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Portrait of William Safire

William Safire

(1929–2009) Columnist United States

103 quotes in 705 categories

William Safire points out that politicians often use big words and clichés, and he suggests picking a real, imperfect person to win elections. He says knowing how things work brings enjoyment and helps appreciate the world. He also enjoys watching how the press can be shaped to create impact.

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William Safire was a columnist from the United States.

Quick Facts About William Safire

Born: December 17, 1929
Died: September 27, 2009
Nationality: United States
Profession: Columnist
Notable works: Prentice Hall Literature--Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes--The American Experience

About William Safire

William Safire was an American author, columnist, journalist and presidential speechwriter. He was a long‑time syndicated political columnist for The New York Times and wrote the "On Language" column in The New York Times Magazine about popular etymology, new or unusual usages and other language‑related topics.

Awards & Honors

Presidential Medal of Freedom Pulitzer Prize for Commentary

Quotes by William Safire

Create your own constituency of the infuriated.

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Don't expect others to do your work for you.

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Have a definite opinion.

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When duty calls, that is when character counts.

Character

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Our rogue President, after selling face time...

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George Washington had a tough second term.

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Avoid overuse of 'quotation “marks.”'

Inspirational

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Never assume the obvious is true.

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Never put the story in the lead. Let 'em have a hot shot of ambiguity right between the eyes.

Ambiguity

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Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.

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Nobody stands taller than those willing to stand corrected.

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Why use a modifier to set straight a not-quite-right noun when the right noun is available?

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By elevating your reading, you will improve your writing or at least tickle your thinking.

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I'm a right-wing pundit and have been for many years.

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It behooves us to avoid archaisms. Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.

Inspirational

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When articulation is impossible, gesticulation comes to the rescue.

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The noun phrase straw man, now used as a compound adjective as in 'straw-man device, technique or issue,' was popularized in American…

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“Adapt your style, if you wish, to admit the color of slang or freshness of neologism, but hang tough on clarity, precision,…

Clarity

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Color and bite permeate a language designed to rally many men, to destroy some, and to change the minds of others.

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Sir Alec Douglas-Home, when he was British Foreign Secretary, said he received the following telegram from an irate citizen: "To hell with…

British

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To be accused of 'channeling' is to be dismissed as a ventriloquist's live dummy, derogated at not having a mind of one's…

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The wonderful thing about being a New York Times columnist is that it's like a Supreme Court appointment - they're stuck with…

Columnist

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To communicate, put your words in order; give them a purpose; use them to persuade, to instruct, to discover, to seduce.

Clarity

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“On the two-way street of communication, a happy symbiosis is achieved when a writer tosses up an offbeat usage or a puzzling…

Books

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In dealing with Syria's dictator...only force counts. No cease-fire was attainable in Lebanon until the 16-inch guns of the battleship New Jersey…

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The CEO era gave rise to the CFO (not certified flying object, as you might imagine, but chief financial officer) and, most…

Bookkeepers

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In lieu of those checks and balances central to our legal system, non-citizens face an executive that is now investigator, prosecutor, judge,…

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What do you call a co-worker these days? Neither teammate nor confederate will do, and partner is too legalistic. The answer brought…

Academia

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If you want to "get in touch with your feelings," fine, talk to yourself. We all do. But if you want to…

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Today, war of necessity is used by critics of military action to describe unavoidable response to an attack like that on Pearl…

Action

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Remember to never split an infinitive. The passive voice should never be used. Do not put statements in the negative form. Proofread…

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To 'know your place' is a good idea in politics. That is not to say 'stay in your place' or 'hang on…

Ambition

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This is not some alarmist Orwellian scenario; it is here, now, financed by $20 billion last year and $15 billion more this…

Administration

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I was standing next to a famed geo-politician when the first news of the Argentine attack [on the Faulkland Islands] was received,…

Age

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Do not put statements in the negative form. And don't start sentences with a conjunction. If you reread your work, you will…

Cliche

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“Not long ago, I advertised for perverse rules of grammar, along the lines of "Remember to never split an infinitive" and "The…

Grammar

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Only in grammar can you be more than perfect.

English grammar

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If America cannot win a war in a week, it begins negotiating with itself.

America

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Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy? I don't know and I don't care.

Apathy

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Better to be a jerk that knees than a knee that jerks.

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William Safire by topic