“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 Truman119

American politician, 33rd president of the United States (i… 1884–1972

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Quoted by Richard Neustadt in Presidential Power: The Politics of Leadership http://books.google.com/books?id=-rxEAAAAIAAJ&q=&quot;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&quot;+&quot;that's+all+the+powers+of+the+President+amount+to&quot; (1964)