--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After 2008, I told people that…" description: "\"After 2008, I told people that conservatives were going to be invisible for a while. But, with time, our ideas would be back.\" — Charlie Sykes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/charlie-sykes-9529_back_after-2008-i-told-people-that-conservati_1181174.jpg" --- # After 2008, I told people that conservatives were going to… ![“After 2008, I told people that conservatives were going to be invisible for a while. But, with time, our ideas would be back.” quote by Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/charlie-sykes-9529_back_after-2008-i-told-people-that-conservati_1181174.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/charlie-sykes-9529_back_after-2008-i-told-people-that-conservati_1181174.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/charlie-sykes-9529_back_after-2008-i-told-people-that-conservati_1181174.jpg) > “After 2008, I told people that conservatives were going to be invisible for a while. But, with time, our ideas would be back.” [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He predicted conservative ideas would temporarily fade but later reemerge. **In simple terms:** Conservatives would become unseen then return. Key Takeaway Expect ideas to cycle back. Themes politics ideology resilience Mood cautious analytical Type political forecasting When to use this quote - campaign strategy - media analysis - public discourse Key Concepts cultural shift public opinion media cycles Questions to Reflect On - How do political narratives shape visibility? - What factors cause ideological resurgence? A Different Perspective Predictions can be self‑fulfilling or overlook structural change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conservatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatives/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I would note that the scripture tells us, "you shall know them by their fruit." We see lots of "campaign conservatives." But if we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-would-note-that-the-scripture-tells-us-you-shall-know-them-by-their/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Most people who call themselves conservatives can't explain the American value system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/most-people-who-call-themselves-conservatives-can-t-explain-the/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/conservatives-are-not-necessarily-stupid-but-most-stupid-people-are-2/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [There are no conservatives in the United States. The United States does not have a conservative tradition. The people who call themselves conservatives, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-no-conservatives-in-the-united-states-the-united-states/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [On my radio show at night, people will sometimes - conservatives will call and say, 'You know what, I'm really sorry I cast my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-colmes/on-my-radio-show-at-night-people-will-sometimes-conservatives-will/) [Alan Colmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-colmes/) > [“Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives... I never meant to say that the Conservatives are generally stupid. I meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/conservatives-are-not-necessarily-stupid-but-most-stupid-people-are/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [There are going to be times when we disagree with our leadership, but ultimately, we've got to work hard to pull our leadership to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/there-are-going-to-be-times-when-we-disagree-with-our-leadership-but/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [I have conservative relatives. I maintain some relationships with some conservatives going back to the 1990s... Not in any meaningful way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/i-have-conservative-relatives-i-maintain-some-relationships-with-some/) [David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/) > [Liberals believe government should take people's earnings to give to poor people. Conservatives disagree. They think government should confiscate people's earnings and give them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/liberals-believe-government-should-take-people-s-earnings-to-give-to/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [All that Tim Kaine has is to try to convince people that conservatives are racist - and you know what, people are smarter than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stewart/all-that-tim-kaine-has-is-to-try-to-convince-people-that/) [Corey Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stewart/) > [ \[Among conservatives\] there's been too much pseudo-populism, almost too much concern and attention for, quote, 'the people'… After all, we conservatives are on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/among-conservatives-there-s-been-too-much-pseudo-populism-almost-too/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [Be these people either Conservatives or Socialists, Yellows or Reds, the most important thing is - and that is the point I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/be-these-people-either-conservatives-or-socialists-yellows-or-reds/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [My goal is to show people that conservatives are funny. In fact, we're the rebels: we're 'Animal House.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-mcinnes/my-goal-is-to-show-people-that-conservatives-are-funny-in-fact-we-re/) [Gavin McInnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-mcinnes/) > [In 2008, conservatives ridiculed the Left for its adulation of Barack Obama, only to succumb to their own cult of personality eight years later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/in-2008-conservatives-ridiculed-the-left-for-its-adulation-of-barack/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [Conservatives spent an awful long time ignoring things: the birthers, the bigots, the xenophobes, the alternative-reality media. We had assumed that they were postcards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/conservatives-spent-an-awful-long-time-ignoring-things-the-birthers/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) ## More by Charlie Sykes > [Mr. Trump understands that attacking the media is the reddest of meat for his base, which has been conditioned to reject reporting from news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/mr-trump-understands-that-attacking-the-media-is-the-reddest-of-meat/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [Nothing annoys academics more than pointing out how little time they actually spend teaching students.