James Carville Quotes

Everything that can be said, can be said clearly.

I am not eloquent.

Writing is learning to say nothing, more cleverly each day.

In labouring to be concise, I become obscure.

As great minds have the faculty of saying a great deal in a few words, so lesser minds have a talent of talking much, and saying nothing.

Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak.

Leave words to them whom words, not doings, move.

Sometimes speech is no more than a device for saying nothing - and a neater one than silence.

Why do we embroider everything we say with special emphasis when all we really need to do is simply say what needs to he said? Of course the fact is that there is very little that needs to be said.

I do like to turn a phrase, but it's all about how you turn it.

The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.

Eloquence is a painting of the thoughts.

The right word fitly spoken is a precious rarity.

It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood.

Words are just words.

Talking and eloquence are not the same.

This trial has developed in the most remarkable manner, the insane love of speaking among public men. We are wading knee deep in words, words, words ….

We find few disputes, that are not founded on some ambiguity in the expression [thereof].

As it is the characteristic of great wits to say much in few words, so small wits seem to have the gift of speaking much and saying nothing.

I've always been very wordy; I've got a great vocabulary.

You can't be silent and create silence in being silent. So you have to create silence or, rather, the effect of silence, through words.

When the public doesn't understand me, it's a battle. So when I choose words, I choose them for their musicality, rhythm, and sense, and I choose the right dialect to express that.

I have not wanted syllables where actions have spoken so plainly.

One must be drenched in words, literally soaked in them, to have the right ones form themselves into the proper pattern at the right moment.