John Dickerson Quotes

While I have worked hard to bring folks to the middle to craft common-sense solutions to the many problems that confront our nation, Washington is mired in gridlock, gamesmanship and constant partisan bickering.

If the administration wants cooperation, it will have to begin to move in our direction.

The only way to deal with gridlock is compromise. And if we compromise, it means we’ll have a confused policy.

Recesses [in negotiations] allow positions to become entrenched.

The attitude of the Senate toward public affairs makes all serious negotiations impossible.

In Washington the word “compromise” has come to mean “surrender.” You just can’t do it

The art of compromise centers on the willingness to give up something in order to get something else in return.

Negotiation or Compromise can get you beat.

When you show no willingness to compromise, then nothing ever happens.

This product is a compromise, and the nature of compromise is that you don't get everything you want.

I would love nothing more than compromise. But I would say to you that compromise that's not a solution is a waste of time.

Compromise is but the sacrifice of one right or good in the hope of retaining another - too often ending in the loss of both.

Washington has, with some justification, gained a reputation for being hopelessly mired in partisan gridlock.

People have no confidence that Washington, both sides of aisle, are coming together to try and do what's right for the economy.

I don't look forward to a time when every politician, every legislator goes to Washington absolutely committed to an extreme point of view. Elected representatives are sent to Washington to compromise, not to never compromise.

There are all sorts of cries that the leaders of the Green Movement should submit themselves to the supreme leader, but that won't take place. Both sides have to be prepared for a serious negotiation.

Simple logic dictates that if you cannot even conceive the possibility of leaving a negotiation, then it is preferable never to enter one.

If Mr. Obama wants to get things done, he must recognize that in Washington only the president has the power to make the first big move.

And I'm here to tell you, the reaction that I'm getting around the country, people are sick and tired of this word in Washington, compromise. This is why nothing ever gets done.

Grand bargains area a bad idea. Grand bargains are usually sought by people who do not want to make any progress.

Both sides think that they have a good chance of winning. That’s the recipe for a long war.

If you have a coalition, you must have a little give.

All legislation is founded upon the principle of mutual concession.

One problem can stop a whole agreement.

One of the ways usually that you build a bipartisan agreement is one side gives up a little, and the other side gives up a little.