Political Adaptability Quotes

Nothing is irreparable in politics.

A candidate must be like a chameleon, adapting to each person he meets, changing his expression and speech as necessary…. Tell the Senate that you will maintain their traditional powers and privileges. Let the business community and the wealthy citizens know that you are for stability and peace. Assure the common people that you have always been on their side.

I was a Republican before Donald Trump was a Republican. I was a Republican when Donald Trump was a Democrat. I was a Republican when Donald Trump was an independent. And I'm going to be a Republican when Donald Trump gets tired of being a Republican.

I had no difficulty as Secretary of Defense moving from the Bush administration to the Obama administration.

I said I'm going to vote for Hillary. But my philosophy is that everything's workable. If Trump is president, I'll work with that guy. I don't know if he's terrible or what. He's refreshing in that he doesn't speak in that political way. I don't quite understand why everybody hates Hillary so much.

I'm totally open to changing my beliefs. I could grow up to be a total communist. I could grow up to be a Neocon. I'm looking to have my views challenged. I'm looking to be corrected.

One of the things that has always been my undoing in politics is my readiness to do whatever job has to be done.

The thing about politics is to plan 10 years ahead, and assume every year is your last.

[Thomas] Jefferson understood a timeless truth, that politics is kaleidoscopic, constantly shifting, and the morning’s foe may well be the afternoon’s friend.

Democracies are much better at adapting to modernization than other systems.

One of the reasons for the survival of the ANC (African National Congress) over such a long period, is their ability to steal other people's programs, and to adapt to situations. As extraordinary adaptation to a policy which previously they opposed, and then they realize its merits, and then adjust and it comes out as a different policy. That has been the characteristic of the ANC, for which they've been criticized historically, as being inconsistent. But it's that which enabled them to survive to a ripe old age, and they are still doing it.

We work with whoever is elected. Some will bring a more generous, open view of the world than others.

You cannot transpose the U.S. system on Turkey, and the Turkish system on France etc. You have to understand the people and their culture. That's leadership.

The politics of courtiers resemble their shadows; they cringe and turn with the sun of the day.

… we need the flexibility and enthusiasm of youth to make any political party respond to the needs of today.

Mr. Trump doesn't radiate many of the qualities I respect. But what do I know? I've never met Trump. I know he's savvy enough to change his tune according to his audience and I don't know very much at all about how government works.

But you have to understand, American democracy is not like the system you have. We're not an ocean liner that sails across the ocean from point A to point B at 30 knots. That's not American democracy. American democracy is kind of like a life raft that bobs around the ocean all the time. Your feet are always wet. Winds are always blowing. You're cold. You're wet. You're uncomfortable -- but you never sink.

Newt Gingrich has incredible intellectual flexibility. He has been on both sides of almost every issue.

Trump's election was dispiriting and confounding to most traditional political players - perhaps nobody more so than Murdoch. Still, Murdoch did what he has always done: made sure he had maximum influence with the new president.

You know, I'm not comfortable with people whose politics are static in a democracy.

Carolyn Maloney knows how to get something done, and as I said, it doesn't matter if she's in the majority or the minority. It doesn't matter if she's chair of a committee or not, she can figure out how to get a piece of legislation passed, and that's what is - is a unique quality.

Our party has known great, great days. But we have no God-given right to survive, let alone to succeed.

I think a primary always makes the other candidate a better candidate because you're battle-tested and you have to think in ways that other people are thinking in addition to your own vision, how to incorporate some fresher, newer thinking into all of that.

Clinton knew how to get things done. He was battling the Republicans, and then he basically took a lot of their agenda and made it his own. That's what Obama's not doing.

In today's politics, it would be good to have politicians who are more upfront about what they felt and actually not trying to bend with every breeze. They're infuriating, all of them.