---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: would be grieving, and I wanted to be…"
description: "\"“would be grieving, and I wanted to be there for them. I texted Patrice as I got onto the 9:00 Acela to DC. My body felt heavy and my spirit was draggi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/donna-brazile-2392_grieve_would-be-grieving-and-i-wanted-to-be-the_1843154.png"
---

#  would be grieving, and I wanted to be there for them. I…

![“would be grieving, and I wanted to be there for them. I texted Patrice as I got onto the 9:00 Acela to DC. My body felt heavy and my spirit was dragging as I slumped into my seat feeling the defeat. As the train pulled out of New York City my phone rang. It was Robby Mook. “Madam Chair, I’m so…” quote by Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/donna-brazile-2392_grieve_would-be-grieving-and-i-wanted-to-be-the_1843154.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/donna-brazile-2392_grieve_would-be-grieving-and-i-wanted-to-be-the_1843154.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/donna-brazile-2392_grieve_would-be-grieving-and-i-wanted-to-be-the_1843154.png)

> ““would be grieving, and I wanted to be there for them. I texted Patrice as I got onto the 9:00 Acela to DC. My body felt heavy and my spirit was dragging as I slumped into my seat feeling the defeat. As the train pulled out of New York City my phone rang. It was Robby Mook. “Madam Chair, I’m so sorry,” he said. I could hear the tears in his voice. “I’m so sorry.” “I know, Robby,” I said. “You did your best. You worked hard. We all did.” After we hung up, I turned off my phone. People would be calling me now as it was getting close to nine and I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. We needed time to grieve. I had to muster courage to face the staff.””

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A political leader expresses grief and solidarity after a loss, seeking courage to support staff while managing personal emotions.

**In simple terms:** A leader shares sorrow, offers comfort, and prepares to lead after a defeat.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge grief, support team, and gather strength to move forward.

Themes

politics grief leadership resilience communication

Mood

somber determined empathetic

Type

motivational reflective

When to use this quote

- post‑election period
- staff briefings
- public statements
- personal coping

Key Concepts

emotional intelligence crisis management team support

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps can you take to turn grief into constructive action?
- How can you support staff while maintaining personal well‑being?

A Different Perspective

May not address systemic issues that caused the loss, focusing only on emotional response.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Grieving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grieving/) [New york city](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york-city/)

## Related quotes

> [“When Fran had died and people had shared their own stories of grieving he’d wanted to hit them, to scream, I don’t care if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-cleeves/when-fran-had-died-and-people-had-shared-their-own-stories-of/)

[Ann Cleeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-cleeves/)

> [In life there is not time to grieve long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/in-life-there-is-not-time-to-grieve-long/)

[T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/)

> [Servicemembers deserve time to grieve the loss of their child instead of being forced to return to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/servicemembers-deserve-time-to-grieve-the-loss-of-their-child-instead/)

[Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/)

> [Love is my medicine It helps me alieve Most of the pain when its time to grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-neil-maternick/love-is-my-medicine-it-helps-me-alieve-most-of-the-pain-when-its-time/)

Andrew Neil Maternick

> [No time to grieve for roses when the forests are burning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-time-to-grieve-for-roses-when-the-forests-are-burning/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Now Robby…he’s who you should be with,” she said, as if on cue with my thoughts. I tried not to roll my eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gulla/now-robby-he-s-who-you-should-be-with-she-said-as-if-on-cue-with-my/)

[Nicole Gulla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gulla/)

> [“Do you think I'm queer, Rob?" I asked. "I don't care if you're queer," Robby said. " Queer is just a word. Like orange.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-smith/do-you-think-i-m-queer-rob-i-asked-i-don-t-care-if-you-re-queer-robby/)

[Andrew Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-smith/)

> [Grief affects job performance, so giving workers time off to grieve can lead to stronger outcomes at work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/grief-affects-job-performance-so-giving-workers-time-off-to-grieve/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [Sometimes when you grieve, you grieve at a time where you don't really expect it. You might hear a song or you might smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/sometimes-when-you-grieve-you-grieve-at-a-time-where-you-don-t-really/)

[Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/)

> [God is inviting you today to appropriately grieve your pains and losses and to acknowledge the world is seriously broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/god-is-inviting-you-today-to-appropriately-grieve-your-pains-and/)

[Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/)

> [Man, when he does not grieve, hardly exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/man-when-he-does-not-grieve-hardly-exists/)

[Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/)

> [“Had life not given me reasons to grieve, I would never have known the healing power of a hug.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/had-life-not-given-me-reasons-to-grieve-i-would-never-have-known-the/)

[Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/)

> [I grieve and dare not show my discontent, I love and yet am forced to seem to hate, I do, yet dare not say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-grieve-and-dare-not-show-my-discontent-i-love-and-yet-am-forced-to/)

[Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/)

> [Those who grieve frequently find themselves alone. Missed is the laughter of children, the commotion of teenagers, and the tender, loving concern of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/those-who-grieve-frequently-find-themselves-alone-missed-is-the/)

[Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/)

> [... I think we grieve forever, but that goes for love too, fortunately for us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-k-fisher/i-think-we-grieve-forever-but-that-goes-for-love-too-fortunately-for/)

[M. F. K. Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-k-fisher/)

## More by Donna Brazile

> [“Wait,” I said. “That victory fund was supposed to be for whoever was the nominee, and the state party races. You’re telling me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/wait-i-said-that-victory-fund-was-supposed-to-be-for-whoever-was-the/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [We were not republicans or democrats during Katrina. We truly were all Americans, and Trent Lott came through for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/we-were-not-republicans-or-democrats-during-katrina-we-truly-were-all/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [“As I stood up to walk to the spin room I saw that it was different for this debate. We were surrounded by gossip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/as-i-stood-up-to-walk-to-the-spin-room-i-saw-that-it-was-different/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [Since Bush has been in office, African-American women have fallen behind in terms of income and wages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/since-bush-has-been-in-office-african-american-women-have-fallen/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [“I didn’t believe that these nice liberals would have missed seeing the film 12 Years a Slave, in which Solomon Northup’s friend Patsey was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/i-didn-t-believe-that-these-nice-liberals-would-have-missed-seeing/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [Trent Lott saved my family. I needed three things from him personally, and he came through for me. He made sure that the ice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/trent-lott-saved-my-family-i-needed-three-things-from-him-personally/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [No voters will be left behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/no-voters-will-be-left-behind/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [There's no question that Donald Trump has said things that are very unsettling. I mean, whether it's comparing Mexicans to rapists, demonizing Muslim Americans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/there-s-no-question-that-donald-trump-has-said-things-that-are-very/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [“Although the Russians had sown disinformation through fake news in the Ukrainian election in 2014 and hacked into the election system to manipulate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/although-the-russians-had-sown-disinformation-through-fake-news-in/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [Donald Trump has not held an event in the black community. He has not gone to a black church, as Hillary Clinton has done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/donald-trump-has-not-held-an-event-in-the-black-community-he-has-not/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [“learned two things from the students. One was that they disliked identity politics. They thought that Hillary spent too much time trying to appeal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/learned-two-things-from-the-students-one-was-that-they-disliked/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [If a critic doesn't think I can act, it's because I'm not acting. That's me - and that's the way I act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/if-a-critic-doesn-t-think-i-can-act-it-s-because-i-m-not-acting-that/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [“After CrowdStrike rebuilt the system, all of our staff had to learn new computers, new log-ins, new procedures, at the moment when their personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/after-crowdstrike-rebuilt-the-system-all-of-our-staff-had-to-learn/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [“The fact that the press could not get a straight explanation out of Hillary or her staff meant they turned to the next person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/the-fact-that-the-press-could-not-get-a-straight-explanation-out-of/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

> [“We decided about six in the morning that we did not want Chip to suffer. His last act was to kiss Betsy on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/we-decided-about-six-in-the-morning-that-we-did-not-want-chip-to/)

[Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

[Explore all 169 Donna Brazile quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/)

## More Grieve quotes

> [... I think we grieve forever, but that goes for love too, fortunately for us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-k-fisher/i-think-we-grieve-forever-but-that-goes-for-love-too-fortunately-for/)

[M. F. K. Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-k-fisher/)

> [Those who grieve frequently find themselves alone. Missed is the laughter of children, the commotion of teenagers, and the tender, loving concern of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/those-who-grieve-frequently-find-themselves-alone-missed-is-the/)

[Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/)

