---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is parallels these two great men…"
description: "\"There is parallels these two great men John McCain and Ted Kennedy of great impact in the Senate, you don't agree with everything they did but certainl..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/barney-frank-3610_age_there-is-parallels-these-two-great-men-j_2346111.png"
---

#  There is parallels these two great men John McCain and Ted…

![“There is parallels these two great men John McCain and Ted Kennedy of great impact in the Senate, you don't agree with everything they did but certainly they had major impacts as senators. Their one major political failure not to be elected president but that didn't stop them from having enormous…” quote by Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/barney-frank-3610_age_there-is-parallels-these-two-great-men-j_2346111.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/barney-frank-3610_age_there-is-parallels-these-two-great-men-j_2346111.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/barney-frank-3610_age_there-is-parallels-these-two-great-men-j_2346111.png)

> “There is parallels these two great men John McCain and Ted Kennedy of great impact in the Senate, you don't agree with everything they did but certainly they had major impacts as senators. Their one major political failure not to be elected president but that didn't stop them from having enormous impact and at roughly the same age, exactly the same disease. It's kind of a poignant sad parallel.”

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Both McCain and Kennedy made lasting Senate impacts despite not attaining the presidency, highlighting influence beyond top office.

**In simple terms:** Significant impact can come from roles other than the highest position.

Key Takeaway

Seek to make a difference wherever you serve.

Themes

politics legacy impact

Mood

respectful thoughtful

Type

historical political

When to use this quote

- legislative work
- community leadership
- policy advocacy
- career planning

Key Concepts

public service institutional influence

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you maximize influence in your current role?
- What legacy do you want to leave?

A Different Perspective

Focusing on a single office may limit broader contributions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Agree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agree/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Impact Senate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact-senate-5695242/) [Impacts Senators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impacts-senators-5695241/) [John mccain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-mccain/) [Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kennedy/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Mccain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mccain/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Poignant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poignant/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Ted kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ted-kennedy/)

## Related quotes

> [I really like John McCain. He's an awesome dude and was a lot of fun when he hosted "SNL." I'd love to see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-really-like-john-mccain-he-s-an-awesome-dude-and-was-a-lot-of-fun/)

[Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/)

> [I represent the Democratic party... I've never been nor do I ever plan to be a John McCain supporter. I support Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/i-represent-the-democratic-party-i-ve-never-been-nor-do-i-ever-plan/)

[Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/)

> [I’ve been calling for more troops for over two years, along with John McCain and others subsequent to my saying that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-ve-been-calling-for-more-troops-for-over-two-years-along-with-john/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [It is about something personal and specific, because when the John McCain campaign in 2008 decided to elevate Sarah Palin from total obscurity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/it-is-about-something-personal-and-specific-because-when-the-john/)

[Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/)

> [John McCain has become the de facto running mate of George W. Bush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/john-mccain-has-become-the-de-facto-running-mate-of-george-w-bush/)

[Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/)

> [I think the problem with John Bolton is he disagrees with President Trump's foreign policy. He would be closer to John McCain's foreign policy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-think-the-problem-with-john-bolton-is-he-disagrees-with-president/)

[Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/)

> [I honor, we honor the service of John McCain, and I respect his many accomplishments, even if he chooses to deny mine. My differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-honor-we-honor-the-service-of-john-mccain-and-i-respect-his-many/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [John McCain is falling down on the job. He has gotten weak. He has gotten old. I do want to wish him a happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-ward/john-mccain-is-falling-down-on-the-job-he-has-gotten-weak-he-has/)

[Kelli Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-ward/)

> [Senator John McCain, who spent over five years in a Vietnamese POW camp, publicly releases 1,000 pages of medical records. Now people are left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/senator-john-mccain-who-spent-over-five-years-in-a-vietnamese-pow/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [John McCain has refused to ever criticize Sarah Palin, to ever admit there was anything wrong about her choice. He has been capital "L"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/john-mccain-has-refused-to-ever-criticize-sarah-palin-to-ever-admit/)

[Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/)

> [If John McCain were really a war hero he would've won Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/if-john-mccain-were-really-a-war-hero-he-would-ve-won-vietnam/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/i-would-not-vote-for-john-mccain-under-any-circumstances/)

[James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/)

> [John McCain is a liar and flip-flopper and panderer and bully and whiner. And it seems to be working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tomasky/john-mccain-is-a-liar-and-flip-flopper-and-panderer-and-bully-and/)

[Michael Tomasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tomasky/)

