Robert Teeter Quotes

I think national issues play into gubernatorial races less than, obviously, in Senate and Congressional races. Much less. They tend to be more decided by personality, leadership qualities and by state or local issues. They still have some effect, no question about it, but not as much as Senate and Congressional races.

A presidential debate is a job interview. And voters look for certain traits in people applying to be president.

I see myself as an old man and an unqualified teacher to the nation. I think being a teacher is probably the most important thing you can be in politics.

Some of our finest leaders were not intellectuals at all, and I admire them enormously because they weren't. Harry Truman wasn't.

Party leaders must have not only the confidence of the party, but the confidence of the people.

A Presidential candidate must not only show that he is big enough for the race, but big enough for the times.

Candidates talk about issues that voters want to hear about.

[Referring to Ronald Reagan:] When you meet the President, you ask yourself, "How did it ever occur to anybody that he should be governor much less President?

The men who have had great vision in the White House are those who are most enduring in the minds of the public. America loves visionary Presidents.

The Presidency is not a showman’s job. You can’t make a Teddy Roosevelt out of me.

A candidate’s command of foreign policy acts as a proxy for assessing broader leadership abilities.

Even people who vote on the issues are moved by temperament, moved by style, moved by an assessment of “what kind of person if this?”

Electoral choices are relatively invulnerable to direct argumentation and characterized more by faith than by conviction and by wishful expectation rather than careful prediction of consequences.

In politics, familiarity doesn't breed contempt. It breeds votes.

When a president was elected with foreign policy experience, it was usually less about his foreign policy experience than other things.

I don't think that what we need is an eternal leader.

What do you prefer? A prime minister obsessed with being popular, or a prime minister who does the job?

I have found, in my life experience with President Trump, when he's out there himself and he's being his fresh, authentic self, it's very appealing to the people of the United States.

Donald Trump was really cool. I think a lot of people don't understand him. He brings so much media attention to anything he does. He's a proven success. I think people should listen to what he says a little more than focusing on hair.

I never criticized Modi. All I said was that Modi cannot be a chief minister and still nurse prime ministerial ambitions. I only suggested that he should resign as the chief minister and then stake his claim to be prime minister.

Influencing voters is the crux of all poll campaigns.

Rahul Gandhi lacks the mass appeal and not a match to Modi… people will not not accept him as prime minister.

The historical kings of England are all strong soldiers and leaders, but can you be a sensitive leader? It's the same in politics, we talk about how proud we are to have had two women prime ministers, but would we be less ready for a sensitive prime minister?

When people go to vote still in Britain, they will look at their local representatives, but I don't think there is a sort of cult of personality politics. Obviously, they want to know who the leader is for each party, but I think there is a lot of identification with their local candidates.

Who is going to take business advice from Paul Ryan? Who? Nobody. Nobody.