I've always been completely autocratic. I've never learned to be diplomatic or democratic.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I'm not always the most diplomatic person.
I am one of the most idiosyncratic people around.
I am a partisan and artisan of Europe. But I draw the lessons of my experience in government.
In many countries, schools are preparing students to participate in a democratic environment; yet schools themselves tend to be extremely autocratic, with all high-level decisions being made by adults.
I could never go into politics, because I'm far too impatient and I'd want to be a dictator, albeit a benevolent one... I would hope.
Sometimes it's better to have a benign dictator than a dumb democracy, to be honest.
My tastes are aristocratic, my actions democratic.
I am an undiplomatic diplomat.
Even when I was at CIA, I'd go to visit foreign leaders and I'd say, 'You know, I'm not a diplomat. I'm just an old CIA guy'... I said, 'If I wanted to be diplomatic, I'd have been a diplomat.'
I've worked as a diplomat before I became a politician.