot I'm going to be sick. Are we done here?

Bishop Not yet. Whistler?

Whistler I want peace on earth and good will toward man.

Abbot Oh, this is ridiculous.

Bishop He's serious.

Whistler I want peace on earth and goodwill toward men.

Abbot We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.

Bishop You're just gonna have to try.

Abbot All right, I'll see what I can do.

Whistler Thank you very much. That's all I ask.

Edward R. Murrow Thank you for your patience.

Edward R. Murrow The actions of the Junior Senator from Wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our allies abroad and given considerable comfort to our enemies. And who's fault is that? Not really his; he didn't create this situation of fear, he merely exploited it, and rather successfully. Cassius was right: the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves. Good night, and good luck.

Simon Birch Does God have a plan for us?

Rev. Russell I like to think He does.

Simon Birch -Me too. I think God made me the way I am for a reason.

Rev. Russell Well, I'm glad that, um, that your faith, uh, helps you deal with your, um...you know, your, your condition.

Simon Birch That's not what I mean. I think I'm God's instrument - that He's gonna use me to carry out His plan.

Edward R. Murrow We're going with this story. Because the terror is right here in this room.

William Seward Why wasn't I consulted?! I'm Secretary of State! You, you, you informally send a reactionary dotard, to— What will happen, when these peace commissioners arrive?

Abraham Lincoln We'll hear em out.

William Seward Oh, splendid! And next the Democrats will invite them up to hearings on the Hill, and the newspapers — well, the newspapers — the newspapers will ask why risk enraging the Confederacy over the issue of slavery when they're here to make peace? We'll lose every Democrat we've got, more than likely conservative Republicans will join them, and all our work, all our preparing the ground for the vote, laid waste, naught for naught.

Abraham Lincoln The Blairs have promised support for the amendment if we listen to these people—

William Seward Oh, the Blairs promise, do they? You think they'll keep their promise once we have heard these delegates and refused them? Which we will have to do, since their proposal most certainly will be predicated on keeping their slaves!

Abraham Lincoln What hope for any Democratic votes, William, if word gets out that I've refused a chance to end the war? You think word won't get out? In Washington?

William Seward It's either the amendment or this Confederate peace, you cannot have both.

Abraham Lincoln If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then to me...

William Seward Oh, disaster. This is a disaster.

Abraham Lincoln Time is a great thickener of things, William.

William Seward Yes, I suppose it is — Actually, I have no idea what you mean by that.

Abraham Lincoln Get me thirteen votes. Them fellers from Richmond ain't here yet.