--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the Obama administration, “rule of…" description: "\"“In the Obama administration, “rule of law” talking points are just rhetorical camouflage.”\" — Andrew McCarthy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3d/andrew-mccarthy-4162_law_in-the-obama-administration-rule-of-law_1018181.png" --- # In the Obama administration, “rule of law” talking points… ![“In the Obama administration, “rule of law” talking points are just rhetorical camouflage.” quote by Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3d/andrew-mccarthy-4162_law_in-the-obama-administration-rule-of-law_1018181.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3d/andrew-mccarthy-4162_law_in-the-obama-administration-rule-of-law_1018181.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3d/andrew-mccarthy-4162_law_in-the-obama-administration-rule-of-law_1018181.png) > ““In the Obama administration, “rule of law” talking points are just rhetorical camouflage.”” [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The phrase “rule of law” is used as a vague cover to hide real intentions. **In simple terms:** Legal language can mask true motives. Key Takeaway Question critically beyond rhetoric. Themes politics law communication Mood skeptical analytical Type critical political When to use this quote - policy analysis - public debate - media literacy Key Concepts Rhetoric transparency Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify the substance behind political slogans? - What evidence supports or refutes the claim? A Different Perspective Rhetoric may oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Just Rhetorical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-rhetorical-2253553/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-talking-2253555/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Obama administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-administration/) [Rhetorical Camouflage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhetorical-camouflage-2253554/) [Rule Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-law/) [Rule of law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-of-law/) ## Related quotes > [Any new legal measures, or cooperative arrangements between government and companies meant to keep people from organizing violence or criminal actions, must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/any-new-legal-measures-or-cooperative-arrangements-between-government/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [ We have introduced a rule of law. That never existed for centuries in this country \[South Africa\], especially under the apartheid regime, when the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-have-introduced-a-rule-of-law-that-never-existed-for-centuries-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [An excess of law inescapably weakens the rule of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-tribe/an-excess-of-law-inescapably-weakens-the-rule-of-law/) [Laurence Tribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-tribe/) > [The rule of law that China's dissidents ask for is important to U.S. businesses investing in China as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/the-rule-of-law-that-china-s-dissidents-ask-for-is-important-to-u-s/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Lack of rule of law is the main reason Pakistan could not join the ranks of progressive nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imran-khan/lack-of-rule-of-law-is-the-main-reason-pakistan-could-not-join-the/) [Imran Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imran-khan/) > [Human rights and rule of law are inseparably connected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/human-rights-and-rule-of-law-are-inseparably-connected/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [In any civil society, there's a serious problem when confidence in the rule of law is shaken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/in-any-civil-society-there-s-a-serious-problem-when-confidence-in-the/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > [I think the United States is still the indispensable force for positive change and for rule of law and for order and structure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-think-the-united-states-is-still-the-indispensable-force-for/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I studied law before I became a filmmaker, and I actually have a great belief in the justice system and the rule of law.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-broomfield/i-studied-law-before-i-became-a-filmmaker-and-i-actually-have-a-great/) [Nick Broomfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-broomfield/) > [Rule of law is based on probable cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-swalwell/rule-of-law-is-based-on-probable-cause/) [Eric Swalwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-swalwell/) > [The first step in the direction of a world rule of law is the recognition that peace no longer is an unobtainable ideal but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-first-step-in-the-direction-of-a-world-rule-of-law-is-the/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“The Chinese state, from the days of the Qin, was an efficient, bureaucratized autocracy. Yet to this day, China has never developed the rule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-wade/the-chinese-state-from-the-days-of-the-qin-was-an-efficient/) [Nicholas Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-wade/) > [A country's adhering to the rule of law does not mean that its citizens will not do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/a-country-s-adhering-to-the-rule-of-law-does-not-mean-that-its/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [Overregulation corrupts citizens and weakens the rule of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/overregulation-corrupts-citizens-and-weakens-the-rule-of-law/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [The rule of law is a republic. The rule of one person is a monarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-zeldin/the-rule-of-law-is-a-republic-the-rule-of-one-person-is-a-monarchy/) [Lee Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-zeldin/) ## More by Andrew McCarthy > [“As was easily foreseeable, the unprovoked military adventure empowered anti-American terrorists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/as-was-easily-foreseeable-the-unprovoked-military-adventure-empowered/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Republicans, as well as Democrats committed to our constitutional framework, should fearlessly marshal the administration’s frauds, obstructions, and violations of law. They should demand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/republicans-as-well-as-democrats-committed-to-our-constitutional/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“In addition