J

John Podhoretz

29 quotes

An American writer active since the 1960s, John Podhoretz has long been a source of memorable observations. John Podhoretz's observations on Power are as sharp as their thoughts on History, revealing genuine breadth of mind. 36 of John Podhoretz's sharpest quotes live here, spanning themes of Power, History, Government, War, and Future. A favorite of many readers: "Your race and gender don't change, but you can choose to change your political affiliation at will."

“Nixon in 1968, unlike Obama 2008, was elected as a minority president with only 43 percent of the vote. Yet, in 1972, he won what, in some measures, was the most lopsided election in American history with 61 percent.”

— John Podhoretz

History

All Quotes by John Podhoretz

“What people adore about superhero movies is the signal quality of the Christopher Nolan films - their complete lack of irony when it comes to the portrayal of heroism and the need for heroes to confront evil.”

— John Podhoretz

Movies

“Romney is right that the Obama vision is too centered on government. But his is too centered on the promotion of business and wealth creation at the expense of everything else.”

— John Podhoretz

Business

“The thing is, Obama is right that it would be a calamity for the government to default on its debt by not meeting its obligations. Such a thing has never happened and can't be allowed to happen.”

— John Podhoretz

Government

“Your race and gender don't change, but you can choose to change your political affiliation at will.”

— John Podhoretz

Change

“It has never made any sense to argue that, unique among the people of the world, Arabs are more concerned on a day-to-day basis about the treatment of people they don't know than they are about how they're going to put food on their own tables, or whether their sons will ever find a job.”

— John Podhoretz

Food

“The idea that the rest of the world was somehow being held hostage by the Arab-Israeli conflict once had a minimal basis in reality. In the first 20 years of Israel's existence, every Arab country was in an active state of war with the Jewish state.”

— John Podhoretz

War

“Obama has seen to the passage of the most radical legislation in recent American history and so-called 'progressives' should be thanking him for it - even as many of the rest of us rear in horror from its implications.”

— John Podhoretz

History

“The problem is that borrowing money to pay back more borrowed money that will oblige you in the future to borrow even more money doesn't sound kosher. Because it isn't.”

— John Podhoretz

Future

“Barack Obama is one of the greatest politicians in American history.”

— John Podhoretz

History

“Political folk talk a lot these days about 'messaging' - a neologism designed to describe the way in which parties and politicians consciously characterize their efforts. It is only intended to be positive - i.e., 'Our messaging is designed to show we care.'”

— John Podhoretz

Positive

“Nixon in 1968, unlike Obama 2008, was elected as a minority president with only 43 percent of the vote. Yet, in 1972, he won what, in some measures, was the most lopsided election in American history with 61 percent.”

— John Podhoretz

History

“Nixon was an awful president in many ways, including in some of his foreign-policy choices. But he left no doubt that foreign policy and America's leadership in the world outside its borders was of paramount importance to him.”

— John Podhoretz

Leadership

“Making recess appointments when the Senate isn't in recess is neither rational nor moderate. It's a raw misuse of executive power by a president whose love of government is his most vulnerable spot with the electorate.”

— John Podhoretz

Government

“The United States established itself as a trustworthy new nation in its first two decades after the Revolutionary War by paying its debts, even when many in the country believed it had no obligation to do so. Alexander Hamilton, the founder of this newspaper, insisted on it.”

— John Podhoretz

War

“If you want to know why Republicans and conservatives are in a political crisis, you need only consider the fact that the Right's deeply held view now boils down to this: Taxes should not go up on the wealthy, and your health benefits should be cut.”

— John Podhoretz

Health

“Robots have a rich and storied history in movies.”

— John Podhoretz

History

“But like a born actor who only really wants to direct, Gingrich has always been unsatisfied with what he's brilliant at. He can't still his hunger to deliver grand pronouncements on life, liberalism, conservatism, religion and whatever else swims into his consciousness.”

— John Podhoretz

Religion

“Here's a very good rule of thumb in politics: losing begets losing.”

— John Podhoretz

Politics

“Pop culture is a reflection of social change, not a cause of social change.”

— John Podhoretz

Change

“Newt Gingrich has a restless and outsized intelligence that is tragically unleavened by any kind of critical sensibility.”

— John Podhoretz

Intelligence