Nicolas Sarkozy Quotes

… he must deceive, misrepresent, leave false impressions … and trust to charm, loyalty and the result to make up for it…. A great man cannot be a good man.

In the last few years, the very idea of telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is dredged up only as a final resort when the alternative options of deception, threat and bribery have all been exhausted.

A man has honor if he holds himself to an ideal of conduct though it is inconvenient, unprofitable, or dangerous to do so.

One never knows whether people have principles on principle or whether for their own personal satisfaction.

Let none of us delude himself by supposing that honesty is always the best policy. It is not.

Plato said that virtue has no master. If a person does not honor this principle and rejoice in it, but is purchasable for money, he creates many masters for himself.

I detest politics, to be honest with you. It's a cesspool. And I don't think I would fare well in that cesspool because I don't believe in political correctness and I certainly don't believe in dishonesty.

I have always stuck to my guns about what I want from the work and what interests me. I've never been seduced down the evil path. The path of taking the money.

Be thou incapable of change in that which is right, and men will rely upon thee. Establish unto thyself principles of action; and see that thou ever act according to them. First know that thy principles are just, and then be thou.

The diplomat holds all acts honorable which bring him success, all things are righteous which serve his ends. If cheating is necessary, he will cheat; if lying is useful, he will lie; if bribery helps, he will bribe; if murder serves, he will order murder; if burglary, seduction, arson or forgery brings success nearer, all and each of these will be done.

It’s attack advertising. It’s dirty tricks advertising. It’s dishonest and lowers the level of the political conversation.

Mr. Lincoln has not character enough for integrity and truth.

I think it's a really admirable thing to be very sure of your own moral code and not waver from that.

The word virtue is as useful to self-interest as the vices.

What, I should only trust good people? Man, good people get bought and sold every day. Might as well trust somebody evil once in a while, it makes no more or less sense.

I have a higher and grander standard of principle than George Washington. He could not lie; I can, but I won't.

I would say that today, dishonesty is the rule, and honesty the exception. It could be, statistically, that more people are honest than dishonest, but the few that really control things are not honest, and that tips the balance.

Temporary deviations from fundamental principles are always more or less dangerous. When the first pretext fails, those who become interested in prolonging the evil will rarely be at a loss for other pretexts.

You can never ask others to do something you would not do. That is integrity.

My tongue swore, but my mind was still unpledged.

I have always been determined to never compromise my faith or my principles. I always relied on my God-given talent when I took the field. So the idea of using PED's to enhance my performance was a line I chose not to cross.

Always stand on principle even if you stand alone.

We create an environment where it is alright to hate, to steal, to cheat, and to lie if we dress it up with symbols of respectability, dignity and love.

That a lie which is all a lie may be met and fought with outright, But a lie which is part a truth is a harder matter to fight.

I have never been sorry when I stood for what was right-even against severe criticism.