--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because of the spin-meisters and the…" description: "\"Because of the spin-meisters and the focus groups and the way politics is run now. It's run by polls and focus groups. So it's even more true today, I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/bob-newhart-2419_comedy_because-of-the-spin-meisters-and-the-foc_1825344.jpg" --- # Because of the spin-meisters and the focus groups and the… ![“Because of the spin-meisters and the focus groups and the way politics is run now. It's run by polls and focus groups. So it's even more true today, I think, than it was some 40 years ago.” quote by Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/bob-newhart-2419_comedy_because-of-the-spin-meisters-and-the-foc_1825344.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/bob-newhart-2419_comedy_because-of-the-spin-meisters-and-the-foc_1825344.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/bob-newhart-2419_comedy_because-of-the-spin-meisters-and-the-foc_1825344.jpg) > “Because of the spin-meisters and the focus groups and the way politics is run now. It's run by polls and focus groups. So it's even more true today, I think, than it was some 40 years ago.” [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political decisions are increasingly driven by pollsters and focus groups, reducing authentic discourse and deep policy thinking. **In simple terms:** Politics is now ruled by polls, not ideas. Key Takeaway Seek deeper engagement beyond surface opinions. Themes politics media influence public opinion Mood skeptical concerned Type political critical When to use this quote - campaign planning - media analysis - public policy - civic education Key Concepts democracy communication strategic messaging Questions to Reflect On - What are the risks of poll‑driven politics? - How can citizens demand more substantive dialogue? A Different Perspective Polls can oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Polls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polls/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [While the other parties look at polls and focus groups to decide what they stand for, and pander to every special interest group, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxime-bernier/while-the-other-parties-look-at-polls-and-focus-groups-to-decide-what/) [Maxime Bernier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxime-bernier/) > [Democrats are afraid of polls. Republicans aren't afraid of polls. Republicans make polls. Democrats run from polls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/democrats-are-afraid-of-polls-republicans-aren-t-afraid-of-polls/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [And the inner dynamics of Hollywood are like politics. Say you give a script to a group of executives - they all sit around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-eszterhas/and-the-inner-dynamics-of-hollywood-are-like-politics-say-you-give-a/) [Joe Eszterhas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-eszterhas/) > [ ...The British press... \[claimed that Tony\] Blair was simply Bush's poodle - a favorite phrase, bewilderingly popular, although it made no sense - and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-king/the-british-press-claimed-that-tony-blair-was-simply-bush-s-poodle-a/) [Larry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-king/) > [They've seen me make decisions, they've seen me under trying times, they've seen me weep, they've seen me laugh, they've seen me hug. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/they-ve-seen-me-make-decisions-they-ve-seen-me-under-trying-times/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [This party will not take its position based on public opinion polls. We will not take a stand based on focus groups. We will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/this-party-will-not-take-its-position-based-on-public-opinion-polls/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [Conservative women in politics run a punishing gauntlet. They endure psychological evaluations and near-gynecological exams their male and liberal counterparts do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/conservative-women-in-politics-run-a-punishing-gauntlet-they-endure/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [But being in the closet uniquely assisted me in politics. From my first run for the state legislature until my election as governor, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/but-being-in-the-closet-uniquely-assisted-me-in-politics-from-my/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [“You had to stop discussing politics or you would run right into it, causing no damage to anything but yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-had-to-stop-discussing-politics-or-you-would-run-right-into-it/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Politics is not really politics any more. 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A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-s-really-hard-to-design-products-by-focus-groups-a-lot-of-times/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [We don't do focus groups - that is the job of the designer. It's unfair to ask people who don't have a sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/we-don-t-do-focus-groups-that-is-the-job-of-the-designer-it-s-unfair/) [Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/) > [“We don’t do focus groups—that is the job of the designer,” said Jony. “It’s unfair to ask people who don’t have a sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leander-kahney/we-don-t-do-focus-groups-that-is-the-job-of-the-designer-said-jony-it/) [Leander Kahney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leander-kahney/) ## More by Bob Newhart > [Television series are like the stock market. There's room for bears and bulls but no room for pigs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/television-series-are-like-the-stock-market-there-s-room-for-bears/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I didn't need the elf outfit to play an elf; I could just play an elf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-didn-t-need-the-elf-outfit-to-play-an-elf-i-could-just-play-an-elf/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [When I was off TV, people would ask me to please come back, which I think was their way of saying, 'There's nothing out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/when-i-was-off-tv-people-would-ask-me-to-please-come-back-which-i/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I just made the decision that I was going to try comedy, and if didn't work, then I knew it didn't work. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/i-just-made-the-decision-that-i-was-going-to-try-comedy-and-if-didn-t/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [Don't be silly and don't waste your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/don-t-be-silly-and-don-t-waste-your-time/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I'm most proud of the longevity of my marriage, my kids, and my grandchildren. 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