“Madame Chairman, I presume this is to sweep Britain clean of socialism”
Margaret Thatcher, at a Tory party conference, holding a brush. (date unknown)
Leader of the Opposition
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Margaret Thatcher 348
British stateswoman and politician 1925–2013Related quotes
The Wild Gallant, act ii. scene. 2.
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
“Madame, I am the civilization they are fighting for.”
Supposedly said by Strachey in response to a woman who demanded he "fight for civilization" in World War One.
Misattributed
“I have seen their backs before, madam.”
This is attributed to Wellington as a statement to an unidentified woman at a reception in Vienna, who had apologized for the rudeness of some French officers who had turned their backs on him when he entered, as quoted in Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes (2000), edited by Clifton Fadiman and André Bernard, p. 568
This is attributed to Wellington as a statement to King Louis XVIII at a ball in the spring of 1814, as quoted in "Anecdotes of Wellington" at The Wellington Society of Madrid http://www.wellsoc.org/Anecdotes.htm
Variant: 'Tis of no matter, your Highness, I have seen their backs before.
Source: https://books.google.cl/books?id=aarPgpKPA0oC&q=vienna+I%27ve+seen+their+backs+before,+madam&dq=vienna+I%27ve+seen+their+backs+before,+madam&hl=es-419&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiyz4SKk93sAhVyBtQKHZx7AjsQ6AEwAHoECAAQAg page 27
“I got you ten ways from Sunday, madam!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl4CngB5CVo&feature=related
Quotes from Judge Judy cases, Being cocky
“[I]n the words of Chairman Mao, 'It's darkest before it's totally black.”
In response to a reporter's question, "Which is more likely: making progress in Iraq or you winning the nomination?" (July 2007)
2000s, 2007
Source: Liasson, Mara. McCain Nearly Broke But Stays Course http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12000037. National Public Radio. July 7, 2007.
