Money is the mother’s milk of politics.
Jesse Unruh (1922-1987) American politican
(Attributed)
(Source)
His "signature" saying on campaign contributions. Though often cited to 1966, it is attributed to him (first?) in Time, "Politics: Hale Fellow at Yale" (14 Dec 1962), and shows up in numerous locations the following year.
Quotations by:
Unruh, Jesse
If you can’t eat their food, drink their booze, screw their women and then vote against them, you have no business being up here.
Jesse Unruh (1922-1987) American politican
(Attributed)
(Source)
On lobbyists. In Lou Cannon, Governor Reagan: His Rise to Power, ch.13 "Adversary" (2003). A bowderized version of the quote can be found in Lester Velie, "This Is How Payola Works in Politics (by Assemblyman X as told to Lester Velie)," Reader's Digest (Aug 1960); Unruh was "Assemblyman X".