Richard J. Daley Quotes

As Chairman of the [House] Ways and Means Committee, I can contact the President whoever he may be, quite readily on the telephone. As a Vice President, I don't know whether he'd listen to me or not.

In politics if the people give you popularity, the other politicians observe and give you power.

The size of your business should be matched by the size of your political influence. If your political influence is smaller than your business, it will be taken away from you. If your political influence is bigger than your business, then you are a politician.

Our principle is that the Party commands the gun, and the gun must never be allowed to command the Party.

I never had a political power base.

I'm not talking ideas, or even presentation. It's like in politics: You have to sell something to become an electric player - like your skin or your heart.

In politics, madame, you need two things: friends, but above all an enemy.

The kind of thing I'm good at is knowing every politician in the state and remembering where he itches. And I know where to scratch him.

If you lose, you can't lead. If you don't lead, you're irrelevant. Winning is what it's all about in politics.

The leader of a political party in a country like ours is so exposed that his enemies become as numerous and formidable as his friends.

The term Party is applied equally to the peaceful parties of America and to the Communist Party of Russia, the Nazi Party of Germany, and the Fascist Party of Italy. The methodology of these parties varies, but their fundamental objective-to place and keep their leaders in control of the government - is the same.

A political machine is a united minority working against a divided majority.

No man ever exercised less influence in the Senate or the House of Representatives than he, but no man ever exercised more power as a political leader.

The leaders of a party, or those who are so called, have but little sway over their followers, particularly when not in Government, and when they have it not in their power to threaten them with any very serious consequences

Business must learn the lesson. Political power is necessary, that such political power must be assiduously cultivated; and that when necessary, it must be used aggressively and with determination.

To be frank, politics is about wanting power, getting it, exercising it, and keeping it.

A man’s got to walk if he is going to be in politics.

You'd know if I was the de-facto leader of the Democratic Party, because you'd go down to Walgreen's and buy a pack of blunts.

I'm not ruling. I never ruled. I have one vote and I'm the leader of the party. I've always had a vote on the central committee. I always had more influence than that one vote. I'll admit that.

I never thought of political endeavors primarily in terms of power and prestige, and I never thought of economic endeavors primarily in terms of wealth and position.

Barack Obama wants to be the power figure, he wants to be the face of the Democrat Party going forward.

The orators and the despots have the least power in their cities ... since they do nothing that they wish to do, practically speaking, though they do whatever they think to be best.

I love politics, but I wouldn't want to be involved in it. Too little money, too much work! I don't really have the personality for that.

For any new leader of any party at any given time it takes time if you are not in government to establish yourself.

I'm not a kingmaker.