--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want to steer the national conversation…" description: "\"I want to steer the national conversation in the right direction, from my point of view. I want to get under Robert Gibbs' skin and Rahm Emanuel's skin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/cenk-uygur-4611_communication_i-want-to-steer-the-national-conversatio_2634124.png" --- # I want to steer the national conversation in the right… ![“I want to steer the national conversation in the right direction, from my point of view. I want to get under Robert Gibbs' skin and Rahm Emanuel's skin and Barack Obama's skin.” quote by Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/cenk-uygur-4611_communication_i-want-to-steer-the-national-conversatio_2634124.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/cenk-uygur-4611_communication_i-want-to-steer-the-national-conversatio_2634124.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/cenk-uygur-4611_communication_i-want-to-steer-the-national-conversatio_2634124.png) > “I want to steer the national conversation in the right direction, from my point of view. I want to get under Robert Gibbs' skin and Rahm Emanuel's skin and Barack Obama's skin.” [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He aims to influence public discourse by challenging political figures directly. **In simple terms:** He wants to shape conversation by confronting leaders. Key Takeaway Engage directly to shift narratives. Themes media politics influence dialogue Mood critical strategic Type media political When to use this quote - campaign messaging - debates - media interviews - policy advocacy Key Concepts public opinion strategic communication political persuasion Questions to Reflect On - Which narratives need reshaping? - How can you reach audiences beyond political insiders? A Different Perspective Focusing on individuals may overlook systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Right direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-direction/) ## Related quotes > [If you took away the color of Barack Obama's skin, nobody right now would be paying him any attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-mcwhorter/if-you-took-away-the-color-of-barack-obama-s-skin-nobody-right-now/) [John H. McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-mcwhorter/) > [“Conversation starters. Icebreakers. Openers. However you choose to label them, that moment when the first words come out of your mouth can make or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/conversation-starters-icebreakers-openers-however-you-choose-to-label/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [...and once again Dexter is struck by how easy conversation can be when no-one is in their right mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/and-once-again-dexter-is-struck-by-how-easy-conversation-can-be-when/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [He was right. They could have a whole conversation without exchanging a word. And the conversation they had right now went like this: Colin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/he-was-right-they-could-have-a-whole-conversation-without-exchanging/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) > [“I have found that it is better to be alone than in the wrong company. A single conversation with the right person can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mason/i-have-found-that-it-is-better-to-be-alone-than-in-the-wrong-company/) [John Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mason/) > [This is a time for a national conversation. A conversation about the document that binds us as a nation and a people. That document,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dewine/this-is-a-time-for-a-national-conversation-a-conversation-about-the/) [Mike DeWine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dewine/) > [Missing from the national conversation are voices of pro-immigration reformers and civil rights leaders, who can speak on behalf of those who have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/missing-from-the-national-conversation-are-voices-of-pro-immigration/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [Too much of the national conversation about trade and the border comes from people who have not had the opportunity to step foot in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/too-much-of-the-national-conversation-about-trade-and-the-border/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) > [The very fact that we are having a national conversation about what we should eat, that we are struggling with the question about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-very-fact-that-we-are-having-a-national-conversation-about-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It may be hard to remember how difficult it was for people to talk about HIV/AIDS back in the 1980's and because of both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-may-be-hard-to-remember-how-difficult-it-was-for-people-to-talk/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Personally, I'd be really glad to have a national conversation about whether to outlaw most forms of birth control. For once, the kids and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/personally-i-d-be-really-glad-to-have-a-national-conversation-about/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [I don't really understand sometimes the national conversation on immigration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/i-don-t-really-understand-sometimes-the-national-conversation-on/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) > [We need a real, honest, and national conversation about racism in America, because the status quo is a crisis for too many Black and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaal-bowman/we-need-a-real-honest-and-national-conversation-about-racism-in/) [Jamaal Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaal-bowman/) > [There are many who would much prefer that the word 'climate' never be mentioned and that the issue be eliminated from our national conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-many-who-would-much-prefer-that-the-word-climate-never-be/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The best shows succeed because they tap into a national conversation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/the-best-shows-succeed-because-they-tap-into-a-national-conversation/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) ## More by Cenk Uygur > [I know that a lot of people love to say that polls are wrong or don't matter, and from time to time they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/i-know-that-a-lot-of-people-love-to-say-that-polls-are-wrong-or-don-t/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [Obama spent the first two years of his administration practicing political unilateral disarmament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/obama-spent-the-first-two-years-of-his-administration-practicing/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [She's going to do what her donors want. That's who Nancy Pelosi is. Not remotely progressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/she-s-going-to-do-what-her-donors-want-that-s-who-nancy-pelosi-is-not/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [The right wing has an ecosystem that is funded by billionaires who want tax cuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/the-right-wing-has-an-ecosystem-that-is-funded-by-billionaires-who/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [There are a lot of things wrong with the country, and that doesn't mean America sucks. It means we should improve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/there-are-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-the-country-and-that-doesn-t/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [The Democratic Party takes huge amounts of cash from corporations and unions to vote a certain way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/the-democratic-party-takes-huge-amounts-of-cash-from-corporations-and/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [Quietly, President Obama has done warrantless wire tapping. And it was hardly covered. I don't know if any of the mainstream press bothered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/quietly-president-obama-has-done-warrantless-wire-tapping-and-it-was/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [You can't get any more patriotic than dying for the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/you-can-t-get-any-more-patriotic-than-dying-for-the-country/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [TV has made everyone so vanilla it's nearly impossible to tell one anchor apart from another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/tv-has-made-everyone-so-vanilla-it-s-nearly-impossible-to-tell-one/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [I don't really trust politicians, and our job is to call them out. It's old-school journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/i-don-t-really-trust-politicians-and-our-job-is-to-call-them-out-it-s/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [There is no greater threat to Washington, D.C., than Bernie Sanders, and they know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/there-is-no-greater-threat-to-washington-d-c-than-bernie-sanders-and/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [It is fascinating. No matter where I go, people recognize me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/it-is-fascinating-no-matter-where-i-go-people-recognize-me/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [When I was at MSNBC, I had issues with the Obama administration. I got told by the person who runs MSNBC... that Washington was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/when-i-was-at-msnbc-i-had-issues-with-the-obama-administration-i-got/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [I want to interview Alec Baldwin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/i-want-to-interview-alec-baldwin/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [The withdrawal that Congress is debating now will only effect whether we leave somewhat gracefully or in complete panic and humiliation. Sistani has already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/the-withdrawal-that-congress-is-debating-now-will-only-effect-whether/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) [Explore all 108 Cenk Uygur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/) [Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/) [Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/) > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) Yoram Wind > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) [Browse all 21,506 Communication quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I want to steer the national conversation in the right direction, from my point of view. 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