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There is nothing more basic to our democracy than the right to participate in electing our political leaders.

Mark Shields

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Mark Shields
Age: 87
Born: 1937
Born: May 25
Columnist
Writer
Weymouth
Massachusetts
Mark Stephen Shields
Political
Nothing
Right
Electing
Participate
Basic
Leaders
Leader
Democracy

More quotes by Mark Shields

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Peter Hart, the pollster, has a question when he asks about presidential or vice presidential candidates, what kind of a neighbor would they be? And several Democrats - George W. Bush was always seen to be a good friendly neighbor who would pick up the newspapers if you were out of town or check your mail.
Mark Shields
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At a time when the public is sour on politicians, have no use for them, Bill Clinton has risen to a different level. Bill Clinton is endlessly interesting.
Mark Shields
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Basically, global capitalism, basically to support it, or is it to be opposed? Is international order to be supported, or is it to be opposed? Republicans have taken a very clear line.
Mark Shields
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He who speaks the truth must keep one foot in the stirrup.
Mark Shields
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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.
Mark Shields
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Franklin Roosevelt ran on a balanced budget in 1932, and the greatest president, certainly, of the 20th century. So the idea that you lay out a predicate right now, Donald Trump has recreated the Republican Party in his image.
Mark Shields
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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.
Mark Shields
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John McCain has become the de facto running mate of George W. Bush.
Mark Shields
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Everyone has to take Donald Trump seriously, and I think that's what we're seeing.
Mark Shields
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John McCain was victimized in the South Carolina primary.
Mark Shields
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Donald Trump is an independent presidential candidate who ran on the Republican label. He really did. He took it over. He transformed it into his image, in his likeness.
Mark Shields
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Since the election, since the formation of a government, the death in Iraq has increased. The United States stands by, helpless to do anything about it. That's the reality, not George Bush's revisionist history!
Mark Shields
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I thought what Steve Bannon said was probably more chilling or more threatening than anything the president [Donald Trump]says, I mean, because he said, it's a constant day. We have to defeat the press.
Mark Shields
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The problem with smear campaigns is that too often they work.
Mark Shields
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If an abduction is reported, it is dealt with in the same way as a kidnap.
Mark Shields
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[In politics] when A goes after B and there's a C, and D and a Q all lined up there, you have no idea who's going to be the beneficiary.
Mark Shields
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As Bill Clinton said so eloquently at the convention, during Vietnam there was a chance to serve there was a chance not to serve.
Mark Shields
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You've got people who didn't serve with John Kerry saying they did serve with John Kerry in the boat. With George Bush, we can't find anybody who did serve with him.
Mark Shields
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That's the job of a free press is to hold the lamp up, to investigate, to hold accountable. And denying access, as Sean Spicer did , is the first step toward a dictatorship.
Mark Shields
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There is no tougher job in America than being a cop on the beat in a major city in this country, big and brawling.
Mark Shields