John A. McCone Quotes

What I saw was a cabal between the vice president of the United States, Richard Cheney, and the secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, on critical issues that made decisions that the bureaucracy did not know were being made. Now it is paying the consequences of making those decisions in secret, but far more telling to me is America is paying the consequences.

When I came here I thought I worked for the President. But I didn’t realize that I also worked for 534 other people at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue who all think that they are presidents.

... the persons who control the President's rhetoric exert an enormous influence over his actions and policies.

The Presidential function is difficult and full of responsibility. It calls from the incumbent a plenitude of his physical vigor. I am aware I am no longer strong enough for the task. Wherefore, I resign.

Working in the White House is a relentlessly demanding responsibility.

To call an individual from private life in order that he may preside over the interests of millions; to invest him with the various dignified functions, and the extensive patronage which appertain to a station so exalted; to secure as completely as possible, the free exercise of the people's rights; to discourage and prevent the artifices of party, and of individual ambition; and to accomplish all this by means of a fixed and practicable system which should neither be misunderstood, perverted nor resisted, was a task of no small difficulty.

There are two supreme pleasures in life. One is ideal, the other real. The ideal is when a man receives the seals of office from the hands of his Sovereign. The real pleasure comes when he hands them back.

With a glance, a nod, and a few words, without consulting anyone other than the President, the brothers could mobilize the full power of the United States anywhere in the world.

So you represent Congress, what the fuck is that to the CIA. You’ll be gone in a few years and the CIA will still be here.

I am well aware of what three past presidents have said, but that will not be worth five cents if the people and the Congress do not support their president now.”

Bureaucrats understand who their real masters are. Their real masters are not their nominal department heads. The real powers are the chairmen on Capitol Hill.

Mr. [Judah P.] Benjamin, unquestionably, will have great influence with the President [Jefferson Davis], for he has studied his character most carefully. He will be familiar not only with his "likes" but especially his "dislikes.

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.

While a vice-president of the United States may lack power, he never lacks; his rank is similar to that of a crown prince, though his succession is considerably less certain.

As Chairman of the [House] Ways and Means Committee, I can contact the President whoever he may be, quite readily on the telephone. As a Vice President, I don't know whether he'd listen to me or not.

This system stinks and every senator who participates in it knows it stinks. And the American people are right when they mistrust this system, when what matters most in seeking public office is not integrity, not ability, not judgment, not reason, not responsibility, not experience, not intelligence, but money …. Money dominates the system. Money infuses the system. Money is the system.

[Referring to political leaders:] Since they take the risks, they need the laurels.

The roots of power in the White House are often bourbon and branch water taken with the President at the end of the day.

I can’t afford to have my Vice President who knows every reporter in town, go around saying we’re all screwed up, so we’re going to keep him happy. You are dealing with a very insecure, sensitive man with a huge ego. I want you to literally kiss his ass from one end of Washington to the other.

Many people were grateful that President Johnson had not had hemorrhoid surgery.

You don’t think that Lyndon Johnson, young as he is, can tell senators like Carl Hayden and Harry Bird what to do?

No White House staff person wants to conflict with the First Lady who goes home and has the ear of the President all night.

The veto power is only meaningful if one uses it from time to time

Lyndon Johnson was perhaps the greatest political arm twister in the country’s history.

A minister of state is excusable for the harm he does when the helm of government has forced his hand in a storm; but in the calm he is guilty of all the good he does not do.