National security Quote by David Halberstam
““They were men linked more to one another, their schools, their own social class and their own concerns than they were linked to the country. Indeed, about one of them, Averell Harriman, there would always be a certain taint, as if somehow Averell were a little too partisan and too ambitious (Averell had wanted to be President whereas the rest of them knew that the real power lay in letting the President come to them; the President could take care of rail strikes, minimum wages and farm prices, and they would take care of national security).””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Best and the Brightest, 1972
Political elites were more connected by class and personal interests than by national loyalty, leading to partisan agendas over collective good.
In simple terms: Leaders prioritized personal networks over country.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address groupthink in governance.
Themes
politics
class
loyalty
partisanship
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
historical
political
When to use this quote
- policy making
- government appointments
- campaign strategy
Key Concepts
political science
elite theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does personal ambition affect public service?
- What mechanisms can ensure national over personal interests?
A Different Perspective
May oversimplify complex motivations of individuals.
![“Theodore Sorensen wrote for [Robert Kennedy's 1968] announcement speech: “At stake is not simply the leadership of our party, and even our own country, it is our right to the moral leadership of this planet.” The sentence absolutely appalled all the younger Robert Kennedy advisers, who felt it…” quote by David Halberstam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f6e/david-halberstam-9032_communication_theodore-sorensen-wrote-for-robert-kenne_12566.jpg)
