KAKISTOCRACY (noun) — Government by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous people.
In Their Own Words

Quotes

A searchable collection of documented public statements from people covered by the Kakistocracy Files.

5,728Total Quotes in the Archive
AllAlex JonesAlina HabbaAndrew ClydeAnn CoulterAnthony ScaramucciBill BarrBrendan CarrByron DonaldsCharlie KirkChristine O’DonnellChuck GrassleyCorey LewandowskiDan BonginoDonald TrumpDonald Trump Jr.Doug BurgumElise StefanikElon MuskEnrique TarrioEric TrumpGeorge SantosGreg GutfeldHerschel WalkerHillary ClintonHope HicksHoward LutnickIvanka TrumpJack PosobiecJacob ChansleyJames ComerJames ComeyJD VanceJeanine PirroJenna EllisJesse WattersJim JordanJohn EastmanJosh HawleyKari LakeKaroline LeavittKash PatelKayleigh McEnanyKellyanne ConwayKimberly GuilfoyleKristi NoemLaura LoomerLauren BoebertLindsey GrahamLouie GohmertMadison CawthornMarco RubioMarjorie Taylor GreeneMark RobinsonMatt GaetzMehmet OzMichael CohenMichael FlynnMike JohnsonMike LindellMike PenceMo BrooksNancy MaceNewt GingrichPam BondiPaul GosarPete HegsethPeter NavarroRick ScottRobert F. Kennedy Jr.Roger StoneRon DeSantisRon JohnsonRonna McDanielRoy MooreRudy GiulianiRussell VoughtSarah Huckabee SandersSean HannitySean SpicerSebastian GorkaSharron AngleSidney PowellStephanie GrishamStephen MillerSteve BannonSteve KingSteve ScaliseTed NugentTim ScottTom HomanTommy TubervilleTucker CarlsonTulsi GabbardVivek Ramaswamy
59 quotes from Roger Stone
“It is a mistake to suppose that it is a waste of time to dress well.”
— Roger Stone
October 3, 2026   •   From Stone's Rules: How to Win at Politics, Business, and Style.
Stone's Rules
“Politics with me isn't theater. It's performance art, sometimes for its own sake.”
— Roger Stone
October 3, 2026   •   One of Stone's frequently cited political rules.
The New Yorker profile / Stone's Rules
“Admit nothing, deny everything, launch counterattack.”
— Roger Stone
October 3, 2026   •   One of Stone's political rules, later raised during his December 2021 congressional deposition.
The New Yorker / January 6 Committee deposition
“The Apprentice takes him into the stratosphere in terms of his celebrity.”
— Roger Stone
June 7, 2016   •   Discussing the political importance of Trump's television career.
PBS FRONTLINE
“It's like a man working without a net.”
— Roger Stone
June 7, 2016   •   Describing Trump's unscripted television appearances.
PBS FRONTLINE
“He was always looking to the next mountain.”
— Roger Stone
June 7, 2016   •   Discussing Trump's response to business setbacks.
PBS FRONTLINE
“Politics is not beanbag.”
— Roger Stone
February 1, 2017   •   Discussing the aggressive nature of American politics.
The Guardian
“English tailoring is always better than Italian tailoring, at least for my body shape.”
— Roger Stone
September 26, 2017   •   Speaking with reporters after appearing before the House Intelligence Committee.
The Guardian
“There is one 'trick' that is not in my bag and that is treason.”
— Roger Stone
September 26, 2017   •   From Stone's prepared statement to the House Intelligence Committee.
House Intelligence Committee / The Guardian
“Politics is show business for ugly people.”
— Roger Stone
June 7, 2016   •   Discussing the relationship between politics, celebrity and publicity.
PBS FRONTLINE
“Nobody is going to remake him.”
— Roger Stone
December 1, 2016   •   Discussing whether Trump would change after becoming president-elect.
PBS FRONTLINE
“Trump is going to be Trump.”
— Roger Stone
December 1, 2016   •   Discussing expectations for Trump after the 2016 election.
PBS FRONTLINE
“Unless you can fake sincerity, you'll get nowhere in this business.”
— Roger Stone
One of Stone's frequently cited political rules.
Stone's Rules / New Yorker profile
“One man's dirty trick is another man's civic participation.”
— Roger Stone
February 1, 2017   •   Responding to his reputation as a political dirty trickster.
The Guardian
“Donald Trump was his own strategist.”
— Roger Stone
December 1, 2016   •   Discussing the organization of Trump's 2016 primary campaign.
PBS FRONTLINE
“Television news and television entertainment, it's all television.”
— Roger Stone
June 7, 2016   •   Discussing how audiences perceived Donald Trump through The Apprentice.
PBS FRONTLINE
“He is largely — he's unscripted; he's uncoached.”
— Roger Stone
December 1, 2016   •   Discussing Trump's speaking style.
PBS FRONTLINE
“I've just never known him to be depressed.”
— Roger Stone
June 7, 2016   •   Discussing Trump's response to setbacks.
PBS FRONTLINE
“The Trump campaign was always a grassroots guerrilla operation.”
— Roger Stone
October 8, 2026   •   PBS Frontline interview.
Source →
“Dramatization is not exaggeration.”
— Roger Stone
October 3, 2026   •   From Stone's Rules: How to Win at Politics, Business, and Style.
Stone's Rules