A long life in journalism convinced me many presidents ago that there should be a large airspace between a journalist and the head of a state.

— Walter Lippmann

A man has honor if he holds himself to an ideal of conduct though it is inconvenient unprofitable or dangerous to do so.

— Walter Lippmann

A useful definition of liberty is obtained only by seeking the principle of liberty in the main business of human life, that is to say, in the process by which men educate their responses and learn to control their environment.

— Walter Lippmann

His supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show where the dangers are.

— Walter Lippmann

If you ignore what a man desires, and you deny the very source of his power.

— Walter Lippmann

In a democracy the opposition is not only tolerated as constitutional but must be maintained because it is indispensable.

— Walter Lippmann

In a free society the state does not administer the affairs of men. It administers justice among men who conduct their own affairs.

— Walter Lippmann

It is doubtful whether a supreme master of style could pack all the elements of truth that complete justice would demand into a hundred word account of what had happened in Korea during the course of several months. For language is by no means a perfect vehicle of meanings. Words, like currency, are turned over and over again, to evoke one set of images to-day, another to-morrow. There is no certainty whatever that the same word will call out exactly the same idea in the reader's mind as it did in the reporter's. Theoretically, if each fact and each relation had a name that was unique, and if everyone had agreed on the names, it would be possible to communicate without misunderstanding. In the exact sciences there is an approach to this ideal, and that is part of the reason why of all forms of world-wide cooperation, scientific inquiry is the most effective.

— Walter Lippmann

It is perfectly true that that government is best which governs least. It is equally true that that government is best which provides most.

— Walter Lippmann

It requires wisdom to understand wisdom: the music is nothing if the audience is deaf.

— Walter Lippmann