--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As I have done in every election since I…" description: "\"As I have done in every election since I started voting so many years ago, I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/colin-powell-691_candidates_as-i-have-done-in-every-election-since-i_2523751.jpg" --- # As I have done in every election since I started voting so… ![“As I have done in every election since I started voting so many years ago, I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring in, the people they will bring in, who they might appoint to the Supreme Court, and look at the…” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/colin-powell-691_candidates_as-i-have-done-in-every-election-since-i_2523751.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/colin-powell-691_candidates_as-i-have-done-in-every-election-since-i_2523751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/colin-powell-691_candidates_as-i-have-done-in-every-election-since-i_2523751.jpg) > “As I have done in every election since I started voting so many years ago, I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring in, the people they will bring in, who they might appoint to the Supreme Court, and look at the whole range of issues before making a decision.” [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He advocates thorough, policy‑focused evaluation of candidates before voting. **In simple terms:** Vote after careful review of policies and qualifications. Key Takeaway Research candidates thoroughly before deciding. Themes civic duty critical thinking politics Mood analytical pragmatic Type instructional motivational When to use this quote - voter education - candidate comparison - issue assessment Key Concepts electoral analysis public policy Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize issues when voting? - What sources best inform your decisions? A Different Perspective Time constraints may limit deep analysis for every voter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates/) [Candidates Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates-candidates-398296/) [Candidates Policies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates-policies-398295/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Examine Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examine-candidates-398294/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Making A Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-a-decision/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [It's important for us all to elect people not just on blind party loyalty. We've got to really examine what candidates say and do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/it-s-important-for-us-all-to-elect-people-not-just-on-blind-party/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [Everyone that I'm friends with does not have the same party standing. For the most part, my friends are Democrats, but not everyone is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-browning/everyone-that-i-m-friends-with-does-not-have-the-same-party-standing/) [Logan Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-browning/) > [Generally you should act somewhere between P40 and P70, as I call it. Sometime after you have obtained 40 percent of all the information…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/generally-you-should-act-somewhere-between-p40-and-p70-as-i-call-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I don't know who all of his advisers are, but I've seen some of the names and some of them are quite far to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-don-t-know-who-all-of-his-advisers-are-but-i-ve-seen-some-of-the/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I have always gone through public life and saying that with respect to political candidates, I always measure each candidate against what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-and-saying-that-with-respect/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I think the American people are sophisticated enough and wise enough to make judgments about the candidates and wade through the charges and countercharges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-think-the-american-people-are-sophisticated-enough-and-wise-enough/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We can actually speak, much like Bernie Sanders did, for an agenda that the American people are actually clamoring for. In an election which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/we-can-actually-speak-much-like-bernie-sanders-did-for-an-agenda-that/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ \[American Communist Party\] 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/) > [Being a little older is not going to win election. Being a little younger might, especially if the older candidates, Hillary Clinton included, can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/being-a-little-older-is-not-going-to-win-election-being-a-little/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [It is not because a part of the government is elective, that makes it less a despotism, if the persons so elected, possess afterwards,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-is-not-because-a-part-of-the-government-is-elective-that-makes-it/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Scientists say over the next hundred years, the coast of California will sink almost five feet. So the presidential candidates need to do something.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/scientists-say-over-the-next-hundred-years-the-coast-of-california/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-a-result-of-the-citizens-united-supreme-court-decision-american/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [During the election people from visible minorities stood as candidates on both the left and the right. And only one African woman was elected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-gaubert/during-the-election-people-from-visible-minorities-stood-as/) [Patrick Gaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-gaubert/) > [There is only one candidate in this election who can universally mobilize conservatives, and as evident from the variety of primary victors, none of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-labash/there-is-only-one-candidate-in-this-election-who-can-universally/) [Matt Labash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-labash/) ## More by Colin Powell > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/effective-leaders-are-made-not-born-they-learn-from-trial-and-error/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Decision-making is lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/decision-making-is-lonely/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-purposes-of-the-united-states-should-not-be-doubted-the-security/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We can seldom get our children to do what we tell them, but they almost never fail to imitate us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-can-seldom-get-our-children-to-do-what-we-tell-them-but-they/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [With respect to where we are now, we have a voluntary army. And if we ever go back to conscription I hope that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/with-respect-to-where-we-are-now-we-have-a-voluntary-army-and-if-we/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-not-bean-bags-it-s-serious-tough-stuff/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [There are no secrets to success: don't waste time looking for them, success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/there-are-no-secrets-to-success-don-t-waste-time-looking-for-them/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [So like any football or basketball coach, you always always believe you're going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/so-like-any-football-or-basketball-coach-you-always-always-believe/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [We hope that more assistance will be available to the nations of the region, to include Egypt, on the three pillars that I discussed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-hope-that-more-assistance-will-be-available-to-the-nations-of-the/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [One of the most worrisome things that emerges from the thick intelligence file we have on Iraq's biological weapons is the existence of mobile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/one-of-the-most-worrisome-things-that-emerges-from-the-thick/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Pissing people off doesn't mean you're doing the right things, but doing the right things will almost inevitably piss people off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/pissing-people-off-doesn-t-mean-you-re-doing-the-right-things-but/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-less-you-associate-with-some-people-the-more-your-life-will/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Be careful what you choose: You may get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/be-careful-what-you-choose-you-may-get-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) [Explore all 408 Colin Powell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## More Candidates quotes > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. 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There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/if-robert-heinlein-is-more-to-your-taste-than-george-lucas-if-you-are/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [Given a choice between two bald political candidates, the American people will vote for the less bald of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-gold/given-a-choice-between-two-bald-political-candidates-the-american/) [Victor Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-gold/) > [Jeb Bush was supposed to be the establishment candidate, but he didn't catch on. And the extraordinary thing about this Republican primary is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/jeb-bush-was-supposed-to-be-the-establishment-candidate-but-he-didn-t/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... 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I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [I like candidates who tell me something that is going to make a difference to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/i-like-candidates-who-tell-me-something-that-is-going-to-make-a/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) > [The reason that minorities and women don't have a better shot at getting elected to the Senate or to statewide office is because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/the-reason-that-minorities-and-women-don-t-have-a-better-shot-at/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) > [Hillary Clinton is the least popular candidate for president ever except for Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pickering/hillary-clinton-is-the-least-popular-candidate-for-president-ever/) [Charlie Pickering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pickering/) > [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has taken American politics by storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/republican-presidential-candidate-donald-trump-has-taken-american/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [The study of Freemasonry is the study of man as a candidate for a blessed eternity. It furnishes examples of holy living, and displays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-study-of-freemasonry-is-the-study-of-man-as-a-candidate-for-a/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) [Browse all 1,251 Candidates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As I have done in every election since I started voting so many years ago, I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring in, the people they will bring in, who they might appoint to the Supreme Court, and look at the whole range of issues before making a decision.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Colin Powell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/as-i-have-done-in-every-election-since-i-started-voting-so-many-years/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Candidates" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/as-i-have-done-in-every-election-since-i-started-voting-so-many-years/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/colin-powell-691_candidates_as-i-have-done-in-every-election-since-i_2523751.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/colin-powell-691_candidates_as-i-have-done-in-every-election-since-i_2523751.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/colin-powell-691_candidates_as-i-have-done-in-every-election-since-i_2523751.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As I have done in every election since I started voting so many years ago, I always like to take my time and…” — Colin Powell", "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": "Colin Powell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As I have done in every...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/as-i-have-done-in-every-election-since-i-started-voting-so-many-years/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/as-i-have-done-in-every-election-since-i-started-voting-so-many-years/#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 } } ] } ```