> [When the 2008 victory of Barack Obama and the defeat of grumpy old John McCain began looking, um, inevitable, I started fielding inquiries about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/when-the-2008-victory-of-barack-obama-and-the-defeat-of-grumpy-old/)

[Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/)

> [It's hard to think of John McCain without thinking about what a ball of energy he is. I remember when I was working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/it-s-hard-to-think-of-john-mccain-without-thinking-about-what-a-ball/)

[Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/)

## More by Barney Frank

> [Moderate Republicans are reverse Houdinis. They tie themselves up in knots and then tell you they can’t do anything because they’re tied up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/moderate-republicans-are-reverse-houdinis-they-tie-themselves-up-in/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [I think there were two criticisms you can make of Donald Trump's involvement in the Health Care Bill. First of all, there were times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-think-there-were-two-criticisms-you-can-make-of-donald-trump-s/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [When community action was put into federal law in the early sixties as part of the effort to combat poverty and social injustice, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/when-community-action-was-put-into-federal-law-in-the-early-sixties/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [Donald Trump has done more for getting people to understand the importance of public policy that respond to public needs in an affirmative way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/donald-trump-has-done-more-for-getting-people-to-understand-the/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [Before this learning experience, I had assumed that with regard to programs that sought to help people out of poverty, the political world was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/before-this-learning-experience-i-had-assumed-that-with-regard-to/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [The regulation of medicine has been a State function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/the-regulation-of-medicine-has-been-a-state-function/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [For most of my life, I have eaten to deal with stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/for-most-of-my-life-i-have-eaten-to-deal-with-stress/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [They have to convert our agenda into something aggressive. Two guys wanting to be happy together are invading their marriages. Helping a kid who's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/they-have-to-convert-our-agenda-into-something-aggressive-two-guys/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [I think there was an absolute, deep gap between consensual relations between adults, which people may like or dislike, and people who physically impose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-think-there-was-an-absolute-deep-gap-between-consensual-relations/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [I was still closeted, but from the day I decided to run for office, knowing that I was gay, I decided that I would,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-was-still-closeted-but-from-the-day-i-decided-to-run-for-office/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [I have done a lot of work for affordable housing, rental housing. I understand the rap on me and other liberals is, oh, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-have-done-a-lot-of-work-for-affordable-housing-rental-housing-i/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [The most active people in the country know different things, and because each one tends to hear mostly and deal mostly with people with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/the-most-active-people-in-the-country-know-different-things-and/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [I can tell you about health care and also about the financial reform bill. The Barack Obama, the President personally and his administration officials…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-can-tell-you-about-health-care-and-also-about-the-financial-reform/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [In America, unlike England, unlike Israel, unlike Japan, other democracies, we have elections that have staggered terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/in-america-unlike-england-unlike-israel-unlike-japan-other/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

> [Ronald Reagan got a lot of democrats. I wish he hadn't. I got to Congress with Reagan coming to the Whitehouse. The Reagan Program,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/ronald-reagan-got-a-lot-of-democrats-i-wish-he-hadn-t-i-got-to/)

[Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

[Explore all 126 Barney Frank quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/)

## More Age quotes

> [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/)

> [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/)

> [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/)

[Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/)

> [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/)

[Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

> [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/)

[Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/)

> [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/)

[Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/)

> [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/)

[Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/)

> [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/)

[Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/)

> [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/)

[Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/)

> [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/)

[Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/)

[Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There is parallels these two great men John McCain and Ted Kennedy of great impact in the Senate, you don't agree with everything they did but certainly they had major impacts as senators. Their one major political failure not to be elected president but that didn't stop them from having enormous impact and at roughly the same age, exactly the same disease. It's kind of a poignant sad parallel.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Barney Frank"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/there-is-parallels-these-two-great-men-john-mccain-and-ted-kennedy-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Age"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/there-is-parallels-these-two-great-men-john-mccain-and-ted-kennedy-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/barney-frank-3610_age_there-is-parallels-these-two-great-men-j_2346111.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/barney-frank-3610_age_there-is-parallels-these-two-great-men-j_2346111.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36c/barney-frank-3610_age_there-is-parallels-these-two-great-men-j_2346111.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There is parallels these two great men John McCain and Ted Kennedy of great impact in the Senate, you don't…” — Barney Frank",
                "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": "Barney Frank",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There is parallels these two great...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/there-is-parallels-these-two-great-men-john-mccain-and-ted-kennedy-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/there-is-parallels-these-two-great-men-john-mccain-and-ted-kennedy-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
