--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe I have voted for both Democrats…" description: "\"I believe I have voted for both Democrats and Republicans. Am I either one? Absolutely not. Ladies and gentlemen, I am an American.\" — David Letterman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/david-letterman-378_absolutely_i-believe-i-have-voted-for-both-democrat_2414549.jpg" --- # I believe I have voted for both Democrats and Republicans… ![“I believe I have voted for both Democrats and Republicans. Am I either one? Absolutely not. Ladies and gentlemen, I am an American.” quote by David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/david-letterman-378_absolutely_i-believe-i-have-voted-for-both-democrat_2414549.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/david-letterman-378_absolutely_i-believe-i-have-voted-for-both-democrat_2414549.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/david-letterman-378_absolutely_i-believe-i-have-voted-for-both-democrat_2414549.jpg) > “I believe I have voted for both Democrats and Republicans. Am I either one? Absolutely not. Ladies and gentlemen, I am an American.” [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker asserts that political affiliation does not define American identity, emphasizing unity over partisan labels. **In simple terms:** Being American transcends party lines. Key Takeaway Identify common values beyond politics. Themes national identity politics unity Mood reflective thoughtful Type political civic When to use this quote - voter registration - community meetings - public debates Key Concepts civic duty polarization identity citizenship Questions to Reflect On - How do you express patriotism without partisan bias? - What shared values unite citizens? A Different Perspective Political identity can still influence perceptions despite claims. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutely not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutely-not/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats/) [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [Gentlemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentlemen/) [Ladies and gentlemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ladies-and-gentlemen/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Republicans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republicans/) ## Related quotes > [Today we voted as Democrats and Republicans. Tomorrow we begin again as New Yorkers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/today-we-voted-as-democrats-and-republicans-tomorrow-we-begin-again/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Republicans absolutely support equal pay for equal work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/republicans-absolutely-support-equal-pay-for-equal-work/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [My mom's younger sister was born with Down syndrome. I was close to my grandmother when I was growing up. I remember talking to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-earnest/my-mom-s-younger-sister-was-born-with-down-syndrome-i-was-close-to-my/) [Josh Earnest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-earnest/) > [Ladies and gentlemen, after what I've been through, I am happy just to be wearing clothes that open in the front.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/ladies-and-gentlemen-after-what-i-ve-been-through-i-am-happy-just-to/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [How about those Olympics, ladies and gentlemen. Didn't London look like the place to be? New York City was in the running for this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/how-about-those-olympics-ladies-and-gentlemen-didn-t-london-look-like/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Now how about this, ladies and gentlemen? The Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, has announced she is stepping down. She will no longer be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/now-how-about-this-ladies-and-gentlemen-the-governor-of-alaska-sarah/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Kim Jong Il made his staff call him “dear” and spent the day drinking cognac. It's like I have a twin, ladies and gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/kim-jong-il-made-his-staff-call-him-dear-and-spent-the-day-drinking/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [I know these jokes aren't great, ladies and gentlemen, see this is the problem you run into when you're between impeachments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-know-these-jokes-aren-t-great-ladies-and-gentlemen-see-this-is-the/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Moammar Gadhafi was found hiding in a storm sewer with a gold-plated gun. That's me in retirement, ladies and gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/moammar-gadhafi-was-found-hiding-in-a-storm-sewer-with-a-gold-plated/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Newt Gingrich wants to repeal child labor laws. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the man that we need to lead us into the 18th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/newt-gingrich-wants-to-repeal-child-labor-laws-ladies-and-gentlemen/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [I think life is difficult and that's that. I am not at all - absolutely not at all - interested in the pursuit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/i-think-life-is-difficult-and-that-s-that-i-am-not-at-all-absolutely/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [It's all about leading by example. Am I going to be perfect? Absolutely not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-williams/it-s-all-about-leading-by-example-am-i-going-to-be-perfect-absolutely/) [Mo Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-williams/) > [My mom always said if you have a gift, it is absolutely not about you. So I don't get twisted and think for one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessanne-chin/my-mom-always-said-if-you-have-a-gift-it-is-absolutely-not-about-you/) [Tessanne Chin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessanne-chin/) > [I wish to clarify that I have absolutely not made a decision regarding my participation in the next Olympics. On a personal level, playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-mcilroy/i-wish-to-clarify-that-i-have-absolutely-not-made-a-decision/) [Rory McIlroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-mcilroy/) > [My wife is very interested in fashion. I am absolutely not. I couldn't give a toss. Fashion is a perfectly valid thing to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-winchester/my-wife-is-very-interested-in-fashion-i-am-absolutely-not-i-couldn-t/) [Simon Winchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-winchester/) ## More by David Letterman > [Two things you need to know about taxes. They've extended the deadline to April 18, and when you write your check, just make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/two-things-you-need-to-know-about-taxes-they-ve-extended-the-deadline/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [You know Kim Jong Un, the evil dictator of North Korea? Apparently, a guy in his inner circle used his ashtray while smoking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/you-know-kim-jong-un-the-evil-dictator-of-north-korea-apparently-a/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [It's the first day of spring. That means this weekend I'll take down my Christmas lights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/it-s-the-first-day-of-spring-that-means-this-weekend-i-ll-take-down/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [There are a lot of New York City Thanksgiving traditions. For example, a lot of New Yorkers don't buy the frozen Thanksgiving turkey. