To rely upon conviction, devotion, and other excellent spiritual qualities—that is not to be taken seriously in politics.
—Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian Revolutionary Leader
You slam a politician, you make out he’s the devil, with horns and hoofs. But his wife loves him, and so did all his mistresses.
—Pamela Hansford Johnson (1912–81) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Literary Critic, Social Critic
Idealism is the noble toga that political gentlemen drape over their will to power.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
I hope the two wings of the Democratic Party may flap together.
—William Jennings Bryan (1860–1925) American Political leader, Diplomat, Politician
There is no more independence in politics than there is in jail.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
It only takes a politician believing in what he says for the others to stop believing him.
—Jean Baudrillard (1929–2007) French Sociologist, Philosopher
The work of the political activist inevitably involves a certain tension between the requirement that position be taken on current issues as they arise and the desire that one’s contributions will somehow survive the ravages of time.
—Angela Davis (b.1944) American Political Activist, Academic
As in private life one differentiates between what a man thinks and says of himself and what he really is and does, so in historical struggles one must still more distinguish the language and the imaginary aspirations of parties from their real organism and their real interests, their conception of themselves from their reality.
—Karl Marx (1818–1883) German Philosopher, Economist
A sophistical rhetorician, inebriated with the exuberance of his own verbosity, and gifted with an egotistical imagination that can at all times command an interminable and inconsistent series of arguments to malign an opponent and to glorify himself.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The average educated man in America has about as much knowledge of what a political idea is as he has of the principles of counterpoint. Each is a thing used in politics or music which those fellows who practice politics or music manipulate somehow. Show him one and he will deny that it is politics at all. It must be corrupt or he will not recognize it. He has only seen dried figs. He has only thought dried thoughts. A live thought or a real idea is against the rules of his mind.
—John Jay Chapman (1862–1933) American Biographer, Poet, Essayist, Writer
In politics… never retreat, never retract… never admit a mistake.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
If American politics does not look to you like a joke, a tragic dance; if you have enough blindness left in you, on any plea, on any excuse, to vote for the Democratic Party or the Republican Party (for at present machine and party are one), or for any candidate who does not stand for a new era,—then you yourself pass into the slide of the magic-lantern; you are an exhibit, a quaint product, a curiosity of the American soil. You are part of the problem.
—John Jay Chapman (1862–1933) American Biographer, Poet, Essayist, Writer
A political leader must keep looking over his shoulder all the time to see if the boys are still there. If they aren’t still there, he’s no longer a political leader.
—Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965) American Financier, Economic Consultant
Any man with a fine shock of hair, a good set of teeth, and a bewitching smile can park his brains, if he has any, and run for public office.
—Unknown
In politics the middle way is none at all.
—John Adams (1735–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
I find myself… hoping a total end of all the unhappy divisions of mankind by party-spirit, which at best is but the madness of many for the gain of a few.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Political success is the ability, when the inevitable occurs, to get credit for it.
—Laurence J. Peter (1919–90) Canadian-born American Educator, Author
Successful democratic politicians are insecure and intimidated men. They advance politically only as they placate, appease, bribe, seduce, bamboozle, or otherwise manage to manipulate the demanding and threatening elements in their constituencies. The decisive consideration is not whether the proposition is good but whether it is popular—not whether it will work well and prove itself but whether the active talking constituents like it immediately. Politicians rationalize this servitude by saying that in a democracy public men are the servants of the people.
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) American Journalist, Political Commentator, Writer
In politics, as in life, we must above all things wish only for the attainable.
—Heinrich Heine (1797–1856) German Poet, Writer
No party is as bad as its leaders.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
Yogi met George Bush during an election campaign. Bush said Texas was important. Yogi said Texas has a lot of electrical votes.
—Yogi Berra (1925–2015) American Sportsperson
When they call the roll in the Senate, the senators do not know whether to answer “present” or “not guilty.”
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
A candidate could easily commit political suicide if he were to come up with an unconventional thought during a presidential tour.
—E. B. White (1985–99) American Essayist, Humorist
You have to have been a Republican to know how good it is to be a Democrat.
—Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929–94 ) American First Lady
This country has gotten where it is in spite of politics, not by the aid of it. That we have carried as much political bunk as we have and still survived shows we are a super nation.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
The end move in politics is always to pick up a gun.
—Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) American Inventor, Philosopher
Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.
—Mao Zedong (1893–1976) Chinese Statesman
Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the democrats believe every day is April 15.
—Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American Head of State
Bad officials are the ones elected by good citizens who do not vote.
—George Jean Nathan (1882–1958) American Drama Critic, Editor
I always considered statesmen to be more expendable than soldiers.
—Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) American Head of State