“The people can never understand why the President does not use his powers to make them behave. Well all the president is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing, and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway.”
Letter to Mary Jane Truman (14 November 1947)
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Harry Truman 119
American politician, 33rd president of the United States (i… 1884–1972Related quotes

"The Brooklyn Divines." Brooklyn Union (Brooklyn, NY), 1883.
Context: Neither do I believe that it is the end of man to glorify God. How can the Infinite be glorified? Does he wish for reputation?... Why should he wish the flattery of the average Presbyterian? What good will it do him to know that his course has been approved of by the Methodist Episcopal Church? What does he care, even, for the religious weeklies, or the presidents of religious colleges? I do not see how we can help God, or hurt him. If there be an infinite Being, certainly nothing we can do can in any way affect him. We can affect each other, and therefore man should be careful not to sin against man.

Source: 1975, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (1975), Ch. 6: Work

Quoted by Richard Neustadt in Presidential Power: The Politics of Leadership http://books.google.com/books?id=-rxEAAAAIAAJ&q="I+sit+here+all+day+trying+to+persuade+people+to+do+the+things+they+ought+to+have+sense+enough+to+do+without+my+persuading+them"+"that's+all+the+powers+of+the+President+amount+to" (1964)

2000s, Change and Determination: After 9/11, a shaking up (2002)

Inaugural address (March 4, 1841)

"Hot Mic - Hollywood Hypocrites" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuxIdfyKzho (11 July 2017)
2010s