--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once I had asked, ‘But are you a Democrat…" description: "\"“Once I had asked, ‘But are you a Democrat or a Republican?” and Jonathan said, “I’m socially progressive but fiscally conservative,” and Doug Miles, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff7/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_ball-player_once-i-had-asked-but-are-you-a-democrat_2911502.jpg" --- # Once I had asked, ‘But are you a Democrat or a… ![“Once I had asked, ‘But are you a Democrat or a Republican?” and Jonathan said, “I’m socially progressive but fiscally conservative,” and Doug Miles, a football player who also came to Sunday breakfast but only ever read the sports section and ignored everyone, lifted his head and said, “Is that…” quote by Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff7/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_ball-player_once-i-had-asked-but-are-you-a-democrat_2911502.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff7/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_ball-player_once-i-had-asked-but-are-you-a-democrat_2911502.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff7/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_ball-player_once-i-had-asked-but-are-you-a-democrat_2911502.jpg) > ““Once I had asked, ‘But are you a Democrat or a Republican?” and Jonathan said, “I’m socially progressive but fiscally conservative,” and Doug Miles, a football player who also came to Sunday breakfast but only ever read the sports section and ignored everyone, lifted his head and said, “Is that like being bisexual?” Which I actually thought was funny, even though I was pretty sure Doug was a jerk.”” [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A conversation highlights how political labels can be oversimplified and misunderstood, leading to awkward or humorous misunderstandings. **In simple terms:** Political labels can be confusing and lead to funny moments. Key Takeaway Recognize nuance beyond simple labels. Themes politics communication humor Mood reflective amused Type observational conversational When to use this quote - social gatherings - political debates - media consumption Key Concepts identity ideology misinterpretation Questions to Reflect On - How do you clarify your political stance? - When does humor reveal deeper disagreements? A Different Perspective Labels may not capture full beliefs, causing miscommunication. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-player/) ## Related quotes > [I will not be a Democrat or a Republican. They are the problem, not the solution. 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You see, in our two-party system, the Democrats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/the-only-thing-dumber-than-a-democrat-or-a-republican-is-when-those/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“I'm not Democrat or Republican: I Vote Entrepreneur”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/i-m-not-democrat-or-republican-i-vote-entrepreneur/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, whether you are a liberal or a conservative, we know that neither this President nor prior Presidents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whether-you-are-a-democrat-or-republican-whether-you-are-a-liberal-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Arlen Specter left the GOP because it is a lot easier to win in Pennsylvania as a Democrat than as a Republican. 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Both of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-won-t-organize-any-black-man-to-be-a-democrat-or-a-republican/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The reality is, we're seeing these more intense events, we're seeing these mega-hurricanes. Nobody's disputing that and nobody thinks that's a Democrat or Republican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/the-reality-is-we-re-seeing-these-more-intense-events-we-re-seeing/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) > [Don't vote for a Democrat or Republican, I have never voted for one in my life and I never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/don-t-vote-for-a-democrat-or-republican-i-have-never-voted-for-one-in/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) ## More by Curtis Sittenfeld > [The best part of being a writer for me is immersing myself in a fictional world, which is the opposite of being on social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/the-best-part-of-being-a-writer-for-me-is-immersing-myself-in-a/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“I think adults forget just how much faith teenagers can have in them, just how willing to believe that adults, by virtue of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-think-adults-forget-just-how-much-faith-teenagers-can-have-in-them/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“She came down to my dorm that night, knocking on the door around nine o'clock. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-should-probably-be-careful-admitting-this-but-sometimes-when-my/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“Approaching each other, him from the gym, me from the library- this was when I walked down the aisle and he was waiting, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/approaching-each-other-him-from-the-gym-me-from-the-library-this-was/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [After I’d told her – the mall, the taxi, Cross stroking my hair – she said, ‘Did he kiss you?’ ‘John and Martin totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/after-i-d-told-her-the-mall-the-taxi-cross-stroking-my-hair-she-said/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [There's an ongoing 'water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink' situation at my house in terms of both pens and paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/there-s-an-ongoing-water-water-everywhere-and-not-a-drop-to-drink/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [She opened her mouth but did not immediately speak, and I felt, simultaneously, the impulse to coax the words from her and the impulse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/she-opened-her-mouth-but-did-not-immediately-speak-and-i-felt/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“But the truth was that I didn't want to stay in Riley. The pulls of familial love and obligation could not, for the moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/but-the-truth-was-that-i-didn-t-want-to-stay-in-riley-the-pulls-of/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“Profii de aici le-au vazut pe toate. Noi ne percepem ca individualitati distincte, dar in ochii lor nu suntem decat o masa de nevoi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/profii-de-aici-le-au-vazut-pe-toate-noi-ne-percepem-ca/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [When I was writing my first two books I was also freelancing and teaching and doing other odd jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/when-i-was-writing-my-first-two-books-i-was-also-freelancing-and/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“When I think of Henry and Oliver and Mike, I feel as if they are three different models - templates, almost - and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/when-i-think-of-henry-and-oliver-and-mike-i-feel-as-if-they-are-three/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) [Explore all 212 Curtis Sittenfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) ## More Ball player quotes > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. 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You've got to like competing. That's how your team gets better, when you have competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-competed-every-day-as-a-professional-football-player-you-ve-got-to/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [“I can’t wait to knock you up and have a whole team of little baseball players around this place!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sterling/i-can-t-wait-to-knock-you-up-and-have-a-whole-team-of-little-baseball/) [J. Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sterling/) > [MOST AMAZING FOOTBALL PLAYER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD && IN REAL MADRID](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-amazing-football-player-in-the-entire-world-in-real-madrid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My older brothers were both basketball players so I just grew up around the gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brook-lopez/my-older-brothers-were-both-basketball-players-so-i-just-grew-up/) [Brook Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brook-lopez/) > [I'm a basketball player, so I want to do whatever I've got to do to be on the floor and I'm prepared for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrese-haliburton/i-m-a-basketball-player-so-i-want-to-do-whatever-i-ve-got-to-do-to-be/) [Tyrese Haliburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrese-haliburton/) > [“Seeing yourself in print is such an amazing concept: you can get so much attention without having to actually show up somewhere. While others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeing-yourself-in-print-is-such-an-amazing-concept-you-can-get-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People say baseball players should go out and have fun. No way. To me, baseball is pressure, I always feel it. This is work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/people-say-baseball-players-should-go-out-and-have-fun-no-way-to-me/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Our main imports are baseball players and acid rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/canada-is-a-country-whose-main-exports-are-hockey-players-and-cold/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [“The great thing about baseball players, from the point of view of personal hygiene, is how seldom they break a sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-great-thing-about-baseball-players-from-the-point-of-view-of/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [A lot of scouts and people are enamored with athleticism and youth. So they take that any day over mature, high-quality basketball players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-brogdon/a-lot-of-scouts-and-people-are-enamored-with-athleticism-and-youth-so/) [Malcolm Brogdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-brogdon/) > [I'm a baseball player. I've done this my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/i-m-a-baseball-player-i-ve-done-this-my-whole-life/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) Browse all 1,395 Ball player quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Once I had asked, ‘But are you a Democrat or a Republican?” and Jonathan said, “I’m socially progressive but fiscally conservative,” and Doug Miles, a football player who also came to Sunday breakfast but only ever read the sports section and ignored everyone, lifted his head and said, “Is that like being bisexual?” Which I actually thought was funny, even though I was pretty sure Doug was a jerk.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Curtis Sittenfeld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/once-i-had-asked-but-are-you-a-democrat-or-a-republican-and-jonathan/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ball player" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/once-i-had-asked-but-are-you-a-democrat-or-a-republican-and-jonathan/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff7/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_ball-player_once-i-had-asked-but-are-you-a-democrat_2911502.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff7/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_ball-player_once-i-had-asked-but-are-you-a-democrat_2911502.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff7/curtis-sittenfeld-1731_ball-player_once-i-had-asked-but-are-you-a-democrat_2911502.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Once I had asked, ‘But are you a Democrat or a Republican?” and Jonathan said, “I’m socially progressive but…” — Curtis Sittenfeld", "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": "Curtis Sittenfeld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Once I had asked, ‘But are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/once-i-had-asked-but-are-you-a-democrat-or-a-republican-and-jonathan/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/once-i-had-asked-but-are-you-a-democrat-or-a-republican-and-jonathan/#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 } } ] } ```