The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.

You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure it is right.

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The first requirement of a statesman is that he be dull.

There is nothing more tyrannical than a strong popular feeling among a democratic people.

You should never have your best trousers on when you go out to fight for freedom and truth.

The most hateful torment for men is to have knowledge of everything but power over nothing.

The affairs of the world are no more than so much trickery, and a man who toils for money or honor or whatever else in deference to the wishes of others, rather than because his own desire or needs lead him to do so, will always be a fool.

A real leader is somebody who can help us overcome the limitations of our own individual laziness and selfishness and weakness and fear and get us to do better, harder things than we can get ourselves to do on our own.

I’m president of the United States, and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli!

What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him your celebration is a sham.

I am no courtesan, nor moderator, nor tribune, nor defender of the people: I am myself the people.