--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have much more confidence in my…" description: "\"I have much more confidence in my ability, or any president or any leader's ability, to mobilize the American people around a multiyear, multibillion-d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/barack-obama-17_ability_i-have-much-more-confidence-in-my-abilit_710702.jpg" --- # I have much more confidence in my ability, or any… ![“I have much more confidence in my ability, or any president or any leader's ability, to mobilize the American people around a multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment to help every child in poverty in this country than I am in being able to mobilize the country around providing a benefit specific…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/barack-obama-17_ability_i-have-much-more-confidence-in-my-abilit_710702.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/barack-obama-17_ability_i-have-much-more-confidence-in-my-abilit_710702.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/barack-obama-17_ability_i-have-much-more-confidence-in-my-abilit_710702.jpg) > “I have much more confidence in my ability, or any president or any leader's ability, to mobilize the American people around a multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment to help every child in poverty in this country than I am in being able to mobilize the country around providing a benefit specific to African Americans as a consequence of slavery and Jim Crow.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker believes broad, universal programs for children are more politically viable than targeted reparations for African Americans. **In simple terms:** Broad child aid is easier to rally support for than specific reparations. Key Takeaway Focus on inclusive policies that benefit all children. Themes politics equity policy public opinion Mood reflective determined Type political policy When to use this quote - campaign speeches - policy proposals - public debates - legislative lobbying Key Concepts social welfare reparations national unity Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders frame reparations as part of universal justice? - What strategies build consensus on race‑specific policies? A Different Perspective Targeted reparations may face stronger partisan resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Ability Mobilize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-mobilize-5606542/) [Ability President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-president-2746948/) [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [African americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) [American people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Confidence Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-ability/) [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crow/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Investment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investment/) [Jim crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jim-crow/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Mobilize American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mobilize-american-5606541/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Providing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providing/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) ## Related quotes > [I don’t believe it is possible to transcend race in this country. Race is a factor in this society. The legacy of Jim Crow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-don-t-believe-it-is-possible-to-transcend-race-in-this-country-race/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I actually believe that some residue of discrimination would lessen, because it's my view that there is a certain percentage of the white population…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-actually-believe-that-some-residue-of-discrimination-would-lessen/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [And lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/and-lest-we-get-on-our-high-horse-and-think-this-is-unique-to-some/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Theoretically, you can make, obviously, a powerful argument that centuries of slavery, Jim Crow, discrimination are the primary cause for all those gaps. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/theoretically-you-can-make-obviously-a-powerful-argument-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The ability of the president to be perceived as someone with whom all Israelis can identify depends on his ability to avoid being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/the-ability-of-the-president-to-be-perceived-as-someone-with-whom-all/) [Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/) > [People elect the President for reasons that have nothing to do with his ability to be president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/people-elect-the-president-for-reasons-that-have-nothing-to-do-with/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Since the nations founding, African Americans repeatedly have been controlled through institutions such as slavery and Jim Crow, which appear to die but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/since-the-nations-founding-african-americans-repeatedly-have-been/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [You cannot be responsible for Jim Crow. You can not be responsible for racism. This is much more a problem for the person exercising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/you-cannot-be-responsible-for-jim-crow-you-can-not-be-responsible-for/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [Thurgood Marshall was uniquely able to understand and comprehend what it meant to grow up in the Jim Crow south.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/thurgood-marshall-was-uniquely-able-to-understand-and-comprehend-what/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [The perpetuation of slavery, the exile and extermination of American Indians, and the passage of Jim Crow laws weren't carried out at the bidding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-perpetuation-of-slavery-the-exile-and-extermination-of-american/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The black family survived centuries of slavery and generations of Jim Crow, but it has disintegrated in the wake of the liberals' expansion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-black-family-survived-centuries-of-slavery-and-generations-of-jim/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [As a southerner born after the epic events of the civil rights movement, I've always wondered how on earth people of good will could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/as-a-southerner-born-after-the-epic-events-of-the-civil-rights/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [One of the points in which I was especially interested was the Jim Crow regulations, that is, the system of separation of the races…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stannard-baker/one-of-the-points-in-which-i-was-especially-interested-was-the-jim/) [Ray Stannard Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stannard-baker/) > [Michelle Alexander's brave and bold new book paints a haunting picture in which dreary felon garb, post-prison joblessness, and loss of voting rights now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lani-guinier/michelle-alexander-s-brave-and-bold-new-book-paints-a-haunting/) [Lani Guinier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lani-guinier/) > [The welfare state has done to Black Americans what slavery (and Jim Crow and racism) could not have done. . .break up the black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/the-welfare-state-has-done-to-black-americans-what-slavery-and-jim/) [John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/) ## 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/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [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/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have much more confidence in my ability, or any president or any leader's ability, to mobilize the American people around a multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment to help every child in poverty in this country than I am in being able to mobilize the country around providing a benefit specific to African Americans as a consequence of slavery and Jim Crow.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-much-more-confidence-in-my-ability-or-any-president-or-any/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-much-more-confidence-in-my-ability-or-any-president-or-any/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/barack-obama-17_ability_i-have-much-more-confidence-in-my-abilit_710702.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/barack-obama-17_ability_i-have-much-more-confidence-in-my-abilit_710702.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/barack-obama-17_ability_i-have-much-more-confidence-in-my-abilit_710702.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have much more confidence in my ability, or any president or any leader's ability, to mobilize the…” — Barack Obama", "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": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have much more confidence in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-much-more-confidence-in-my-ability-or-any-president-or-any/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-much-more-confidence-in-my-ability-or-any-president-or-any/#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 } } ] } ```