--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never encountered someone in public…" description: "\"I've never encountered someone in public life who has less desire to hold office than Michelle Obama, though she is incredibly gifted at retail politic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/david-remnick-4397_desire_i-ve-never-encountered-someone-in-public_1941003.jpg" --- # I've never encountered someone in public life who has less… ![“I've never encountered someone in public life who has less desire to hold office than Michelle Obama, though she is incredibly gifted at retail politics.” quote by David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/david-remnick-4397_desire_i-ve-never-encountered-someone-in-public_1941003.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/david-remnick-4397_desire_i-ve-never-encountered-someone-in-public_1941003.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/david-remnick-4397_desire_i-ve-never-encountered-someone-in-public_1941003.jpg) > “I've never encountered someone in public life who has less desire to hold office than Michelle Obama, though she is incredibly gifted at retail politics.” [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) ## 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 notes that Michelle Obama shows little ambition for office despite her political skill, highlighting a preference for influence over formal power. **In simple terms:** Michelle Obama prefers influence to holding office. Key Takeaway Recognize that leadership can be informal. Themes politics ambition influence gender career Mood analytical critical Type journalistic observational When to use this quote - career counseling - political analysis - media commentary Key Concepts political science leadership studies gender studies Questions to Reflect On - Why might someone excel in politics without seeking office? - How does informal influence compare to formal power? A Different Perspective Ambition may be shaped by personal values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Gifted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gifted/) [Incredibly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredibly/) [Incredibly Gifted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredibly-gifted-1801147/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Obama Incredibly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-incredibly-2583882/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Office Michelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office-michelle-3092631/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Public life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-life/) [Retail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retail/) [Retail Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retail-politics-3092630/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [Barack Obama is an incredibly intelligent, thoughtful, decisive person in pursuing the agenda he sets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/barack-obama-is-an-incredibly-intelligent-thoughtful-decisive-person/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Troian is one of the most incredibly gifted actors I have ever seen...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/troian-is-one-of-the-most-incredibly-gifted-actors-i-have-ever-seen/) [Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/) > [I know very little about acting. I'm just an incredibly gifted faker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-jr/i-know-very-little-about-acting-i-m-just-an-incredibly-gifted-faker/) [Robert Downey, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-jr/) > [There are some incredibly gifted writers in the world. You can count them on a hand. They're blessed, and they've worked at their craft,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grann/there-are-some-incredibly-gifted-writers-in-the-world-you-can-count/) [David Grann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grann/) > [You automatically are trusting because not only is the person a friend, they are so incredibly gifted that you know someone is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-beals/you-automatically-are-trusting-because-not-only-is-the-person-a/) [Jennifer Beals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-beals/) > [Talent is a very potent aphrodisiac. When someone is incredibly gifted, I find them incredibly sexy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-clarkson/talent-is-a-very-potent-aphrodisiac-when-someone-is-incredibly-gifted/) [Patricia Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-clarkson/) > [I've just been so lucky. I don't know if you're really able to take advantage of your full potential until you're older. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gurley-brown/i-ve-just-been-so-lucky-i-don-t-know-if-you-re-really-able-to-take/) [Helen Gurley Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gurley-brown/) > [Clive Barker is just genius, and he's incredibly gifted in so many different ways. He can write and direct and paint and do all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bakula/clive-barker-is-just-genius-and-he-s-incredibly-gifted-in-so-many/) [Scott Bakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bakula/) > [You can compare the retail business to basketball. You have to have a plan, you have to hustle, you have to rely on each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/you-can-compare-the-retail-business-to-basketball-you-have-to-have-a/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [No one in my family had a retail or marketing background. They were professionals. They didn't understand just what I was doing by going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/no-one-in-my-family-had-a-retail-or-marketing-background-they-were/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [If the people of Sheffield could only receive a tenth part of what their knives sell for by retail in America, Sheffield might pave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/if-the-people-of-sheffield-could-only-receive-a-tenth-part-of-what/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [“It is not in vain that the strategic criterion of placing only short runs on the market prevails in order simultaneously to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-badia/it-is-not-in-vain-that-the-strategic-criterion-of-placing-only-short/) [Enrique Badia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrique-badia/) > [I