Ambrose Bierce Quotes

Bishops and judges are some of the best politicians in the world. They know how to manipulate the political process.

Because I live and work in Washington, D.C., I have a ringside seat at the world capital of The Persuasive Arts, or, as I like to call it, The Opinions Racket.

It's true that in chess as in politics, fund-raising and glad-handing matter.

I not only urge you to vote that ticket yourself, but I beg that you will persuade others to do so. Personal effort can accomplish a great deal, and I beg that you will use your personal influence with your friends to get them to go with you to save the boys.

The essential ingredient of politics is timing.

In another life, before taking the veil of journalistic purity, I practiced the black arts of a political operative, including 'debate prep.'

I've been dealing with politicians all my life. All my life. And I've always gotten them to do what I need them to do.

There are no techniques in politics.

Divide and rule, the politician cries; unite and lead, is watchword of the wise.

Politics is about winning. If you don't win, you don't get to put your principles into practice. Therefore, find a way to win, or sit the battle out.

Politics isn't just about doing the right thing. It's also about winning.

You can’t win if you don’t play. The people who get involved in politics are more likely to get their way.

Win and keep the confidence of your leader. Never refuse or quash schemes he puts forward: but ensure that they are put forward in the first instance privately to you. Always approve them, and after praise modify them insensibly causing the suggestions to come from him, until they are in accord with your own opinion. When you attain this point, hold him to it, keep a tight grip of his ideas, and push him forward as firmly as possible, but secretly so that no one but himself (and he not too clearly) is aware of your pressure.

Review" is a great word in politics. It will last you almost an entire election cycle if you play it right.

[Politics in America is:] A chess tournament disguised as a circus.

Politics is power, and communications is power,

I'm well aware of the pragmatism of politics.

Reality television has borrowed so much from the world of politics, whether it's alliances or voting or the kind of strategizing that's done. Anything like that came from politics well before it came from reality television.

Democrats, more often than not, do not play the game of politics correctly.

There are some remarkable parallels between basketball and politics. Michael Jordan has already mastered the skill most needed for political success: how to stay aloft without visible means of support.

I wrote "Win" for people on both sides, legitimately on both sides. If you're a Democrat listening to this right now, you - the whole playbook is in this book. If you're a Republican, and you're frustrated because Barack Obama is a great communicator, the playbook is in this book. And if you're a corporation who wants to satisfy his - their employees, how to do it is in this book. And finally, if you're an employee and you want to get a raise, whether at NPR or anyplace else, it's in this book.

The appalling reality in American politics today is that, when ideology and money mix, truth is a mere inconvenience.

You do not get what you want. You get what you negotiate.

It is not enough to conquer; one must learn to seduce.

A real diplomat is one who can cut his neighbor's throat without having his neighbor notice it.