--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I almost dropped dead the first time I…" description: "\"I almost dropped dead the first time I heard Bob Dole say 'gay marriage' on the floor of the senate. He wasn't saying nice things, but he said it! I ne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d9/cherry-jones-40672_bob_i-almost-dropped-dead-the-first-time-i-h_596627.jpg" --- # I almost dropped dead the first time I heard Bob Dole say… ![“I almost dropped dead the first time I heard Bob Dole say 'gay marriage' on the floor of the senate. He wasn't saying nice things, but he said it! I never thought in my lifetime I'd hear that. I just think we're moving now at warp speed. Even when we take a step back like with prop 8, we take two…” quote by Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d9/cherry-jones-40672_bob_i-almost-dropped-dead-the-first-time-i-h_596627.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d9/cherry-jones-40672_bob_i-almost-dropped-dead-the-first-time-i-h_596627.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d9/cherry-jones-40672_bob_i-almost-dropped-dead-the-first-time-i-h_596627.jpg) > “I almost dropped dead the first time I heard Bob Dole say 'gay marriage' on the floor of the senate. He wasn't saying nice things, but he said it! I never thought in my lifetime I'd hear that. I just think we're moving now at warp speed. Even when we take a step back like with prop 8, we take two steps forward.” [Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker is shocked by a senator’s unexpected comment on gay marriage, noting rapid societal change despite setbacks. **In simple terms:** Unexpected political comments can signal fast cultural shifts. Key Takeaway Recognize and adapt to rapid social change. Themes politics LGBTQ+ rights social change Mood surprised optimistic Type political cultural When to use this quote - legislative debates - activism - community organizing Key Concepts public policy media influence Questions to Reflect On - What does this reveal about political discourse? - How can we sustain momentum after setbacks? A Different Perspective Progress can be uneven and emotionally jarring. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-marriage/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Senate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senate/) [Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speed/) [Steps forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps-forward/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Now, my masters, happy man be his dole, say I; every man to his business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/now-my-masters-happy-man-be-his-dole-say-i-every-man-to-his-business/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The United States Senate wasn't designed to be a majority-rule institution. It was designed to include and accommodate the rights of the minority in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olympia-snowe/the-united-states-senate-wasn-t-designed-to-be-a-majority-rule/) [Olympia Snowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olympia-snowe/) > [I believe I am more conservative than Bob Dole; I believe I am more committed to fundamentally changing American government than Bob Dole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-gramm/i-believe-i-am-more-conservative-than-bob-dole-i-believe-i-am-more/) [Phil Gramm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-gramm/) > [I'll be 50 years old tomorrow and that means, among other things, that now Bob Dole can start telling jokes about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-ll-be-50-years-old-tomorrow-and-that-means-among-other-things-that/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [When George W. Bush was president, his daddy was raising money for the Bush library. I thought that was fine. When Bob Dole was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/when-george-w-bush-was-president-his-daddy-was-raising-money-for-the/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [Phrase it in an interesting way; don't phrase it in a mean or unfriendly way. Bob Dole said that if there's anything he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/phrase-it-in-an-interesting-way-don-t-phrase-it-in-a-mean-or/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [“Conversely who do you suppose were among the most vocal supporters of Bill Clinton’s 1994 GATT treaty? None other than supposed ‘conservatives’ Newt Gingrich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/conversely-who-do-you-suppose-were-among-the-most-vocal-supporters-of/) [Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/) > [“My thermograph got nothing,” he said. “I think that place is deader than Bob Dole’s dick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-nicholson/my-thermograph-got-nothing-he-said-i-think-that-place-is-deader-than/) [Scott Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-nicholson/) > [If something happened along the route and you had to leave your children with Bob Dole or Bill Clinton, I think you would probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/if-something-happened-along-the-route-and-you-had-to-leave-your/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [Bill Clinton, Mr. Bob Dole, You too old to understand tha way tha game is told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/bill-clinton-mr-bob-dole-you-too-old-to-understand-tha-way-tha-game/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [My generation didn't face the kind of urgent, pressing issues that my parents did, who fought through a war and a Depression and know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/my-generation-didn-t-face-the-kind-of-urgent-pressing-issues-that-my/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Bob Dole is going to be appearing in a Pepsi commercial with Britney Spears. Yeah, apparently Dole says that if this doesn't cure his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/bob-dole-is-going-to-be-appearing-in-a-pepsi-commercial-with-britney/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [As Bob Dole found out, you can't keep a positive image while being your party's mouthpiece in Congress. That's why no legislative leader since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/as-bob-dole-found-out-you-can-t-keep-a-positive-image-while-being/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [Bob Dole used to be really funny. Barney Frank can be kind of funny. Bob Kerrey has a good sense of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/bob-dole-used-to-be-really-funny-barney-frank-can-be-kind-of-funny/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [In 2008, Barack Obama did get Democrats hyperventilating, whipped up to a creamy froth, while John McCain creaked ahead like a cranky granddad whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-hyperventilating-whipped-up-to/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) ## More