In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.

-Thatcher, Margaret HildaThatcher, Baroness
  People,15 Sep.

   The choice in politics isn't usually between black and white. It is between two horrible shades of grey.

-Thorneycroft, Lord (George Edward) Peter
  In the SundayTelegraph,11 Feb.

C'est un axiome de la science politique aux EŁ  tats-Unis, que le seul moyen de neutraliser les effets des journaux est d'en multiplier le nombre. It isanaxiomof politicsinthe United States, thatthe only means of neutralising the effects of newspapers is to increase their number.

-Tocqueville, Alexis Charles Henri Cle¤  rel de
^40  De la De¤  mocratie en Ame¤  rique (Democracy in America), vol.1, pt.2, ch.3.

La presse exerce encore un immense pouvoir en Ame¤  rique. Elle fait circuler la vie politique dans toutes les portions de ce vaste territoire. C'est elle dont l'½il toujours ouvert met sans cesse a'   nu les secrets ressorts de la politique, et force les hommes publics a'   venir tour a' tour compara|"tre devant le tribunal de l'opinion. C'est elle qui rallie les inte¤  re"  ts autour de certaines doctrines et formule le symbole des partis; c'est par elle que ceux-ci se parlent sans se voir, s'entendent sans e"  tre mis en contact. The presshas enormous power in America.It isthe press that circulates political life through all parts of this vast territory. Its eye is always open, and making known the secret springs of politics, thus forcing public men to appear before the tribunal of public opinion. It is the press which rallies the interests of the community round certain principles and forms the creed of different parties. Through the press these parties can speak to each other without seeing each other, can listenwithout meeting.

-Tocqueville, Alexis Charles Henri Cle¤  rel de
^40  De la De¤  mocratie en Ame¤  rique (Democracy in America), vol.1, pt.2, ch.3.

Why, this fellow doesn't know any more about politics than a pig on Sunday.

-Truman, Harry S
  Of presidential hopeful Eisenhower. Quoted in Richard M Nixon RN: Memoirs of Richard Nixon (1978).

Being criticized†he never did get it through his head that that's what politics is all about.

-Truman, Harry S
Of President Eisenhower. Quoted in Merle Miller (ed) Plain Speaking (1974).

La politique est l'art d'empe"  cher les gens de se me"  ler de ce qui les regarde. Politics istheart of preventing people fromtaking part in affairs which concern them.

-Vale¤  ry, Paul
  Tel Quel 2,'Rhumbs'.

Politics come from man. Mercy, compassion, and justice come from God.

-Waite,Terry (Terence Hardy)
  In the Observer,13 Jan.

Our course in the House of Lords ought to be very firm and uncompromising but moderate†an example of what has since been called the politics of the extreme centre.

-Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of
  Conduct of Opposition speech, Dec.

   Eisenhower has†a magic in American politics that is peculiarly his: he makes people happy.

-White,Theodore H(arold)
Of Dwight D Eisenhower's appearances during Richard M Nixon's1960 presidential campaign. Quoted in Michael R Beschloss Eisenhower (1990).

After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, love, and so onöand found that none ofthesefinally satisfy, or permanently wearöwhat remains? Nature remains.

-Whitman,Walt(er)
^77  Speciman Days,'NewThemes Entered Upon'.

A week is a long time in politics.

-Wilson of Rievaulx, (James) Harold Wilson, Baron
  Comment to lobby correspondents, Oct. As such meetings are off the record, there is no exact source for this famous phrase.

'Beauty' is a currency like the gold standard. Like any economy it is determined by politics, and in the modern age in theWest it isthe last, best belief systemthat keeps male domination intact.

-Wolf, Naomi
  The Beauty Myth, ch.1,'The Beauty Myth'.