Deborah Tannen Quotes

It's a necessary quality of a diplomat or a politician that he will compromise. Uncompromising politicians or diplomats get you into the most terrible trouble.

The world cannot be governed without juggling.

As a member of Congress, I'm often reminded that in baseball, as in diplomacy, you have to know when to hit, when to run, and when to show grace.

Compromise makes a good umbrella, but a poor roof; it is temporary expedient, often wise in party politics, almost sure to be unwise in statesmanship.

To craftsmanship we shall add statesmanship in the capitol of peace.

Statesmanship is harder than politics. Politics is the art of getting along with people, whereas statesmanship is the art of getting along with politicians.

I've often reflected on this in the past weeks as I've been following the presidential campaign: Very often, I thought it would have been great for both of these guys to sit down and be force-fed a couple of dozen episodes of Star Trek.

When you are President you have to get something done, and that often means compromise.

The art of government is the art of negotiating and compromise.

The Congress is the place where ordinary mortals go about the business of compromise—of compromise that gets us through the day.

The politician says: "I will give you what you want." The statesman says: "What you think you want is this. What it is possible for you to get is that. What you really want, therefore, is the following.

At home you always have to be a politician. When you're abroad you almost feel yourself a statesman.

Compromise is the oil that makes government go.

My motto toward the Congress is communication, conciliation, compromise, and cooperation.

As a U.S. Senator, I've tried my best to practice politics the way I think it's supposed to be practiced - always looking for common ground and truly enjoying the people I meet along the way.

I think with the right leadership on both sides and the right president, we can get a lot done.

I believe in friendly compromise. I said over in the Senate hearings that truth is the glue that holds government together. Compromise is the oil that makes governments go.

Politics and war are remarkably similar situations.

It's so much easier to throw rocks than it is to govern.

The construction of Europe is an art. It is the art of the possible.

We need a government, not politics. Because there's too much politics. Of course there should be debate. But there seems to be so much pettiness and not enough good faith. It is civilized to agree to disagree, and this idea is slowly disintegrating. The great statesmen of the past knew this, and I think it helps drive civilization.

A prime minister has to keep a certain balance when dealing with sensitive issues.

Look, not everybody plays well with each other on the playground. I get that, that's politics.

Campaigns often make standing on principle the highest of virtues - and listening to your opponents a sure sign of weakness. It's the virtual opposite of what it takes to succeed in office. Squaring the circle takes a powerful combination of skills. But presidents who can campaign and compromise are generally the most successful.

We have to find compromises. That's the way it is in Norway.