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-are-a-lot-of-new-york-city-thanksgiving-traditions-for-example/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [I can hardly wait until Donald Trump announces his celebrity cabinet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-can-hardly-wait-until-donald-trump-announces-his-celebrity-cabinet/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Experts say this global warming is serious, and they are predicting now that by the year 2050, we will be out of party ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/experts-say-this-global-warming-is-serious-and-they-are-predicting/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [We make a lot of fun at President Clinton's expense. But this transition is going to be tough because it's been 25 years since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/we-make-a-lot-of-fun-at-president-clinton-s-expense-but-this/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [I'm worried about John Kerry, he's so confident now that he's already planning his White House sex scandal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-m-worried-about-john-kerry-he-s-so-confident-now-that-he-s-already/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [“There is no off position on the genius”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-is-no-off-position-on-the-genius/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [I vote Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-vote-democrat-because-i-m-way-too-irresponsible-to-own-a-gun-and-i/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Do I think there is a heaven? Uh, yeah I do. Like a really big gymnasium. How do I see myself there? With really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/do-i-think-there-is-a-heaven-uh-yeah-i-do-like-a-really-big-gymnasium/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [If it wasn't for coffee, I'd have no discernible personality at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/if-it-wasn-t-for-coffee-i-d-have-no-discernible-personality-at-all/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Well, we're just a couple of weeks from new President Barack Obama being sworn in. And he's been very busy naming a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/well-we-re-just-a-couple-of-weeks-from-new-president-barack-obama/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Sometimes when you look in his eyes you get the feeling that someone else is driving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/sometimes-when-you-look-in-his-eyes-you-get-the-feeling-that-someone/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Prince William and Kate Middleton are in New York City. We have got to do something about immigration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/prince-william-and-kate-middleton-are-in-new-york-city-we-have-got-to/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) [Explore all 619 David Letterman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) ## More Absolutely quotes > [I am absolutely my own biggest critic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lando-norris/i-am-absolutely-my-own-biggest-critic/) [Lando Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lando-norris/) > [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/) [David H. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-koch/) > [I was brought up by the English side of my family, who are very repressed and working class. Absolutely lovely, but very English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/i-was-brought-up-by-the-english-side-of-my-family-who-are-very/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [Nobody ever wins by the cavalry coming to rescue you. It isn't a question of you're happy if you get married, or you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/nobody-ever-wins-by-the-cavalry-coming-to-rescue-you-it-isn-t-a/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [“None is absolutely true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-z-lavine/none-is-absolutely-true/) [T.Z. Lavine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-z-lavine/) > [The game business arose from computer programs that were written by and for young men in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-laurel/the-game-business-arose-from-computer-programs-that-were-written-by/) [Brenda Laurel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-laurel/) > [If I was a man, I would be a drag queen. Honestly, I would. I absolutely love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/if-i-was-a-man-i-would-be-a-drag-queen-honestly-i-would-i-absolutely/) [Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/) > [There's very little about being in a functional-M.R.I. scanner that is natural: you are flat on your back, absolutely still, with your head immobilized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/there-s-very-little-about-being-in-a-functional-m-r-i-scanner-that-is/) [Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/) > [When you're still, and some actors are really brilliant at that, you bring a kind of energy to you as opposed to sending the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-byrne/when-you-re-still-and-some-actors-are-really-brilliant-at-that-you/) [Gabriel Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-byrne/) > [I'm absolutely an Elizabeth Taylor fan!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/i-m-absolutely-an-elizabeth-taylor-fan/) [Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/) > [You can absolutely be what you can't see! That's what innovators and disruptors do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/you-can-absolutely-be-what-you-can-t-see-that-s-what-innovators-and/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [There were a lot of clubs interested in me - a lot, really. But Manchester United appeared and didn't go away. They absolutely wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-di-maria/there-were-a-lot-of-clubs-interested-in-me-a-lot-really-but/) [Angel Di Maria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-di-maria/) > [People look at the same passage, and one person will say this is the best thing he's ever read, and another person will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/people-look-at-the-same-passage-and-one-person-will-say-this-is-the/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [I absolutely love 'TOWIE.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-collins/i-absolutely-love-towie/) [Gemma Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-collins/) > [Chucky is absolutely still a puppet. He will remain to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-dourif/chucky-is-absolutely-still-a-puppet-he-will-remain-to-be/) [Fiona Dourif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-dourif/) Browse all 1,136 Absolutely quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe I have voted for both Democrats and Republicans. Am I either one? Absolutely not. Ladies and gentlemen, I am an American.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Letterman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-believe-i-have-voted-for-both-democrats-and-republicans-am-i-either/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absolutely" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-believe-i-have-voted-for-both-democrats-and-republicans-am-i-either/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/david-letterman-378_absolutely_i-believe-i-have-voted-for-both-democrat_2414549.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/david-letterman-378_absolutely_i-believe-i-have-voted-for-both-democrat_2414549.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/david-letterman-378_absolutely_i-believe-i-have-voted-for-both-democrat_2414549.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe I have voted for both Democrats and Republicans. Am I either one? Absolutely not. Ladies and…” — David Letterman", "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 Letterman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe I have voted for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-believe-i-have-voted-for-both-democrats-and-republicans-am-i-either/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-believe-i-have-voted-for-both-democrats-and-republicans-am-i-either/#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 } } ] } ```