Vanity Fair's 25 Best Political One-Liners
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." Thomas Jefferson, 1801
"You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time." Abraham Lincoln, date unknown
"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Abraham Lincoln, 1858
"A man who has never gone to"A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad." Theodore Roosevelt, date unknown
"It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. In this life we get nothing save by effort.” Theodore Roosevelt, 1899
“When large numbers of men are unable to find work, unemployment results.” Calvin Coolidge, date unknown
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933
“I never did give them hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.” Harry S. Truman, 1956
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy, 1961
“Life is unfair.” John F. Kennedy, 1962
“I am not a crook.” Richard M. Nixon, 1973
"Did you ever think that making a speech on economics is a lot like pissing down your leg? It seems hot to you, but it never does to anyone else." Lyndon Baines Johnson, date unknown
"Jerry Ford is so dumb he can't fart and chew gum at the same time." Lyndon Baines Johnson, 1973
“I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” Jimmy Carter, 1976
"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Ronald Reagan, 1987
"Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.” Ronald Reagan, 1977
“It depends on what the meaning of the word “is” is.” Bill Clinton, 1998
"I did not have sex with that woman, Miss Lewinsky." Bill Clinton, 1998
“I forgot to duck, honey.” Ronald Reagan, 1981
"Recession is when a neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose yours." Ronald Reagan, 1980
"Read my lips: no new taxes." George H.W. Bush, 1988
"I can hear you. The rest of the world can hear you. And the people who knocked down these buildings will hear from all of us soon." George W. Bush, 2001
"More and more of our imports are coming from overseas." George W. Bush, 2000
“If nominated, I will not accept. If elected, I will not serve.” William Tecumseh Sherman, 1884
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