Lewis F. Powell Jr. Quotes

If hyperbolic political speech were outlawed, there’d be silence in America.

There are not enough people out talking about the President positively.

The debate about the war seems pretty robust and free. Many publications, from the New Yorker to the Nation, feel perfectly comfortable printing anti-American articles and that's fine. That's what the First Amendment is all about.

Many newspapers have become players as well as spectators in the political debate.

But 'tis pity the Press should come into a Party-strife: This is like two Parties going to War, and one depriving the other of all their Powder and Shot. Ammunition stands always Neuter, or rather, Jack a both Sides, every body has it, and then they get the Victory who have most Courage to use it, and Conduct to manage it.

I think politics is always about dialogue. I think journalism ranges from dialogue to monologue, and there are times when different poles are necessary.

Let me make the newspapers, and I care not what is preached in the pulpit or what is enacted in Congress.

In many ways, I think that, while we've been remarkably violent in our media, there's been a real schizophrenia. In private, on the Internet, and on public-affairs shows or talk radio, we're way more explicit than we've ever been.

I allowed Rick Santorum to express views and ideas that the American people never would have had expressed.

We shouldn't build a technology to colour, or grey out, what people say. The media in general is balanced, although there are a lot of issues to be addressed that the media rightly pick up on.

There's lots about politics I don't feel comfortable with. To talk about the politics of future ideas is impossible in soundbite form.

The American people should be made aware of the trend toward monopolization of the great public information vehicles and the concentration of more and more power over public opinion in fewer and fewer hands.

It is precisely the purpose of the public opinion generated by the press to make the public incapable of judging, to insinuate into it the attitude of someone irresponsible, uninformed.

In a hyper-capitalist environment dominated by media giants, the means available to independent journalism have narrowed considerably.

The BBC will always be attacked by whoever is in government. It is that George Bush thing of 'If you're not with us you are against us.'

Avoid any specific discussion of public policy at public meetings.

What the right-wing in the United States tries to do is undermine the press.

The Press, which is mostly controlled by vested interests, has an excessive influence on public opinion.

I think you should be able to have a press conference without having reporters key in on certain divisive issues.

Every political persuasion has something they want to get off the screen.

The journalistic traits that are valued on TV and radio talk shows are destructive to democracy.

The presentation of an issue can no longer be controlled.

I don't believe the President of the United States should debate with anybody.

To say that the newspaper press represents public opinion is to administer insult to intelligent men. It is the property of speculators, political leaders, large contractors and railway directors.

Media manipulation in the U.S. today is more efficient than it was in Nazi Germany, because here we have the pretense that we are getting all the information we want. That misconception prevents people from even looking for the truth.