“The failure to invest in our public transportation and public life, I think, is a scandal and a shame, and it should be a national embarrassment.” ThinkingShouldShameScandalEmbarrassmentPublic LifeTransportationPublic Transportation Author:Mark Shields
“I think Guantanamo, has been synonymous with the staining of American values and American legal tradition.” ThinkingHas BeensValuesTraditionAmerican ValuesGuantanamo Author:Mark Shields
“For many years, we have had these campaign finance reforms, and they have been failures. Money is more coursing through our system than ever before. Incumbents have used the laws to advantage themselves. And one of the reasons I think they have been failures is we have tried to crush down the money in places like the political parties, and it has squished out into opaque super PACs and sort of hidden channels.” ThinkingYearsHas BeensReasonLawPoliticalUsedPartyAdvantageCampaignsFinanceReformCrushPolitical PartiesIncumbentsOpaquePacsCampaign FinanceCampaign Finance Reform Author:Mark Shields
“The way to solve all the money in politics is not to pretend we can get money out of politics. That will never happen. We have to channel it in ways where we can see it and hold it accountable. And I think the parties are the best vehicle for that.” ThinkingWayHappensPartySolveVehicleGet MoneyMoney In Politics Author:Mark Shields
“Ronald Reagan four times accepted the limits in contributions of what he could take, what he could spend, and the public funding for the general elections. So I just think the idea that it didn't work, and didn't work - it did work. It worked brilliantly.” ThinkingIdeasFourLimitsElectionAcceptedContributionWorking ItFundingGeneral Elections Author:Mark Shields
“They're still a subject beholden to special interests, but at least they have a national constituency. At least they have to think about national majorities.” ThinkingStillsInterestSpecialSubjectsMajoritySpecial Interests Author:Mark Shields
“I think that "Arabs coming out in droves" is so violative Jewish values that non-Jews admire so much about Jewish people throughout history, of welcoming the stranger, of standing up for the outsider, of defending the marginalized. This was classic us against them. This was the narrowest and meanest of politics, to which Jews, sadly and tragically, around the world have been subjected to.” PeopleThinkingWorldHas BeensValuesStandingJewStrangerAdmireWelcomeAround The WorldClassicComing OutOutsidersMarginalizedJewish Values Author:Mark Shields
“I don't think he should make foreign policy on the basis of peak,but I don't think it can be overstated that Israel has been an embattled democracy that has enjoyed the bipartisan and overwhelming support of Americans. It has been a moral force.” ThinkingShouldHas BeensForceMoralSupportDemocracyPolicyBasesIsraelEnjoyedOverwhelmingForeign PolicyBipartisan Author:Mark Shields
“As long as Republicans won't - won't raise taxes and as long as Democrats won't in any way make entitlements based on need, rather than just across the board, I really think that we're doomed to this deadlock.” ThinkingWayNeedsLongRepublicanTaxesRaisesDemocratBoardsDoomedEntitlement Author:Mark Shields
“I think that the people that are publicly on Hillary Clinton's short list all are very congenial people. They're not people with personality or Captain Queeg problems.” PeopleThinkingProblemPersonalityClintonListsCaptains Author:Mark Shields
“We're not being invaded by undocumented immigrants who are coming to kill police officers and commit crimes. And I don't think most Americans think it's true.” ThinkingCrimePoliceCommitImmigrantsOfficersPolice OfficerUndocumented Immigrants Author:Mark Shields
“I think the Republican Party is cursed. And it's cursed itself.” ThinkingPartyRepublicanRepublican PartyCursed Author:Mark Shields
“I think this was as good a Democratic Convention [ this was my 24th convention] as I have seen since the 1976 convention, which nominated Jimmy Carter.I just thought it was a spectacularly successful convention. I don't think Hillary Clinton's speech was spectacular, but I don't think she's a spectacular speaker.” ThinkingSuccessfulSpeechDemocraticClintonConventionsSpeakersSpectacularJimmyCarter Author:Mark Shields
“Hillary Clinton should get a bounce out of her convention, I mean a bounce in the polls. I think it's probably conceded that Donald Trump got about a three-point bounce out of his conventions. He's closed the gap that much.” ThinkingShouldMeanThreeTrumpClintonGapsConventionsPollsBounceConceded Author:Mark Shields
“I think Donald Trump is obviously the more colorful, the more flamboyant, the more dominant personality.” ThinkingPersonalityTrumpDominantColorfulFlamboyant Author:Mark Shields
“In a strange way, Hillary Clinton was helped and victimized by Barack and Michelle Obama.Michelle Obama was probably better than Barack Obama, if you think about it.Her speech is a masterful, masterful speech. And she delivered it in a persuasively conversational tone.” IfsThinkingWayStrangeSpeechClintonBarackTone Author:Mark Shields
“I think she [Hillary Clinton] would be far superior to President [Barack] Obama, who is basically remote, aloof and not involved with - he doesn't deal with members of Congress.” ThinkingWould BePresidentDealsInvolvedMembersClintonCongressSuperiorsBarackPresident Barack ObamaAloof Author:Mark Shields
“[Hillary Clinton] showed, while in the Senate, that ability to connect and reach across and to forge alliances. I think she will be better [than Barack Obama]. But I think the problem with connecting emotionally with the people remains at large is - in a wholesale way.” PeopleThinkingWayProblemAbilityRemainsClintonBarackSenateConnectingAlliancesWholesale Author:Mark Shields
