130 Quotes by William Safire

To be accused of 'channeling' is to be dismissed as a ventriloquist's live dummy, derogated at not having a mind of one's own.

Sometimes I know the meaning of a word but am tired of it and feel the need for an unfamiliar, especially precise or poetic term, perhaps one with a nuance that flatters my readership's exquisite sensitivity.

Stop worrying about the 'dumbing down' of our language by bloggers, tweeters, cableheads and MSM thumbsuckers engaged in a 'race to the bottom' of the page by little minds confined to little words.

I'm willing to zap conservatives when they do things that are not libertarian.

The wonderful thing about being a New York Times columnist is that it's like a Supreme Court appointment - they're stuck with you for a long time.

A reader ought to be able to hold it and become familiar with its organized contents and make it a mind's manageable companion.

Previously known for its six syllables of sweetness and light, reconciliation has become the political fighting word of the year.

At a certain point, what people mean when they use a word becomes its meaning.

Knowing how things work is the basis for appreciation, and is thus a source of civilized delight.