--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always figured the American public…" description: "\"I always figured the American public wanted a solemn ass for president, so I went along with them.\" — Calvin Coolidge" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/calvin-coolidge-764_ass_i-always-figured-the-american-public-wan_1271274.jpg" --- # I always figured the American public wanted a solemn ass… ![“I always figured the American public wanted a solemn ass for president, so I went along with them.” quote by Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/calvin-coolidge-764_ass_i-always-figured-the-american-public-wan_1271274.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/calvin-coolidge-764_ass_i-always-figured-the-american-public-wan_1271274.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/calvin-coolidge-764_ass_i-always-figured-the-american-public-wan_1271274.jpg) > “I always figured the American public wanted a solemn ass for president, so I went along with them.” [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believed the public preferred a dignified leader, so he conformed to that expectation. **In simple terms:** Public wanted a serious president, so he complied. Key Takeaway Align leadership style with public expectations. Themes politics leadership public perception Mood reflective serious Type political historical When to use this quote - campaign speeches - media interviews - public appearances Key Concepts image management conformity Questions to Reflect On - How does public image shape policy decisions? - Is conformity always beneficial? A Different Perspective May limit authenticity or necessary change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-public/) [Ass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ass/) [Ass President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ass-president-4075490/) [Explanation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explanation/) [Figured American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figured-american-4075492/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-went-4075491/) [Solemn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solemn/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Solemn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-solemn-1743013/) ## Related quotes > [I think the American public wants a solemn ass as a president, and I think I'll go along with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/i-think-the-american-public-wants-a-solemn-ass-as-a-president-and-i/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [“But I have never wanted to be perceived as chatty and bright. I have always wanted to be solemn and mysterious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-baume/but-i-have-never-wanted-to-be-perceived-as-chatty-and-bright-i-have/) [Sara Baume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-baume/) > [Every President that went to China, I would meet them and have dinner and talk about the past and the future. That was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/every-president-that-went-to-china-i-would-meet-them-and-have-dinner/) [Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/) > [I remember the last three days that I was president, I never went to bed at all. I never went to bed until we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/i-remember-the-last-three-days-that-i-was-president-i-never-went-to/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I wanted the American public to know that not everyone in Iraq and Afghanistan were targets that needed to be neutralized, but rather people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/i-wanted-the-american-public-to-know-that-not-everyone-in-iraq-and/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [We of the soft-crooning radio type of singer are giving the people what they want. The American public as a whole does not care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-vallee/we-of-the-soft-crooning-radio-type-of-singer-are-giving-the-people/) [Rudy Vallee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-vallee/) > [Today enormous effort goes into convincing the American public that we're just consumers of media manipulation and sound-bites and spin doctors. That we care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardine-dohrn/today-enormous-effort-goes-into-convincing-the-american-public-that/) [Bernardine Dohrn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardine-dohrn/) > [58% of the American public are with us. We're preaching to the choir, but the choir's not singing, if all of the 58% started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/58-of-the-american-public-are-with-us-we-re-preaching-to-the-choir/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [The American Public is who I'm interested in. Ultimately, if they think I'm good and they think I'm entertaining that's all that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-angel/the-american-public-is-who-i-m-interested-in-ultimately-if-they-think/) [Criss Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-angel/) > [You know for many elected officials they all started in the same place. 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And they need to play a more active…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/americans-need-to-educate-themselves-from-elementary-school-onward/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [Let's focus on how we can take someone who is being poorly educated in an American public school and how they are poorly trained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/let-s-focus-on-how-we-can-take-someone-who-is-being-poorly-educated/) [Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/) > [It used to be that whenever I introduced myself to people and told them I was a psychologist, they would shrink away from me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/it-used-to-be-that-whenever-i-introduced-myself-to-people-and-told/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) ## More by Calvin Coolidge > [Not all those who are attempting to conduct successful businesses are profiteers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/not-all-those-who-are-attempting-to-conduct-successful-businesses-are/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [A wholesome regard for the memory of the great men of long ago is the best assurance to a people of a continuation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/a-wholesome-regard-for-the-memory-of-the-great-men-of-long-ago-is-the/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [“I have noticed that nothing I have never said ever did me any harm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/i-have-noticed-that-nothing-i-have-never-said-ever-did-me-any-harm/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [“It has been my observation in life that, if one will only exercise the patience to wait, his wants are likely to be filled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/it-has-been-my-observation-in-life-that-if-one-will-only-exercise-the/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [The man who builds a factory builds a temple, that the man who works there worships there, and to each is due, not scorn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/the-man-who-builds-a-factory-builds-a-temple-that-the-man-who-works/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [The property of the people belongs to the people. 