by Cherry Jones > [I never go to the movies when I'm doing a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-jones/i-never-go-to-the-movies-when-i-m-doing-a-play/) [Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) > [I think there's something about being absolutely at the height of intensity at almost every moment of one's job that makes it a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-jones/i-think-there-s-something-about-being-absolutely-at-the-height-of/) [Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) > [As an actor, whether you look good or you don't, it's still about what you look like: Whether you are heavy enough to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-jones/as-an-actor-whether-you-look-good-or-you-don-t-it-s-still-about-what/) [Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) > [I'm one of those lazy actors; I like to take what the playwright wrote and work with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-jones/i-m-one-of-those-lazy-actors-i-like-to-take-what-the-playwright-wrote/) [Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) > [I went to see 'The Piano' with Holly Hunter when I was in a Paula Vogel play, and I was just gone. I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-jones/i-went-to-see-the-piano-with-holly-hunter-when-i-was-in-a-paula-vogel/) [Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) > [If you can find the courage, if you have in your heart even the slightest bit of rebellion against injustice, maybe you can channel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-jones/if-you-can-find-the-courage-if-you-have-in-your-heart-even-the/) [Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) > [Sometimes the hardest part I think for actors on '24' is some of the jargon and getting the ideas and the thoughts and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-jones/sometimes-the-hardest-part-i-think-for-actors-on-24-is-some-of-the/) [Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) > [After 30 years in the theater, I'm used to having a great amount of control over what I do. But with '24', you place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-jones/after-30-years-in-the-theater-i-m-used-to-having-a-great-amount-of/) [Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) > [If you want to have more options as an actor, you just need to watch your weight, and I've ignored that fact for several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-jones/if-you-want-to-have-more-options-as-an-actor-you-just-need-to-watch/) [Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) [Explore all 10 Cherry Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) ## More Bob quotes > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I think anyone that grew up in the '70s and '80s grew up with Bob Barker and Wink Martindale and I think that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-think-anyone-that-grew-up-in-the-70s-and-80s-grew-up-with-bob/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [ Except in these latter-day songs, \[Bob\] Dylan is a grizzled old prophet who's already been to hell and back. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/except-in-these-latter-day-songs-bob-dylan-is-a-grizzled-old-prophet/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [Over the past 50 years Bob Hope employed 88 joke writers who supplied him with more than one million gags, and he still couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/over-the-past-50-years-bob-hope-employed-88-joke-writers-who-supplied/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [I like men who are very cool but who are also so brilliant that they are almost insane. Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [I was very engaged by the folk music movement.Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary. And then I sort of discovered world music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-was-very-engaged-by-the-folk-music-movement-bob-dylan-joan-baez/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ The most recent incarnation of \[Bob\] Dylan has been the traveling journeyman/ charlatan who sings roots music, snarls dark lyrics that make "All Along… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/the-most-recent-incarnation-of-bob-dylan-has-been-the-traveling/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [Well. We’ll just have to hope that this wasn’t a loup-garou, I guess.” “If it was a louper, you’d know,” Bob said wisely. “In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/well-we-ll-just-have-to-hope-that-this-wasn-t-a-loup-garou-i-guess-if/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Because of my tremendous respect for Bob Barker and for the show's high standards of professionalism I consider this a tremendous honor that few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-west/because-of-my-tremendous-respect-for-bob-barker-and-for-the-show-s/) [Randy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-west/) > [That's who I wanted to be like was Bob Dylan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/that-s-who-i-wanted-to-be-like-was-bob-dylan/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [Everybody who I ever cared about has told me that they like my music: Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Al Green, The Spinners, Smokey Robinson.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hall/everybody-who-i-ever-cared-about-has-told-me-that-they-like-my-music/) [Daryl Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hall/) > [Bob's work gleaned from hoofing, from vaudeville, from ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/bob-s-work-gleaned-from-hoofing-from-vaudeville-from-ballet/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [Producing Bob Dylan was pretty much a spectator sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/producing-bob-dylan-was-pretty-much-a-spectator-sport/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [Listen, the story of the United States is this: One kid, without anything, walks out of his house, down the road, with nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-burnett/listen-the-story-of-the-united-states-is-this-one-kid-without/) [T Bone Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-bone-burnett/) > [I figure if I keep my health, I have no intention of retiring. I love to work. I want to be like Bob Hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-figure-if-i-keep-my-health-i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-i-love/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) Browse all 886 Bob quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I almost dropped dead the first time I heard Bob Dole say 'gay marriage' on the floor of the senate. He wasn't saying nice things, but he said it! I never thought in my lifetime I'd hear that. I just think we're moving now at warp speed. 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