Joe Klein quotes

Diversity has been written into the DNA of American life; any institution that lacks a rainbow array has come to seem diminished, if not diseased. (Joe Klein)
Back in George W. Bush's second term, when diplomatic realism began to overtake foolish bellicosity, the president developed one of his patented nicknames for the two most powerful neoconservative journalists, William Kristol and Charles Krauthammer: he called them 'the Bomber Boys.' View quote
Joe Klein
I believe that poverty is often the result of inappropriate behavior - out-of-wedlock births, dropping out of school, crime and drugs - which should not be rewarded. But often it isn't, and common decency requires that we take care of the least of these. View quote
Joe Klein
George W. Bush will surely deserve that woolliest of all peace prizes, the Nobel. View quote
Joe Klein
Barack Obama's inspirational whoosh to the presidency in 2008 was unusual. Most campaigns are less exhilarating; indeed, they are downright disappointing - until someone wins. View quote
Joe Klein
We journalists are never so idiotic as when we analyze things that we shouldn't be analyzing. View quote
Joe Klein
Affirmative action was always racial justice on the cheap. View quote
Joe Klein
For me, a really radical position for journalism to take is to stop being cynical. Cynicism is what passes for insight among the mediocre. View quote
Joe Klein
Anonymous sources are a practice of American journalism in the 20th and 21st century, a relatively recent practice. The literary tradition of anonymity goes back to the Bible. View quote
Joe Klein
You know, larger-than-life politicians have larger-than-life strengths and larger-than-life weaknesses. View quote
Joe Klein
I've been described as a grizzled political veteran. (Joe Klein)
For those of us who consider ourselves political moderates, life is a dispiriting slog, a sorry mix of rectitude and ineptitude. View quote
Joe Klein
What do you do in a novel? You take recognizable characters from your own life, and you fantasize about what they're really like. View quote
Joe Klein
You know, larger than life is always better than smaller than life in politicians. And, you know, God save us from mediocrities. View quote
Joe Klein
I think that if you make a strong statement of principle, even if the folks disagree with you, people will respect you for it. View quote
Joe Klein
You can't get all of your news from Jon Stewart, especially since it's a comedy show. View quote
Joe Klein
Ever since John Kennedy, Democrats have had a weakness for dashing younger men like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and, I suppose, Jimmy Carter. They balance their tickets with senior statesmen - Lyndon Johnson, Joe Biden, Walter Mondale. (Al Gore was young but played ancient). View quote
Joe Klein
We should never go to war unless we have been attacked or are under direct, immediate threat of attack. Never. And never again. View quote
Joe Klein
Bush the Elder's stature as president grows with every passing year. He was the finest foreign policy president I've ever covered and a man who defied his party on tax increases while imposing budget restrictions on the Democrats. View quote
Joe Klein
I got into journalism because I came of age in the '60s. It just seemed one way for me to get things done. View quote
Joe Klein
Bush promised a foreign policy of humility and a domestic policy of compassion. He has given us a foreign policy of arrogance and a domestic policy that is cynical, myopic and cruel. (Joe Klein)
Novel writing should never be confused with journalism. Unfortunately, in the case of Primary Colors, a fair number of journalists confused. View quote
Joe Klein
I'm in favour of politicians having extra-marital relationships. Oh yeah. It makes them more understanding of the flaws that the rest of us have. View quote
Joe Klein
In point of fact, 'Simpson-Bowles' has become a symbol, or SimBowl, rather than an actual plan, political shorthand for the process of long-term deficit reduction. View quote
Joe Klein
I came to political consciousness with John F. Kennedy's magnificent 1961 Inaugural Address. It seemed the start of something fresh and exciting, and it was. View quote
Joe Klein

Joe Klein

Joe Klein - Image
Photo: Wikimedia commons, CC BY 3.0
Occupation: American Journalist
Born: September 7, 1946
Quotes count: 25
Wikipedia: Joe Klein

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