Mike Easley Quotations

Whenever you have the opportunity to create jobs for as many as 8,000 people who are unemployed, you don't miss it.

The problem with that is it gives more time to create a large storm surge, which we think now will be 9 to 11 feet, ... It looks like we're going to get somewhere around 12 inches of rainfall.

We're considering everything right now, ... The most important thing is to see is what Washington does.

Let me be clear: Ophelia is a dangerous storm,

So far, the information we have is people are OK, ... That's the good news.

More North Carolina students are taking the SAT and they are improving their scores every single year.

Given the facts and circumstances of this case, I find no compelling reasons to invalidate the sentences recommended by the jury and affirmed by the courts.

I think the federal response has been good. Everything we've asked them for at this point, they've granted,

Last week, they were writing, 'What has he done for the last four years?'

I say to these visitors to North Carolina, you will find the basics of food, water and shelter, but you will also find compassion and caring, ... We are here to help you through this terrible time.

People in North Carolina are more used to these type storms. If you heed the warning and don't put yourself in peril, it makes everybody's work easier.

People in low-lying areas should anticipate flooding. People need to be prepared for power outages that last up to two days.

I'm in my fifth year (as governor), and I feel like I spent all five working on Dell,

We need people to pay careful attention to this,

My commitment is still going to be to improving our schools at every opportunity,

This storm should be taken seriously because it is moving so slowly, ... Whether it has 80 mph wind or 85 (mph) is not really important. What's important here is that you're going to get two days of it. That is what makes it so dangerous because it brings rain, it brings flooding.

We're not out of gas, but we are running low in the Southeast,

To those who lost their home, lost their property, it is a big disaster,

What people need to do is conserve what they have, ... There is a supply out there; we just need to conserve it. Going up and loading up your tank is not going to do that much. It's just going to deplete the supply, and the problem will eventually catch up to you.

We were prepared to face the impact of Katrina here in North Carolina, and we are now prepared to send help to those who did not escape her wrath, ... The rest of the country came to our aid after Hurricane Floyd, and we want to do all we can now for our neighbors who have lost so much.

This slow-moving storm could cause flooding, power outages and significant damage because the tropical and hurricane force winds are expected to bear down our coast for several days.

This one is getting worse as we go forward,

I urge citizens to take necessary precautions to keep their families safe. This storm is moving slowly which means that we will feel its effects for a longer time.

They all came to the conclusion that the one big, 800-pound gorilla in the room that nobody wanted to talk about was teacher pay. We never did get to the national average. We got within 4 percent of it.

The State Highway Patrol has responded to more than 3,000 weather-related accidents since Wednesday, ... We still urge people to take care on secondary roads and in rural areas. And especially at night in freezing temperatures it will be very dangerous on the highways of North Carolina tonight.

Once the high winds come, we cannot get in and get you out. We cannot get there by boat or helicopter or by plane. There are 61 shelters open. There is no reason for someone not to evacuate if they have been asked to do so.

The bottom line is that we're definitely going to get flooding -- not just on the coast, but in low-lying areas as the rivers swell from the storm surge itself, ... If you live in low-lying areas, flood-prone areas -- you know where they are, and you need to get out. You need to stay with friends, relatives or take shelter.

This is a win for the 4-year-olds who require pre-K, the low-wealth counties that need assistance with school construction and the disadvantaged students trying to go to college,

This is a slow-moving hurricane, and people are going to have to deal with those winds over an extended period of time,

They didn't say I had to move. They just said they were moving out all the furniture, cutting off the water and the electricity, and bringing in the jackhammers,

The beaches we expect to take a real beating, ... The bottom line is we're definitely going to get flooding, not just on the coast but in low-lying areas as the rivers swell from the storm surge itself.

If you have not heeded the warning before, let me be clear right now: Ophelia is a dangerous storm.

If you have been asked to evacuate, please do so. These floods are going to be worse than anticipated.

If you live in low-lying areas, flood-prone areas -- you know where they are -- you need to get out,

I'll tell you Michael Dell, you picked up the morale in this region by 110 percent,

If you were flooded in Isabel and Alex, it's very likely you're going to get flooded in this storm as well, ... But the flooding will be expected, at this point, to be worse now than it was then.

I have worked very closely with Sen. Basnight on this vote every step of the way, ... He has insisted that the rules be followed and has represented himself, the Senate and the state with great integrity. I resent the comments of other senators that imply otherwise.

Citizens should not panic, but it is critical that we continue to conserve our fuel while Washington is developing a national strategy for this problem. During this temporary shortage, I urge all our citizens to conserve fuel by making smart choices such as carpooling when possible, taking the shortest travel routes and using their most fuel-efficient vehicles.

Citizens should not panic, ... but it is critical that we continue to conserve our fuel.

Charles Sanders has a strong record of running, directing and advising major corporations around the country, ... It would be difficult to match his qualifications to help guide this new endeavor to a successful start.

What people need to do is conserve what they have, .. There is a supply out there; we just need to conserve it. Going up and loading up your tank is not going to do that much. It's just going to deplete the supply, and the problem will eventually catch up to you.

Early college high schools in North Carolina and across the country show us that challenge - not remediation - is an approach to education that works.

Because education is the backbone of a competitive workforce and successful economy, making it a priority is not uncommon.

As Governor of North Carolina for two terms, I made improving education a top priority.

We must remember that North Carolina is more than a collection of regions and people. We are one state, one people, one family, bound by a common concern for each other.

Real vision demands that we make tough choices. Real vision is responsible and it is paid for.

I had hoped to let the one-half cent sales tax sunset this year, but we do not believe revenues will grow as fast as we hoped for the rest of the year.

These floods are going to be worse than anticipated yesterday. Once the high winds come, we cannot get in and get you out -- cannot get you by boat, cannot get you by helicopters, cannot get there by plane.

These floods are going to be worse than anticipated yesterday.

Air reconaissance will give all of us some sense of what the needs are -- whether it's medical assistance, damage assessments, debris removal -- FEMA has the ability to assist with all that,

The damage assessment teams will follow essentially the same path Ophelia did, starting in the southern counties and moving north, ... This is a vital step in the recovery process, and one that will help provide our people the help they need to get life back to normal.