Political Decorum Quotes

We have exchanged the Washingtonian dignity for the Jeffersonian simplicity, which was in truth only another name for the Jacksonian vulgarity.

I don't think anybody, regardless of tragic circumstances, can expect to come to a congressional hearing and take it over with a series of interruptions.

Clearly while the president is overseas, he's at a conference and while the president is overseas I think it's appropriate that people not be critical of him or our country.

The more simple, the more republican we are in our manners, the more rational dignity we shall acquire.

I don't say bad things about my Republican colleagues, ever.

You don't hear me lambasting, engaging in personal attacks, getting nasty. I don't think that belongs in politics.

Politicians wishing to set a better tone should have the discipline to avoid televised cage matches.

I've gained great respect for the Republican leadership. I've gained great respect for many - and I'm going to even say - I mean, in different forms for the people on the dais, in different forms.

You mustn't expect prime ministers to enjoy themselves. If they do, they mustn't show it - the population would be horrified.

When they say [Donald Trump] is not "presidential": I asked myself what does it mean to be "presidential"? You wear a suit; you talk to the American people like you possess the character and the dignity of one who seeks the highest office in the land, and behind the door you're the worst criminal on the planet, plotting the overthrow of nations and governments, and regime change, and sending drones to kill people you don't like? That's presidential.

When the President of the United States attacks a movie star it is undignified and it casts a poor light on the United States of America. When the President of the United States attacks a sitting judge and questions his legitimacy, that actually can lead to a Constitutional crisis.

If a senator gets drunk at home it's nobody's business. If he is drunk on the floor of the Senate, it's the public's business.

I was leader of the Opposition when Vajpayee was PM. We attacked policies, not personalities, neither inside or outside the House.

Mo Udall didn't want the presidency bad enough. He was too sane. He was a marvelous guy, but you had the feeling there was another Udall outside his body watching the candidate Udall who was too extravagant, telling him to cut it out.

It may be too much to expect that nations should be governed in their relations towards each other by the precepts of Christian morality, but surely it is not too much to ask that they should conform to the code of courtesy and good breeding recognized among gentlemen in the intercourse of social life.

My unpleasantness was political, not personal. I don't believe in carrying political disputes into social life.

If we want to talk about the coarsening of the culture, I hope you devote a whole two hours for it and I would be happy to be a guest, but I'll also offer up some other guests. I don't appreciate many of the things that are said in our political discourse, I don't appreciate many of the things that are said on social media. You [Anderson Cooper] and I are attacked every single day, I'm sure.

I don't think it's good for America to have a former president undermine a current president.

Why should I ? I don't need to run down my opponent through filthy language in order to win. The voters don't expect this from their representatives.

… a very lively but ill-mannered democracy

The state Republican chairman, Gaylord Parkinson, postulated what he called the Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.

The language has changed. When I grew up and watched the campaigns of John Kennedy, even with Richard Nixon, there was a lot higher level of civility. Now we describe a disagreement as an attack.

British diplomats, constantly exposed to American political-ethical rhetoric, find their professional skills tested to the limits by the need to keep a straight face. For illustrations of what I mean, study the photographs of the expressions worn by Mr Douglas Hurd at any international conference involving all the Western allies.

I really think it's important for presidents to exit the stage gracefully.

I'm the candidate who forgot to take off her hat before she threw it in the ring.