Journalism still, in a democracy, is the essential force to get the public educated and mobilized to take action on behalf of our ancient ideals.
Doris Kearns GoodwinRead
We've got to figure out a way that we give a private sphere for our public leaders. We're not gonna get the best people in public life if we don't do that.
Interpretation
Public leaders need personal space to thrive and perform effectively in their roles.
Doris Kearns Goodwin emphasizes the importance of creating a private sphere for public leaders, suggesting that without this space, it will be challenging to attract the best individuals to serve in public life. This highlights the necessity of balancing public scrutiny with personal freedom, which is crucial for effective leadership and decision-making.
In practice
During a leadership conference to emphasize the need for privacy in effective governance.
Journalism still, in a democracy, is the essential force to get the public educated and mobilized to take action on behalf of our ancient ideals.
Once a president gets to the White House, the only audience that is left that really matters is history.
That is what leadership is all about: staking your ground ahead of where opinion is and convincing people, not simply following the popular opinion of the moment.
I am a historian. With the exception of being a wife and mother, it is who I am. And there is nothing I take more seriously.
Obama does seem to have what both FDR and Lincoln had, which is the recognition that you have to hold back at times and then wait to come forward.
Those who knew Lincoln described him as an extraordinarily funny man. Humor was an essential aspect of his temperament. He laughed, he explained, so he did not weep.
No one is bigger than the team. You're going to be on time, you're going play hard, you're going to know your job and you're going to know when to pass and shoot. If you can't do those four things you're not getting time here and we don't care who you are.
Should I become President...I will not risk American lives...by permitting any other nation to drag us into the wrong war at the wrong place at the wrong time through an unwise commitment that is unwise militarily, unnecessary to our security and unsupported by our allies.
If you're lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he's never going to come off the field second.
A statesman... must wait until he hears the steps of God sounding through events, then leap up and grasp the hem of His garment.
It takes courage for a leader to identify and confront self-imposed barriers, to put in place the personal strategies required to unleash the energy, innovation, and commitment to self-development.
One of the little-celebrated powers of Presidents (and other high government officials) is to listen to their critics with just enough sympathy to ensure their silence.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.