Hubert Humphrey Quotes

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.

I'm convinced that the most important division in human affairs is probably not the one between left and right, liberal and conservative. It's the one between zealotry and understanding, between absolute conviction and compromise, between preachers and politicians.

It is my view that we cannot conduct foreign policy at the extremes.

The art of politics is to find something in the middle that satisfies most.

Any policy that is extreme we must avoid.

Extremism of the right should not be answered by extremism of the left, because neither extremism will work. The country has been wise in avoiding extremism

I learned a long time ago in politics, never say never.

People ask me if I'm liberal or conservative. I say neither - I'm pragmatic.

I believe in friendly compromise. I said over in the Senate hearings that truth is the glue that holds government together. Compromise is the oil that makes governments go.

Mere human beings cant afford to be fanatical about anything. Not even about justice or loyalty. The fanatic for justice ends by murdering a million helpless people to clear a space for his law-courts. If we are to survive on this planet, there must be compromises.

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

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

I'm someone who believes in centrist governing philosophy.

In politics the middle way is none at all.

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

Moderates tend more than ideologues to be other-directed types who respond to external pressure.

I'm not an extremist, you know.

Politics is the art of the possible.

We need to punch back against the extremes of both the left and the right and define the terms of the debate ourselves.

President Johnson offered the middle of the road.

When times are tough, constant conflict may be good politics but in the real world, cooperation works better. After all, nobody's right all the time, and a broken clock is right twice a day.

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

I'm not very keen for doves or hawks. I think we need more owls.

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