All Joe Klein Quotes
- Bush promised a foreign policy of humility and a domestic policy of compassion. He has given us a foreign policy of arrogance and a domestic… Arrogance
- Cynicism is what passes for insight among the mediocre. Among
- Anonymous sources are a practice of American journalism in the 20th and 21st century, a relatively recent practice. The literary tradition of anonymity goes back… American
- I got into journalism because I came of age in the '60s. It just seemed one way for me to get things done. Age
- Novel writing should never be confused with journalism. Unfortunately, in the case of Primary Colors, a fair number of journalists confused. Case
- You can't get all of your news from Jon Stewart, especially since it's a comedy show. All
- For me, a really radical position for journalism to take is to stop being cynical. Cynicism is what passes for insight among the mediocre. Among
- Barack Obama's inspirational whoosh to the presidency in 2008 was unusual. Most campaigns are less exhilarating; indeed, they are downright disappointing - until someone wins. Barack
- For those of us who consider ourselves political moderates, life is a dispiriting slog, a sorry mix of rectitude and ineptitude. Consider
- I think that if you make a strong statement of principle, even if the folks disagree with you, people will respect you for it. Disagree
- I've been described as a grizzled political veteran. Been
- Political courage requires clarity. Clarity
- We journalists are never so idiotic as when we analyze things that we shouldn't be analyzing. Analyze
- What do you do in a novel? You take recognizable characters from your own life, and you fantasize about what they're really like. Character
- You know, larger than life is always better than smaller than life in politicians. And, you know, God save us from mediocrities. Always Better
- You know, larger-than-life politicians have larger-than-life strengths and larger-than-life weaknesses. Inspirational
- I believe that poverty is often the result of inappropriate behavior - out-of-wedlock births, dropping out of school, crime and drugs - which should not… Behavior
- I came to political consciousness with John F. Kennedy's magnificent 1961 Inaugural Address. It seemed the start of something fresh and exciting, and it was. Address
- Affirmative action was always racial justice on the cheap. Action
- Diversity has been written into the DNA of American life; any institution that lacks a rainbow array has come to seem diminished, if not diseased. American
- I'm in favour of politicians having extra-marital relationships. Oh yeah. It makes them more understanding of the flaws that the rest of us have. Extra
- Back in George W. Bush's second term, when diplomatic realism began to overtake foolish bellicosity, the president developed one of his patented nicknames for the… Began
- Bush the Elder's stature as president grows with every passing year. He was the finest foreign policy president I've ever covered and a man who… Budget
- Ever since John Kennedy, Democrats have had a weakness for dashing younger men like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and, I suppose, Jimmy Carter. They… Al
- In point of fact, 'Simpson-Bowles' has become a symbol, or SimBowl, rather than an actual plan, political shorthand for the process of long-term deficit reduction. Actual