David Greenberg Quotations

We have to judge presidents not only by the long-term consequences of their actions but also by how they make citizens in their own day feel. One reason that Nixon never succeeded in his comeback campaign is that he had such a negative impact on public trust at the time of his presidency.

One thing that does seem to me to be fairly consistent is that presidents who restrict civil liberties, even in wartime, are usually judged harshly for it. So most people agree that one of the worst stains on the reputation of FDR, who is widely considered a great president, is the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Likewise, Lincoln is judged harshly for the suspension of habeas corpus.

People should make distinctions between the office of the presidency and the person who occupies it. You can respect the office even as you lose respect for the individual.

I'm hard pressed to give an example on the spot of a president who explicitly spoke of the vindication of history, but I'm confident that there are many such examples.

I find it hard to imagine that future historians will see the Iraq War as a big plus in Bush's ledger, but we have to admit that we simply don't know for sure.

It's actually quite common for presidents to believe that future generations will render a verdict on their presidencies that is more lasting or definitive than the judgments of their contemporaries. The reason is that although history is certainly "an argument without end" - we're still debating many age-old questions - time does help settle others.

Presidents who restrict civil liberties, even in wartime, are usually judged harshly for it.

An old-timer is someone who can remember when a naughty child was taken to the woodshed instead of to a psychiatrist.

Coolidge's preference for experience over ideas was a deeply rooted trait.

Since carriage in the nose is the first step in causing disease, the increased rate of carriage suggests more frequent occurrence of the disease. Indeed, active and passive smoking are associated with increased rate of respiratory infectious diseases.

The Democrats won't do themselves any favors if they give Roberts a free pass. They have to put down some markers, contrast their beliefs with Roberts' beliefs, demonstrate where they stand, and frame the debate over the long-term direction of the court.

Personalization is one reason the school is so successful.

Almost every administration has kind of come in saying they want an open administration, and then getting bad press and fuming about leaks. But it's a pretty fair statement to say you haven't seen this kind of crackdown on leaks since the Nixon administration.

They can be done in a short period of time,

The high-tech business is considered a young person's game. But in high tech there's a reverse correlation; experience means you're not up to date.