American President

Explore 616 quotes by American Presidents

North Vietnam cannot defeat or humiliate the United States. Only Americans can do that.

Richard Nixon

Read this speech at The Nixon Library

More information about this quote

Topic

Vietnam War War American politics

Speaker

Richard Nixon

Source

Silent Majority Speech on the War in Vietnam

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1969 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Nixon, Richard. Televised address to the Nation on the War in Vietnam. 3 Nov. 1969, Washington, DC, USA.

Current Citation

Nixon, Richard. Richard Nixon: Speeches, Writings, Documents, edited by Rick Perlstein. Princeton University Press, 2008, ch. 19.

When the first President, George Washington, placed his hand upon the Bible, he stood less than a single day's journey by horseback from raw, untamed wilderness. There were 4 million Americans in a union of 13 States. Today, we are 60 times as many in a union of 50 States. We've lighted the world with our inventions, gone to the aid of mankind wherever in the world there was a cry for help, journeyed to the Moon and safely returned. So much has changed, and yet we stand together as we did two centuries ago.

Ronald Reagan

Second Inaugural Address of Ronald Reagan

Buy a book containing this speech at Amazon Buy a book containing this speech at Amazon
Read this speech at UVA's Miller Center website

More information about this quote

Topic

American expansion America

Speaker

Ronald Reagan

Source

Second Inaugural Address of Ronald Reagan Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1985 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Reagan, Ronald. "Second Inaugural Address." 21 Jan. 1985, United States Capitol rotunda, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

I am glad to know that there is a system of labor where the laborer can strike if he wants to! I would to God that such a system prevailed all over the world.

Abraham Lincoln

More information about this quote

Topic

Workers' rights

Speaker

Abraham Lincoln

Source

Speech in Hartford, Connecticut

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1860 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. "Speech in Hartford, Connecticut." 5 Mar. 1860, Hartford City Hall, Hartford, CT, USA.

Clearly, mistakes were made.

George H.W. Bush

Speech to the American Enterprise Institute, December 3, 1986

On the Iran-Contra scandal.

More information about this quote

Topic

Iran-Contra Political scandals American politics

Speaker

George H.W. Bush

Source

Speech to the American Enterprise Institute, December 3, 1986

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Bush, George H. W. Speech at the American Enterprise Institute. 3 Dec. 1986, American Enterprise Institute, Washington, DC, USA.

We may define a republic to be, or at least may bestow that name on, a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behavior.

James Madison

Federalist 39

Buy The Federalist Papers at Amazon Buy The Federalist Papers at Amazon
Read Federalist No. 39 at the Library of Congress website

More information about this quote

Topic

Democratic theory Democracy Politics

Author

James Madison

Source

Federalist 39 The Federalist Papers

Medium

Essay

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1788 1780s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Madison, James [published as Publius]. "Federalist No. 39: The Conformity of the Plan to Republican Principles." Independent Journal, 16 Jan. 1788.

Current Citation

Madison, James. "No. 39: Constitution is strictly republican; is both federal and national.--Madison." The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States, edited by Robert Scigliano. The Modern Library, 2001.

Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration. Capital has its rights, which are as worthy of protection as any other rights.

Abraham Lincoln

Annual Message to Congress

Buy a book containing this speech at Amazon Buy a book containing this speech at Amazon
Read this speech at millercenter.org

More information about this quote

Topic

Labor Capital Capitalism Economic theory

Author

Abraham Lincoln

Source

Annual Message to Congress

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1861 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. First Annual Message to Congress. 3 Dec. 1861, U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

Current Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. "Annual Message to Congress, December 3, 1861." Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher. Library of America, 1989.

The pundits like to slice and dice our country into red states and blue states: red states for Republicans, blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states. We coach little league in the blue sates and, yes, we've got some gay friends in the red states. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq, and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

Barack Obama

More information about this quote

Topic

American unity Americans

Speaker

Barack Obama

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

2004 2000s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Obama, Barack. Keynote address in Boston. Democratic National Convention. 24 July 2004, FleetCenter, Boston, MA, USA.

Yet in all our rejoicing let us neither express, nor cherish, any harsh feeling towards any citizen who, by his vote, has differed with us. Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in the bonds of fraternal feeling.

Abraham Lincoln

Buy Lincoln: His Speeches and Writings at Amazon Buy Lincoln: His Speeches and Writings at Amazon
Read the full text of this speech at umich.edu

More information about this quote

Topic

Political polarization Political reconciliation Elections Politics

Speaker

Abraham Lincoln

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1860 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. Remarks in Illinois. 20 Nov. 1860, Springfield, IL, USA.

Current Citation

Abraham Lincoln. "Remarks at Springfield, Illinois, November 20, 1860." The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, edited by Roy P. Basler. Vol. 4, Rutgers University Press, 1955.

You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for twenty-five years and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are going to regenerate and they have not. So it's not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them, or anti-immigrant sentiment, or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

Barack Obama

More information about this quote

Topic

Deindustrialization

Speaker

Barack Obama

Source

Speeches of Barack Obama

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

2008 2000s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Obama, Barack. Statement in San Francisco. San Francisco fundraiser. 6 Apr. 2008, San Francisco, CA, USA.

An elective despotism was not the government we fought for; but one which should not only be founded on free principles, but in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among several bodies of magistracy, as that no one could transcend their legal limits, without being effectually checked and restrained by the others.

