--- title: "4 Controversial Quotes By Barack Obama" description: "4 Controversial quotes by Barack Obama. Plus more from Barack Obama and more Controversial sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/barack-obama-17_activist_it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interest_960988.jpg" --- > [It's the reason why I am always interested in engaging in people who are pushing us and pushing against the status quo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interested-in-engaging-in-people-who/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/barack-obama-17_activist_it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interest_960988.jpg) > [Marco Rubio is one of those people. How does that work? How can you call him a con artist and dangerous, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/marco-rubio-is-one-of-those-people-how-does-that-work-how-can-you/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/barack-obama-17_art_marco-rubio-is-one-of-those-people-how-d_1318051.jpg) > [If people find that controversial then I would just refer them to the Sermon on the Mount.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-people-find-that-controversial-then-i-would-just-refer-them-to-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/barack-obama-17_christianity_if-people-find-that-controversial-then-i_2506137.jpg) > [When you're a candidate and you say something that is inaccurate or controversial, it has less impact than it does when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-you-re-a-candidate-and-you-say-something-that-is-inaccurate-or/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/barack-obama-17_around-the-world_when-you-re-a-candidate-and-you-say-some_2927378.jpg) ## Other authors on Controversial - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b020/author-rick-santorum-79085.jpg) Rick Santorum 8 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/rick-santorum/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/barack-obama/#itemlist", "name": "4 Controversial Quotes By Barack Obama", "numberOfItems": 4, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's the reason why I am always interested in engaging in people who are pushing us and pushing against the status quo. But having been an activist, the only thing that I'm always encouraging activists to do is, once you have raised the issue, and even through controversial means, you have to come behind it with an agenda and the possibility of reconciliation if power meets your demands.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interested-in-engaging-in-people-who/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/barack-obama-17_activist_it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interest_960988.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/barack-obama-17_activist_it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interest_960988.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/barack-obama-17_activist_it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interest_960988.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's the reason why I am always interested in engaging in people who are pushing us and pushing against the…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Marco Rubio is one of those people. How does that work? How can you call him a con artist and dangerous, and object to all the controversial things he says, and then say, but I'm still going to vote for him? Come on, man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/marco-rubio-is-one-of-those-people-how-does-that-work-how-can-you/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/barack-obama-17_art_marco-rubio-is-one-of-those-people-how-d_1318051.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/barack-obama-17_art_marco-rubio-is-one-of-those-people-how-d_1318051.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/barack-obama-17_art_marco-rubio-is-one-of-those-people-how-d_1318051.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Marco Rubio is one of those people. How does that work? How can you call him a con artist and dangerous, and…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If people find that controversial then I would just refer them to the Sermon on the Mount.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-people-find-that-controversial-then-i-would-just-refer-them-to-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/barack-obama-17_christianity_if-people-find-that-controversial-then-i_2506137.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/barack-obama-17_christianity_if-people-find-that-controversial-then-i_2506137.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c6/barack-obama-17_christianity_if-people-find-that-controversial-then-i_2506137.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If people find that controversial then I would just refer them to the Sermon on the Mount.” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're a candidate and you say something that is inaccurate or controversial, it has less impact than it does when you're president of the United States. Everybody around the world's paying attention. Markets move. National security issues require a level of precision in order to make sure that you don't make mistakes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-you-re-a-candidate-and-you-say-something-that-is-inaccurate-or/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/barack-obama-17_around-the-world_when-you-re-a-candidate-and-you-say-some_2927378.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/barack-obama-17_around-the-world_when-you-re-a-candidate-and-you-say-some_2927378.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/barack-obama-17_around-the-world_when-you-re-a-candidate-and-you-say-some_2927378.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're a candidate and you say something that is inaccurate or controversial, it has less impact than…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/barack-obama/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/barack-obama/", "name": "Controversial Quotes by Barack Obama", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/barack-obama/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/barack-obama-17_activist_it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interest_960988.jpg" }, "description": "4 Controversial quotes by Barack Obama. Plus more from Barack Obama and more Controversial sayings from other authors.", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/barack-obama/#breadcrumb" } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/barack-obama/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Topics", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Controversial", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "name": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/barack-obama/" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```