--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It seems to me that our presidential…" description: "\"It seems to me that our presidential elections have turned more into a popularity contest than a real analysis about who really should be President of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/danny-strong-15949_election_it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-ele_2645642.jpg" --- # It seems to me that our presidential elections have turned… ![“It seems to me that our presidential elections have turned more into a popularity contest than a real analysis about who really should be President of the United States.” quote by Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/danny-strong-15949_election_it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-ele_2645642.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/danny-strong-15949_election_it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-ele_2645642.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/danny-strong-15949_election_it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-ele_2645642.jpg) > “It seems to me that our presidential elections have turned more into a popularity contest than a real analysis about who really should be President of the United States.” [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that U.S. presidential elections prioritize candidate likability over substantive policy evaluation. **In simple terms:** Elections focus on popularity, not policy. Key Takeaway Consider evaluating candidates on policies. Themes politics elections media public opinion Mood critical concerned Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - voter decision making - media analysis - campaign planning Key Concepts democracy populism campaign strategy Questions to Reflect On - How does media influence voter perception? - What criteria should voters prioritize? A Different Perspective Popularity contests can overlook critical qualifications. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Elections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elections/) [Popularity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popularity/) [Popularity contest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popularity-contest/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Presidential election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential-election/) ## Related quotes > [Federal elections happen every two years in this country. Presidential elections every four years. And four years just isn't long enough to dismantle all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/federal-elections-happen-every-two-years-in-this-country-presidential/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [ Barack Obama was elected President in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. The natural thing would be to suggest money on the right \[wing\] doesn't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/barack-obama-was-elected-president-in-2008-and-re-elected-in-2012-the/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [In most presidential elections, the taller candidate wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-estrich/in-most-presidential-elections-the-taller-candidate-wins/) [Susan Estrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-estrich/) > [“only Mubarak could stand for presidential election on a yes or no vote. Elections were more of a selection process since most of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amiso-m-george/only-mubarak-could-stand-for-presidential-election-on-a-yes-or-no/) Amiso M. George > [As is always the case with American presidential elections, nobody's talking about the fact that the empire will be ruled from Washington, and foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashid-khalidi/as-is-always-the-case-with-american-presidential-elections-nobody-s/) [Rashid Khalidi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashid-khalidi/) > [The pattern of American presidential elections is that the more optimistic candidate, whether it's John Kennedy and let's get America moving again, Ronald Reagan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/the-pattern-of-american-presidential-elections-is-that-the-more/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Presidential elections always turn on personalities, they turn on how campaigns are run, they turn on natural desires for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/presidential-elections-always-turn-on-personalities-they-turn-on-how/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [From 1976, Judy to 1996, we had six presidential elections. And it was run under the Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1974. In all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/from-1976-judy-to-1996-we-had-six-presidential-elections-and-it-was/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [My participation in the presidential elections can truly be a step on the path towards the transformation that our country needs so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/my-participation-in-the-presidential-elections-can-truly-be-a-step-on/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [My opinion of presidential elections are - they need to be about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/my-opinion-of-presidential-elections-are-they-need-to-be-about-the/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [Favorite-son candidates almost always win their states decisively in presidential elections. But their status as national celebrities can end up breeding fatigue and resentment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kornacki/favorite-son-candidates-almost-always-win-their-states-decisively-in/) [Steve Kornacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kornacki/) > [In presidential elections, I think people focus way too much on ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/in-presidential-elections-i-think-people-focus-way-too-much-on/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [Midterms behave very differently than presidential elections. Midterms, for a federal candidate, often times are a referendum on the president, where in presidential years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/midterms-behave-very-differently-than-presidential-elections-midterms/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [What I see of the US Presidential elections from down here makes me want to disengage from that particular reality and just hole up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-goldman/what-i-see-of-the-us-presidential-elections-from-down-here-makes-me/) [Francisco Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-goldman/) > [Well, one thing that has happened is they have had a presidential election in Egypt which has represented progress. Now, we were not happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-wicker/well-one-thing-that-has-happened-is-they-have-had-a-presidential/) [Roger Wicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-wicker/) ## More by Danny Strong > [Even from a really young age I was a huge movie buff - five, six, seven, eight. Just loved movies, but in a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/even-from-a-really-young-age-i-was-a-huge-movie-buff-five-six-seven/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I read an interview with Aaron Sorkin and he said he plays every part when he's writing. I thought, "Oh, I do that too!