> [“It is the capacity to feel consuming grief and pain and despair that also allows me to embrace love and joy and beauty with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-white/it-is-the-capacity-to-feel-consuming-grief-and-pain-and-despair-that/)

[Anna White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-white/)

> [“It is possible to grieve for the loss of a thing even as you are in possession of it. To crave the very thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-blair/it-is-possible-to-grieve-for-the-loss-of-a-thing-even-as-you-are-in/)

Joe Blair

> [“I grieve to leave Thornfield: I love Thornfield - I love it, because I have lived in it a full and delightful life, -momentarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/i-grieve-to-leave-thornfield-i-love-thornfield-i-love-it-because-i/)

[Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/)

> [We must grieve what might have been in order to rise and abundantly live in what truly is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-must-grieve-what-might-have-been-in-order-to-rise-and-abundantly/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I grieve and dare not show my discontent, I love and yet am forced to seem to hate, I do, yet dare not say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-grieve-and-dare-not-show-my-discontent-i-love-and-yet-am-forced-to/)

[Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/)

> [“Had life not given me reasons to grieve, I would never have known the healing power of a hug.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/had-life-not-given-me-reasons-to-grieve-i-would-never-have-known-the/)

[Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/)

> [“If one lied, or put you down, don't mourn don't grieve, for why do you care, you don't want to be friends with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-rosenberg/if-one-lied-or-put-you-down-don-t-mourn-don-t-grieve-for-why-do-you/)

Zoe Rosenberg

> [“I'm not saying we shouldn't grieve. Just, why don't we put it in God's hands? she said. Why haven't we learned this, after all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-m-not-saying-we-shouldn-t-grieve-just-why-don-t-we-put-it-in-god-s/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [“Dont grieve any more, see I am coming up with you everyday now, and if there is anything the matter, you can come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-spyri/dont-grieve-any-more-see-i-am-coming-up-with-you-everyday-now-and-if/)

[Johanna Spyri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-spyri/)

> [“I have the ghost of you pressing against my ribs like deep water. It is only now, in this cardigan of a house that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-walker/i-have-the-ghost-of-you-pressing-against-my-ribs-like-deep-water-it/)

[Yvette Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-walker/)

> [Man, when he does not grieve, hardly exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/man-when-he-does-not-grieve-hardly-exists/)

[Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/)

> [“The most difficult experience one might ever have, is to grieve the loss of a Loved-one who is still alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-d-longoria-jr/the-most-difficult-experience-one-might-ever-have-is-to-grieve-the/)

[Raymond D. Longoria Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-d-longoria-jr/)

> [God is inviting you today to appropriately grieve your pains and losses and to acknowledge the world is seriously broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/god-is-inviting-you-today-to-appropriately-grieve-your-pains-and/)

[Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/)

Browse all 265 Grieve quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“would be grieving, and I wanted to be there for them. I texted Patrice as I got onto the 9:00 Acela to DC. My body felt heavy and my spirit was dragging as I slumped into my seat feeling the defeat. As the train pulled out of New York City my phone rang. It was Robby Mook. “Madam Chair, I’m so sorry,” he said. I could hear the tears in his voice. “I’m so sorry.” “I know, Robby,” I said. “You did your best. You worked hard. We all did.” After we hung up, I turned off my phone. People would be calling me now as it was getting close to nine and I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. We needed time to grieve. I had to muster courage to face the staff.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Donna Brazile"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/would-be-grieving-and-i-wanted-to-be-there-for-them-i-texted-patrice/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Grieve"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/would-be-grieving-and-i-wanted-to-be-there-for-them-i-texted-patrice/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/donna-brazile-2392_grieve_would-be-grieving-and-i-wanted-to-be-the_1843154.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/donna-brazile-2392_grieve_would-be-grieving-and-i-wanted-to-be-the_1843154.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/donna-brazile-2392_grieve_would-be-grieving-and-i-wanted-to-be-the_1843154.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“would be grieving, and I wanted to be there for them. I texted Patrice as I got onto the 9:00 Acela to DC…” — Donna Brazile",
                "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": "Donna Brazile",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“would be grieving, and I wanted...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/would-be-grieving-and-i-wanted-to-be-there-for-them-i-texted-patrice/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/would-be-grieving-and-i-wanted-to-be-there-for-them-i-texted-patrice/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
