--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anytime somebody loses a presidential…" description: "\"Anytime somebody loses a presidential election, there are lots of explanations.\" — Chris Murphy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/chris-murphy-3617_election_anytime-somebody-loses-a-presidential-el_49270.png" --- # Anytime somebody loses a presidential election, there are… ![“Anytime somebody loses a presidential election, there are lots of explanations.” quote by Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/chris-murphy-3617_election_anytime-somebody-loses-a-presidential-el_49270.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/chris-murphy-3617_election_anytime-somebody-loses-a-presidential-el_49270.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/chris-murphy-3617_election_anytime-somebody-loses-a-presidential-el_49270.png) > “Anytime somebody loses a presidential election, there are lots of explanations.” [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People generate many rationalizations after a candidate's defeat, reflecting attempts to make sense of the loss. **In simple terms:** Post‑election rationalization Key Takeaway Loss triggers narrative building Themes politics psychology narrative bias interpretation Mood analytical critical Type observation analysis When to use this quote - political analysis - media commentary - campaign debrief - public discourse Key Concepts cognitive dissonance attribution theory Practical Applications - political consulting - media reporting Questions to Reflect On - Why do we seek explanations after defeat? - How do narratives shape future strategies? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Presidential election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential-election/) ## Related quotes > [Political nature abhors a vacuum, which is what often exists for a year or two in a party after it loses a presidential election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/political-nature-abhors-a-vacuum-which-is-what-often-exists-for-a/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [Shoot-offs are always a lottery. Somebody wins, somebody loses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-bindra/shoot-offs-are-always-a-lottery-somebody-wins-somebody-loses/) [Abhinav Bindra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-bindra/) > [I think that when somebody loses a bet, they tend to sometimes confuse their motives in rooting and enjoying the game because if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bettman/i-think-that-when-somebody-loses-a-bet-they-tend-to-sometimes-confuse/) [Gary Bettman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bettman/) > [Nobody ever wins the National Open. Somebody loses it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-jones/nobody-ever-wins-the-national-open-somebody-loses-it/) [Bobby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-jones/) > [In the last presidential election Obama and Romney raised about $1 billion each. The Koch brothers, the second wealthiest family in America, now say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/in-the-last-presidential-election-obama-and-romney-raised-about-1/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [In the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore got more votes than George W. Bush, but still lost the election. The Supreme Court's ruling in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/in-the-2000-presidential-election-al-gore-got-more-votes-than-george/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [Donald Trump was tainted every kind of way you could imagine. I mean, no way in the world that Donald Trump is a champion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/donald-trump-was-tainted-every-kind-of-way-you-could-imagine-i-mean/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [One of the problems we saw in the last presidential election in our party is that our nominee, while winning the election, which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-begala/one-of-the-problems-we-saw-in-the-last-presidential-election-in-our/) [Paul Begala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-begala/) > [We have a presidential election coming up. And I think the big problem, of course, is that someone will win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-crimmins/we-have-a-presidential-election-coming-up-and-i-think-the-big-problem/) [Barry Crimmins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-crimmins/) > [ \[American Communist Party\] legally exists in the U.S.A., it nominates its candidates in the elections, including Presidential elections. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/american-communist-party-legally-exists-in-the-u-s-a-it-nominates-its/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [What I see of the US Presidential elections from down here makes me want to disengage from that particular reality and just hole up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-goldman/what-i-see-of-the-us-presidential-elections-from-down-here-makes-me/) [Francisco Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-goldman/) > [Well, one thing that has happened is they have had a presidential election in Egypt which has represented progress. Now, we were not happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-wicker/well-one-thing-that-has-happened-is-they-have-had-a-presidential/) [Roger Wicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-wicker/) > [The future lies with those wise political leaders who realize that the great public is interested more in Government than in politics. The growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-future-lies-with-those-wise-political-leaders-who-realize-that/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [In any case, open-seat presidential elections like 2008 just are different in character from incumbent reelects, and I think that's the most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/in-any-case-open-seat-presidential-elections-like-2008-just-are/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by Chris Murphy > [What we do in Connecticut is ban assault weapons. We ban high-capacity magazines. We have true universal background checks, and we require everybody to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/what-we-do-in-connecticut-is-ban-assault-weapons-we-ban-high-capacity/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [I ran in 2006 as an opponent of the Iraq War, and I came to Congress to change overreliance on U.S. military power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/i-ran-in-2006-as-an-opponent-of-the-iraq-war-and-i-came-to-congress/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [The political alliance between the House of Saud and the conservative Wahhabi clerics is as old as the nation, and the alliance has resulted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/the-political-alliance-between-the-house-of-saud-and-the-conservative/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [The skill of telemarketing