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/nothing-annoys-academics-more-than-pointing-out-how-little-time-they/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [In 2008, conservatives ridiculed the Left for its adulation of Barack Obama, only to succumb to their own cult of personality eight years later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/in-2008-conservatives-ridiculed-the-left-for-its-adulation-of-barack/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [It turns out that many of the Trump voters who had said they wanted to burn it all down meant it, and they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/it-turns-out-that-many-of-the-trump-voters-who-had-said-they-wanted/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [In 2010, conservatives won big majorities in the Wisconsin State Legislature, and I openly supported many of their reforms, including changes to collective bargaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/in-2010-conservatives-won-big-majorities-in-the-wisconsin-state/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [There was a time when the Republican Party could discuss possible reforms to our gun laws: Ronald Reagan himself endorsed the Brady Bill and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/there-was-a-time-when-the-republican-party-could-discuss-possible/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [I tried to distinguish myself from the Rush Limbaughs of the world, but I also understood that there were folks on the Left who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/i-tried-to-distinguish-myself-from-the-rush-limbaughs-of-the-world/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [Congress is a co-equal branch of government, with a long and rich history of standing up to the executive branch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/congress-is-a-co-equal-branch-of-government-with-a-long-and-rich/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [I have a confession to make. When I was a child, I was a chronic, repeat doodler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/i-have-a-confession-to-make-when-i-was-a-child-i-was-a-chronic-repeat/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [Unless you have experienced it, it's difficult to describe the virulence of the Twitter storms that were unleashed on Trump skeptics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/unless-you-have-experienced-it-it-s-difficult-to-describe-the/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [Conservatives spent an awful long time ignoring things: the birthers, the bigots, the xenophobes, the alternative-reality media. We had assumed that they were postcards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/conservatives-spent-an-awful-long-time-ignoring-things-the-birthers/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [There was always the paranoid strain in American politics, particularly on the Right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/there-was-always-the-paranoid-strain-in-american-politics/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [In the modern university, no act of good teaching goes unpunished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/in-the-modern-university-no-act-of-good-teaching-goes-unpunished/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [I have long admired Paul Ryan and thought of him as the future of the Republican Party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/i-have-long-admired-paul-ryan-and-thought-of-him-as-the-future-of-the/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [Across the country, universities that had abandoned in loco parentis in the 1960s because it was too oppressive and intrusive have replaced it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/across-the-country-universities-that-had-abandoned-in-loco-parentis/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) [Explore all 72 Charlie Sykes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) ## More Back quotes > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I honestly would like to get that Frankie fight back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/i-honestly-would-like-to-get-that-frankie-fight-back/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [Drumming's pretty physical. We sit at the back of the stage getting beat up like a workhorse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/drumming-s-pretty-physical-we-sit-at-the-back-of-the-stage-getting/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I wish that I had known back then that a mastery of process would lead to a product. Then I probably wouldn't have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/i-wish-that-i-had-known-back-then-that-a-mastery-of-process-would/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [I've always stuck my arms behind my back anyway when trying to block a shot in the penalty area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/i-ve-always-stuck-my-arms-behind-my-back-anyway-when-trying-to-block/) [Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/) > [I'm sure at some point I will get back into coaching, but right now I need to focus completely on my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/i-m-sure-at-some-point-i-will-get-back-into-coaching-but-right-now-i/) [Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/) > [Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/any-time-someone-achieves-success-before-they-ve-earned-it-it-always/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [We're all painfully aware of how suddenly violence can occur, how crippling it is, and how survivors have to find a way back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-re-all-painfully-aware-of-how-suddenly-violence-can-occur-how/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [Ronaldo is just an athlete. He works so hard and back to back; he is always there. But if you work hard, can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/ronaldo-is-just-an-athlete-he-works-so-hard-and-back-to-back-he-is/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) Browse all 9,709 Back quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After 2008, I told people that conservatives were going to be invisible for a while. But, with time, our ideas would be back.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charlie Sykes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/after-2008-i-told-people-that-conservatives-were-going-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Back" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/after-2008-i-told-people-that-conservatives-were-going-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/charlie-sykes-9529_back_after-2008-i-told-people-that-conservati_1181174.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/charlie-sykes-9529_back_after-2008-i-told-people-that-conservati_1181174.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/charlie-sykes-9529_back_after-2008-i-told-people-that-conservati_1181174.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“After 2008, I told people that conservatives were going to be invisible for a while. But, with time, our…” — Charlie Sykes", "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": "Charlie Sykes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "After 2008, I told people that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/after-2008-i-told-people-that-conservatives-were-going-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/after-2008-i-told-people-that-conservatives-were-going-to-be/#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 } } ] } ```