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-read-an-interview-with-aaron-sorkin-and-he-said-he-plays-every-part/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I love the idea of a movie hero in a thriller who is able to get ahead by just his brilliance, and not with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-love-the-idea-of-a-movie-hero-in-a-thriller-who-is-able-to-get/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [To have a show have lawyers fighting civil rights cases week in and week out, I think it's exactly what we need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/to-have-a-show-have-lawyers-fighting-civil-rights-cases-week-in-and/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I don't use my writing career as a vehicle to get me acting work or to write roles for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-don-t-use-my-writing-career-as-a-vehicle-to-get-me-acting-work-or/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [The auditioning process is one in which the actor gets very little information about almost every element of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/the-auditioning-process-is-one-in-which-the-actor-gets-very-little/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I started writing when I was 26, so I don't even know what year that was. I wrote a script for me to star…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-started-writing-when-i-was-26-so-i-don-t-even-know-what-year-that/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [Usually if a scene's really hard to write, I just don't write it. Nothing's coming to mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/usually-if-a-scene-s-really-hard-to-write-i-just-don-t-write-it/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I find that when people get a script, they know within five pages if the writer can write. Once you're five pages in, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-find-that-when-people-get-a-script-they-know-within-five-pages-if/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I think most of America is seeing the strings behind the campaign, and sees the crass political maneuvers that people are making. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-think-most-of-america-is-seeing-the-strings-behind-the-campaign-and/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [“Whatever strength, courage... madness keeps us going, we find it, in times like these. You have it, soldier. It's what kept you alive all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/whatever-strength-courage-madness-keeps-us-going-we-find-it-in-times/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [The exciting thing about today with the Internet, streaming, and YouTube, is you can just go do it. You can go make a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/the-exciting-thing-about-today-with-the-internet-streaming-and/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [People that work at the White House, they stay forever and love the job. Someone asked me, "Was there really a butler that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/people-that-work-at-the-white-house-they-stay-forever-and-love-the/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [Everything I've written up to now, hasn't had anything to do with my life really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/everything-i-ve-written-up-to-now-hasn-t-had-anything-to-do-with-my/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I was alone a lot as a kid, because my parents were divorced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-was-alone-a-lot-as-a-kid-because-my-parents-were-divorced/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) [Explore all 41 Danny Strong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) ## More Election quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [There's more than 1700 emails out of the thirty three thousand Hillary Clinton emails that we've published, just about Libya. It's not that Libya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/there-s-more-than-1700-emails-out-of-the-thirty-three-thousand/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [It's not clear in the U.S. at the moment, either. We're going through another election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/it-s-not-clear-in-the-u-s-at-the-moment-either-we-re-going-through/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [I always lose the election in the polls, and I always win it on election day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/i-always-lose-the-election-in-the-polls-and-i-always-win-it-on/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [Elections are not a beauty contest. It is all about tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-franz/elections-are-not-a-beauty-contest-it-is-all-about-tolerance/) Vladimir Franz > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [The election of Trump threw the chess board up. The pieces are all over the place. That's upsetting to a lot of people, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/the-election-of-trump-threw-the-chess-board-up-the-pieces-are-all/) [Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/) > [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [I spent many years working for voting rights, but we still see sophisticated efforts, led by white officials, to disenfranchise black voters in local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-brooke/i-spent-many-years-working-for-voting-rights-but-we-still-see/) [Edward Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-brooke/) > [“The answer to the question raised in the title of this essay - Is salvation a matter of divine determination or human responsibility? -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layton-talbert/the-answer-to-the-question-raised-in-the-title-of-this-essay-is/) [Layton Talbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layton-talbert/) > [One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective. Election and power are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/one-of-the-reasons-people-hate-politics-is-that-truth-is-rarely-a/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) [Browse all 3,344 Election quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It seems to me that our presidential elections have turned more into a popularity contest than a real analysis about who really should be President of the United States.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Danny Strong" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-elections-have-turned-more-into/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Election" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-elections-have-turned-more-into/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/danny-strong-15949_election_it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-ele_2645642.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/danny-strong-15949_election_it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-ele_2645642.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fda/danny-strong-15949_election_it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-ele_2645642.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It seems to me that our presidential elections have turned more into a popularity contest than a real…” — Danny Strong", "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": "Danny Strong", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It seems to me that our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-elections-have-turned-more-into/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-elections-have-turned-more-into/#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 } } ] } ```