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
Jul 20, 2008

This is a dramatic shift, Anderson. This drumbeat has been now coming since last Friday as you just pointed out. And it's very clear that as elections approach in Iraq, Maliki is asserting a certain kind of nationalism there.

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Jul 20, 2008

I think he does and I think he may come back on this question of Barack Obama is not the right person to be negotiating the end of this war right now.

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Jul 20, 2008

I think it has put him on the defensive, Anderson; but a couple of things. One is the head of the joint chiefs, Admiral Mullen has just said in the last 48 hours he thinks it's a mistake to set deadlines and hard deadlines.

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Jul 20, 2008

It sounds more likely that he could be a secretary of state or secretary of defense, perhaps.

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Jul 15, 2008

I don't think their lives have changed very much yet, Anderson. What we've seen in the past is that -- milestones and really big breakthroughs legislatively or in terms of rhetoric can change things over time.

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Jul 15, 2008

No, because I don't think their lives have changed very much yet, Anderson.

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Jul 15, 2008

But the election of an African-American president, whether it's Barack Obama or someone else, will, I am convinced, over time improve race relations.

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Jul 15, 2008

But the election of an African-American, whether it's Barack Obama or someone else, will, I am convinced, over time improve race relations.

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Jul 14, 2008

It's likely there -- if they've done this properly -- that he'll be greeted with considerable enthusiasm in some of the European capitals and you'll see big crowds in the streets.

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Jul 14, 2008

I think it undercuts John McCain's argument about not sitting down with Iran, being very tough on them.

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Politicians like David Gergen