--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In theory, we stood on the right side of…" description: "\"“In theory, we stood on the right side of history. For equality! For opportunity! For the little guy! In practice, however, being branded un-American l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/david-litt-23158_history_in-theory-we-stood-on-the-right-side-of_2613271.jpg" --- # In theory, we stood on the right side of history. For… ![“In theory, we stood on the right side of history. For equality! For opportunity! For the little guy! In practice, however, being branded un-American left Democrats meek and skittish, like the Munchkins before Dorothy arrives. I had no doubt Kerry would make a better president than Bush, yet he…” quote by David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/david-litt-23158_history_in-theory-we-stood-on-the-right-side-of_2613271.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/david-litt-23158_history_in-theory-we-stood-on-the-right-side-of_2613271.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/david-litt-23158_history_in-theory-we-stood-on-the-right-side-of_2613271.jpg) > ““In theory, we stood on the right side of history. For equality! For opportunity! For the little guy! In practice, however, being branded un-American left Democrats meek and skittish, like the Munchkins before Dorothy arrives. I had no doubt Kerry would make a better president than Bush, yet he never seemed confident when stating his case. It was as though he spent an entire campaign arguing that the most talented Beatle was Ringo.”” [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Idealistic political visions often clash with practical realities, leading to disillusionment and internal conflict. **In simple terms:** Idealism meets messy reality. Key Takeaway Balance vision with pragmatism. Themes politics idealism disillusionment Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - campaign strategy - policy debates - public speaking Key Concepts political theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - What compromises are acceptable? - How can idealists stay effective? A Different Perspective May foster cynicism toward activism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-left-1140893/) [Democrats Meek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats-meek-2046402/) [Doubt Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt-kerry-2046400/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Left Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-democrats-2046401/) [Right side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-side/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [ We cannot meet 'em \[Democrates\] halfway. We can't cross the aisle. These people, I'm talking about the left wherever you find them, the Democrats,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-cannot-meet-em-democrates-halfway-we-can-t-cross-the-aisle-these/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The left and Democrats are relying on the decline the American character that left-wing policies have produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-left-and-democrats-are-relying-on-the-decline-the-american/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Whenever possible, the left and the Democrats have de-stigmatized irresponsible behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/whenever-possible-the-left-and-the-democrats-have-de-stigmatized/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [A quick glance at the American left reveals a movement in the midst of a nervous breakdown, displaying behavior that goes beyond inconsistency into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-medved/a-quick-glance-at-the-american-left-reveals-a-movement-in-the-midst/) [Michael Medved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-medved/) > [One of the many problems with the American left has been its image as something rather too solemn, mirthless, herbivorous, dull, monochrome, righteous, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/one-of-the-many-problems-with-the-american-left-has-been-its-image-as/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [And that is what the perception is by the American left, who hates Christendom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/and-that-is-what-the-perception-is-by-the-american-left-who-hates/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [I categorically deny that. The American left today as I know it - and believe me, I am very familiar with the American left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-categorically-deny-that-the-american-left-today-as-i-know-it-and/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [The term 'the American Left' is as near to being meaningless or nonsensical as any term could really be in politics. It isn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-term-the-american-left-is-as-near-to-being-meaningless-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [The American Left complains that we have no right to be the world's police force. On the contrary. We've been the world's janitor for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-bruce/the-american-left-complains-that-we-have-no-right-to-be-the-world-s/) [Tammy Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-bruce/) > [We don't have an appreciable American left any more in the United States. What I saw of the SDS in the '60s was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/we-don-t-have-an-appreciable-american-left-any-more-in-the-united/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [As liberals are puppets in Donald Trump's show right now, all he needs to do is create any distraction and all of a sudden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-rasoul/as-liberals-are-puppets-in-donald-trump-s-show-right-now-all-he-needs/) [Sam Rasoul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-rasoul/) > [The lesion is in the area of my brain that is responsible for motor function, so I have continual chronic pain in my left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-duffy/the-lesion-is-in-the-area-of-my-brain-that-is-responsible-for-motor/) [Karen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-duffy/) > [But