---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing at the 'American Spectator' in…"
description: "\"Writing at the 'American Spectator' in the 1990s, we threw everything we thought would stick at President Clinton.\" — David Brock"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/david-brock-7746_1990s_writing-at-the-american-spectator-in-the_2861581.png"
---

#  Writing at the 'American Spectator' in the 1990s, we threw…

![“Writing at the 'American Spectator' in the 1990s, we threw everything we thought would stick at President Clinton.” quote by David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/david-brock-7746_1990s_writing-at-the-american-spectator-in-the_2861581.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/david-brock-7746_1990s_writing-at-the-american-spectator-in-the_2861581.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/david-brock-7746_1990s_writing-at-the-american-spectator-in-the_2861581.png)

> “Writing at the 'American Spectator' in the 1990s, we threw everything we thought would stick at President Clinton.”

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He describes aggressively targeting President Clinton with criticism.

**In simple terms:** We attacked Clinton with everything we thought would stick.

Key Takeaway

Be strategic about criticism rather than indiscriminate.

Themes

politics media strategy

Mood

critical analytical

Type

political media

When to use this quote

- campaign strategy
- media criticism
- political debate
- ethical persuasion

Key Concepts

propaganda political activism

Questions to Reflect On

- Is aggressive criticism effective in politics?
- When does critique become counterproductive?

A Different Perspective

Risk of alienating audience through excessive attacks.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[1990s](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-1990s-476/) [1990S Threw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1990s-threw-3865033/) [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American Spectator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-spectator-3865035/) [Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [President clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-clinton/) [Spectator 1990S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spectator-1990s-3865034/) [Stick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stick/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [God bless the American spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/god-bless-the-american-spectator/)

[Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/)

> [ The campaign of character assassination waged \[against President Clinton\] by the right was a singular, unprecedented effort. Nothing like it exists on the left.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/the-campaign-of-character-assassination-waged-against-president/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [During the 1990s I was dominating everything. People were saying they were beaten before we got on to the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/during-the-1990s-i-was-dominating-everything-people-were-saying-they/)

[Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/)

> [As music became more profitable in the 1990s, it seemed like it attracted a lot of people who were just interested in the financial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/as-music-became-more-profitable-in-the-1990s-it-seemed-like-it/)

[Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/)

> [“Bulgaria, I reflected as I walked back to the hotel, isn’t a country; it’s a near-death experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/bulgaria-i-reflected-as-i-walked-back-to-the-hotel-isn-t-a-country-it/)

[Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/)

> [I loved 1990s television: 'The Fast Show,' 'Father Ted,' 'Harry Enfield.' 'Clive Anderson Talks Back.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-loved-1990s-television-the-fast-show-father-ted-harry-enfield-clive/)

[Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/)

> [I don't think people were that interested in what I was doing for the most of the 1990s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-sayle/i-don-t-think-people-were-that-interested-in-what-i-was-doing-for-the/)

[Alexei Sayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-sayle/)

> [Norman Lear was talking about everything in the '70s... race, sexism, all of it. The network comedy really stayed away from that in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nahnatchka-khan/norman-lear-was-talking-about-everything-in-the-70s-race-sexism-all/)

[Nahnatchka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nahnatchka-khan/)

> [I think my husband did a pretty good job in the 1990s. I think a lot about what worked and how we can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-my-husband-did-a-pretty-good-job-in-the-1990s-i-think-a-lot/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [When it comes to producing breakthroughs, both technological and artistic, Pixar's track record is unique. In the early 1990s, we were known as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/when-it-comes-to-producing-breakthroughs-both-technological-and/)

[Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/)

> [If you are not around when Africa truly gets going, it would be much like the sceptics who stood on the sidelines in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yemi-osinbajo/if-you-are-not-around-when-africa-truly-gets-going-it-would-be-much/)

[Yemi Osinbajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yemi-osinbajo/)

> [The 1990s was not just Japan's 'wasted decade,' it was also a wasted decade for the India-Japan relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/the-1990s-was-not-just-japan-s-wasted-decade-it-was-also-a-wasted/)

[Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/)

> [In the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century, regionalism was seen as a building block of globalisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/in-the-1990s-and-the-first-decade-of-the-21st-century-regionalism-was/)

[Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/)

> [Look at what happened in the 1990s: when they balanced the federal budget, it was through growth in the economy and controlling spending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/look-at-what-happened-in-the-1990s-when-they-balanced-the-federal/)

[Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/)

> [In the 1990s, while the Maastricht debate was raging, I was a minister in the Major government. Every single piece of legislation we proposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-widdecombe/in-the-1990s-while-the-maastricht-debate-was-raging-i-was-a-minister/)

[Ann Widdecombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-widdecombe/)

