Barack Obama Quotes

Many people leave government disillusioned about its ability to achieve change and cynical about politicians. I left with rather opposite lessons.

As a newcomer to politics, I knew in my bones that we as a country were better than what we see coming out of Washington. And we are.

Despite the absurdity and the silliness and the triviality of the entire campaign experience, there is also something, as non-cynical as this sounds, kind of uplifting and strange about watching democracy unfold.

Especially among journalists, politics is not a pursuit that's held in high esteem. We tend to be cynical about it - but I actually believe in democracy.

If you believe in democracy, than you can't trash it by being cynical about the people who do democracy: the politicians.

It's easy to be cynical about American politics. It's more important not to be.

If Ron Dellums running for mayor gives you hope, then let's get on with it.

When you become active in the system and communicate to your representatives, and they don't vote in accordance with your values, your responsibility is to support candidates who will.

I've committed myself to serve my constituents in South Shields and I have committed myself to British politics.

After thinking carefully about how I can best help my fellow Minnesotans, I have decided to not seek election for a different office in 2014. The warm encouragement from many people to run for U.S. senator or the governorship was deeply humbling.

I think I should be active politically. Because I look upon myself as a politician. That's not a dirty work you know. Some people think that there are something wrong with politicians. Of course, something wrong with some politicians.

I've got friends who didn't vote. I want to smack them upside the head.

Politics is not a game. It is an earnest business.

My politics of optimism and hope still casts its lot with the Democrats - in the optimistic hope that the dying embers of its status as the party of our better angels, one that took risks for social justice, can still be fanned into a flame. But I'm an old man, born in 1969.

Here's to democracy. May we get the government we deserve.

One never expected from a Congressman more than good intentions and public spirit.

You have come here by the sovereign will of the people to cooperate with me in carrying out the mandate recently pronounced at the polls.

It kills me not to be there, not to be in the White House doing what needs to be done.

I used to be of the opinion that it didn't matter who you voted for. The world balanced itself out and kept on truckin'. Which is true, but politics are still important.

I think anyone who serves in public office should have a little bit of contempt for government in their heart.

The fact is the American people want men and women to stand up and represent them and to put their interests ahead of the party interests.

In the political realm, when I say I'm going to give everything, that means I'll represent the people to the best of my ability.

We will need to work hard to break the cynicism, talk straight and rebuild trust in politics.

The thing that worries me more than anything else is losing faith in the capacity of politics to change things. I don't mean scepticism, criticism, querying, but I do mean cynicism.

Politics is pervasive. Everything is political and the choice to be "apolitical" is usually just an endorsement of the status quo and the unexamined life.