You have all the characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.
—Aristophanes, c. 424 BCQuotes
Whether for good or evil, it is sadly inevitable that all political leadership requires the artifices of theatrical illusion. In the politics of a democracy, the shortest distance between two points is often a crooked line.
—Arthur Miller, 2001You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.
—Mario Cuomo, 1985A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.
—George Bernard Shaw, 1944My people and I have come to an agreement that satisfies us both. They are to say what they please, and I am to do what I please.
—Frederick the Great, c. 1770If you must take care that your opinions do not differ in the least from those of the person with whom you are talking, you might just as well be alone.
—Yoshida Kenko, c. 1330No free man shall be taken or imprisoned or dispossessed or outlawed or exiled, or in any way destroyed, nor will we go upon him, nor will we send against him except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.
—Magna Carta, 1215The Revolution is made by man, but man must forge his revolutionary spirit from day to day.
—Che Guevara, 1968You should never have your best trousers on when you go out to fight for freedom and truth.
—Henrik Ibsen, 1882I’m president of the United States, and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli!
—George H. W. Bush, 1990All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.
—Al Smith, 1933I say violence is necessary. It is as American as cherry pie.
—H. Rap Brown, 1967The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.
—Thomas Jefferson, 1787