By John Hertz: Happening to think about Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933; U.S. President 1923-1929), I noticed this passage in Ch. 3 of his Autobiography (1929, shortly after he left office; 1931 printing, p. 91).

He is commenting on a 1904 campaign he managed while Chair of the Republican City Committee, Northampton, Massachusetts.

He ran for office nineteen times, winning seventeen.

We made the mistake of talking too much about the deficiencies of our opponents and not enough about the merits of our own candidates.  I have never again fallen into that error.