--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't blame the Democrats for fighting…" description: "\"I don't blame the Democrats for fighting. They have got a very energized base. And there is a lot to complain about a lot of these nominees. But I thin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/david-brooks-644_blame_i-don-t-blame-the-democrats-for-fighting_1374569.jpg" --- # I don't blame the Democrats for fighting. They have got a… ![“I don't blame the Democrats for fighting. They have got a very energized base. And there is a lot to complain about a lot of these nominees. But I think, if you are actually going to turn someone down from a president's [Donald Trump] own Cabinet, it better be a lot more egregious than the cases…” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/david-brooks-644_blame_i-don-t-blame-the-democrats-for-fighting_1374569.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/david-brooks-644_blame_i-don-t-blame-the-democrats-for-fighting_1374569.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/207/david-brooks-644_blame_i-don-t-blame-the-democrats-for-fighting_1374569.jpg) > “I don't blame the Democrats for fighting. They have got a very energized base. And there is a lot to complain about a lot of these nominees. But I think, if you are actually going to turn someone down from a president's \[Donald Trump\] own Cabinet, it better be a lot more egregious than the cases we have seen.” [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that dismissing a presidential nominee requires a serious, egregious reason, not just political disagreement. **In simple terms:** Cabinet dismissals need strong justification. Key Takeaway Demand higher standards for removal. Themes politics ethics leadership Mood critical analytical Type political ethical When to use this quote - government decisions - cabinet appointments - public scrutiny Key Concepts accountability political standards Questions to Reflect On - What constitutes egregious misconduct? - How should partisan bias be managed? A Different Perspective Political bias can cloud judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [ I generally think the president \[Donald Trump\] should get his Cabinet picks, unless they're egregiously out of the range, either ethically or intellectually out… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-generally-think-the-president-donald-trump-should-get-his-cabinet/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I don't have a sense of entitlement or that I deserve this. You'd be surprised at the lack of competition between nominees - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-don-t-have-a-sense-of-entitlement-or-that-i-deserve-this-you-d-be/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [ Why aren't Democrats voting against President \[Donald\] Trump's cabinet nominees en masse? Is it because they're just a bunch soft-headed Beltway lifers who don't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/why-aren-t-democrats-voting-against-president-donald-trump-s-cabinet/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [Everybody's complaining about all of Trump's cabinet members, how rich they are, that's horrible. I'd rather have that than a bunch of people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/everybody-s-complaining-about-all-of-trump-s-cabinet-members-how-rich/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ They \[people from the Donald Trump cabinet\] haven't had experience in the areas that they're being asked to manage in a very complicated world… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/they-people-from-the-donald-trump-cabinet-haven-t-had-experience-in/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I worry about the lack of experience that Rex Tillerson has had on the diplomatic front and, frankly, I think that's true for many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-worry-about-the-lack-of-experience-that-rex-tillerson-has-had-on/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [ I wish we had more \[Dwight\] Eisenhower Republicans in this \[Donald\]Trump cabinet. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-dionne/i-wish-we-had-more-dwight-eisenhower-republicans-in-this-donald-trump/) [E. J. Dionne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-dionne/) > [First of all, Donald Trump cabinet or - I call it the 3-G cabinet, Goldman, generals and gazillionaires. And I think it's one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/first-of-all-donald-trump-cabinet-or-i-call-it-the-3-g-cabinet/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [What are we Democrats fighting for? We are not fighting for salvation and going to heaven. But we are fighting for Medicaid, Medicare, health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/what-are-we-democrats-fighting-for-we-are-not-fighting-for-salvation/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) > [Democrats are fighting for a new direction that includes protecting Social Security as well as making healthcare affordable, bringing down the high cost of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-clyburn/democrats-are-fighting-for-a-new-direction-that-includes-protecting/) [Jim Clyburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-clyburn/) > [I can't imagine that being in the Trump Cabinet will be a very important job. I do think this will be a White House-run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-can-t-imagine-that-being-in-the-trump-cabinet-will-be-a-very/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [The Democrats are fighting for illegal aliens. Donald Trump is fighting for American citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-miller/the-democrats-are-fighting-for-illegal-aliens-donald-trump-is/) [Stephen Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-miller/) > [Democrats are fighting for people to be able to quit work while the rest of us pay for their health care while they go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/democrats-are-fighting-for-people-to-be-able-to-quit-work-while-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [It's really Democrats who are fighting for working families and small businesses and trying to address the biggest problems that we have, which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-dill/it-s-really-democrats-who-are-fighting-for-working-families-and-small/) [Cynthia Dill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-dill/) > [Democrats are fighting fire with fire. Our principled stance on Medicare and Social Security is absolutely no different than the Republicans' stance on no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-chu/democrats-are-fighting-fire-with-fire-our-principled-stance-on/) Judy Chu ## More by David Brooks > [The brain is not the mind. It is probably impossible to look at a map of brain activity and predict or even understand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-brain-is-not-the-mind-it-is-probably-impossible-to-look-at-a-map/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [When you're running for president, you're a guest in the living room for four years. And if people don't think you're going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/when-you-re-running-for-president-you-re-a-guest-in-the-living-room/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [“I’ve come to think that flourishing consists of putting yourself in situations in which you lose self-consciousness and become fused with other people, experiences,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-ve-come-to-think-that-flourishing-consists-of-putting-yourself-in/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [We have rapidly increasing technology, which is making life very good for people who are good at using words, and not so good for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/we-have-rapidly-increasing-technology-which-is-making-life-very-good/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I think Barack Obama's foreign policy will be regarded more failure than success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-think-barack-obama-s-foreign-policy-will-be-regarded-more-failure/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [If you know that most processing is below the level of awareness, you learn the value of sleep. 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I think free trade has been wonderful for America on balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/trade-has-suddenly-become-massively-unpopular-i-think-that-s/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Politics is based on social identity, and so, again, there is going to be differences between rural and urban and between left and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/politics-is-based-on-social-identity-and-so-again-there-is-going-to/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Pain now is better than pain deferred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/pain-now-is-better-than-pain-deferred/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [It’s worth noting that you can devote your life to community service and be a total schmuck. You can spend your life on Wall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/it-s-worth-noting-that-you-can-devote-your-life-to-community-service/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [If it feels all right for you, it's probably OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/if-it-feels-all-right-for-you-it-s-probably-ok/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I do think Donald Trump is a fundamentally unstabilizing force and that the people who swore to uphold the Constitution are going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-do-think-donald-trump-is-a-fundamentally-unstabilizing-force-and/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Tim Kaine has been obviously a governor. He's been a senator. He's one of the smartest rising stars in the Democratic Party. 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I have another life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-wasn-t-born-with-a-tie-or-with-mark-shields-stapled-to-my-left-hip/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) [Explore all 431 David Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [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/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) Nurnizz95 > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? 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