Great Presidential Quotes in History

“Differences in political opinions are as unavoidable as to some extent they may perhaps be necessary, but it is to be regretted exceedingly that subjects cannot be expressed with temper on the one hand or decisions submitted to, without having the motives that led to them improperly implicated in the other. And this regret borders on chagrin when we find that men of abilities, zealous patriots, having the same general objects in view and the same upright intentions to prosecute them will not exercise more charity in deciding on the opinions and actions of one another.”

-George Washington, in a letter to Hamilton regarding his feud with Jefferson.

 

Not just Presidents with a great historical command

 

Might not be a great quote but Ike was quite insightful.

“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”
Dwight Eisenhower

 

That quote was from Colin Powell. I guess McCarthy was paraphrasing.

• Far from being the Great Satan, I would say that we are the Great Protector.We have sent men and women from the armed forces of the United States to other parts of the world throughout the past century to put down oppression. We defeated Fascism. We defeated Communism. We saved Europe in World War I and World War II. We were willing to do it, glad to do it. We went to Korea. We went to Vietnam. All in the interest of preserving the rights of people.
  And when all those conflicts were over, what did we do? Did we stay and conquer? Did we say, "Okay, we defeated Germany. Now Germany belongs to us? We defeated Japan, so Japan belongs to us"? No. What did we do? We built them up. We gave them democratic systems which they have embraced totally to their soul. And did we ask for any land? No, the only land we ever asked for was enough land to bury our dead. And that is the kind of nation we are.
  • MTV Global Discussion (14 February 2002).

 

Makes sense in the WWII context.