Americans talked about voters the same way Russians talked about Stalin. They had to be obeyed.

Diplomacy's primary law: LEAVE ROOM FOR NEGOTIATION.

An anti-politician is hardly an anti-politician once he starts winning and works to close the deal by working to sew up the Establishment.

Richard Nixon coveted, to the point of obsession, a controversy-free, stage-managed coronation.

William McKinley was a man made to be managed.

I'm a great planner, so before I ever write chapter 1, I work out what happens in every chapter and who the characters are. I usually spend a year on the outline.