Gerald R. Ford Quotes

I will deal with the politicians in a political way and with the nonpoliticians in a nonpolitical way.

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.

I'm just not a purist. You set goals and you have to work with everyone to figure out how to get what you can.

I am an expert in the 'art of the possible.'

I'm a compromiser and a maneuverer. I try to get something. That's the way our system works.

I'm well aware of the pragmatism of politics.

Politicians never say never to anything.

If I believe in something, I will fight for it with all I have. But I do not demand all or nothing. I would rather get something than nothing. Professional liberals want the fiery debate. They glory in defeat. The hardest job for a politician today is to have the courage to be a moderate. It's easy to take an extreme position.

We are hopeful that the North Koreans can show a little bit more realism, a little bit more flexibility.

You can cooperate and not compromise your core values. But I'm a realist with the philosophy that sometimes you've got to take bites out of the apple instead of the whole apple.

I shall argue that strong men, conversely, know when to compromise and that all principles can be compromised to serve a greater principle.

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.

As a property developer, I learned a long time ago to choose your battles wisely and that, unfortunately, compromise is a given.

I realize I'm an ambitious guy, but I just try to take things as they come, you know, for the most part.

In politics, you must let the other person have your way.

President Obama seems to think that you win by demonstrating that you're a more reasonable person than your opponents. It didn't work too badly, I'll grant, as an electoral strategy in the 2012 election.

Sometimes a little compromise isn't a bad thing. You don't need to be precious about it.

Politics is the art of the possible.

Americans tend to go for it all. In international politics you can’t have it all. You have to compromise.

I am willing ... when I cannot get all I wish, to take what I can get.

The right must ... yield to the expedient.

Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable, the art of the next best.

Persistence in one opinion has never been considered a merit in political leaders.

You can't be rigid in this business [politics].

I could sit down and talk with the devil if necessary.