to involving the nation in an unauthorized war in Libya that empowered jihadist enemies of the United States, he and his subordinates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/in-addition-to-involving-the-nation-in-an-unauthorized-war-in-libya/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“The president and his subordinates willfully defrauded the American people, including investors in the public securities exchanges, in connection with Solyndra, a solar energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/the-president-and-his-subordinates-willfully-defrauded-the-american/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Rouhani triumphantly boasted in a tweet that the United States had “surrendered to Iranian nation’s will,” while the regime’s chief negotiator bragged that Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/rouhani-triumphantly-boasted-in-a-tweet-that-the-united-states-had/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Passing articles of impeachment against President Obama in the House at this premature point would have the same effect. There is no public will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/passing-articles-of-impeachment-against-president-obama-in-the-house/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“He and his subordinates have issued a visa to a self-proclaimed member of a formally designated Egyptian terrorist organization in order to enable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/he-and-his-subordinates-have-issued-a-visa-to-a-self-proclaimed/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Willful and repeated violation of the Constitution is the textbook example of high crimes and misdemeanors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/willful-and-repeated-violation-of-the-constitution-is-the-textbook/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Congressional Democrats want the current president to use the enormous raw power vested in his office by Article II to achieve statist transformation. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/congressional-democrats-want-the-current-president-to-use-the/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“With the November election looming and the president’s campaign rhetoric about decimating al-Qaeda becoming laughable, the White House endeavored to defraud the American people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/with-the-november-election-looming-and-the-president-s-campaign/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“He and his subordinates have repeatedly, systematically and willfully withheld from Congress and from the American people information to which they are entitled, despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/he-and-his-subordinates-have-repeatedly-systematically-and-willfully/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“Despite being briefed about the ongoing terrorist attack at the Benghazi facility very soon after it began, the president took no meaningful action as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/despite-being-briefed-about-the-ongoing-terrorist-attack-at-the/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [The idea that we cause harm by doing what we perceive to be the right thing, that's another theme that interests me. Because most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/the-idea-that-we-cause-harm-by-doing-what-we-perceive-to-be-the-right/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [It's embarrassing, isn't it? It took me 15 years to make an 18-minute movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/it-s-embarrassing-isn-t-it-it-took-me-15-years-to-make-an-18-minute/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [“As a federal district court in Texas recently ruled, federal law “mandates the initiation of immigration removal proceedings whenever an immigration officer encounters an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/as-a-federal-district-court-in-texas-recently-ruled-federal-law/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) [Explore all 115 Andrew McCarthy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) ## More Law quotes > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/) [Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/) > [The law is like apparel, which alters with the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dodderidge/the-law-is-like-apparel-which-alters-with-the-time/) [John Dodderidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dodderidge/) > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Dictatorship is rule based directly upon force and unrestricted by any laws. The revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is rule won and maintained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/dictatorship-is-rule-based-directly-upon-force-and-unrestricted-by/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Laws undertake to punish only overt acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laws-undertake-to-punish-only-overt-acts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [In relations between the rich and the strong, between the rich and the poor, between the master and the servant, it's liberty that grinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-relations-between-the-rich-and-the-strong-between-the-rich-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 16,973 Law quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In the Obama administration, “rule of law” talking points are just rhetorical camouflage.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrew McCarthy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/in-the-obama-administration-rule-of-law-talking-points-are-just/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Law" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/in-the-obama-administration-rule-of-law-talking-points-are-just/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3d/andrew-mccarthy-4162_law_in-the-obama-administration-rule-of-law_1018181.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3d/andrew-mccarthy-4162_law_in-the-obama-administration-rule-of-law_1018181.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3d/andrew-mccarthy-4162_law_in-the-obama-administration-rule-of-law_1018181.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the Obama administration, “rule of law” talking points are just rhetorical camouflage.” — Andrew McCarthy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "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": "Andrew McCarthy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In the Obama administration, “rule of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/in-the-obama-administration-rule-of-law-talking-points-are-just/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/in-the-obama-administration-rule-of-law-talking-points-are-just/#breadcrumb" }, { "@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 } } ] } ```