Shrewdness in Public Life all over the World is always honored, while honesty in Public Men is generally attributed to Dumbness and is seldom rewarded.

In Europe public men do resign. But here it's a lost art. You have to impeach 'em.

A remark generally hurts in proportion to its truth.

Our foreign dealings are an open book -- generally, a checkbook.

A remark generally hurts in proportion to its truth

[Pretending is indeed the Washington game. Pretend independence, for instance. Recall House Speaker Sam Rayburn's attributed standard greeting to new Democrat members of Congress, per:] Remember, to get along, go along. ... There is no more independence in politics than there is in jail.