Barney Frank Quotes

Politicians talk themselves red, white, and blue in the face.

Hyperbole has been part of elections since the days of John Adams, and there's nobody better than Joe Biden to give us a little hyperbole, as we all know.

Politicians are ambitious not to make important decisions but to say important things.

Theres a lot of blowhards in the political process, you know, a lot of hot-air artists, people who have got something fancy to say.

People [in politics] do go on and talk.

Of course, politicians always say they're just describing their opponents' positions, even if they are in fact offering absurd caricatures, if not outright lies.

The Prime Minister has an absolute genius for putting flamboyant labels on empty luggage.

The whole art of a political speech is to put nothing into it. It is much more difficult than it sounds.

As politicians, we're very, very much trained to say something and stick with it.

Liberals are good at catchphrases, but there's no substance behind them.

If you look at what these politicians do when they speak, most of the time they are trying to convey a tone... if I make all these points and move my hands this way, I can get re-elected. When in reality, they aren't saying anything.

The political process consists entirely of politicians talking out of their butts.

You never know with politicians what they are really saying. And I don't say that in a negative way-they have an appalling job.

I think the truth is always interesting, but with politicians, you don't get to see much of that.

Politicians are just Daily Mail journalists writ large, aren't they? They're always telling us what's going to happen, and we know they don't know!

Everyone wants to demagogue everyone else. That may be good politics, but it's awful policy.

In politics, being ridiculous is more damaging than being extreme.

Modern political speechwriting is not a high-minded pursuit for brilliant talents.

I talked to the rest of the nation for about ten minutes about what Lyndon Johnson was doing for the people of the Northeast. In truth, I thought I was laying it on a bit thickly. But when I returned and spoke with the President, he mentioned several points I could have added. I learned that it was simply not possible to lay it on too thickly for him (or most other politicians).

No politician has ever been defeated by a speech he didn’t give.

... They depended far more on their physical power of oratory than upon any semblance of argument ... with small regard for modesty, truth or time.

Politicians often confuse what sounds good with what really works.

This trial has developed in the most remarkable manner, the insane love of speaking among public men. We are wading knee deep in words, words, words ….

How easy it is for a politician to forget that he is not usually saying anything at all.

Amplification is the vice of modern oratory.