Quote

Almost all political campaigns involve falsity and playacting.

Campaigns often make standing on principle the highest of virtues - and listening to your opponents a sure sign of weakness. It's the virtual opposite of what it takes to succeed in office. Squaring the circle takes a powerful combination of skills. But presidents who can campaign and compromise are generally the most successful.

I think people involved in politics make good actors. Acting and politics both involve fooling people. People like being fooled by actors. When you get right down to it, they probably like being fooled by politicians even more. A skillful actor will make you think, but a skillful politician will make you never have to think.

Politicians are actors, too, don't you think? Usually, if you like people and you're outgoing, not a shy little thing, you can do pretty well in politics.

There's so many politicians who have given politics a pretty poor name... their actions have been demonstrated to be part of their over-enthusiasm to get reelected.

Downplaying their faults is pretty much the point of campaigns. But we do count on them living with the constant terror of public rejection.

Some campaigns are not worth waging if you can't win; others have to be fought on grounds of principle regardless of the chances for success.

The hardest thing about any political campaign is how to win without proving that you are unworthy of winning.

I think the best campaigns are campaigns of ideas and substance.

Generally speaking, politicians are an odd bunch. They seem to have very thick skins and genuinely don't care what people think. And charm is a very important part of the politician's armoury. I try to resist that kind of charm.