Thomas Jefferson Quotes
When I hear another express an opinion which is not mine, I say to myself, he has a right to his opinion, as I to mine. Why should I question it? His error does me no injury, and shall I become a Don Quixote, to bring all men by force of argument to one opinion? ...Be a listener only, keep within yourself, and endeavor to establish with yourself the habit of silence, especially in politics.
Jefferson, Thomas. Letter to Thomas Jefferson Randolph. 24 Nov. 1808. The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, edited by A. A. Lipscomb and A. E. Bergh, vol. 12, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association, 1904, p. 198.
Lincoln idealist though he was, was also a very pragmatic politician. His winning Presidential strategy was to keep the party together, and not antagonize local factions and so avoid making enemies. In the end, he was the second choice for many delegates and ended up with the victory.
While most talk show radio hosts in the political arena were highly partisan and not very polite about opinions contary to theirs and their major audience, Rehm was a real standout who not only was civil to all people regardless of view point but over her decades of broadcasting, always reminded her audience to also be so with suggestions like this classic.
Thomas Jefferson was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He had previously served as the second vice president of the United States under John Adams between 1797 and 1801. The principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was a proponent of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights, motivating American colonists to break from the Kingdom of Great Britain and form a new nation; he produced formative documents and decisions at both the state and national levels.
