Harry Truman

It is a terrible thing to have to order the use of a weapon like that. But I had to do it. And I would do it again.

I fired him because he wouldn't obey orders. I didn't fire him because he was a dumb son-of-a-bitch, although he was, but that's not against the law for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail.

I'm not going to be a popular President, but I'm going to be a good one.

You know, it's a funny thing about Presidents. They all start out to be good Presidents. And then they get into office, and they find out that they can't do anything without Congress. And then they start to compromise. And pretty soon, they're not good Presidents anymore.

My father was a farmer. My mother was a farmer's wife. And I'm a farmer's son. And I'm proud of it.

I hope that when I die, I'll go to hell, so I can give the devil a piece of my mind.

I've learned that you can't please all the people all the time, and you shouldn't try.

Democracy is a government in which the people are boss. And if they don't like what's going on, they can throw the bums out.

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.

I am not a politician. I am a public servant.

It's a man's world, but a woman runs it.

The greatest part of our population has never had a square deal economically, socially, and politically. The American way of life has not been a way of life for all Americans.

I do not believe in a super state. I believe in free enterprise and competition, and I believe in individual liberty.

I have always been a great believer in the common sense of the common man.

It's a hell of a job, but I'm going to do my best.

I'm not a man of great wealth, but I'm rich in friends.

The human animal is a peculiar animal. He can learn to live with anything, even his own destruction.

I don't propose to be a candidate for President in 1948. I'm going to run for President in 1948.

Freedom of the press is not freedom to lie.

The greatest danger to American institutions is the man who thinks he knows it all.