“Stronger together is, I think, a preposition and a comparative adjective, but it's not really an action verb or what it is.” ThinkingActionTogetherStrongerVerbsAdjectivesStronger TogetherPrepositions Author:Mark Shields
“I think Democrats ought to be concerned, that the party has become almost prideful about the college-educated vote that it's getting, the support that Hillary Clinton is getting against Donald Trump.” ThinkingPartySupportCollegeOughtTrumpConcernedVoteClintonDemocratEducated Author:Mark Shields
“I believe devoutly that the national election is the closest thing we have to a civic sacrament of democracy. And I really do think that heed must be paid, and when people make a decision, those who are on the other side, including me, accept it, for that reason.” PeopleThinkingBelieveReasonI BelieveSidesDecisionAcceptingDemocracyPaidElectionIncludingClosestSacramentsCivicsHeed Author:Mark Shields
“Everyone has to take Donald Trump seriously, and I think that's what we're seeing.” ThinkingSeeingTrump Author:Mark Shields
“I think an increasing number of Republicans are perplexed and actually nervous about Donald Trump and Russia, nervous in the sense that he is gratuitously giving Democrats the national security advantage, that they're standing up for the country.” ThinkingGivingCountryNumbersSecurityTrumpRepublicanAdvantageStandingDemocratRussiaNervousNational SecurityPerplexed Author:Mark Shields
“The White House, as Warren Harding said, and I think accurately, is an alchemist. We find out the strengths, the weaknesses and the smarts and the dumbs of whoever those occupants are under the pressure of the presidency.” ThinkingSaidHouseWhiteSmartWeaknessPressureWhite HousePresidencyAlchemistHardingWarren Harding Author:Mark Shields
“I think part of Donald Trump's appeal is that he's a guy that does cut corners, that he's the guy that does get deals and maybe does break a speed limit. I think there was sort of a roguish, rascally, but I get things done even if I break the rules.” IfsThinkingDoeDoneGuyDealsBreakCuttingTrumpLimitsCornersSpeedAppealsThings DoneSpeed Limits Author:Mark Shields
“When you think of pristine preservation of America, you immediately think of Tulsa and Oklahoma.” ThinkingAmericaPreservationOklahomaPristineTulsa Author:Mark Shields
“The Democrats have to do what he did when [Rahm Emanuel] was chairman of the Democratic House Campaign Committee, recruit veterans, recruit football players, recruit business people. And I think that's what the job of the new party chair has to be.” PeopleThinkingJobsHousePartyPlayerFootballDemocraticDemocratCampaignsChairsCommitteesVeteranChairmanFootball PlayerRecruit Author:Mark Shields
“I do think, over the last years, a lot of Republicans have decided it's not working, what the party believed in, free trade, global capitalism, open borders.” ThinkingYearsLastsPartyRepublicanCapitalismDecidedTradeBordersLast YearFree Trade Author:Mark Shields
“I think Donald Trump is not going to be impeached [in a ] month. Let's not close out possibilities.I do think that what's happening is great and that people are active and people are just involved in the democratic process.” PeopleThinkingProcessPossibilityMonthsTrumpInvolvedHappeningsDemocraticActiveDemocratic Process Author:Mark Shields
“I do think what the Tea Party also had was Obamacare and the unpopularity of that, at least at the time. And so whether there is something that is equally unpopular and equally galvanizing that is almost self-destructive from the administration, that's another factor that we will wait and see.” ThinkingSelfWaitingPartyFactorsAdministrationTeaDestructiveObamacareTea PartySelf Destructive Author:Mark Shields
“I'm sure little Marco [Rubio] didn't think it would stick. I'm sure crooked Hillary [Clinton] didn't think it would stick. These labels do have a certain power to them. And so we will see how it plays out.” ThinkingLittlesPlayCertainSticksClintonLabelsCrookedMarcos Author:Mark Shields
“I think Hillary Clinton - first of all, it's a great victory, acknowledge it. She has made history.” ThinkingVictoryClintonAcknowledge Author:Mark Shields
“I think the Democrats did a terrible disservice, the Hillary Clinton campaign did, to Tim Kaine. Tim Kaine had the earned reputation of being one of the most respected and well-liked, and not cheap partisan members of the United States Senate. And they turned him into an attack dog.” ThinkingDogTerribleClintonDemocratReputation Author:Mark Shields
“Tim Kaine didn't come across authentic. It wasn't good. And it was - it just really - I think, for short-term benefit, I think the Democrats tarnished the brand, which is an awfully good brand.” ThinkingDemocrat Author:Mark Shields
“I think it's fair to say that Donald Trump was born without the embarrassment gene or the moral reservation gene.” ThinkingMoralEmbarrassment Author:Mark Shields
“I do think that Republicans are flirting with their tax cut, which has always been the narcotic of Republicans, that they in fact have to at some point, with any remote pretense of candor, abandon any pretense of a balanced budget.I mean, they talk about - because they are going to finance the tax cut by tax cuts. That's how they're going to do it. And I do think that the will is there right now in the Congress to act. I think they will be as close to unity as you will see on Capitol Hill this year.” ThinkingMeanCuttingRepublicanTaxesUnityFinanceHillsAbandonFlirtingPretense Author:Mark Shields
“I think any advocate who is effective has fully acquainted himself or herself with the legislator they are going to meet. Know what committees they are on, what issues they are interested in, all in an effort to build a bridge for communicating with them.” ThinkingKnowsEffortIssuesCommunicateBridgesCommitteesLegislatorsAdvocating Author:Mark Shields
