In politics... shared hatreds are almost always the basis of friendships.

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.

The human being is in the most literal sense a political animal, not merely a gregarious animal, but an animal which can individuate itself only in the midst of society.

What the statesman is most anxious to produce is a certain moral character in his fellow citizens, namely a disposition to virtue and the performance of virtuous actions.

Don't buy a single vote more than necessary. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a landslide.

Politicians should never put themselves first: governments should put people first and all of us should put our country first.

Only people who look dull ever get into the House of Commons, and only people who are dull ever succeed there.

The Tories in England had long imagined that they were enthusiastic about the monarchy, the church and beauties of the old English Constitution, until the day of danger wrung from them the confession that they are enthusiastic only about rent.

Magnanimity in politics is not seldom the truest wisdom; and a great empire and little minds go ill together.

One has to be a lowbrow, a bit of a murderer, to be a politician, ready and willing to see people sacrificed, slaughtered, for the sake of an idea, whether a good one or a bad one.