Eddie Vedder Quotes

Well, a lot of politics is communicating with people, and obviously comedy has something to do with that. I've been a producer and led people. Also, being a comedian, you're under pressure.

My speech has to have some substance to it. I don’t care if we make a peace treaty or declare war or something. Otherwise, they’re going to run us out of town.

For foreign policy it is necessary to have men who inspire confidence.

It's not enough to speak loudly and confidently. You have to know how to get the world on your side, to accept Israel's ideas of security and defending its interests. Netanyahu does not know how to do this.

Relations between countries are built on values and interests and many other things, but at the end of the day, leaders are also only human beings.

Politics and war are remarkably similar situations.

It was a mistake. I was wrong, but I discovered this many years later. I was acting on the basis of this mandate given me by the most important leaders of the world: President Bush's father, prime minister of France, President Mitterand, the Chinese, everybody.

The world cannot be governed without juggling.

I majored in political communications, so I intended to be a diplomat.

Condi Rice talks tough but she cannot be tough herself.

The shortcomings of America's political leaders do not stop at our borders.

During the past few years I have led a sometimes hard battle for German foreign policy.

I've had meetings with Fidel Castro. I've had meetings with Kim Il-Sung. I've had meetings with other dictators. I've met with the Butcher of Beijing. You know, I think it's important to hear, you know, each other's perspective.

When I am speaking about American presidents, I have to speak about my very special relations with President Clinton. He contributed more to peace than anybody else in the American sense.

John Danforth, I thought, was a great senator and did a great job with the United Nations. I think he's a good man.

The United States is a strong and ardent ally of Israel. The fact of the matter is that friends can disagree. I think what's important is that world leaders are able to sit down with one another, have frank conversations and move forward.

My friends all say I'm going to be Secretary of State. But I don't see how that would be much different from the job I have now.

There are no warlike people - just warlike leaders.

For all history up to the end of the Cold War, summit meetings were historic and dramatic occasions, when leaders who controlled the destiny of much of the world met to change the world.

President Bush met repeatedly with human rights activists and freedom fighters from all over the world to give them encouragement and protection and to advance their cause.

The failure of the United Nations - My failure is maybe, in retrospective, that I was not enough aggressive with the members of the Security Council.

Statesmanship is harder than politics. Politics is the art of getting along with people, whereas statesmanship is the art of getting along with politicians.

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.

Bush promised a foreign policy of humility and a domestic policy of compassion. He has given us a foreign policy of arrogance and a domestic policy that is cynical, myopic and cruel.

President Obama's record on national security is a tribute to his strength, and judgment, and to his preference for inclusion and partnership over partisanship.