Sydney Pollack Quotes

In America, we may acknowledge Washington and Lincoln as great men, and probably Franklin and Jefferson and maybe Franklin Delano Roosevelt and possibly even several more, but we would probably disagree about precisely what it was that made them great, what it was that enabled them to give a lasting direction to the course of events.

I think that when you look at the great politicians, the two greatest in my view were George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, they certainly had character traits. You also know Abraham Lincoln overcame severe depression problems that he had when he was younger, which gave him the strength and the character later on.

Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt faced adversities that, in their times, seemed impregnable. Great presidents overcome great odds.

Whoever would understand the character of Washington, in all its compass and grandeur, must learn it from his own writings, and from a complete history of his country during the long period in which he was the most prominent actor.

Sexy ain't guys like Churchill and Lincoln.

The more I have studied Lincoln, the more I have followed his thought processes, the more I am convinced that he understood leadership better than any other American president.

Of course it's not enough to be a good man to be an effective ruler and it never has been.

Who ever heard of a charismatic Congress?

Those who know Governor Roosevelt [TR] must believe that he is much better fitted for the Presidency than is Mr. McKinley.

A Presidential candidate must not only show that he is big enough for the race, but big enough for the times.

Theodore Roosevelt is the ablest living interpreter of what I would call the superficial public sentiment of a given time, and he is spontaneous in his reactions to it.

Almost nobody is thought of as presidential caliber until he gets himself elected.

[Referring to Ronald Reagan:] When you meet the President, you ask yourself, "How did it ever occur to anybody that he should be governor much less President?

The Presidency is not a showman’s job. You can’t make a Teddy Roosevelt out of me.

[The Electoral College] affords a moral certainty that the office of the Presidency will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications.

I saw Mr. Lincoln a number of times during the canvass for his second election. The characteristic which struck me most was his superabundance of common sense. His power of managing men, of deciding and avoiding difficult questions, surpassed that of any man I ever met.

The man [Richard Nixon] has no style. No style at all.

The genius of guys like Lincoln and Reagan and FDR - the great communicator leaders - is that they're actually educators, so they understand when they use a phrase that they have to explain it, because, by definition, you won't understand it or they wouldn't need to be using it.

When Barack Obama was asked about his lack of executive experience in 2008, he pointed to his successful campaign as proof he could manage the presidency.

I have interacted with several top leaders. Modi is among the three smartest leaders I have met.

Barack Obama is probably the coolest president this country will ever have.

I think Caesar is one of the most empathetic characters that I've played. I think that's the key to a successful leadership. Being able to keep your ears open at all times.

Donald Trump was really cool. I think a lot of people don't understand him. He brings so much media attention to anything he does. He's a proven success. I think people should listen to what he says a little more than focusing on hair.

Rahul Gandhi lacks the mass appeal and not a match to Modi… people will not not accept him as prime minister.

We need someone who has the experience - and the demeanor - to be the president of the United States.