what struck me was the book-madness of the place--books lay scattered across the unmade bed and the top of a battered-looking desk, books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-millhauser/but-what-struck-me-was-the-book-madness-of-the-place-books-lay/) [Steven Millhauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-millhauser/) > [“We can so educate the will power that it will focus the thoughts upon the bright side of things, and upon objects which elevate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/we-can-so-educate-the-will-power-that-it-will-focus-the-thoughts-upon/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [Your heart is like a magnet, Once placed on the right side the to parts go together perfectly, But once flipped to the worng…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rehn-williams/your-heart-is-like-a-magnet-once-placed-on-the-right-side-the-to/) [Rehn Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rehn-williams/) ## More by David Litt > [“What I hadn’t realized was that, above all else, Favs was a prodigy. Speechwriters, even great ones, tend to lead either from the head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/what-i-hadn-t-realized-was-that-above-all-else-favs-was-a-prodigy/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“In 1960, a mere 5 percent of Americans said they would be upset if their child married someone from the opposite party. A half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/in-1960-a-mere-5-percent-of-americans-said-they-would-be-upset-if/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“But as the weeks rolled on, I realized it wasn’t a lack of glamour that was bothering me. Instead, I kept thinking back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/but-as-the-weeks-rolled-on-i-realized-it-wasn-t-a-lack-of-glamour/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“The cost of living the dream, I was taught, is the responsibility to expand it for others. It’s a more than fair price.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/the-cost-of-living-the-dream-i-was-taught-is-the-responsibility-to/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“This is the most common misconception about speechwriting. It came up especially often in the years before I started at the White House, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/this-is-the-most-common-misconception-about-speechwriting-it-came-up/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“In the real world, speechwriters are more like personal trainers than puppet masters. They can help you present the most attractive version of yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/in-the-real-world-speechwriters-are-more-like-personal-trainers-than/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“The firm’s fourth partner, Jeff Nussbaum, had carved out a niche writing jokes for public figures. It was he who taught me about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/the-firm-s-fourth-partner-jeff-nussbaum-had-carved-out-a-niche/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“Make sure no one goes Eastwood in Charlotte.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/make-sure-no-one-goes-eastwood-in-charlotte/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“I was lucky to receive it. Most rogue interns never get a second chance. And here it’s worth mentioning that I benefited from what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/i-was-lucky-to-receive-it-most-rogue-interns-never-get-a-second/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“If I had lied to the CIA, perhaps I might have passed a test. Instead of writing a book about the White House, I’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/if-i-had-lied-to-the-cia-perhaps-i-might-have-passed-a-test-instead/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“Some of the leaders of the backlash said their name was an acronym for “Taxed Enough Already.” Maybe this was true at first. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/some-of-the-leaders-of-the-backlash-said-their-name-was-an-acronym/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“Some accomplishments, in other words, are impossible to undo. Millions of people found jobs thanks to Obama’s decisions. Soldiers who spent Christmas 2008 in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/some-accomplishments-in-other-words-are-impossible-to-undo-millions/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“If you’re working with a writer, chances are you’re an expert. And if you’re an expert, chances are you’re boring. You can’t help it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/if-you-re-working-with-a-writer-chances-are-you-re-an-expert-and-if/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“Barack Obama’s election was a triumph of hope. But his presidency was a triumph of persistence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/barack-obama-s-election-was-a-triumph-of-hope-but-his-presidency-was/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) > [“And then I saw him speak. Years later, after writing dozens upon dozens of presidential speeches, it would become impossible to listen to rhetoric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-litt/and-then-i-saw-him-speak-years-later-after-writing-dozens-upon-dozens/) [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) [Explore all 26 David Litt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) ## More History quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The NBA is my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/the-nba-is-my-history/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) [C-DASH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-dash/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 27,263 History quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In theory, we stood on the right side of history. For equality! For opportunity! For the little guy! In practice, however, being branded un-American left Democrats meek and skittish, like the Munchkins before Dorothy arrives. I had no doubt Kerry would make a better president than Bush, yet he never seemed confident when stating his case. 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