politician

politician, statesman, politico are comparable when they denote a person who is versed in or engaged in politics or in the science or art of government, though they are often regarded as contrasting rather than as interchangeable terms.

Politician regularly implies a personal and professional interest and a party affiliation and stresses to varying degrees the resulting bias; it is likely to suggest ability to deal with masses of people so as to accomplish such desired ends as election to a political office whether of oneself, or of one's chosen candidate, or the passage of bills or the acceptance of measures one upholds, or the settlement of especially difficult problems to the satisfaction of one's constituency or of the country as a whole

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a president... must be a good politician, adept at working with men, managing them, and inspiring their confidence— Ogg & Ray

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Sometimes politician is used with a strong suggestion of derogation or contempt to imply scheming, self-interest, artifice, or intrigue in accomplishing one's ends

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made the better publicized pilfering of Washington politicians seem petty by comparison— Woodward

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known as a politician in the deprecatory sense of the word, with all its undertones of corruption and dirty deals and smoke-filled rooms — Rodell

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Statesman implies elevation above party conflict and a mind able to view objectively the needs and problems of the state and its citizens and to concern itself with the long-term greatest good of the greatest number. The term, often in contrast to politician, is likely to stress both eminence and ableness

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they were statesmen not politicians; they guided public opinion, but were little guided by it— Henry Adams

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the scornful may say that "a statesman is a dead politician," but it is more truly said that a statesman lives by his principles and a politician is ruled by his interest— H. D. Scott

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the statesman differs from the ordinary politician in that he is able to envisage and inspire support for policies that are in the long-run, best interests of the most people— Hallowell

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Politico is virtually interchangeable with politician but perhaps more likely to stress concern with partisan political activity than with the actual business of government

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his strength rests on the support of veteran politicos throughout the state— Shannon

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some sharp politicos still think the President won't run again— Wall Street Jour.

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Like politician, it can be highly derogatory

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Machiavelli's The Prince in which the individual politico is shown how to succeed by ignoring all moral, social, and religious restraints on his own action— Highet

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