W. Averell Harriman Quotes

Just because you can say things that are uncivil does not mean that your should say things that are uncivil.

Here’s a little Washington clue. When they say, “With all due respect,” they’re about to insult you.

Be polite. Write diplomatically. Even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness.

Protocol is everything.

The etiquette question has become of so much importance as to be an object of state.

I did learn that some of the things that are great for locker rooms are inappropriate for political discourse. That's a wisdom I've garnered.

You think that the heads of state only have serious conversations, but they actually often begin really with the weather or, 'I really like your tie.'

I never let my politics supersede my manners.

I have been in meetings where a head of state will say, 'I like your tie,' to a man... or, 'I like your country because the weather's good,' or whatever. So for me, the pins in some ways were openers.

No language is rude that can boast polite writers.

Be polite; write diplomatically; even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness.

Too much of our political debate...has become a race to the bottom. An exchange of insults and slanders more appropriate to reality television than a legislature.

When the envoys of Western countries come to the foreign office, they no longer behave in a courteous manner; they shout abuse at the drop of a hat.

While speaking in the NA, one must maintain respect.

I get a choice every time I have to open my mouth: that it can be with civility and dignity and grace - or not.

One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness.

To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered.

The greater the controversy, the more you need manners.

It is impossible to practice parliamentary politics without having patience, decency, politeness and courtesy.

Etiquette does not render you defenseless. If it did, even I wouldn't subscribe to it. But rudeness in retaliation for rudeness just doubles the amount of rudeness in the world.

You can't have someone with a pinkie out there at the U.N. or any other place.

Prithee don't screw your wit beyond the compass of good manners.

I'm accustomed to Internet forums where rudeness and incivility are the rule, where too many people seem to take pride in their insults.

You've gotta be very careful that grace and politeness do not merge into a banality of behavior, where we're just nice, sort of 'death by cupcake.'

I am a journalist in the field of etiquette. I try to find out what the most genteel people regularly do, what traditions they have discarded, what compromises they have made.