Nicholas Kristof Quotes

The first requirement of a statesman is that he be dull.

Cicero most reminds me of Harold Wilson. Both men knew how to keep the show on the road.

Sometimes in this country, we don't focus a lot on people's experience and their resume. Mitt Romney would be the most experienced executive to be nominated since 1952. The fundamental task for the next president is going to be fixing things, cleaning things up, being a turnaround artist, if you will.

A statesman wants courage and a statesman wants vision; but believe me, after six months' experience, he wants first, second, third and all the time - patience.

The president of the United States actually has to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.

Your personality as the prime minister feeds through to what you emphasise, and what you don't, how you'll handle a situation - whether you've got the combination of intelligence or instincts to adapt and to make good decisions.

In terms of the principles of politics, I think I understand well. Thailand needs someone who has leadership, who has the management skills to help the country.

I don't think I have the demeanor to be a politician. I'm used to making decisions and to a certain extent being in charge.

There is no school that teaches you how to run a state. You make mistakes, but you learn on the job.

When you're in the real world as President of the United States it doesn't go according to the script.

Effective Presidents are those who can achieve a balance between purpose and prudence.

I believe that the role of president of the United States is vastly different from the role of candidate and that the Donald Trump of the campaign will not succeed as president.

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

Donald Trump you're never going to be president of the United States by insulting your way to the presidency.

I believe that Hillary Clinton is one of the best prepared people in our history to enter the Oval Office, with her vision, her knowledge, her experience, her strategic thinking, her connection to the American people.

Running for the presidency's not an IQ test.

Politics is the science of urgencies.

Politics is the art of realizing what there is to realize.

The Democrats' ads convince me that Governor Romney can't sing, but his record convinces me he knows how to lead, and I think you know which skill we need more.

I've always thought Anne-Marie Slaughter would make a fantastic United States Senator or something. She's a real intellectual, but she's got enormous communicative skills and she's got government experience. The thing that drives me slightly crazy is the way we think about intellectuals as wooly, hopeless, arrogant, self-deceived, incapable.

I don't want to be disrespectful of the president of the United States, but as a political person, one of the things I appreciated about this president, in the past year especially, is he is a fantastic candidate.

I'm running for governor; I'm not running for a legislative office.

A prime minister has to keep a certain balance when dealing with sensitive issues.

Let's go tell everyone we meet that, when the American dream is at stake, you want Barack Obama in charge.

The art of politics is knowing what to do next.