"A politician is a man who understands government, and it takes a politician to run a government. A statesman is a politician who's been dead 10 or 15 years."

"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties."

"There are 14 or 15 million Americans who have some colored blood in them. They have been discriminated against and I am going to see that that is stopped."

"My favorite animal is the mule. He has more sense than a horse. He knows when to stop eating — and when to stop working."

"Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a Republican. But I repeat myself."