Dana Perino

Dana Marie Perino (born May 9, 1972) is an American political commentator and author who served as the 24th White House Press Secretary, serving under President George W. Bush from September 14, 2007, to January 20, 2009.

Dana Perino, in 2007

Dana Perino, in 2016

Quotes

• ...reports about very innocent people being thrown into detention where they could be held for years without any representation or charges is distressing.
  • Press Briefing, referring to jailing of protesters and Buddhist monks in Myanmar, October 1, 2007 [1]

• ...I’m sure lots of people would love to ridicule me when I say this, but it is true: many people die from cold related deaths every winter, and here are studies that say that climate change in certain areas of the world would help those individuals.
  • Press Briefing, October 26, 2007 [2]

• I was panicked a bit because I really don’t know about … the Cuban Missile Crisis. It had to do with Cuba and missiles, I'm pretty sure. I came home and I asked my husband, I said, 'Wasn't that like the Bay of Pigs thing?' And he said, 'Oh, Dana.'
  • NPR, December 8, 2007 [3]

• The telephone companies that were alleged to have helped their country after 9/11 did so because they are patriotic and they certainly helped us and they helped us save lives.
  • Press Briefing, referring to the NSA warrantless surveillance controversy, February 12, 2008 [4][5]

• I think I deserve an apology.
  • AP, July 9, 2008 [6]

• Helen Thomas: What about the chief of British intelligence saying you were going to fix the facts around the politics?
  Dana Perino: I think that that’s been debunked.
  Helen Thomas: It’s never been been debunked.
  Dana Perino: Well, it’s been debunked by me.
  Helen Thomas: Good for you.
  Dana Perino: Good for me.
  • Press Briefing, December 4, 2008 [7] [8]

• Dana Perino: And believe me, there were some people who really wanted me from the podium to go after MSNBC. And I just thought it was a bridge too far, not something that should be done from the White House. If they want to have the DNC bash Fox News all they want, you know, so be it. But, I would not do it from the White House. I don't think it's presidential, and I think people would see through it.
  Brian Kilmeade: And not only did you not go after them, you gave them interviews, as did the president.
  Steve Doocy: Sure.
  Brian Kilmeade: Gave them all interviews. Read Ronald Reagan’s diaries…
  Dana Perino: Well, towards the end we didn’t do a lot with MSNBC. That’s, that is the case.
  • Fox & Friends, October 19, 2009 [9]

• They want to do all of their investigations. I don’t know. All of the thinking that goes into it. But we did not have a terrorist attack on our country during President Bush’s term. I hope they’re not looking at this politically. I do think we ought it to the American people to call it what it is.
  • Fox News’ Hannity, November 24, 2009 [10]