I'm beginning to think [Ted] Cruz had a good convention, that if [Donald] Trump goes down, Cruz is pretty well positioned to… — David Brooks Conventions Copy Share Image
We shouldn't just allow gay marriage. We should insist on gay marriage. We should regard it as scandalous that two people could… — David Brooks Claims Copy Share Image
Empathy makes you more aware of other people's suffering, but it's not clear it actually motivates you to take moral action or… — David Brooks Action Copy Share Image
Even in this nuclear thing, [ Donald Trump] says we should be stronger and expand. What does that mean? So, what is… — David Brooks Concrete Copy Share Image
On the larger issue of the travel ban, our friend Charles Krauthammer of The Washington Post I think put it pretty well.… — David Brooks Bans Copy Share Image
The daily activity that contributes most to happiness is having dinner with friends. The daily activity that detracts most from happiness is… — David Brooks Activity Copy Share Image
As for multimillionaires [in Donald Trump's Administration], a lot of us hope to be a multimillionaire some day. Again, spotty records, but… — David Brooks Administration Copy Share Image
I think the presidency is a bad way to measure the effective campaign finance, because in the presidency, there is so much… — David Brooks Campaign finance Copy Share Image
The things that make them similar - their machismo, their expansionary braggadocio - is going to turn them I think into bitter… — David Brooks Bitter Copy Share Image
If you're running a successful administration, then you're loyal to people who are basically good who make a mistake. And that seems… — David Brooks Every day Copy Share Image
Self-actualization is what educated existence is all about. For members of the educated class, life is one long graduate school. When they… — David Brooks Actualization Copy Share Image
If there is a series of attacks like that or, God forbid, if ISIS is really sending soldiers across Europe and maybe… — David Brooks Attacks Copy Share Image
[Betsy DeVos] does care about charter schools, which are public schools. She does care about choice, which is a perfectly legitimate thing… — David Brooks Care Copy Share Image
“Researchers have done a lot of work over the past few years analyzing social networks. It turns out almost everything is contagious.… — David Brooks Contagious Copy Share Image
“[The public intellectual] will also describe how she can work a pop culture reference into her essay, comparing the Supreme Court to… — David Brooks Pop culture Copy Share Image
The key factor separating geniuses from the merely accomplished is not a divine spark. It's not I.Q., a generally bad predictor of… — David Brooks Accomplished Copy Share Image
Britain is blessed with a functioning political culture. It is dominated by people who live in London and who have often known… — David Brooks Blessed Copy Share Image
Through American history, we have had populist movements that often, often, often have this ugly racial element. But, often, there are warning… — David Brooks American history Copy Share Image
Tim Kaine has been obviously a governor. He's been a senator. He's one of the smartest rising stars in the Democratic Party.… — David Brooks Democratic Copy Share Image
There will just always be a distance between you and the people around you. Now, [Hillary Clinton] can clearly emotionally connect with… — David Brooks Clinton Copy Share Image
“Koch was not one for grand plans. He just made constant adjustments. He always used the word 'stewardship' to describe his leadership… — David Brooks Charles Copy Share Image
“But over the years I came to realize that living in a detached way is, in fact, a withdrawal from life, an… — David Brooks Community Copy Share Image
I am not a Jew for Jesus but I am definitely a Jew for Christmas. Christmas is one of the best things… — David Brooks Best things Copy Share Image
Would [Betsy DeVos] be my first pick? No. Is she someone who has dedicated her life to education policy? Yes, actually, she… — David Brooks Dedicated Copy Share Image
It's very hard to find an evangelical person under 45, let alone on some of the Christian college campuses, who has any… — David Brooks Campus Copy Share Image
Trade agreements are a net benefit for the world, and a net benefit for our foreign policy, and in the long run,… — David Brooks Agreement Copy Share Image
I sort of feel we have to owe some respect to the process and owe some respect to the electorate and the… — David Brooks Assumption Copy Share Image
“Abraham Lincoln suffered through depression through his life and then suffered through the pain of conducting a civil war, and emerged with… — David Brooks Abraham lincoln Copy Share Image
The crossroads where government meets enterprise can be an exciting crossroads. It can also be a corrupt crossroads. It requires moral rectitude… — David Brooks Business Copy Share Image
“Emotion assigns value to things, and reason can only make choices on the basis of those valuations. The human mind can be… — David Brooks Emotion Copy Share Image
