Red, white and Bloopers

Presidential quotes just aren’t what they used to be

Toward the end of President Trump’s first term, my wife and I were on a tour of the UK – England, Wales and Scotland.

At one of the innumerable giftshops we found exactly what I, at least was NOT looking for; a book of quotes of then President Donald J. Trump.

My wife actually wanted to buy it, as a gift for a friend.

I talked her out of it for the most obvious reason; the, ahem, most memorable quotes were yet to come.

The quotes in that book, as you might imagine, veered from the inane to the vile, from the grandiose to the preposterous, and of course, from the blatantly offensive to, a religious mind at least, outright sacrilege.

I have studied American history and, of course our presidents, for many years.

I have read multiple presidential biographies and studies.

US history is dense with inspiring and timeless insights and proclamations – most of them soaring, aspirational and, of course memorable.

These statements, proclamations and promises were made with a clearly defined audience in mind; either those who stood within and for the American ideals and principles and, of course, those who might question or oppose such ideals and principles.

These statements console, comfort and inspire their hearers, whether they are contemporary or many generations removed from the speaker.

These words left behind addressed a young nation’s fears, anxieties, challenges and aspirations.

This nation, like all nations, perhaps, had moments of peril, if not absolute threat to their identity, destiny and, for the average citizen, a sense of stability and well-being – a sense, from the citizens perspective, that they, the average citizen, is being taken care of.

In a democracy, leaders represent the citizens – and, in principle at least, advocate on behalf of their best interests.

And their words act as distilled messages that stand the test of time – or even become more compelling as we, as humans of any nationality or political persuasion, face challenges that few of them, several centuries ago, could have imagined.

Those presidents were astute observers of human nature. They knew, all too well, that any system of governance is only as good as those who took on the roles – and obligations inherent in representative governance.

A chain, it is said, is only as strong as its weakest link.

The same with any system of government.

In an ideal world, with leaders of vision, integrity and compassion, any form of government would meet our needs.

But the Founders of America were writing and working in a direct reaction to a system, that to them at least, was not working.

They had experienced, as many had for centuries, the depredations of those taking advantage of concentrated power – and they knew that same concentrated power was the biggest threat to the safety, stability and well-being of citizens around the world.

And they designed a system with a deliberate balance of powers so that no branch, and certainly no individual, could subvert a true body of self-governance.

They knew that human nature, and inclination, was a constant threat to any form of government - especially one balanced on such a fragile basis as “We the people”.

But what set American presidents apart was the rare opportunity to speak up, not only against such systems but on behalf of a new system being made- and remade – in the image of its citizens; a true republic.

Consider just a few of these presidential quotes, and what they say about who, and what America, at its best, stood for, and perhaps will always represent.

Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company. George Washington

To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do. John Adams

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. Thomas Jefferson

It is by a thorough knowledge of the whole subject that [people] are enabled to judge correctly of the past and to give a proper direction to the future. James Monroe

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. John Quincy Adams

Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error. Andrew Jackson

It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn't. Martin Van Buren

The test of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there. James Buchanan

I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country... corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. Abraham Lincoln

We must especially beware of that small group of selfish men who would clip the wings of the American Eagle in order to feather their own nests. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Unswerving loyalty to duty, constant devotion to truth, and a clear conscience will overcome every discouragement and surely lead the way to usefulness and high achievement. Grover Cleveland

If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month. Theodore Roosevelt

We must dare to be great; and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage. William Howard Taft

The object of love is to serve, not to win. Woodrow Wilson

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. Harry S. Truman

Pessimism never won any battle. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. John F. Kennedy

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose. Lyndon B. Johnson

Remember, always give your best. Never get discouraged. Never be petty. Always remember, others may hate you. But those who hate you don't win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself. Richard M. Nixon

Never be satisfied with less than your very best effort. If you strive for the top and miss, you'll still 'beat the pack. Gerald R. Ford

You can do what you have to do, and sometimes you can do it even better than you think you can. Jimmy Carter

Heroes may not be braver than anyone else. They’re just braver five minutes longer. Ronald Reagan

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. Barack Obama

There are many more, of course, but as you looked over these statements from former presidents, I hope you saw them as sort of meditative points of departure in terms of what America was becoming under their leadership and during their time.

Each president, I am convinced, sought to leave America stronger and more solidly based than he found it.

And every president held an enduring respect for the office and those who held it, and knew better than most of us ever will, the sacrifices they made on our behalf.

As America faces challenge we have never faced before, words of wisdom and insight, from the past or from current leaders will lead us through murky and uncertain times.

And may the words of our era strengthen and inspire those many generations from now.

One way or another, the words spoken today, and left behind us, will leave a message for the ages.