## More by David Brock

> [Eventually the story would spill over into the regular media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/eventually-the-story-would-spill-over-into-the-regular-media/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [I'm kind of a builder of institutions. I think I've got some ability to look at what's out here, look at a playing field,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/i-m-kind-of-a-builder-of-institutions-i-think-i-ve-got-some-ability/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [“QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION What do you mean by…? What is your main point? How does \_\_\_\_\_\_ relate to \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_? Could you put that another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/questions-for-clarification-what-do-you-mean-by-what-is-your-main/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [Donald Trump intimidated the press and bullied the press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/donald-trump-intimidated-the-press-and-bullied-the-press/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [It's all a sham: I have seen, and I know firsthand, indeed from my own pen, how the organized Right has sabotaged not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/it-s-all-a-sham-i-have-seen-and-i-know-firsthand-indeed-from-my-own/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [Trump's opinions on the Iraq War have been as erratic as his opinions on other foreign policy matters - such as his careless position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/trump-s-opinions-on-the-iraq-war-have-been-as-erratic-as-his-opinions/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [I think the Democratic Party has to learn how to be a party of opposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/i-think-the-democratic-party-has-to-learn-how-to-be-a-party-of/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [The Right has been trying to take down Bill Clinton for 20 years. I know; I was there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/the-right-has-been-trying-to-take-down-bill-clinton-for-20-years-i/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [I didn't wake up one day and say, you know, 'Supply-side economics doesn't make sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/i-didn-t-wake-up-one-day-and-say-you-know-supply-side-economics-doesn/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [“What are your goals for the call?” “If things go right, what are some stretch goals?” “What is the worst thing that might happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/what-are-your-goals-for-the-call-if-things-go-right-what-are-some/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [Once you apologize, then the press wants you to get down on your knees and say you're sorry. They are not appeasable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/once-you-apologize-then-the-press-wants-you-to-get-down-on-your-knees/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [Ive been interested in watching the level of conservative misinformation that circulates through the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/ive-been-interested-in-watching-the-level-of-conservative/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [Ignorance can be improved; willful ignorance and inaction is inexcusable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/ignorance-can-be-improved-willful-ignorance-and-inaction-is/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [We all know liberals and Democrats who look down on certain people, and there is such a thing as P.C.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/we-all-know-liberals-and-democrats-who-look-down-on-certain-people/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [Editors of conservative magazines aren't out trying to raise money. The money is there; the cash reserves are in the bank.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/editors-of-conservative-magazines-aren-t-out-trying-to-raise-money/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

[Explore all 88 David Brock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

## More 1990s quotes

> [In the 1990s, while the Maastricht debate was raging, I was a minister in the Major government. Every single piece of legislation we proposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-widdecombe/in-the-1990s-while-the-maastricht-debate-was-raging-i-was-a-minister/)

[Ann Widdecombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-widdecombe/)

> [Look at what happened in the 1990s: when they balanced the federal budget, it was through growth in the economy and controlling spending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/look-at-what-happened-in-the-1990s-when-they-balanced-the-federal/)

[Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/)

> [In the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century, regionalism was seen as a building block of globalisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/in-the-1990s-and-the-first-decade-of-the-21st-century-regionalism-was/)

[Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/)

> [The 1990s was not just Japan's 'wasted decade,' it was also a wasted decade for the India-Japan relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/the-1990s-was-not-just-japan-s-wasted-decade-it-was-also-a-wasted/)

[Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/)

> [If you are not around when Africa truly gets going, it would be much like the sceptics who stood on the sidelines in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yemi-osinbajo/if-you-are-not-around-when-africa-truly-gets-going-it-would-be-much/)

[Yemi Osinbajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yemi-osinbajo/)

> [When it comes to producing breakthroughs, both technological and artistic, Pixar's track record is unique. In the early 1990s, we were known as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/when-it-comes-to-producing-breakthroughs-both-technological-and/)

[Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/)

> [I think my husband did a pretty good job in the 1990s. I think a lot about what worked and how we can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-my-husband-did-a-pretty-good-job-in-the-1990s-i-think-a-lot/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [Norman Lear was talking about everything in the '70s... race, sexism, all of it. The network comedy really stayed away from that in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nahnatchka-khan/norman-lear-was-talking-about-everything-in-the-70s-race-sexism-all/)

[Nahnatchka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nahnatchka-khan/)

> [I don't think people were that interested in what I was doing for the most of the 1990s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-sayle/i-don-t-think-people-were-that-interested-in-what-i-was-doing-for-the/)

[Alexei Sayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-sayle/)

> [I loved 1990s television: 'The Fast Show,' 'Father Ted,' 'Harry Enfield.' 'Clive Anderson Talks Back.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/i-loved-1990s-television-the-fast-show-father-ted-harry-enfield-clive/)

[Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/)

> [“Bulgaria, I reflected as I walked back to the hotel, isn’t a country; it’s a near-death experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/bulgaria-i-reflected-as-i-walked-back-to-the-hotel-isn-t-a-country-it/)

[Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/)

> [As music became more profitable in the 1990s, it seemed like it attracted a lot of people who were just interested in the financial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/as-music-became-more-profitable-in-the-1990s-it-seemed-like-it/)

[Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/)

> [During the 1990s I was dominating everything. People were saying they were beaten before we got on to the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/during-the-1990s-i-was-dominating-everything-people-were-saying-they/)

[Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/)

> [Since the early 1990s, I had been very worried about the state of the environment, and by the end of that decade, I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/since-the-early-1990s-i-had-been-very-worried-about-the-state-of-the/)

[Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/)

> [I worked in Ann Arbor for two years, covering Michigan football and basketball in the early 1990s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/i-worked-in-ann-arbor-for-two-years-covering-michigan-football-and/)

[Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/)

[Browse all 59 1990s quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-1990s-476/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Writing at the 'American Spectator' in the 1990s, we threw everything we thought would stick at President Clinton.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Brock"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/writing-at-the-american-spectator-in-the-1990s-we-threw-everything-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "1990s"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/writing-at-the-american-spectator-in-the-1990s-we-threw-everything-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/david-brock-7746_1990s_writing-at-the-american-spectator-in-the_2861581.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/david-brock-7746_1990s_writing-at-the-american-spectator-in-the_2861581.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/david-brock-7746_1990s_writing-at-the-american-spectator-in-the_2861581.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Writing at the 'American Spectator' in the 1990s, we threw everything we thought would stick at President…” — David Brock",
                "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": "David Brock",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Writing at the 'American Spectator' in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/writing-at-the-american-spectator-in-the-1990s-we-threw-everything-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/writing-at-the-american-spectator-in-the-1990s-we-threw-everything-we/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```