Anime and Manga
"This is laughable! Typical politician! You don't know the meaning of the word 'kind'!"
— Master Asia to Wong Yunfat, Mobile Fighter G Gundam
Comic Books
Spider-Man: My point is, you smell like rat, Congressman. And when I find out exactly what flavor of rat you are, I'm going to send you to the papers so they can have a bowl of rat soup.
Bradley Miles: Why should anyone believe the word of a vigilante in red spandex?
Spider-Man: Because I'm not a politician.
Bradley Miles: Why should anyone believe the word of a vigilante in red spandex?
Spider-Man: Because I'm not a politician.
— Peter Parker: Spider-Man, issue 39
Live-Action TV
Cicero: It looks like a list of every rascal in the city.
Antony: Very droll. It is a list of candidates for next year's elections drawn up by our beloved Caesar just before he was taken from us. Posca found it among his papers.
Cicero: Isn't that being just a little too brazen? Who will believe that Caesar chose such wretches?
Antony: Surely you don't believe those men paid me to put their names on the list?
Cicero: Not at all. [beat] I expect they've paid Posca.
Antony: Very droll. It is a list of candidates for next year's elections drawn up by our beloved Caesar just before he was taken from us. Posca found it among his papers.
Cicero: Isn't that being just a little too brazen? Who will believe that Caesar chose such wretches?
Antony: Surely you don't believe those men paid me to put their names on the list?
Cicero: Not at all. [beat] I expect they've paid Posca.
— Rome
"I smeared my opponent, bribed the press to be on my side, and threatened to torture the electorate if we lost. I fail to see what more a decent politician could have done!"
— Pitt the Even Younger, Blackadder
"Government is more powerful than any corporation, and the only reason they think it tilts the other way is because we poor, public servants are always looking for some fat private sector payoffs down the road. But I'm not looking. And by the time they pull the strings to force me out, it'll be too late."
— Chrisjen Avasarala, The Expanse
Dufort: You know the great thing about Congressmen? Fifty, a hundred grand well spent will get one elected. But then, once they're in, the incumbency rate is over 95 percent, so you can get on an average eighteen, twenty years use out of one of 'em. In these uncertain times, buying a United States Congressman is one of the best investments a corporation can make!
Hardison: [listening in from Mission Control] Oh... I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. I'm a professional criminal and I find that disturbing.
Hardison: [listening in from Mission Control] Oh... I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. I'm a professional criminal and I find that disturbing.
Tabletop Games
Politicians are widely disliked and have few scruples. They're very useful to sway the control of Lords.
— Abyss, rulebook
Theatre
Brabantio: Thou art a villain.
Iago: You are a senator.
Iago: You are a senator.
— Othello
Video Games
"Typical politician... big promises, but all talk. 'Jump-start the economy'? What a load of bullshit! All you care about is lining your own pockets. That and your approval ratings! You've got no principles, just like all the rest. If America's gone to shit, you're just another maggot crawling in the pile."
— Raiden to Senator Steven Armstrong, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (As it turns out, Armstrong is really a Visionary Villain.)
Raiden: How the hell did you get elected?
Senator Armstrong: [chuckles] Well, I don't write my own speeches.
Senator Armstrong: [chuckles] Well, I don't write my own speeches.
Abraham Reyes: I have to know. What did you think of Agustin Allende, John?
John Marston: I saw enough to know he ain't a good man.
Reyes: It is bad enough he beats the people he swore to protect. But it is worse that he enjoys it.
Marston: Something must have made him that way.
Reyes: Cowardice is what made him that way, my friend. He talks about economic reform, about how this is a new golden age for Mexican people. But look around you! The people are poorer than ever.
John Marston: I saw enough to know he ain't a good man.
Reyes: It is bad enough he beats the people he swore to protect. But it is worse that he enjoys it.
Marston: Something must have made him that way.
Reyes: Cowardice is what made him that way, my friend. He talks about economic reform, about how this is a new golden age for Mexican people. But look around you! The people are poorer than ever.
— Red Dead Redemption on the cruelty of Colonel Agustin Allende
"The press has been trying to nail me to the cross for years, but the good people of Michigan won't hear of it. As long as nobody can prove anything, I'll dial up the midwestern charm to eleven and stick to the story: 'it wasn't me!' And there's my God-given gift. They believe me, every fuckin' time. I own public opinion, and I can make anyone believe anything... as long as there's no actual proof of the contrary. And that, my friend, is why you guys need me around. You'll get away with anything, with murder — quite literally. So let's you and I set up another meeting sometime: we can talk about favours I might need, and how when it's all over we'll stand victorious, still loved and adored by our constituents."
— Senator Henry Cicero, The Secret World
Western Animation
Charles Offdensen: You know, being governor HAS it's advantages. You'd be quite powerful-
Nathan Explosion: Oh really? And I can just put all my friends in charge of everything and just rape and pillage the economy and line my pockets with money and go mad with power?
Charles Offdensen: ... You actually COULD do that. Y'know, it's technically-
Nathan Explosion: Oh really? And I can just put all my friends in charge of everything and just rape and pillage the economy and line my pockets with money and go mad with power?
Charles Offdensen: ... You actually COULD do that. Y'know, it's technically-
