Political Quotes

Jack Kingston: I wanted to relate a old hunting story. We were talking about selling technologies to our suspected enemies. There is a…

On the recordMarch 21, 1994
I wanted to relate a old hunting story. We were talking about selling technologies to our suspected enemies. There is a great and illustrative joke, the story of a hunter who was out hunting when it was cold. He found a frozen snake, and he took the snake home with him. And he heated the snake up by the fireplace and gave him a little water, fed him a mouse. And the snake, sure enough, revived and got alive again. Then one day the man was moving the snake's water dish and the snake bit him. And the hunter said, I do not understand this. I took you in. You were fed. You were frozen. I thawed you out. I fed you, gave you water. The snake shrugged and says, you knew I was a snake. I think that is what we forget in America. Often we think that we can kill our enemies with kindness when, in fact, you cannot reform people who do not want to be your ally. Yet time and time again, we do sell furnaces or other sort of technology to the people who will be after our very own citizens in one form or the other one day.
Said by
Jack Kingston
Georgia

Editor's note · Context

Discussing the implications of selling technology to potential adversaries.

Share

More from Jack Kingston

Jan 4, 2018

I often heard during 2016 how important the Clinton Foundation was for the health of world. And now my question would be, if it was such a great foundation, why is it unable to function now that she's not secretary of state?

transcripts.cnn.com
Jan 4, 2018

It is impossible to remove from the stink of Donald Trump having consistently called for this to happen with a total lack of any additional evidence.

transcripts.cnn.com
Jan 4, 2017

Trust but verify, in this case verify absolutely everything going forward.

transcripts.cnn.com
Jan 4, 2018

I believe there are very, very valid concerns about the team that Mueller has put together.

transcripts.cnn.com

Other voices in this conversation