Politics: A Matter of Opinion Trivia Quiz

Answer: Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.

In a 2002 Harris poll, members of the US congress did not rank lowest among people that could be expected to tell the truth: trade union leaders, lawyers and stockbrokers ranked lower. A BBC poll reported in March of 2005 found that 80% of 1000 people surveyed in Britain did not trust politicians to tell the truth.

Answer: The disastrous and the unpalatable

A realist, if not a cynic, Canadian-born economist John Kenneth Galbraith once noted that, "Nothing is so admirable in politics as a short memory." Always influential, but not always influential with the party in power, Galbraith advised, "There are times in politics when you must be on the right side and lose."

Answer: Groucho Marx

Ernest Benn, a British publisher and economist, is also credited with this quote - but doubtless Groucho gave it a wider audience. "Duck Soup" is one of the Marx Brother's best-known movies.

Answer: Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan was merely agreeing with his predecessor Harry Truman who reportedly said, "My choice early in life was either to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference." Reagan is also credited with saying, "Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book."

Answer: In politics stupidity is not a handicap.

Napoleon Bonaparte once advised, "In politics... never retreat, never retract... never admit a mistake." This being his attitude toward the practice of politics, his attitude regarding stupidity and politics is hardly surprising. "Stupidity" is translated "absurdity" in some versions of Bonaparte's quote.

Answer: Aristophanes

The oldest Greek comedies were politically based and highly critical. Only Aristophane's comedies have survived. One of his best known, "Frogs", has been produced as a musical.

Answer: A monster

We might infer that the Bard had a low opinion of politicians. During one of his rants Shakespeare's King Lear says, "Get thee glass eyes; and like a scurvy politician, seem to see the things thou dost not." In "Twelfth Night", the buffoon Toby Belch lays claim to the title "politician" and later in the play Sir Andrew remarks, "I had as lief be a Brownist as a politician." FT editor Bloomsby points out that in Shakespeare's time, according to the "Oxford English Dictionary", the word "poltician" had not taken on its more modern meaning, but was confined to its original sense: "schemer, intriguer, opportunist".

Answer: He would promise them missionaries for dinner.

P. J. O'Rourke characterized the journalistic writing style of satirist H. L. Mencken as "big-city." In fact, Mencken has been criticized as being a racist, a misogynist and an elitist. In addition to politicians, Mencken applied his biting sarcastic wit to chiropractors, Christian scientists and puritans.

Answer: They get elected.

Although some neither take political jokes seriously nor vote for them, there is historical precedent for taking a politician's jokes seriously. When captured by pirates, Julius Caesar remained in good humor, even jokingly telling the pirates he would have them crucified. Caesar laughed.

The pirates laughed. After his release, the noble Caesar tracked the ill-fated pirates down... and had them crucified.

Answer: Being dead for 10-15 years

Harry Truman had an appreciation for the value of political shrewdness in governing. It was Adlai Stevenson who felt a willingness to expound on any topic marked the statesman. The idealistic Hubert Humphrey connected statesmanship with a concern for posterity. Minister James Clark agreed with Mr. Humphrey that, whereas the politician focused on reelection, the statesman had a regard for future generations.