We don't have the choice to control our emotions, but we do have the power to educate our emotions. And we do… — David Brooks Art Copy Share Image
“Breakfast Club, and shared the same misimpression that it was a sign of sophistication to talk about how much you loved Eames… — David Brooks Art Copy Share Image
If I had to fault President [Barack] Obama, I would say that sometimes governs like a visitor from a morally superior civilization. — David Brooks Barack Copy Share Image
Donald Trump's got to do some big changes, because what he was voted on. But when you think about how to do… — David Brooks Believe Copy Share Image
I'm not the most emotionally attuned guy in the world. My wife says that me writing about emotion is like Gandhi writing… — David Brooks Emotion Copy Share Image
Civility is the natural state for people who know how limited their own individual powers are and know, too, that they need… — David Brooks Civility Copy Share Image
Donald Trump's world view is that it's a dangerous, miserable place, people are out to get him, and he needs to strike… — David Brooks Dangerous Copy Share Image
Hillary Clinton continues to say Donald Trump's unacceptable, he doesn't have the character to be president. He is saying - continues saying… — David Brooks Character Copy Share Image
I think the voters who voted for Donald Trump certainly are willing to tolerate a lot of ugliness, but maybe, if you're… — David Brooks America Copy Share Image
I really think of [Donald] Trump erratic. I think that was the big message that came out. The positive agenda for Hillary… — David Brooks Agendas Copy Share Image
![“I'm beginning to think [Ted] Cruz had a good convention, that if [Donald] Trump goes down, Cruz is pretty well positioned to be the Republican major figure in four, six or even within two years.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9de/david-brooks-644_conventions_i-m-beginning-to-think-ted-cruz-had-a-go_674746.jpg)
![“Even in this nuclear thing, [ Donald Trump] says we should be stronger and expand. What does that mean? So, what is concrete in what he's saying?” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/25f/david-brooks-644_concrete_even-in-this-nuclear-thing-donald-trump_1490054.jpg)
![“As for multimillionaires [in Donald Trump's Administration], a lot of us hope to be a multimillionaire some day. Again, spotty records, but it seems to be not without the range.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0f0/david-brooks-644_administration_as-for-multimillionaires-in-donald-trump_742164.jpg)
![“If there is a series of attacks like that or, God forbid, if ISIS is really sending soldiers across Europe and maybe across the world for a barrage of these things, then the political climate is revolutionized here. And maybe the [Donald] Trump speech will look like a precursor to a climate that…” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/96f/david-brooks-644_climate_if-there-is-a-series-of-attacks-like-tha_2798089.jpg)
![“[Betsy DeVos] does care about charter schools, which are public schools. She does care about choice, which is a perfectly legitimate thing to care about. It's because it's the one issue where the Democratic donor base was really energized, which was the teacher unions.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d8e/david-brooks-644_care_betsy-devos-does-care-about-charter-scho_1106776.jpg)
![“[The public intellectual] will also describe how she can work a pop culture reference into her essay, comparing the Supreme Court to the creature in the number-one box office movie of the moment. Editors like this sort of mass-media integration, first, because it gives them a way to illustrate the…” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/689/david-brooks-644_pop-culture_the-public-intellectual-will-also-descri_637408.jpg)
![“There will just always be a distance between you and the people around you. Now, [Hillary Clinton] can clearly emotionally connect with her intimates within the zone of trust. It's just the wall outside the zone of trust is so impermeable.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/515/david-brooks-644_clinton_there-will-just-always-be-a-distance-bet_3111339.jpg)
![“Would [Betsy DeVos] be my first pick? No. Is she someone who has dedicated her life to education policy? Yes, actually, she has.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0af/david-brooks-644_dedicated_would-betsy-devos-be-my-first-pick-no-is_2972455.jpg)
![“If I had to fault President [Barack] Obama, I would say that sometimes governs like a visitor from a morally superior civilization.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0b0/david-brooks-644_barack_if-i-had-to-fault-president-barack-obama_2823971.jpg)
![“I really think of [Donald] Trump erratic. I think that was the big message that came out. The positive agenda for Hillary [Clinton] was a little less vibrant.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ef1/david-brooks-644_agendas_i-really-think-of-donald-trump-erratic-i_710581.jpg)