Dean Acheson

I will undoubtedly have to seek what is happily known as gainful employment, which I am glad to say does not describe holding public office.

The great corrupter of public man is the ego. . . . Looking at the mirror distracts one's attention from the problem.

The most important aspect of the relationship between the president and the secretary of state is that they both understand who is president.

A memorandum is written not to inform the reader but to protect the writer.

The first requirement of a statesman is that he be dull. This is not always easy to achieve.

Washington is like a self-sealing tank on a military aircraft. When a bullet passes through, it closes up.

It is worse than immoral, it's a mistake.

Time spent in the advertising business seems to create a permanent deformity like the Chinese habit of foot-binding.

Controversial proposals, once accepted, soon become hallowed.

Perhaps the best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.