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Honor has been the reward for what he gave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/no-person-was-ever-honored-for-what-he-received-honor-has-been-the/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [Nations are beginning to look to some vague organization, some nebulous course of humanity, to pay their bills and tell them what to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/nations-are-beginning-to-look-to-some-vague-organization-some/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [The government can supply no substitute for enterprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/the-government-can-supply-no-substitute-for-enterprise/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [“While we should not refuse to spend and be spent in the service of our country, it is hazardous to attempt what we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/while-we-should-not-refuse-to-spend-and-be-spent-in-the-service-of/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [One of the greatest dangers to peace lies in the economic pressure to which people find themselves subjected. One of the most practical things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/one-of-the-greatest-dangers-to-peace-lies-in-the-economic-pressure-to/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [War is the rule of force, and peace is the reign of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/war-is-the-rule-of-force-and-peace-is-the-reign-of-law/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [Advertising ministers to the spiritual side of trade. It is great power that has been entrusted to your keeping which charges you with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/advertising-ministers-to-the-spiritual-side-of-trade-it-is-great/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [We cannot permit any inquisition either within or without the law or apply any religious test to the holding of office. The mind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/we-cannot-permit-any-inquisition-either-within-or-without-the-law-or/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) [Explore all 376 Calvin Coolidge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) ## More American public quotes > [It used to be that whenever I introduced myself to people and told them I was a psychologist, they would shrink away from me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/it-used-to-be-that-whenever-i-introduced-myself-to-people-and-told/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [Let's focus on how we can take someone who is being poorly educated in an American public school and how they are poorly trained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/let-s-focus-on-how-we-can-take-someone-who-is-being-poorly-educated/) [Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/) > [Americans need to educate themselves, from elementary school onward, about what their country has done abroad. And they need to play a more active…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/americans-need-to-educate-themselves-from-elementary-school-onward/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [Presidents going live from the Oval Office have used that platform to inform the American public, and also to do one of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/presidents-going-live-from-the-oval-office-have-used-that-platform-to/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [Because of a mass media more interested in gossip and sensationalism than real issues, I would say a vast majority of the American public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/because-of-a-mass-media-more-interested-in-gossip-and-sensationalism/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [You know for many elected officials they all started in the same place. You know marriage is between a man and a woman, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/you-know-for-many-elected-officials-they-all-started-in-the-same/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [The American Public is who I'm interested in. Ultimately, if they think I'm good and they think I'm entertaining that's all that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-angel/the-american-public-is-who-i-m-interested-in-ultimately-if-they-think/) [Criss Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-angel/) > [58% of the American public are with us. We're preaching to the choir, but the choir's not singing, if all of the 58% started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/58-of-the-american-public-are-with-us-we-re-preaching-to-the-choir/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [Today enormous effort goes into convincing the American public that we're just consumers of media manipulation and sound-bites and spin doctors. That we care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardine-dohrn/today-enormous-effort-goes-into-convincing-the-american-public-that/) [Bernardine Dohrn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardine-dohrn/) > [We of the soft-crooning radio type of singer are giving the people what they want. The American public as a whole does not care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-vallee/we-of-the-soft-crooning-radio-type-of-singer-are-giving-the-people/) [Rudy Vallee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-vallee/) > [I wanted the American public to know that not everyone in Iraq and Afghanistan were targets that needed to be neutralized, but rather people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/i-wanted-the-american-public-to-know-that-not-everyone-in-iraq-and/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [There’s nothing more embarrassing than a person who tries to guess what the great American public would like, makes a compromise for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-nothing-more-embarrassing-than-a-person-who-tries-to-guess/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The American public's a lot more sophisticated than we all give them credit for. And on complicated issues, I'm going to give them straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/the-american-public-s-a-lot-more-sophisticated-than-we-all-give-them/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The attitude of the American public toward the external projection of American power has been much more ambivalent. The public supported America's engagement in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/the-attitude-of-the-american-public-toward-the-external-projection-of/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [I think the American public can accept the fact if you tell them that every time you pick up the phone it's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-kelly/i-think-the-american-public-can-accept-the-fact-if-you-tell-them-that/) [Raymond Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-kelly/) [Browse all 121 American public quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-public/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always figured the American public wanted a solemn ass for president, so I went along with them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Calvin Coolidge" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/i-always-figured-the-american-public-wanted-a-solemn-ass-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American public" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/i-always-figured-the-american-public-wanted-a-solemn-ass-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/calvin-coolidge-764_ass_i-always-figured-the-american-public-wan_1271274.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/calvin-coolidge-764_ass_i-always-figured-the-american-public-wan_1271274.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/calvin-coolidge-764_ass_i-always-figured-the-american-public-wan_1271274.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I always figured the American public wanted a solemn ass for president, so I went along with them.” — Calvin Coolidge", "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": "Calvin Coolidge", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I always figured the American public...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/i-always-figured-the-american-public-wanted-a-solemn-ass-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/i-always-figured-the-american-public-wanted-a-solemn-ass-for/#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 } } ] } ```