---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that some of it is electoral…"
description: "\"I think that some of it is electoral - helping candidates that are willing to take dramatic actions, not just to say a few words about how climate chan..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bill-mckibben-1057_action_i-think-that-some-of-it-is-electoral-hel_842547.jpg"
---

#  I think that some of it is electoral - helping candidates…

![“I think that some of it is electoral - helping candidates that are willing to take dramatic actions, not just to say a few words about how climate change might be a problem.” quote by Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bill-mckibben-1057_action_i-think-that-some-of-it-is-electoral-hel_842547.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bill-mckibben-1057_action_i-think-that-some-of-it-is-electoral-hel_842547.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bill-mckibben-1057_action_i-think-that-some-of-it-is-electoral-hel_842547.jpg)

> “I think that some of it is electoral - helping candidates that are willing to take dramatic actions, not just to say a few words about how climate change might be a problem.”

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

## About This Quote

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

Political leaders who act decisively on climate can mobilize support, beyond mere rhetoric.

**In simple terms:** Bold climate actions attract supporters.

Key Takeaway

Support leaders who take concrete climate steps.

Themes

politics climate activism leadership communication

Mood

motivational hopeful critical

Type

persuasive inspirational

When to use this quote

- campaign planning
- legislative lobbying
- community outreach

Key Concepts

policy change public engagement media strategy grassroots organizing

Questions to Reflect On

- What actions can candidates take to inspire voters?
- How to measure impact of climate rhetoric?

A Different Perspective

Political inertia can stall progress despite bold actions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Dramatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dramatic/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [I think the Electoral College is an absurd 18th-century construct. But that is the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-think-the-electoral-college-is-an-absurd-18th-century-construct-but/)

[David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/)

> [In fact, The Party has provided so much of the ground game and field operation and data operation to supplement what we already had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/in-fact-the-party-has-provided-so-much-of-the-ground-game-and-field/)

[Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/)

> [In Tunisia, where women have long enjoyed greater rights than many of their Arab neighbors, women pushed for and won a new electoral code…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-tzemach-lemmon/in-tunisia-where-women-have-long-enjoyed-greater-rights-than-many-of/)

[Gayle Tzemach Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-tzemach-lemmon/)

> [It's true that Americans are less than thrilled with President Obama and congressional Democrats. Their approval ratings are nothing to celebrate. But electoral politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/it-s-true-that-americans-are-less-than-thrilled-with-president-obama/)

[Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/)

> [No one likes the Electoral College, expect perhaps those who were elected because of it. No one likes gerrymandering, except those doing the gerrymandering.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-bleyer/no-one-likes-the-electoral-college-expect-perhaps-those-who-were/)

[Kevin Bleyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-bleyer/)

> [Electoral victory is not an end in itself. It is intended to set in motion a pluralist process to resolve our disputes and move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/electoral-victory-is-not-an-end-in-itself-it-is-intended-to-set-in/)

[Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/)

> [If you work through the existing structures you are going to be corrupted. By working through political system that poisons the atmosphere, even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/if-you-work-through-the-existing-structures-you-are-going-to-be/)

[Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/)

> [We're building an independent political program that can run electoral politics and then turn on a dime to hold our leaders to task, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-trumka/we-re-building-an-independent-political-program-that-can-run/)

[Richard Trumka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-trumka/)

> [While imperfect, the electoral college has generally served the republic well. It forces candidates to campaign in a variety of closely contested races, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-daley/while-imperfect-the-electoral-college-has-generally-served-the/)

[William M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-m-daley/)

> [America voted Romney. Electoral college voted Obama. Stop being ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/america-voted-romney-electoral-college-voted-obama-stop-being-ignorant/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I ran for the electoral college. I didn't run for the popular vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-ran-for-the-electoral-college-i-didn-t-run-for-the-popular-vote/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [Despite its flaws, the American electoral system has produced Lincoln, the two Roosevelts, and Harry Truman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/despite-its-flaws-the-american-electoral-system-has-produced-lincoln/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [I have just come out of an electoral experience with the people of my country in which I invited them to join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-christie/i-have-just-come-out-of-an-electoral-experience-with-the-people-of-my/)

