Richard Cohen Quotes

To say that Jimmy Carter does not understand politics or is not a good politician denies the phenomenon by which he got to the White House. He is without question the best politician, when he's working at it, of anybody I have ever seen.

Clinton was the most formidable politician I have ever encountered.

Many senators have developed a canny sense of what will play best for the audience.

… the most sophisticated politician in the country … familiar with every subterranean channel of politics … the most cunning in the devious ways of politics … the most artful politician in the tricks of the craft

I knew Saleh well, having interviewed and met with him several times. He was a professional Machiavelli, fluent in all forms for political maneuvering.

Of course we all know Biden is the intellect of the Democratic Party. Kind of a grin with a body behind it.

There's no smarter politician out there than Bill Clinton.

I think the Clintons are brilliant. I've never met a person as intelligent as Bill, and I think Hillary is right up there with him. They're too smart for Washington.

The kind of thing I'm good at is knowing every politician in the state and remembering where he itches. And I know where to scratch him.

And I remember looking at Gray Davis and, you know, Gray is the consummate political operative.

Crafty politician that he is, Obama was smart enough to set low enough standards for his administration to claim 'victory' by the summer of 2011 or so.

I would have to say that Richard Nixon is probably the most gifted and skilled political practitioner, in his pre-presidential years, of all of the American presidents in the 20th century.

Mr. [Judah P.] Benjamin, unquestionably, will have great influence with the President [Jefferson Davis], for he has studied his character most carefully. He will be familiar not only with his "likes" but especially his "dislikes.

Lyndon Johnson might have been the greatest vote counter ever in Congress, not because of his math skills but because of his unrivaled ability to read his fellow politicians and his utter ruthlessness in using what he knew.

I've been described as a grizzled political veteran.

A President needs political understanding to run the government, but he may be elected without it.

I'm not clever enough to be in machinations and real politics.

I think Karl Rove saw that in George W. Bush early on and understood the impact that he could have on Texas politics and probably on national politics.

My view of Sarah Palin is she is the most dynamic figure maybe in politics, even more in some ways than President Obama, who is a little more scripted than she is. He is great with the teleprompter.

As a candidate, Obama disdained the game of politics, a self-conscious contrast to all the tireless political athletes named Clinton.

First and foremost, when I think of him - I'm prejudiced; I worked for the guy for six and a half years - when I think of him, I think of him first and foremost as an idea politician.

The Republicans learned well from Bill Clinton.

You don’t become a statesman unless you are first a good politician.

I believe that [Bill] Clinton is the best tactical politician, certainly in my lifetime.

Rayburn was one of the most powerful men in national life. If he were not from Texas, he could have been President … He was a powerhouse!