The Post (2017)

Meryl Streep: Kay Graham

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Quotes 

• Kay Graham : Do you know what my husband said about the news? He called it the first rough draft of history.

• Kay Graham : My decision stands, and I'm going to bed.

• [behind closed doors] 

  Ben Bradlee : So, can I ask you a hypothetical question?

  Kay Graham : Oh, dear. I don't like hypothetical questions.

  Ben Bradlee : Well, I don't think you're gonna like the real one, either.

  [pause] 

  Kay Graham : Do you have the Papers?

  [pause] 

  Ben Bradlee : Not yet.

• Robert McNamara : If you publish, you'll get the very worst of him, the Colsons and the Ehrlichmans and he'll crush you.

  Kay Graham : I know, he's just awful, but I...

  Robert McNamara : [Interrupting and getting extremely angry]  He's a... Nixon's a son of a bitch! He hates you, he hates Ben, he's wanted to ruin the paper for years and you will not get a second chance, Kay. The Richard Nixon I know will muster the full power of the presidency and if there's a way to destroy your paper, by God, he'll find it.

• Kay Graham : Quality drives profitability

• Ben Bradlee : We have to be the check on their power. If we don't hold them accountable, then, my God, who will?

  Kay Graham : Well, I've never smoked a cigar. And I have no problem holding Lyndon or Jack or Bob or any of them accountable. We can't hold them accountable if we don't have a newspaper.

• Kay Graham : [to Robert McNamara]  I'm here asking your advice, Bob, not your permission.

• Kay Graham : This is no longer my father's company. It's no longer my husband's company. It's my company.

• Fritz Beebe : The company's selling how many shares?

  Kay Graham : 1.35 million shares.

  Fritz Beebe : Price range is?

  Kay Graham : Between 24.50 and 27 dollars per share.

  Fritz Beebe : Not exactly a huge difference.

  Kay Graham : For them! But, you know, the bankers always fiddle with the prices. But, for *us*, that's over 3 million dollars and that represents over 5 years salary for 25 good reporters.

• Kay Graham : She compared Trisha Nixon to a vanilla ice cream cone.

• Kay Graham : Are you sure we're striking the right tone here, Ben?

  Ben Bradlee : Oh, we're going to do this again.

  Kay Graham : No. The new Style section, sometimes that stiletto party coverage can be a little mean.

• Kay Graham : The Nixon White House is nothing if not vindictive. Just this morning they barred us from covering Trisha Nixon's wedding.

  Fritz Beebe : Somehow, I doubt that will rise to the level of catastrophe.

  Kay Graham : [laughs]  No. Probably not. Although, when Ben sets his mind to plunder, its not hard to imagine something more serious. Catastrophic events - do occur, you know.

• Kay Graham : Its hard to say - no to the President of the United States.

• Kay Graham : Ben, that's not my role. You know that. I wouldn't presume to tell you how to write about him. Just as I wouldn't take it upon myself to tell him he should hand over a classified study, which would be a crime, by the way, just so he can serve as your source.

  Ben Bradlee : Our source, Katherine.

• Kay Graham : A bit hard to read, isn't it?

  Lally Graham : Harder for you, I imagine.

  Kay Graham : No. Why?

  Lally Graham : These were your people: McNamara and Kennedy and Johnson.

  Kay Graham : Well, Jack and Lyndon were your father's friends.

• Kay Graham : Oh well, we don't always get it right. You know, we're not always perfect. But, I think if we just - keep on it, you know, that's the job, isn't it?

  Ben Bradlee : Yes, it is.

• Kay Graham : I don't think I could ever live through something like this again!

• Kay Graham : When Phil died it was just - I was 45 years old and I had never held - I never had to hold a job in my life. But, I just, I loved the paper, you know. I do. I do so love the paper. I don't want it to be my fault. I don't want to be the one - I don't want to let Phil and my father and all of you kids and everybody down.

• Kay Graham : This company has been in my life for longer than most of the people working there have been alive. So, I don't need the lecture on legacy.

• Kay Graham : Oh, Ken Clawson came by to see me earlier.

  Ben Bradlee : Oh?

  Kay Graham : Apparently, Justice is still considering criminal charges against us.

  Ben Bradlee : Yeah, well, I bet they are.

  Kay Graham : And you're not worried.

  Ben Bradlee : Nope. No, Katharine, that's your job.

  Kay Graham : I suppose it is. Oh, thank God the court ruling was very clear.

  Ben Bradlee : Yeah. Yeah, well, I'm sure Nixon will fall right in line.

• Kay Graham : Quality and profitability do go hand in hand.

• Kay Graham : Alright, then. My decision stands. And I'm - going to bed.