Ken Mehlman Quotes

Do you think it's possible to discuss politics without preaching?

Like religious differences, a difference in politics should never be permitted to enter into social intercourse or to disturb its friendships, its charities or justice.

I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends... that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.

It is one of the little known facts about modern Scottish politics that it is not quite as cut-throat as people think it is.

Frankly, most of my friends hold very different political beliefs. It's just a funny thing in this country that supposedly you can't sit down and have dinner and enjoy another person's company if you don't have the same beliefs. It's ridiculous.

To all my political opponents, all and sundry, not only the presidential bets, I would like to offer my hand to friendship.

The language has changed. When I grew up and watched the campaigns of John Kennedy, even with Richard Nixon, there was a lot higher level of civility. Now we describe a disagreement as an attack.

In Washington, there is a way to have disagreements and debates, which is so healthy, but a way to be friends at the end of the day, which I believe is the essence of America.

I get along with Democrats really well, and I think that's something that's unreported. I think it's partly my libertarian tendencies.

I might not understand everything a Democrat or liberal thinks but hey let's be honest, I don't understand some of the things the Republicans think, but that doesn't make me some dumb hick that doesn't have the right to live here.

You've got to quit judging people just because they have an 'R' or a 'D' in front of their name. We don't do that in Oklahoma.

Nobody ever won an election by spitting at his political opponents.

You can play golf with liberals, be neighbors with them, go out to dinner. I just don't want them in power.

My hope is that we would begin to have a dialogue in this country about the importance of civility. We can have strong differences, but it does seem to me that most of the country believes it's gone to critical mass in what I would call the professional class across the political spectrum - left and right.

I think America is going to have to think through whether it wants to uplift the political dialogue or advance an approach that divides and, frankly, can lead to violence.

I keep Reagan's 11th Commandment that I don't run down other Republicans.

I met Barack Obama, I read his book, I like him a great deal. I disagree with him on very fundamental issues.

I didn't knowingly meet a conservative until, to my shame, I was 60 years old and sat down and said, 'Wow, I don't understand what this guy's talking about, but he has a great civility about him. Perhaps I better investigate this thing.'

Foreign leaders should not be outraged by talk in a democracy.

I'm always happy to see one of my Republican colleagues make a mistake.

The Democratic support against Barker [72 to 25] was so strong that they didn't even need us Republicans.

If you will refrain from telling any lies about the Republican Party, I'll promise not to tell the truth about the Democrats.

My unpleasantness was political, not personal. I don't believe in carrying political disputes into social life.

It is important in a democracy to respect contrary opinion without impugning the motives or maligning the character of ones opponents. To view it any other way is to encourage the same type of sickness in public life that leads to assassinations.

I get very very concerned when I hear people start characterizing their opponents as stupid. I still understand that because politics is a little rough and tumble at times, but I don’t buy it and when they start calling each other either crazy or evil. You and I, we don’t compromise with crazy people or evil people. And so, I don’t think that’s helpful. Generally speaking, just because someone disagrees with you doesn’t make them crazy or evil.