does not necessarily translate into governing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/the-skill-of-telemarketing-does-not-necessarily-translate-into/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [In Connecticut, we have passed some of the strongest anti-gun-violence laws in the nation. We don't restrict anybody's Second Amendment rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/in-connecticut-we-have-passed-some-of-the-strongest-anti-gun-violence/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [From fear of the unknown, both horns and wings have grown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/from-fear-of-the-unknown-both-horns-and-wings-have-grown/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [There's no more personal issue than gun violence; every one of these stories is a life lost, i'm hoping that over the long term,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/there-s-no-more-personal-issue-than-gun-violence-every-one-of-these/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [There's no denying that if I were designing a health care system from scratch, I'd build a Medicare for All system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/there-s-no-denying-that-if-i-were-designing-a-health-care-system-from/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [It would be devastating for America if Donald Trump won, and it would be devastating for the anti-gun-violence movement. But we would be on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/it-would-be-devastating-for-america-if-donald-trump-won-and-it-would/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [Russia's number-one goal is to pull apart the E.U., to pull apart NATO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/russia-s-number-one-goal-is-to-pull-apart-the-e-u-to-pull-apart-nato/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [I do not understand how people can look at the rapid spread of extremism all across the globe and not understand that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/i-do-not-understand-how-people-can-look-at-the-rapid-spread-of/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [American values don't begin and end with destroyers and aircraft carriers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/american-values-don-t-begin-and-end-with-destroyers-and-aircraft/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [Saudi Arabia is an important country to the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/saudi-arabia-is-an-important-country-to-the-united-states/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [The absence of fear is love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/the-absence-of-fear-is-love/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [The anti-gun-violence movement was essentially asleep from 1994 to 2012, and during that time, the gun lobby built up enormous political power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/the-anti-gun-violence-movement-was-essentially-asleep-from-1994-to/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) [Explore all 126 Chris Murphy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) ## More Election quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [There's more than 1700 emails out of the thirty three thousand Hillary Clinton emails that we've published, just about Libya. It's not that Libya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/there-s-more-than-1700-emails-out-of-the-thirty-three-thousand/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [It's not clear in the U.S. at the moment, either. We're going through another election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/it-s-not-clear-in-the-u-s-at-the-moment-either-we-re-going-through/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [I always lose the election in the polls, and I always win it on election day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/i-always-lose-the-election-in-the-polls-and-i-always-win-it-on/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [Elections are not a beauty contest. It is all about tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-franz/elections-are-not-a-beauty-contest-it-is-all-about-tolerance/) Vladimir Franz > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [The election of Trump threw the chess board up. The pieces are all over the place. That's upsetting to a lot of people, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/the-election-of-trump-threw-the-chess-board-up-the-pieces-are-all/) [Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/) > [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [I spent many years working for voting rights, but we still see sophisticated efforts, led by white officials, to disenfranchise black voters in local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-brooke/i-spent-many-years-working-for-voting-rights-but-we-still-see/) [Edward Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-brooke/) > [“The answer to the question raised in the title of this essay - Is salvation a matter of divine determination or human responsibility? -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layton-talbert/the-answer-to-the-question-raised-in-the-title-of-this-essay-is/) [Layton Talbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layton-talbert/) > [One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective. Election and power are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/one-of-the-reasons-people-hate-politics-is-that-truth-is-rarely-a/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) [Browse all 3,344 Election quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anytime somebody loses a presidential election, there are lots of explanations.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Murphy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/anytime-somebody-loses-a-presidential-election-there-are-lots-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Election" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/anytime-somebody-loses-a-presidential-election-there-are-lots-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/chris-murphy-3617_election_anytime-somebody-loses-a-presidential-el_49270.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/chris-murphy-3617_election_anytime-somebody-loses-a-presidential-el_49270.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/chris-murphy-3617_election_anytime-somebody-loses-a-presidential-el_49270.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Anytime somebody loses a presidential election, there are lots of explanations.” — Chris Murphy", "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": "Chris Murphy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Anytime somebody loses a presidential election,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/anytime-somebody-loses-a-presidential-election-there-are-lots-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/anytime-somebody-loses-a-presidential-election-there-are-lots-of/#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 } } ] } ```