Robert Teeter Quotes

My speech has to have some substance to it. I don’t care if we make a peace treaty or declare war or something. Otherwise, they’re going to run us out of town.

I was asked to write a press briefing emphasizing the positive steps the administration had taken in the area and minimizing the negative ones. I was an Assistant to the President. I have done that for several Presidents. When you’re on the staff of the President of the United States you try and make things look as good as possible.

The White House Chief of Staff must always remember that he is staff and not chief.

I think with the beginning of any political administration, you have to build trust, and it takes time.

Any politician who respects China's government should tell it openly what is in his heart. It is disrespectful to keep quiet about such issues - both vis-a-vis the government and the people concerned.

Politics and war are remarkably similar situations.

We need a government, not politics. Because there's too much politics. Of course there should be debate. But there seems to be so much pettiness and not enough good faith. It is civilized to agree to disagree, and this idea is slowly disintegrating. The great statesmen of the past knew this, and I think it helps drive civilization.

If you don't understand that you work for your mislabeled 'subordinates', then you know nothing of leadership. You know only tyranny.

You think that the heads of state only have serious conversations, but they actually often begin really with the weather or, 'I really like your tie.'

Politics and power is a realm of relative influence.

I think I should be a president. President of the United States.

If you're a politician, you might want to learn the Buddhist way of negotiation. Restoring communication and bringing back reconciliation is clear and concrete in Buddhism.

If you want me to be a cry baby, I cannot: I am the leader of a country. If you want to give me something and then withdraw it, fine; I must respect your decision.

I'll talk. You'll listen.

I worked with a group of people who argued day and night - professors, officials, the Minister of Finance - but there were decisions that I had to make.

I do see your point, but to me, I'm just a mouse compared to the President of the United States.

In politics, as in business, leadership is crucial.

It is often necessary to know how to obey a woman in order sometimes to have the right to command her.

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.

If you are the master be sometimes blind, if you are the servant be sometimes deaf.

I think it would be so much fun to be in the White House.

I've often reflected on this in the past weeks as I've been following the presidential campaign: Very often, I thought it would have been great for both of these guys to sit down and be force-fed a couple of dozen episodes of Star Trek.

People who run for president seriously and people who become president enter a bizarre secret society in which they have had an experience that none of us will ever have.

We need a great president.

Politics is the art of the possible.