--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always gone through public life…" description: "\"I have always gone through public life and saying that with respect to political candidates, I always measure each candidate against what I think the c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/colin-powell-691_candidate_i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-a_205507.jpg" --- # I have always gone through public life and saying that… ![“I have always gone through public life and saying that with respect to political candidates, I always measure each candidate against what I think the country needs at that time, and I will vote for the person I think who is most qualified to serve the nation at that time.” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/colin-powell-691_candidate_i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-a_205507.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/colin-powell-691_candidate_i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-a_205507.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/colin-powell-691_candidate_i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-a_205507.jpg) > “I have always gone through public life and saying that with respect to political candidates, I always measure each candidate against what I think the country needs at that time, and I will vote for the person I think who is most qualified to serve the nation at that time.” [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 evaluates political candidates based on national needs and qualifications, prioritizing merit over personal preference. **In simple terms:** Vote for the most qualified candidate for the country's needs. Key Takeaway Choose leaders by competence, not popularity. Themes leadership politics meritocracy Mood thoughtful analytical Type political motivational When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - government appointments Key Concepts public service decision making national interest Questions to Reflect On - What criteria define a candidate's qualification? - How do you balance expertise with public sentiment? A Different Perspective May overlook the importance of representation and diverse perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-candidates/) [Public life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-life/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [I just don't see anonymous sources as fair against a candidate. I think if someone has a real concern, they should come out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-bailey-hutchison/i-just-don-t-see-anonymous-sources-as-fair-against-a-candidate-i/) [Kay Bailey Hutchison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-bailey-hutchison/) > [It obviously matters who gets to be president. And it's perfectly valid for us media types to advocate for the candidate we think is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/it-obviously-matters-who-gets-to-be-president-and-it-s-perfectly/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [I think I should be on the main stage. I don't think I'm an undercard candidate. I think the others should drop out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-montagne/i-think-i-should-be-on-the-main-stage-i-don-t-think-i-m-an-undercard/) [Renee Montagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-montagne/) > [I really believe that anybody on the Left or the Right that tries to invoke the teachings of Jesus to say they should vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell-jr/i-really-believe-that-anybody-on-the-left-or-the-right-that-tries-to/) [Jerry Falwell, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell-jr/) > [I honestly don't even really want to think about it; I'd rather focus on how wonderful she is. Hillary Clinton is such a formidable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-honestly-don-t-even-really-want-to-think-about-it-i-d-rather-focus/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [“You'd be amazed at how many presidents, senators, congressmen, governors, even mayors get elected not because of their own merits or actions, but simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-archer/you-d-be-amazed-at-how-many-presidents-senators-congressmen-governors/) [David Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-archer/) > [Rarely does a candidate think ahead and take the time to understand what the hiring company's priorities are, and then carefully presents himself as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azran-osman-rani/rarely-does-a-candidate-think-ahead-and-take-the-time-to-understand/) [Azran Osman Rani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azran-osman-rani/) > [I think there's very many paths to a nomination, and they don't all necessarily go through the bloggers. I don't think we, as bloggers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markos-moulitsas/i-think-there-s-very-many-paths-to-a-nomination-and-they-don-t-all/) [Markos Moulitsas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markos-moulitsas/) > [You will vote for first choice candidate whether or not you think he'll win. But I'm saying you may find yourself for a candidate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-arrow/you-will-vote-for-first-choice-candidate-whether-or-not-you-think-he/) [Kenneth Arrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-arrow/) > [A September 2015 poll found that, by a 3-1 margin, voters are more likely to support political candidates who favor raising the minimum wage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rolf/a-september-2015-poll-found-that-by-a-3-1-margin-voters-are-more/) [David Rolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rolf/) > [“exaggerated. If you take political candidates as a population sample, then the United States is a Third World country. Everyone grows up poor, running…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/exaggerated-if-you-take-political-candidates-as-a-population-sample/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [Those of us and so many other stalwart critics and opponents and questioners and dissidents in conservative media were attacked for doing what those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-malkin/those-of-us-and-so-many-other-stalwart-critics-and-opponents-and/) [Michelle Malkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-malkin/) > [ You see sort of the difference in the way that Marco Rubio was talking in that kind of way. That kind of \[Donald\] Trump… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-see-sort-of-the-difference-in-the-way-that-marco-rubio-was/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I don't get asked a lot of questions about who is the best political candidate or what my position is on what the Senate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-don-t-get-asked-a-lot-of-questions-about-who-is-the-best-political/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [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 ## 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 Candidate quotes > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [As a registered Democrat, I am praying for a credible presidential candidate to emerge from the younger tier of politicians in their late 40s.