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The function of the politician, therefore, is one of continuous watchfulness and activity, and he must have intimate knowledge of details if he would work out grand results.

Ambition, of course, is the politician's currency.

To be a leader, you have to make people want to follow you, and nobody wants to follow someone who doesn't know where he is going.

What is inherently wrong with the word 'politician' if the fellow has devoted his life to holding public office and trying to do something for his people?

A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country.

The ruling idea of the politician - stated rather bluntly - is that those who are opposed to him exist for the purpose of being made to serve his ends, if he can get power enough in his hands to force these ends upon them.

No man can be a politician, except he be first a historian or a traveller; for except he can see what must be, or what may be, he is no politician.

Somebody has to take responsibility for being a leader.

I think the journey for a politician goes from wanting to please all the people all the time, to a political leader that realises in the end his responsibility is to decide. And when he decides, he divides.

Any politician is to a certain degree a mentor. They preach something.