--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Barry Goldwater once said ruefully, and I…" description: "\"Barry Goldwater once said ruefully, and I know how he feels. \"It's a great country, where anybody can grow up to be President . . . except me.\"\" — Bob ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/bob-dole-8280_country_barry-goldwater-once-said-ruefully-and-i_2482134.jpg" --- # Barry Goldwater once said ruefully, and I know how he… ![“Barry Goldwater once said ruefully, and I know how he feels. "It's a great country, where anybody can grow up to be President . . . except me."” quote by Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/bob-dole-8280_country_barry-goldwater-once-said-ruefully-and-i_2482134.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/bob-dole-8280_country_barry-goldwater-once-said-ruefully-and-i_2482134.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/bob-dole-8280_country_barry-goldwater-once-said-ruefully-and-i_2482134.jpg) > “Barry Goldwater once said ruefully, and I know how he feels. "It's a great country, where anybody can grow up to be President . . . except me."” [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Goldwater humorously notes that anyone can become President except himself, highlighting political ambition and self‑deprecation. **In simple terms:** Even politicians feel excluded. Key Takeaway Recognize humility in ambition. Themes politics humor self‑deprecation ambition Mood wry thoughtful Type political humorous When to use this quote - campaign speeches - political debates - media interviews Key Concepts American Dream political satire leadership Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel excluded from leadership? - What makes a leader relatable? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay serious issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barry-goldwater/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Anybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-anybody-516209/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Goldwater Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goldwater-said-874435/) [Great country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-country/) [Grow President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow-president-709621/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Know how](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-how/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) ## Related quotes > [It's a great country, where anybody can grow up to be president . . . except me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/it-s-a-great-country-where-anybody-can-grow-up-to-be-president-except/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [Barry Goldwater once said, 'I'd rather be right than president.' I can't tell you how much I disagree with that Barry Goldwater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/barry-goldwater-once-said-i-d-rather-be-right-than-president-i-can-t/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [“Warnings of the dire consequences came fast. For Castro to control Cuba is “a disgrace and an affront which diminishes the respect with which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-bolender/warnings-of-the-dire-consequences-came-fast-for-castro-to-control/) [Keith Bolender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-bolender/) > [“... in an airport in '64, Goldwater said, 'Well, keep punching, Hubert' during a chance meeting there. By the end of 1977, it became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/in-an-airport-in-64-goldwater-said-well-keep-punching-hubert-during-a/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [In the end, I'll put my good acts up against those of anybody in this country. Anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steinbrenner/in-the-end-i-ll-put-my-good-acts-up-against-those-of-anybody-in-this/) [George Steinbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steinbrenner/) > [The United Kingdom Is Not A Country That Anybody Can Be Proud Of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-murray/the-united-kingdom-is-not-a-country-that-anybody-can-be-proud-of/) [Craig Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-murray/) > [I think, in this country, anybody can do whatever they want to do as long as it's not hurting anybody else or violating the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelsan-ellis/i-think-in-this-country-anybody-can-do-whatever-they-want-to-do-as/) [Nelsan Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelsan-ellis/) > [In America, any boy can grow up to become president. Or, if he never grows up, vice president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/in-america-any-boy-can-grow-up-to-become-president-or-if-he-never/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [Economic inequality is less troubling if you live in a country where any child, no matter how humble his or her origins, can grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/economic-inequality-is-less-troubling-if-you-live-in-a-country-where/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Democracy means that anyone can grow up to be president, and anyone who doesn't grow up can be vice president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/democracy-means-that-anyone-can-grow-up-to-be-president-and-anyone/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [Study hard; and you might grow up to be President. But let's face it: Even then, you'll never make as much money as your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/study-hard-and-you-might-grow-up-to-be-president-but-let-s-face-it/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [When people talk about how in America, anybody can grow up to be President, I'm not sure George Bush is exactly what they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durst/when-people-talk-about-how-in-america-anybody-can-grow-up-to-be/) [Will Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durst/) > [“Truth be told, the party was moving in entirely the wrong direction. Ever since 1964, when Barry Goldwater championed “states’ rights”—understood to signify his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-green/truth-be-told-the-party-was-moving-in-entirely-the-wrong-direction/) [Joshua Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-green/) > [“While David runs the financial end of the Rockefeller dynasty, Nelson runs the political. Nelson would like to be President of the United States.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-allen/while-david-runs-the-financial-end-of-the-rockefeller-dynasty-nelson/) [Gary Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-allen/) > [I'm a liberal to a degree, I want everybody to be free. But if you think that I'll let Barry Goldwater move in next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/i-m-a-liberal-to-a-degree-i-want-everybody-to-be-free-but-if-you/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) ## More by Bob Dole > [It's going to be hard for someone like me to run for president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/it-s-going-to-be-hard-for-someone-like-me-to-run-for-president/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I will seek the presidency with nothing to fall back on but the judgment of the people of the United States, and nowhere to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-will-seek-the-presidency-with-nothing-to-fall-back-on-but-the/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [ The California proposition \[Prop. 187\] is one I would agree with. That's the easiest way to put it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/the-california-proposition-prop-187-is-one-i-would-agree-with-that-s/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [A government that seizes control of the economy for the good of the people, ends up seizing control of the people for the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/a-government-that-seizes-control-of-the-economy-for-the-good-of-the/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I've never known a lot of rich people. 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Don't worry very much about what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/we-re-trying-to-get-good-pictures-don-t-worry-very-much-about-what-i/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I don't know how many people run for vice president and president and lose both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-don-t-know-how-many-people-run-for-vice-president-and-president-and/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [Something is wrong with America. I wonder sometimes what people are thinking about or if they're thinking at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/something-is-wrong-with-america-i-wonder-sometimes-what-people-are/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I will seek the presidency with nothing to fall back on but the judgment of the people, and nowhere to go but the White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-will-seek-the-presidency-with-nothing-to-fall-back-on-but-the-2/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [You read what Disraeli had to say. I don't remember what he said. He said something. He's no longer with us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/you-read-what-disraeli-had-to-say-i-don-t-remember-what-he-said-he/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I think the Republican Party has indicated to everyone who wants to look at us that, you know, we're in the mainstream. We understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-think-the-republican-party-has-indicated-to-everyone-who-wants-to/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [If there is one clear lesson of our century, it is this: where aggression is tolerated, it multiplies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/if-there-is-one-clear-lesson-of-our-century-it-is-this-where/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I'm not a Gingrich fan. He's just difficult to work with. It's either Newt's way or the highway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/i-m-not-a-gingrich-fan-he-s-just-difficult-to-work-with-it-s-either/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) [Explore all 82 Bob Dole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ 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/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. 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