Leadership Quote by Dick Murphy

It is the kind of line politicians reach for when they want to sound principled without having to name a principle. “At least” signals defensiveness: Murphy isn’t boasting so much as counterpunching, implying he’s been accused of favoritism, backroom dealing, or voting in lockstep with allies. The phrase smuggles in a low bar of virtue - not “I’m always right,” but “I’m not as compromised as you think.” That’s a savvy move in a culture that expects compromise and suspects corruption at the same time.

The real engine here is the contrast between “what I think is right” and “who my friends might be.” “Right” is abstract, private, almost moral; “friends” is concrete, social, and faintly transactional. By framing the alternative as friendship rather than donors, party bosses, or lobbyists, he softens the accusation. Everybody understands friendship. It’s a gentler villain than influence peddling, which lets Murphy claim integrity while keeping the critique small and personal.

There’s also a subtle bit of self-centering. “What I think is right” locates legitimacy in his own judgment, not in constituents, data, or process. That can read as courage or as stubbornness, depending on what the audience already believes about him. In the legislative world - where relationships are currency - denying that “friends” shape decisions is itself a political act: it reassures skeptics, signals independence to rivals, and warns allies not to assume they can cash in.