--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: John Kerry can be absolutely ruthless. I…" description: "\"John Kerry can be absolutely ruthless. I would not want to be on his enemies list when he's ready to go after you.\" — Douglas Brinkley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/douglas-brinkley-24076_enemy_john-kerry-can-be-absolutely-ruthless-i_330470.png" --- # John Kerry can be absolutely ruthless. I would not want to… ![“John Kerry can be absolutely ruthless. I would not want to be on his enemies list when he's ready to go after you.” quote by Douglas Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/douglas-brinkley-24076_enemy_john-kerry-can-be-absolutely-ruthless-i_330470.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/douglas-brinkley-24076_enemy_john-kerry-can-be-absolutely-ruthless-i_330470.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f7/douglas-brinkley-24076_enemy_john-kerry-can-be-absolutely-ruthless-i_330470.png) > “John Kerry can be absolutely ruthless. I would not want to be on his enemies list when he's ready to go after you.” [Douglas Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-brinkley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement warns that John Kerry is a formidable opponent who will aggressively target those he perceives as enemies. **In simple terms:** Kerry is portrayed as relentless and dangerous to his foes. Key Takeaway Stay cautious and avoid antagonizing powerful figures. Themes politics power conflict leadership Mood cautious alert Type political warning When to use this quote - political campaigning - diplomatic negotiations - media interviews - public statements Key Concepts ruthlessness strategic warning personal risk Questions to Reflect On - How do we assess threats from political figures? - What strategies mitigate conflict with powerful opponents? A Different Perspective It may overstate personal threat and ignore political nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ## Related quotes > [Cosmic love is absolutely Ruthless and Highly Indifferent: it teaches its lessons whether you like/ dislike them or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-lilly/cosmic-love-is-absolutely-ruthless-and-highly-indifferent-it-teaches/) [John C. Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-lilly/) > [You look at the Harry Kanes: although he's absolutely ruthless inside the box, he also scores goals outside the box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-abraham/you-look-at-the-harry-kanes-although-he-s-absolutely-ruthless-inside/) [Tammy Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-abraham/) > [I get absolutely ruthless in my own way about not doing anything else when I am trying to concentrate on writing a book. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/i-get-absolutely-ruthless-in-my-own-way-about-not-doing-anything-else/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [I don't want enemies. I want friends, and I want them in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and loving whoever they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/i-don-t-want-enemies-i-want-friends-and-i-want-them-in-all-shapes/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [What I want is to have no enemies when I die. 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Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-p-pierce/) ## More by Douglas Brinkley > [Do we pour $40 billion into grandiose Louisiana engineering projects or do we instead put up no trespassing- signs in the areas below sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-brinkley/do-we-pour-40-billion-into-grandiose-louisiana-engineering-projects/) [Douglas Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-brinkley/) > [Hurricane Katrina is without question the worst natural disaster in American history,.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-brinkley/hurricane-katrina-is-without-question-the-worst-natural-disaster-in/) [Douglas Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-brinkley/) > [John Kerry wants to be the hero in his own drama. He likes King Arthur and the Round Table. 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Working closely with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-brinkley/the-popular-director-of-owi-was-elmer-davis-an-ex-cbs-radioman-with/) [Douglas Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-brinkley/) > [If you're a Kennedy and you go to Italy or you go to Argentina, you're treated as royalty. 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Bush. He is ranked toward the bottom rung of presidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-brinkley/it-is-a-long-revisionist-road-up-from-the-bottom-for-george-w-bush-he/) [Douglas Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-brinkley/) > [“Cronkite had mastered the intentional pause, the need for frozen seconds of long silence at certain historic moments. Nobody before or after Cronkite had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-brinkley/cronkite-had-mastered-the-intentional-pause-the-need-for-frozen/) [Douglas Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-brinkley/) [Explore all 25 Douglas Brinkley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-brinkley/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? 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The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [In this business, you find the enemy, then go after and destroy him. 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