Richard Crossman Quotes

The first requirement of a statesman is that he be dull.

The statesman's duty is to bridge the gap between his nation's experience and his vision.

The statesman wishes to steer, while the politician is satisfied to drift.

There are too many politicians in the world and too few statesmen.

A disposition to preserve and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman.

While not all politicians are statesmen, all statesmen are politicians.

A great statesman is he who knows when to depart from traditions, as well as when to adhere to them.

Our system does not know how to bring strength and intellect into the front rank of politics and government...

A statesman wants courage and a statesman wants vision; but believe me, after six months' experience, he wants first, second, third and all the time - patience.

Your personality as the prime minister feeds through to what you emphasise, and what you don't, how you'll handle a situation - whether you've got the combination of intelligence or instincts to adapt and to make good decisions.

I'm not a professional politician, I'm a problem solver.

The true statesman is the one who is willing to take risks.

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

The essence of statesmanship is not a rigid adherence to the past, but a prudent and probing concern for the future.

We have generals working on worst-case scenarios; we need statesmen on best cases.

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

Politics is the art of knowing and leading a multitude ... not where they want to go but where they should go.

Presidents ... become hermits only at their peril. Running the executive branch is now a team sport. It is operated best by politicians who thrive on command, possess a fine and sure touch for the levers of power and enjoy the company of those who serve them.

In history lies all the secrets of statecraft.

Effective Presidents are those who can achieve a balance between purpose and prudence.

No man can be a politician except he be first a historian.

Unfortunately we are politicians when we should be statesmen.

True statesmanship is the art of changing a nation from what it is into what it ought to be.

Analysts can choose the problems that they want to study whereas the statesman’s problems are imposed on him.

I have presidential size policy ambition. I just don't have presidencial size personal ambition.