--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Mitch Daniels] was not a bad governor…" description: "\"[Mitch Daniels] was not a bad governor. He could be playful, but - or communicator.I'm just saying it will - I think will be - every candidate comes in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec8/david-brooks-644_assuming_mitch-daniels-was-not-a-bad-governor-he_2973434.png" --- # \[Mitch Daniels\] was not a bad governor. He could be… ![“[Mitch Daniels] was not a bad governor. He could be playful, but - or communicator.I'm just saying it will - I think will be - every candidate comes into the White House, assuming if [Hillary Clinton] wins, or if she does win, with strengths and weaknesses. This will be a weakness, because this…” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec8/david-brooks-644_assuming_mitch-daniels-was-not-a-bad-governor-he_2973434.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec8/david-brooks-644_assuming_mitch-daniels-was-not-a-bad-governor-he_2973434.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec8/david-brooks-644_assuming_mitch-daniels-was-not-a-bad-governor-he_2973434.png) > “\[Mitch Daniels\] was not a bad governor. He could be playful, but - or communicator.I'm just saying it will - I think will be - every candidate comes into the White House, assuming if \[Hillary Clinton\] wins, or if she does win, with strengths and weaknesses. This will be a weakness, because this was such an easy moment to show some heart.” [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. Mitch Daniels was a competent governor with both strengths and weaknesses; his handling of a crisis revealed a lack of empathy. **In simple terms:** Daniels showed competence but lacked empathy in crisis. Key Takeaway Balance competence with compassion in leadership. Themes politics leadership empathy governance crisis management Mood analytical critical thoughtful Type political reflective When to use this quote - election campaigns - policy decisions - public scrutiny Key Concepts political analysis character assessment public perception Questions to Reflect On - When does competence become coldness? - How can leaders show empathy under pressure? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on competence can ignore human impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) [Assuming Hillary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming-hillary-4589211/) [Bad Governor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-governor-4589209/) [Candidate Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate-comes-4589210/) [Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates/) [Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton/) [Communicators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communicators/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Governors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governors/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Just saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-saying/) [Mitch Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mitch-daniels-1657504/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Strength and weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength-and-weakness/) [Think Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-candidate-1190943/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I think Mitch Daniels, the former governor of Indiana was a case of that, who was an outstanding administrator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-think-mitch-daniels-the-former-governor-of-indiana-was-a-case-of/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I read Mitch Daniels's book, 'Keeping the Republic,' several times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/i-read-mitch-daniels-s-book-keeping-the-republic-several-times/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [Mitch Daniels in Indiana was the best governor in America for eight years. I've gone to Indianapolis to study with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-rauner/mitch-daniels-in-indiana-was-the-best-governor-in-america-for-eight/) [Bruce Rauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-rauner/) > [If you think about it, candidate Obama, Sen. Obama, was running on sort of long-run economic issues, like restoring prosperity to the middle class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/if-you-think-about-it-candidate-obama-sen-obama-was-running-on-sort/) [Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/) > [It's not beneficial when you have a presidential candidate like Donald Trump, telling his supporters "punch that guy in the face." I think everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/it-s-not-beneficial-when-you-have-a-presidential-candidate-like/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I don't think the candidate would be directly responsible for things that their supporters say, but when it gets to a certain level, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/i-don-t-think-the-candidate-would-be-directly-responsible-for-things/) [David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/) > [I still think that with any candidate, whoever gets elected, there are going to be certain issues or platforms that those who feel strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/i-still-think-that-with-any-candidate-whoever-gets-elected-there-are/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) > [I think, if you're a candidate and you want to be totally safe, and assure that what you say is not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/i-think-if-you-re-a-candidate-and-you-want-to-be-totally-safe-and/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [If you think a candidate is electable and has the adeptness to be president, that's one thing. Elect him for these factors, not because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/if-you-think-a-candidate-is-electable-and-has-the-adeptness-to-be/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [With 500 channels and the Internet available, you'd think a candidate could get the word out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-king/with-500-channels-and-the-internet-available-you-d-think-a-candidate/) [Larry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-king/) > [If you don't ask for money, people don't think you are a serious candidate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-whitmer/if-you-don-t-ask-for-money-people-don-t-think-you-are-a-serious/) [Gretchen Whitmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-whitmer/) > [I think I might as well give up being a candidate. There are so many people in the country who don't like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/i-think-i-might-as-well-give-up-being-a-candidate-there-are-so-many/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) > [I think if a candidate ran for office in most states in the country, if his opponent, or her opponent was an effective advocate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/i-think-if-a-candidate-ran-for-office-in-most-states-in-the-country/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [My beloved dog defied treatment from the best and most expensive veterinarians, holistic practitioners, trainers, and animal communicators. He was simply beyond my ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/my-beloved-dog-defied-treatment-from-the-best-and-most-expensive/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [Photography's potential as a great image-maker and communicator is really no different from the same potential in the best poetry where familiar, everyday words,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-caponigro/photography-s-potential-as-a-great-image-maker-and-communicator-is/) [Paul Caponigro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-caponigro/) ## 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. You're brain is working on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/if-you-know-that-most-processing-is-below-the-level-of-awareness-you/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Trade has suddenly become massively unpopular. I think that's massively unjust. 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. He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/tim-kaine-has-been-obviously-a-governor-he-s-been-a-senator-he-s-one/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [“Women, in general, are less visually aroused than men, a trait that has nearly cut the market for pornography in half.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/women-in-general-are-less-visually-aroused-than-men-a-trait-that-has/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I wasn't born with a tie or with Mark Shields stapled to my left hip. 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 Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) [James T. Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-conway/) > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) [Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[Mitch Daniels] was not a bad governor. He could be playful, but - or communicator.I'm just saying it will - I think will be - every candidate comes into the White House, assuming if [Hillary Clinton] wins, or if she does win, with strengths and weaknesses. This will be a weakness, because this was such an easy moment to show some heart.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Brooks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/mitch-daniels-was-not-a-bad-governor-he-could-be-playful-but-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assuming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/mitch-daniels-was-not-a-bad-governor-he-could-be-playful-but-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec8/david-brooks-644_assuming_mitch-daniels-was-not-a-bad-governor-he_2973434.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec8/david-brooks-644_assuming_mitch-daniels-was-not-a-bad-governor-he_2973434.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec8/david-brooks-644_assuming_mitch-daniels-was-not-a-bad-governor-he_2973434.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[Mitch Daniels] was not a bad governor. 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