Political Quotes

David Gergen

The Public Record

David Gergen was an American political commentator and advisor who served in the administrations of four U.S. presidents, providing insights and guidance on various political matters. Born on May 9, 1942, in Massachusetts, Gergen held significant roles in both Republican and Democratic administrations, showcasing his ability to navigate the political landscape across party lines. He was also a professor of public service at Harvard University, where he influenced a new generation of leaders. In addition to his academic work, Gergen was a senior political analyst for CNN, contributing to public discourse on current events until his passing on July 10, 2025.

Quotes by year · 200420233,072 total · peak 2008 (674)
2004: 17 quotes2005: 10 quotes2006: 236 quotes2007: 167 quotes2008: 674 quotes2009: 600 quotes2010: 220 quotes2011: 170 quotes2012: 171 quotes2013: 61 quotes2014: 43 quotes2015: 55 quotes2016: 89 quotes2017: 193 quotes2018: 165 quotes2019: 116 quotes2020: 59 quotes2021: 12 quotes2022: 9 quotes2023: 5 quotes
Sep 28, 2008

If you want to play in the big leagues, you have to hit big league pitching.

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Sep 28, 2008

This is perhaps the most important vice-presidential debate I think we've seen in recent elections, because there's -- there's all these controversies swirling around, and she has a chance this Thursday night to really do herself proud and…

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Sep 28, 2008

Authenticity is very important in politics and feeling comfortable in your own skin.

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Sep 28, 2008

It's understandable that the Jewish members would go home for the holiday, Rosh Hashanah. That's entirely understandable.

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Sep 25, 2008

Barack Obama stresses -- puts heavier stress on diplomacy, working with other nations, trying to go a different way from what George Bush has gone. And John McCain has a much tougher, more muscular view; it's much closer to the…

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Sep 25, 2008

I thought that when it began, that John McCain was very subdued, seemed a little vague about the economic side, wasn't quite focused in. And then when it did turn to foreign policy, he got steadily better.

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Sep 23, 2008

What these two men should do, Obama and McCain, is stay out of the negotiations.

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Sep 22, 2008

They're going to pass the bill in Congress. They have no choice, they know they're on the brink.

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Sep 22, 2008

They are going to pass a bill in Congress. They have no choice.

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Sep 22, 2008

This is $700 billion for rich people to bail them out for their mistakes.

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Sep 22, 2008

It seemed for -- to a lot of people at a grassroots level, this is $700 billion for rich people, to bail them out for their mistakes.

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Politicians like David Gergen