James Madison on the presidency

If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.

In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men the great difficulty lies in this: You must first enable the government to control the governed, and in the next place, oblige it to control itself.

A popular Government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives.

I had a dream the other night. I dreamed that Jimmy Carter came to me and asked why I wanted his job. I told him I didn’t want his job. I want to be President.

Ronald Reagan1911–2004

• Clever Jabs

Democracy means that anyone can grow up to be president, and anyone who doesn’t grow up can be vice president.

Johnny Carson1925–2005

• Democracy

You may think the President is all-powerful, but he is not. He needs a lot of guidance from the Lord.

Barbara Bush1925–2018

• God