Who said “To be President of the United States, sir, is to act as advocate for a blind, venomous,…”?

Verified

John Updike. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceBuchanan Dying: A Play (1974), Act II

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“To be President of the United States, sir, is to act as advocate for a blind, venomous, and ungrateful client; still, one must make the best of the case, for the purposes of Providence.”
VerifiedBuchanan Dying: A Play (1974), Act II · evidencePresident

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Buchanan Dying: A Play (1974), Act II.

APA

Updike, J. (n.d.). To be President of the United States, sir, is to act as advocate for a blind, venomous, and ungrateful client; still, one must make the best of the case, for the purposes of Providence. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/34313-to-be-president-of-the-united-states-sir/

MLA

Updike, John. “To be President of the United States, sir, is to act as advocate for a blind, venomous, and ungrateful client; still, one must make the best of the case, for the purposes of Providence.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/34313-to-be-president-of-the-united-states-sir/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Updike, John. “To be President of the United States, sir, is to act as advocate for a blind, venomous, and ungrateful client; still, one must make the best of the case, for the purposes of Providence.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/34313-to-be-president-of-the-united-states-sir/.