promise you that there are a lot of people involved in various kinds of retail activities who think they have a crucial role…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/i-promise-you-that-there-are-a-lot-of-people-involved-in-various/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [The power of digital distribution over physical retail outlets is you have a chance to create a global audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hurley/the-power-of-digital-distribution-over-physical-retail-outlets-is-you/) [Chad Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hurley/) > [At age 28, I had no retail experience, no consumer marketing experience and no real Internet experience. But I decided I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-naficy/at-age-28-i-had-no-retail-experience-no-consumer-marketing-experience/) [Mariam Naficy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam-naficy/) ## More by David Remnick > [The internet is very democratizing in some ways, but it also has other effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-internet-is-very-democratizing-in-some-ways-but-it-also-has-other/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [We can hope that the responsibilities and realities will weigh on Donald Trump and he will not be the president we fear, but rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/we-can-hope-that-the-responsibilities-and-realities-will-weigh-on/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The future is itself a story, and predictions are stories we tell to amaze ourselves, to give hope to the desperate, to jolt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-future-is-itself-a-story-and-predictions-are-stories-we-tell-to/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [Russian is such a tough and complex language that I am happy enough to understand everything and read most things pretty well, but, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/russian-is-such-a-tough-and-complex-language-that-i-am-happy-enough/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [You are losing because of Jewish bankers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/you-are-losing-because-of-jewish-bankers/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [“One cannot exclude the possibility of a fascist period in Russia,” Staravoitova said on the radio station Echo of Moscow. “We can see too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/one-cannot-exclude-the-possibility-of-a-fascist-period-in-russia/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I'm a civilian, a citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-m-a-civilian-a-citizen/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I'm a journalist - I'm not Robert Caro. I have a day job, and a pretty consuming one - a joyfully consuming one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-m-a-journalist-i-m-not-robert-caro-i-have-a-day-job-and-a-pretty/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [My time as editor has been overlapped by a crisis - a prolonged, labyrinthine, tragic, seemingly non-ending crisis - that involves the prehistory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/my-time-as-editor-has-been-overlapped-by-a-crisis-a-prolonged/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [Democratic institutions, even in the oldest operating democracy in the world, are anything but perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/democratic-institutions-even-in-the-oldest-operating-democracy-in-the/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [Donald Trump seems to think it is within his rights to trample the First Amendment, to disdain the press, to punish protesters or flag-burners,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/donald-trump-seems-to-think-it-is-within-his-rights-to-trample-the/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I understand the difference between journalism and scholarship that comes 20 years later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-understand-the-difference-between-journalism-and-scholarship-that/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The Communist Party apparatus was the most gigantic mafia the world has ever known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-communist-party-apparatus-was-the-most-gigantic-mafia-the-world/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The only reason the word "brand" gets a little tiresome is that something that is complex and wonderful and deep begins to sound like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-only-reason-the-word-brand-gets-a-little-tiresome-is-that/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I got in journalism for any number of reasons, not least because it's so much fun. Journalism should be in the business of putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-got-in-journalism-for-any-number-of-reasons-not-least-because-it-s/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) [Explore all 111 David Remnick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've never encountered someone in public life who has less desire to hold office than Michelle Obama, though she is incredibly gifted at retail politics.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Remnick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-ve-never-encountered-someone-in-public-life-who-has-less-desire-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-ve-never-encountered-someone-in-public-life-who-has-less-desire-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/david-remnick-4397_desire_i-ve-never-encountered-someone-in-public_1941003.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/david-remnick-4397_desire_i-ve-never-encountered-someone-in-public_1941003.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/david-remnick-4397_desire_i-ve-never-encountered-someone-in-public_1941003.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've never encountered someone in public life who has less desire to hold office than Michelle Obama, though…” — David Remnick", "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 Remnick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've never encountered someone in public...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-ve-never-encountered-someone-in-public-life-who-has-less-desire-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/i-ve-never-encountered-someone-in-public-life-who-has-less-desire-to/#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 } } ] } ```