“Europeans have always thought of U.S. presidents as either naive, as they did with Jimmy Carter, or as cowboys, as they did with Lyndon Johnson, and held them in contempt in either case.” PresidentCasesContemptCowboyNaiveJohnsonJimmyCarter Author:George Friedman
“The great presidents never forget the principle of the republic and seek to preserve and enhance them – in the long run– without undermining the needs of the moment. Bad presidents simply do what is expedient, heedless of principles. But the worst presidents are those who adhere to the principles regardless of what the fortunes of the moment demand.” NeedsLongMomentsRunningPresidentForgetPrinciplesWorstDemandFortunePreservesNever ForgetRepublicLong RunsUnderminingGreat Presidents Author:George Friedman
“The kind of president we need has little to do with ideology and more to do with a willingness to wield power to moral ends.” NeedsKindLittlesEndsPresidentMoralIdeologyWillingness Book:The Next Decade: Where We've Been . . . and Where We're Going Source: The Next Decade: Where We've Been . . . and Where We're Going
“Now if you can recognize and memorize a grandmaster's game, and you have the respect to understand [Zimbabwean president Robert] Mugabe who has survived past anyone's expectations, and make the simple assumption it wasn't an accident, and you understand why he did what he did, now you're ready to predict ... The key to forecasting is to understand both the constraints nations are under and the manner in which the struggle for power shapes leaders.” IfsPastGamesNationsPresidentSimpleLeaderStruggleReadyKeysShapesExpectationsAccidentsAssumptionSurvivedConstraintsForecastingMugabe Author:George Friedman
“Recent presidents have gone off on ad hoc adventures. They have set unattainable goal because they have framed the issue incorrectly, as they believed their own rhetoric.” GoalPresidentGoneIssuesAdventureAdsRhetoricFramedUnattainable Book:The Next Decade: Where We've Been . . . and Where We're Going Source: The Next Decade: Where We've Been . . . and Where We're Going
