Bitter Quote by Condoleezza Rice
“It is possible to work across the aisle in Washington, but it's hard. And I think it's been made worse by the kind of 24-hour news cycle, the fact that everything is on TV before you can work things out quietly. I think it's the intensity of information that makes it feel more difficult to get things done. But I didn't leave with a bitter taste about the politics. The one thing that I would say is, I do think there is an unfortunate tendency to turn political differences, or policy differences, into critiques of one another's character or motives, and that's unfortunate.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Political commentary on bipartisan work, 2021
The speaker notes that intense, 24‑hour news cycles hinder quiet bipartisan collaboration, leading to personal attacks instead of policy focus.
In simple terms: Constant news pressure makes bipartisan work hard and turns policy debates into personal attacks.
Encourage private, focused policy discussions.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- legislative sessions
- media briefings
- campaign strategy
- public debates
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can politicians foster civility under media scrutiny?
- What mechanisms reduce personal attacks in policy debates?
The quote may overlook successful bipartisan efforts despite media pressure.