Political Astuteness Quotes

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.

The United States, acting within the constraints imposed by its traditions and public attitudes, cannot crush a revolutionary movement which is sufficiently large, dedicated, competent and well supported…. The structure of U. S. military power is ill-suited to cope with guerrilla warfare waged by a determined, resourceful, and politically astute opponent.

A politically astute president who understood deeply the economics and politics of corporate tax reform could conceivably muscle Congress toward a reform package that made sense. Trump is not that leader.

Many senators have developed a canny sense of what will play best for the audience.

The oldest, wisest politician grows not more human so, but is merely a gray wharf rat at last.

I am humble enough to recognize that I have made mistakes, but politically astute enough to know that I have forgotten what they are.

To say that Jimmy Carter does not understand politics or is not a good politician denies the phenomenon by which he got to the White House. He is without question the best politician, when he's working at it, of anybody I have ever seen.

Once when Phocion had delivered an opinion which pleased the people, he turned to his friend and said, "Have I not unawares spoken some mischievous thing or other?"

The smartest person in the United States Senate, and he knows it, is John Sununu. Thank God he had his mother's temperament.

The fact that Hitler was a political genius unmasks the nature of politics in general as no other fact can.

Statesmanship is developed in the hard knocks of general experience, private and public.

The two maxims of any great man at court are, always to keep his countenance, and never to keep his word.

There's no such thing as a genius in politics, or at least I have never met one. There are only human beings, some better than others, who rise or fall on the challenges they meet.

A man who knows the court is master of his gestures, of his eyes and of his face; he is profound, impenetratable; he dissimulates bad offices, smiles at his enemies, controls his irritation, disguises his passions, belies his heartm speaks and acts against his feelings.

Clinton was the most formidable politician I have ever encountered.

Shrewdness in public life all over the world is always honored, while honesty in public men is generally attributed to dumbness and is seldom rewarded.

Wisdom is essential in a president, the appearance of wisdom will do in a candidate.

… the most sophisticated politician in the country … familiar with every subterranean channel of politics … the most cunning in the devious ways of politics … the most artful politician in the tricks of the craft

The problem with Salafis is that they are religiously sincere and politically naïve. And they allow themselves to be supported by people who have no religious sincerity but who are politically very smart, especially when it comes to their economic interests.

Sometimes I'm surprised when someone who has achieved success is incredibly Machiavellian in their manipulations. So, while I want to believe it's integrity, that might just show how naïve I am. I sometimes worry that I might not be shrewd enough to maneuver myself through the Hollywood system.

On those rare occasions when successful [political] reform organizations have been welded together they have developed techniques of political astuteness, leadership and discipline not unlike political machines.

He used humor more effectively than any president since Abraham Lincoln. Reagan was not an especially warm person, but he appeared to be. Many people disliked his policies, but almost no one disliked him.

There seldom is enmity between seasoned old politicians, who know as much as men can of human weakness and human strength.

A wise politician will never grudge a genuflexion or a rapture if it is expected of him by prevalent opinion.

George Bush and his gang imagine they are being political geniuses.