[Perry Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-christie/)

> [I was surprised that when you get into electoral politics how scientific the analysis was in the electorate. You can identify on a state-by-state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/i-was-surprised-that-when-you-get-into-electoral-politics-how/)

[Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/)

> [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## More by Bill McKibben

> [I try not to be either optimistic or pessimistic. I try not to think about outcomes on that scale. My job, it seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-try-not-to-be-either-optimistic-or-pessimistic-i-try-not-to-think/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [Oil companies are radical because they're willing to alter the chemical composition of the atmosphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/oil-companies-are-radical-because-they-re-willing-to-alter-the/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [Whenever anyone challenges anything, the powers that be try to paint them as extremists or radicals or whatever. And I think that's actually nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/whenever-anyone-challenges-anything-the-powers-that-be-try-to-paint/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [My guess is that liberating the fossil fuel industry to frack anywhere they want will drive down the rate at which we're converting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/my-guess-is-that-liberating-the-fossil-fuel-industry-to-frack/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [What makes us different? We're the creature that can decide not to do something that we are capable of doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/what-makes-us-different-we-re-the-creature-that-can-decide-not-to-do/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [“The snow was coming down so hard. It looked like the flakes were hurrying to get out of the sky so the next ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-snow-was-coming-down-so-hard-it-looked-like-the-flakes-were/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [Most of the men and women who vote in Congress each year to continue subsidies have taken campaign donations from big energy companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/most-of-the-men-and-women-who-vote-in-congress-each-year-to-continue/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [“I’ve sat behind a microphone and listened for decades as Americans learned to stop talking with each other and start shouting instead. No discussions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-ve-sat-behind-a-microphone-and-listened-for-decades-as-americans/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [People in low-lying countries like Bangladesh with almost 140 million people who are managing to feed themselves, whose carbon emissions can't really be calculated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/people-in-low-lying-countries-like-bangladesh-with-almost-140-million/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [We're putting more carbon into the atmosphere than the atmosphere can absorb. And everybody told us when we started, coz we knew nothing when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/we-re-putting-more-carbon-into-the-atmosphere-than-the-atmosphere-can/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [Everything that the administration has done has been counterproductive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/everything-that-the-administration-has-done-has-been-counterproductive/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [We use the web to help people organize in the flesh, and then we take the images of those events and put them back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/we-use-the-web-to-help-people-organize-in-the-flesh-and-then-we-take/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [everyone knows, at some level, that the sharp line between "good weather" and "bad weather" is a fiction, that we need rain as surely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/everyone-knows-at-some-level-that-the-sharp-line-between-good-weather/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [The thing about global warming is that you can address it on a great number of levels - in fact you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-thing-about-global-warming-is-that-you-can-address-it-on-a-great/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

> [Where people aren't as deeply reliant on fossil fuel as in the United States, it's far easier for them to imagine change on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/where-people-aren-t-as-deeply-reliant-on-fossil-fuel-as-in-the-united/)

[Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

[Explore all 299 Bill McKibben quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/)

## More Action quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/)

[Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/)

[William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/)

> [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/)

[Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/)

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/)

[Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/)

> [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/)

> [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/)

[Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/)

> [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/)

[Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/)

> [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

[Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think that some of it is electoral - helping candidates that are willing to take dramatic actions, not just to say a few words about how climate change might be a problem.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bill McKibben"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-think-that-some-of-it-is-electoral-helping-candidates-that-are/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Action"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-think-that-some-of-it-is-electoral-helping-candidates-that-are/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bill-mckibben-1057_action_i-think-that-some-of-it-is-electoral-hel_842547.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bill-mckibben-1057_action_i-think-that-some-of-it-is-electoral-hel_842547.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/bill-mckibben-1057_action_i-think-that-some-of-it-is-electoral-hel_842547.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think that some of it is electoral - helping candidates that are willing to take dramatic actions, not…” — Bill McKibben",
                "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": "Bill McKibben",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think that some of it...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-think-that-some-of-it-is-electoral-helping-candidates-that-are/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-think-that-some-of-it-is-electoral-helping-candidates-that-are/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