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/as-a-registered-democrat-i-am-praying-for-a-credible-presidential/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Obama did organize a great large number of people and many enthusiastic people, what's called in the press 'Obama's Army.' But the army is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/obama-did-organize-a-great-large-number-of-people-and-many/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Candidate Trump held out his hand to Vladimir Putin. He rejected further U.S. intervention in Syria other than to smash ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/candidate-trump-held-out-his-hand-to-vladimir-putin-he-rejected/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [You should not be misled about the so-called single opposition candidate. There are so many of them now that you will lack the fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/you-should-not-be-misled-about-the-so-called-single-opposition/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [I want to say that I cannot be intimidated or stopped. In order to put an end to various attempts to get rid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitali-klitschko/i-want-to-say-that-i-cannot-be-intimidated-or-stopped-in-order-to-put/) [Vitali Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitali-klitschko/) > [Today, I'm a candidate for the office of president of the United States of America. My kids can't believe I just said that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-huntsman-jr/today-i-m-a-candidate-for-the-office-of-president-of-the-united/) [Jon Huntsman, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-huntsman-jr/) > [I think Trump is a very interesting candidate in this sense: I think he has cross-party appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/i-think-trump-is-a-very-interesting-candidate-in-this-sense-i-think/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [I do think that sometimes, especially coming into this going straight from activism to being a candidate or to being a person who potentially,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandria-ocasio-cortez/i-do-think-that-sometimes-especially-coming-into-this-going-straight/) [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandria-ocasio-cortez/) > [Even though I don't agree with Donald Trump on everything, and I think there may be certain things or statements of his that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-zeldin/even-though-i-don-t-agree-with-donald-trump-on-everything-and-i-think/) [Lee Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-zeldin/) > [I'm not quite certain how you can force a candidate to stick by the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-ifill/i-m-not-quite-certain-how-you-can-force-a-candidate-to-stick-by-the/) [Gwen Ifill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-ifill/) > [I am not a fan of Mitt Romney, but I admit that he is, politically speaking, a good candidate for president. He has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schlossberg/i-am-not-a-fan-of-mitt-romney-but-i-admit-that-he-is-politically/) [Jack Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schlossberg/) > [I am aware of the responsibility I am taking on as the chancellor. Things have developed very quickly for me in recent years, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-kurz/i-am-aware-of-the-responsibility-i-am-taking-on-as-the-chancellor/) [Sebastian Kurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-kurz/) > [For people to even think that I'd be considered or a good candidate for a supporting actress nomination is mind blowing to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naya-rivera/for-people-to-even-think-that-i-d-be-considered-or-a-good-candidate/) [Naya Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naya-rivera/) > [A candidate's faith is not the only consideration, but should be a major consideration in electing the president of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/a-candidate-s-faith-is-not-the-only-consideration-but-should-be-a/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) [Browse all 529 Candidate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have always gone through public life and saying that with respect to political candidates, I always measure each candidate against what I think the country needs at that time, and I will vote for the person I think who is most qualified to serve the nation at that time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Colin Powell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-and-saying-that-with-respect/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Candidate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-and-saying-that-with-respect/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/colin-powell-691_candidate_i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-a_205507.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/colin-powell-691_candidate_i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-a_205507.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6b/colin-powell-691_candidate_i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-a_205507.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have always gone through public life and saying that with respect to political candidates, I always…” — 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": "I have always gone through public...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-and-saying-that-with-respect/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-have-always-gone-through-public-life-and-saying-that-with-respect/#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 } } ] } ```