--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My first obligation is my job. It's very…" description: "\"My first obligation is my job. It's very hard to really get into campaign mode when you've got to focus on doing the work.\" — Claire McCaskill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c44/claire-mccaskill-5688_campaign_my-first-obligation-is-my-job-it-s-very_248226.png" --- # My first obligation is my job. It's very hard to really… ![“My first obligation is my job. It's very hard to really get into campaign mode when you've got to focus on doing the work.” quote by Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c44/claire-mccaskill-5688_campaign_my-first-obligation-is-my-job-it-s-very_248226.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c44/claire-mccaskill-5688_campaign_my-first-obligation-is-my-job-it-s-very_248226.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c44/claire-mccaskill-5688_campaign_my-first-obligation-is-my-job-it-s-very_248226.png) > “My first obligation is my job. It's very hard to really get into campaign mode when you've got to focus on doing the work.” [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Primary duty is work; campaign mode is hard when focused on tasks. **In simple terms:** Job duties precede political campaigning. Key Takeaway Prioritize core responsibilities. Themes politics work ethic focus Mood pragmatic determined Type professional strategic When to use this quote - government work - nonprofit leadership - project management Key Concepts public service campaign strategy Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance work and political ambitions? - What strategies help maintain focus? A Different Perspective Campaign pressures may conflict with job duties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Campaigns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) [Doing The Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-the-work/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [It's a strategic thing to be in permanent campaign mode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-s-a-strategic-thing-to-be-in-permanent-campaign-mode/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ \[Bill\] Clinton remained in campaign mode the first years of his first term. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/bill-clinton-remained-in-campaign-mode-the-first-years-of-his-first/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Being in permanent campaign mode allows you to never stop the process of destroying your opponents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/being-in-permanent-campaign-mode-allows-you-to-never-stop-the-process/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I have modes, mental modes that I get in, and when I'm on the road, I focus very much on doing the work. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/i-have-modes-mental-modes-that-i-get-in-and-when-i-m-on-the-road-i/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [ Now, the Clinton campaign, you must understand something about the Clintons, and it's true of \[Barack\] Obama, and it's true of most Democrats. They… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/now-the-clinton-campaign-you-must-understand-something-about-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [One of the downsides of the job is that I am travelling so much, and I don't have so much time to go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-ivanovic/one-of-the-downsides-of-the-job-is-that-i-am-travelling-so-much-and-i/) [Ana Ivanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-ivanovic/) > [“I want an ocean job, but they’re hard to land.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-want-an-ocean-job-but-they-re-hard-to-land/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“From here on out, Reena's life was going to be hard. 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It's hard to get the first job, but it's so much harder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-faris/the-hardest-thing-in-my-industry-is-longevity-getting-your-next-job/) [Anna Faris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-faris/) ## More by Claire McCaskill > [No commander in chief would ever say, 'I'm not going to listen to the guys on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/no-commander-in-chief-would-ever-say-i-m-not-going-to-listen-to-the/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [Only in Washington would the Republican operatives get the entire press corps ginned up over the notion that I'm going to be home campaigning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/only-in-washington-would-the-republican-operatives-get-the-entire/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I'm going to work with Republicans when they do things I agree with and I'm going to fight Republicans when they're doing things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-m-going-to-work-with-republicans-when-they-do-things-i-agree-with/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I'm a moderate. I hang out in the middle. I vote against my party with some regularity and try to compromise. It doesn't appear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-m-a-moderate-i-hang-out-in-the-middle-i-vote-against-my-party-with/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I think, first of all, you know, Washington has a bad habit of a very short attention span.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-think-first-of-all-you-know-washington-has-a-bad-habit-of-a-very/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I worry about the lack of experience that Rex Tillerson has had on the diplomatic front and, frankly, I think that's true for many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-worry-about-the-lack-of-experience-that-rex-tillerson-has-had-on/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [First of all, Donald Trump cabinet or - I call it the 3-G cabinet, Goldman, generals and gazillionaires. And I think it's one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/first-of-all-donald-trump-cabinet-or-i-call-it-the-3-g-cabinet/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I want to compliment the fraternity and sorority organizations for taking the time to meet with us and then removing their support from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-want-to-compliment-the-fraternity-and-sorority-organizations-for/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [ What is most heartbreaking to me is the young women who don't report \[being raped\] because they were drinking, and they feel like it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/what-is-most-heartbreaking-to-me-is-the-young-women-who-don-t-report/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [ \[Hillary Clinton\] and I are fine. Are we going to be besties for the rest of our lives? No. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/hillary-clinton-and-i-are-fine-are-we-going-to-be-besties-for-the/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I have fought the establishment, run primaries, my entire career. I think that for Planned Parenthood or NARAL or the Human Rights Campaign to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-have-fought-the-establishment-run-primaries-my-entire-career-i/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [Corporate governance is a huge issue too. We don't have women on these corporate boards. More than half of the students in law school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/corporate-governance-is-a-huge-issue-too-we-don-t-have-women-on-these/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I've got a really hard election. If you had a really hard election and it was after Labor Day would you go to North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-ve-got-a-really-hard-election-if-you-had-a-really-hard-election-and/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [After holding hearings to get input from Missourians, I led the fight to pass legislation that protects seniors from predatory lending in the mortgage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/after-holding-hearings-to-get-input-from-missourians-i-led-the-fight/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [Universities simply unable to play judge, jury and executioner when they're already having trouble playing educator. Resources are limited and colleges must put their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/universities-simply-unable-to-play-judge-jury-and-executioner-when/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) [Explore all 100 Claire McCaskill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) ## More Campaign quotes > [If you put everything, your heart and soul into a campaign, it might take you a while to come around to the realization that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/if-you-put-everything-your-heart-and-soul-into-a-campaign-it-might/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [The #MeToo campaign is monumental. 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I was too strident. I didn't recognize the emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-injured-myself-politically-when-i-took-on-jesse-jackson-in-the-1988/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [When I campaign with seniors, it's always, 'Are you a Democrat or Republican?' But when I campaign on college campuses, they ask me where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/when-i-campaign-with-seniors-it-s-always-are-you-a-democrat-or/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product. Unless your advertising contains a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/it-takes-a-big-idea-to-attract-the-attention-of-consumers-and-get/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [The #SwimSexy campaign is redefining standards of beauty, and I'm proud to be a part of it. 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