James Madison

Federalist 48

Buy The Federalist Papers at Amazon Buy The Federalist Papers at Amazon
Read Federalist No. 48 at the Library of Congress website

More information about this quote

Topic

Checks and balances Separation of powers Political theory Politics

Author

James Madison

Source

Federalist 48 The Federalist Papers

Medium

Essay

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1788 1780s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Madison, James [published as Publius]. "Federalist No. 48: These Departments Should Not Be So Far Separated as to Have No Constitutional Control Over Each Other." New York Packet, 1 Feb. 1788.

Current Citation

Madison, James. "No. 48: Some blending of powers is necessary.--Madison." The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States, edited by Robert Scigliano. The Modern Library, 2001.

It rests now with ourselves alone to enjoy in peace and concord the blessings of self-government, so long denied to mankind: to shew by example the sufficiency of human reason for the care of human affairs and that the will of the majority, the Natural law of every society, is the only sure guardian of the rights of man.

Thomas Jefferson

More information about this quote

Topic

Democracy Political theory

Author

Thomas Jefferson

Language

English

Time

1790 1790s 18th century

Era

American Revolutionary Period

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Jefferon, Thomas. "The Response." 12 Feb. 1790.

Current Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. "The Response, 12 February 1790." The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: November 1789 to 4 July 1790, edited by Julian P. Boyd. Vol. 16, Princeton University Press, 1961.

Observe good faith and justice toward all Nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all... The Nation, which indulges towards another an habitual hatred or an habitual fondness, is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest.

George Washington

Washington's Farewell Address

Read George Washington's Farewell Address at presidency.ucsb.edu

More information about this quote

Topic

American foreign policy International politics Political neutrality

Author

George Washington

Source

Washington's Farewell Address Presidential Farewell Address

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1796 1790s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Washington, George. "The Address of Gen. Washington to the People of America on His Declining the Presidency of the United States." Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser. Philadelphia: John Dunlap, 19 Sept. 1796.

Current Citation

Washington, George. "Farewell Address, September 19, 1796." George Washington: Writings, edited by John Rhodehamel. Library of America, 1997.

Avoid the necessity of those overgrown Military establishments, which under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty, and which are to be regarded as particularly hostile to Republican Liberty.

George Washington

Washington's Farewell Address

Read this speech at the Yale Law School website

More information about this quote

Topic

Military industrial complex

Author

George Washington

Source

Washington's Farewell Address Presidential Farewell Address

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1796 1790s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Washington, George. "The Address of Gen. Washington to the People of America on His Declining the Presidency of the United States." Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser. Philadelphia: John Dunlap, 19 Sept. 1796.

Current Citation

Washington, George. "Farewell Address, September 19, 1796." George Washington: Writings, edited by John Rhodehamel. Library of America, 1997.

A line has been drawn in the sand.

George H.W. Bush

More information about this quote

Topic

Persian Gulf War

Speaker

George H.W. Bush

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1990 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Bush, George H. W. Decision to send U.S. troops to defend Saudi Arabia against Iraqi troops. 8 Aug. 1990, Washington, DC, USA.

America cannot be an ostrich with its head in the sand.

Woodrow Wilson

More information about this quote

Topic

World War I America and the world

Speaker

Woodrow Wilson

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1916 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Wilson, Woodrow. Speech in Des Moines. 1 Feb. 1916, Des Moines Coliseum, Des Moines, IA, USA.

The Nation, which indulges towards another an habitual hatred or an habitual fondness, is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest.

George Washington

Read this speech at UVA's Miller Center website

More information about this quote

Topic

Foreign policy International politics

Author

George Washington

Source

Washington's Farewell Address Presidential Farewell Address

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1796 1790s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Washington, George. "The Address of Gen. Washington to the People of America on His Declining the Presidency of the United States." Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser. Philadelphia: John Dunlap, 19 Sept. 1796.

Current Citation

Washington, George. "Farewell Address, September 19, 1796." George Washington: Writings, edited by John Rhodehamel. Library of America, 1997.

I don't oppose all wars. And I know that in this crowd today, there is no shortage of patriots, or of patriotism. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war.

Barack Obama

More information about this quote

Topic

Iraq War

Speaker

Barack Obama

Source

Speeches of Barack Obama

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

2002 2000s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Obama, Barack. Speech to anti-war rally. 2 Oct. 2002, Federal Plaza, Chicago, IL, USA.

The various admirable movements in which I have been engaged have always developed among their members a large lunatic fringe.

Theodore Roosevelt

More information about this quote

Topic

Political extremism Politics

Author

Theodore Roosevelt

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1913 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Roosevelt, Theodore, Jr. Letter to Henry Cabot Lodge. 27 Feb. 1913.

In the field of world policy I would dedicate this Nation to the policy of the good neighbor—the neighbor who resolutely respects himself and, because he does so, respects the rights of others.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

First Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt

Buy a book containing this speech at Amazon Buy a book containing this speech at Amazon
Read this speech at UVA's Miller Center website

More information about this quote

Topic

Non-intervention American foreign policy Foreign policy International politics

Speaker

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Source

First Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1933 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Roosevelt, Franklin D. "First Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1933, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

Current Citation

Roosevelt, Franklin D. "First Inaugral Address: Washington, DC, March 4, 1933." Great Speeches, edited by John Grafton. Dover, 1999.

In your discussions of the nuclear freeze proposals, I urge you to beware the temptation of pride—the temptation of blithely declaring yourselves above it all and label both sides equally at fault, to ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil empire.

Ronald Reagan

More information about this quote

Topic

Soviet Union

Speaker

Ronald Reagan

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1983 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Reagan, Ronald. "Evil Empire." Annual convention of National Association of Evangelicals. 8 Mar. 1983, Orlando, FL, USA.