--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The truth is that America has been…" description: "\"The truth is that America has been closely divided politically for quite some time. That was reflected in some of the challenges I had with the Republi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0a/barack-obama-17_america_the-truth-is-that-america-has-been-close_3150760.jpg" --- # The truth is that America has been closely divided… ![“The truth is that America has been closely divided politically for quite some time. That was reflected in some of the challenges I had with the Republican Congress.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0a/barack-obama-17_america_the-truth-is-that-america-has-been-close_3150760.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0a/barack-obama-17_america_the-truth-is-that-america-has-been-close_3150760.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0a/barack-obama-17_america_the-truth-is-that-america-has-been-close_3150760.jpg) > “The truth is that America has been closely divided politically for quite some time. That was reflected in some of the challenges I had with the Republican Congress.” [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. Notes long‑standing political division in the U.S., especially with the Republican Congress. **In simple terms:** America has been politically split for a long time. Key Takeaway Work toward bipartisan solutions. Themes politics division governance Mood serious hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - public discourse - election cycles Key Concepts polarization legislative gridlock Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens bridge partisan gaps? - What reforms reduce gridlock? A Different Perspective Finding common ground can be elusive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [You know, boy, America is a closely divided country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/you-know-boy-america-is-a-closely-divided-country/) [Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/) > [Well, we are terribly divided politically, yes, and, you know, I don't mean to intimidate you and your listeners but I have a master's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/well-we-are-terribly-divided-politically-yes-and-you-know-i-don-t/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [The good fortune of America is closely tied to the good fortune of all humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-lafayette/the-good-fortune-of-america-is-closely-tied-to-the-good-fortune-of/) [Marquis de Lafayette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-lafayette/) > [The closely divided presidential election of 2000 - in which George W. Bush defeated Al Gore by the slimmest of margins in Florida -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-murphy/the-closely-divided-presidential-election-of-2000-in-which-george-w/) [Patrick Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-murphy/) > [Progressives know there is something very wrong when a nation divided politically has one major network operating as a propaganda arm of the Republican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/progressives-know-there-is-something-very-wrong-when-a-nation-divided/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [What if Americans were all judged by the actions of the Bush administration and people did not know the truth? That America is full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/what-if-americans-were-all-judged-by-the-actions-of-the-bush/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > ['The Help' sheds light on a certain truth in America, but the tragedy is if we don't get a chance to contrast it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/the-help-sheds-light-on-a-certain-truth-in-america-but-the-tragedy-is/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [Quite often governments are one way and the people are another. You can't judge the many by the actions of a few. What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/quite-often-governments-are-one-way-and-the-people-are-another-you/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Artworks, whether fiction, music, or painting, because they have the power and possibility to become truth, when repeated enough or told enough are somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-daignault/artworks-whether-fiction-music-or-painting-because-they-have-the/) [Cynthia Daignault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-daignault/) > [“The Truth about America’s Silicon Valley- Angels in the Silicon Riveting and insightful regarding progressivism and the social upheavals living in the Silicon Valley.-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-theodor-kusiolek/the-truth-about-america-s-silicon-valley-angels-in-the-silicon/) Richard Theodor Kusiolek > [“The truth about America is that individual freedom and personal responsibility created a superior society. In less than two hundred years we became the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spencer-dale/the-truth-about-america-is-that-individual-freedom-and-personal/) John Spencer Dale > [We can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-can-seize-this-future-together-because-we-are-not-as-divided-as/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In a summer marked by instability in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, I know the world also took notice of the small American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/in-a-summer-marked-by-instability-in-the-middle-east-and-eastern/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If you look at sort of how politics has divided itself here in this country, the big divide right now is between urban areas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-you-look-at-sort-of-how-politics-has-divided-itself-here-in-this/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ I believe we can seize this future together, because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. \[...\] We are greater than the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-believe-we-can-seize-this-future-together-because-we-are-not-as/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## 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 America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [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/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [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/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The truth is that America has been closely divided politically for quite some time. 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