Political Debates Quotes

• A house divided against itself cannot stand.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Leadership, Inspirational Life, Twilight

  Speech at Republican state convention nominating him to run for U.S. senator, Springfield, Ill., 16 June 1858

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• Political debate is more interested in manipulating the truth, than finding the truth.

  George Soros

  Political, Debate, Finding Out The Truth

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• I believe this Government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Believe, Patriotic, Government

  Speech at Republican state convention nominating him to run for U.S. senator, Springfield, Ill., 16 June 1858

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• I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience.

  Ronald Reagan

  Funny, Issues, Political

  Ronald Reagan (2004). “The uncommon wisdom of Ronald Reagan: a portrait in his own words”

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• Political debate with liberals is basically impossible in America today because liberals are calling names while conservatives are trying to make arguments.

  Ann Coulter

  America, Names, Political

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• I've been challenged by so many people, and I don't frankly have time for total political correctness. And to be honest with you, this country doesn't have time either. This country is in big trouble. We don't win anymore.

  Donald Trump

  Country, Winning, People

  Donald Trump (2016). “Great Again: How to Fix Our Crippled America”, p.9, Simon and Schuster

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• I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races: that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people.

  Abraham Lincoln

  War, Race, White

  Fourth Debate with Stephen A. Douglas, Charleston, Ill., 18 Sept. 1858

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• I love hard political debate and I love beating somebody on a political point but what I'm more frustrated by is the politics where you play the man not the politics.

  Johann Lamont

  Men, Play, Political

  "Scottish Labour leader's mission: to revive the party... and save the union". Interview with Severin Carrell, www.theguardian.com. December 23, 2011.

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• Too much of our political debate...has become a race to the bottom. An exchange of insults and slanders more appropriate to reality television than a legislature.

  Jeanne Shaheen

  Reality, Race, Political

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• The best tribute we can pay Madiba is to ensure that our political debate focuses on issues of how best we can ensure that each South African child, whatever the circumstances of their birth, inherits freedom they can use.

  Helen Zille

  Children, Issues, Political

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• Our political debates today are corrosive and not reflective of the belief that Abe Lincoln espoused back in his day: that we are a great country because we are a good country.

  Jon Huntsman, Jr.

  Country, Political, Today

  "Huntsman joins WH race, promising jobs, civility" by Beth Fouhy, www.realclearpolitics.com. June 21, 2011.

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• Political debate is of no interest to me. What I want are practical solutions.

  Carole Bouquet

  Political, Want, Debate

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• If we don't believe in moral absolutes and then we get into a cultural-political debate, how are we going to win?

  Randall Terry

  Believe, Winning, Political

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• If we're not vigilant foreign countries can have an impact on the political debate in the United States in ways that might not have been true 10, 20, 30 years ago in - in part because of the way news is transmitted and in part because so many people are skeptical of mainstream news organizations that - everything's true and everything's false.

  Barack Obama

  Country, Years, Organization

  Source: abcnews.go.com

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• The problem with the immigration debate, it's probably is the most poisoned and political debate of any issue, because you have this huge voting bloc that everybody says is yours

  Greg Gutfeld

  Issues, Political, Voting

  Source: www.foxnews.com

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• A few years ago the idea that extreme poverty was harmful was on the fringes of the economic and political debate. But having made the case we are now seeing an emerging consensus among business leaders, economic leaders, political leaders and even faith leaders.

  Winnie Byanyima

  Years, Ideas, Leader

  "New Oxfam report says half of global wealth held by the 1%" by Larry Elliott, Ed Pilkington, www.theguardian.com. January 19, 2015.

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• I have experienced the intensity of patriotism as a submarine officer, the ambitions of a competitive businessman, and the intensity of political debate. I have been sorely tempted to launch a military attack on foreigners, and have felt the frustration of having to negotiate with allies or even former enemies to reach a consensus instead of taking more decisive unilateral action.

  Jimmy Carter

  Military, Ambition, Frustration

  Jimmy Carter (2014). “The Jimmy Carter Library”, p.429, Simon and Schuster

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• Before the thunderous clamor of political debate or war set loose in the world, love insisted on its promise for the possibility of human unity: between men and women, between blacks and whites, northerners and southerners, haves and have-have-nots, self and self.

  Aberjhani

  War, Men, Self

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• I know it sounds trite but I wanted to make a difference. Political debates with my father had been fraught because he was uncompromising and explosive but if he taught me one thing it was to air my views.

  Vince Cable

  Father, Air, Views

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• Conventional wisdom suggests the primary motivator for entrepreneurs is money or wealth creation and, in fact, much of the political debate tends to center around what kind of tax or regulatory policy changes will turn corporate suits into small business adventurers overnight.

  Chip Conley

  Political, Entrepreneur, Suits

  "What Drives an Entrepreneur?" by Chip Conley, www.huffingtonpost.com. July 5, 2011.

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• In a lifetime of observing and participating in political debate, I have seen a lot of meanness.

  Dennis Prager

  Political, Debate, Lifetime

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• Earlier feminists were almost universally pro-choice and have dominated political debate until now. Having access to abortion was viewed as the only way women could have full equality with men, who, until recently, couldn't get pregnant.

  Kathleen Parker

  Pregnancy, Equality, Men

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• What takes place in the Security Council more closely resembles a mugging than either a political debate or an effort at problem-solving.

  Jeane Kirkpatrick

  Effort, Political, Problem

  "Cal Thomas: Mr. Trump, please pick John Bolton for State" by Cal Thomas, www.foxnews.com. December 1, 2016.

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• But I think the American people expect more from us than cries of indignation and attack. The times are too grave, the challenge too urgent, and the stakes too high to permit the customary passions of political debate. We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future. As Winston Churchill said on taking office some twenty years ago: if we open a quarrel between the present and the past, we shall be in danger of losing the future.

  John F. Kennedy

  Passion, Past, Thinking

  Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech, en.wikisource.org. July 15, 1960.

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• I declare that this government is no longer a constitutional and moral form of government. I will deal with it, and I will obey its laws, and I will support it when it is defending our country from foreign and domestic enemies. I will vote in its elections and participate in its political debates. But I will never accept it. I aim at a restoration of constitutional and moral order.

  Lawrence Auster

  Country, Government, Order

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