--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But I think there was a sense amongst the…" description: "\"But I think there was a sense amongst the House Republicans especially that we didn't just want to be opposed to Bill Clinton; that we wanted to tell t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0e/ed-gillespie-18531_clinton_but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-th_1959779.jpg" --- # But I think there was a sense amongst the House… ![“But I think there was a sense amongst the House Republicans especially that we didn't just want to be opposed to Bill Clinton; that we wanted to tell the country what we were for and to brand ourselves in a more positive manner.” quote by Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0e/ed-gillespie-18531_clinton_but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-th_1959779.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0e/ed-gillespie-18531_clinton_but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-th_1959779.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0e/ed-gillespie-18531_clinton_but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-th_1959779.jpg) > “But I think there was a sense amongst the House Republicans especially that we didn't just want to be opposed to Bill Clinton; that we wanted to tell the country what we were for and to brand ourselves in a more positive manner.” [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Republicans sought a positive identity beyond opposing Clinton, aiming to define their own agenda. **In simple terms:** They wanted a proactive, not just reactive, image. Key Takeaway Define clear, positive goals. Themes politics branding identity Mood optimistic determined Type political strategic When to use this quote - campaign planning - media messaging - policy development Key Concepts strategic communication public perception Questions to Reflect On - How can a party balance critique with constructive vision? - What values should define a positive political identity? A Different Perspective Positive branding can be hard when opposition dominates. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton/) [Clinton Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton-wanted-871930/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [House Republicans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house-republicans-397071/) [Opposed Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposed-clinton-1402826/) [Positive Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-man/) [Republicans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republicans/) [Republicans Especially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republicans-especially-3228475/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) ## Related quotes > [I myself am Catholic, and many Catholics have values that are a priority for Republicans, especially as they relate to marriage and life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/i-myself-am-catholic-and-many-catholics-have-values-that-are-a/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [I opposed Clinton's budget deal in 1997 because he brought in $115 billion cut in Medicare that created greater pressure for providers not to participate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-obey/i-opposed-clinton-s-budget-deal-in-1997-because-he-brought-in-115/) [Dave Obey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-obey/) > [House Republicans want to pass a strong border security, illegal immigration bill. We want a bill. There is no ifs, ands or buts about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boehner/house-republicans-want-to-pass-a-strong-border-security-illegal/) [John Boehner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boehner/) > [I have always believed that the House Republicans do not want to pass any tax increases...especially on the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-always-believed-that-the-house-republicans-do-not-want-to-pass/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hillary Clinton wanted to hide what she was doing so that there was no trail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/hillary-clinton-wanted-to-hide-what-she-was-doing-so-that-there-was/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Bill Clinton wanted to survive. And Bill Clinton wanted to thrive, not just for himself, although that's primarily what drives Bill Clinton. He's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/bill-clinton-wanted-to-survive-and-bill-clinton-wanted-to-thrive-not/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [Bin Laden was once targeted by President Clinton. President Clinton wanted to kill him but couldn't get him. Of course not, we all know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bin-laden-was-once-targeted-by-president-clinton-president-clinton/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Her family had no such ties. She was able to forge her way into that world. And then to those people, the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/her-family-had-no-such-ties-she-was-able-to-forge-her-way-into-that/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [House Democrats have tried to increase port security funding on this House floor four times over the last 4 years, and House Republicans have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-cardoza/house-democrats-have-tried-to-increase-port-security-funding-on-this/) [Dennis Cardoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-cardoza/) > [“Ex-Im is the lowest of low-hanging fruit in the sprawling tree of American political corruption. And yet House Republicans cannot seem to pluck it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ex-im-is-the-lowest-of-low-hanging-fruit-in-the-sprawling-tree-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If the House Republicans want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, they should make their case to the American people and elect a president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerrold-nadler/if-the-house-republicans-want-to-repeal-the-affordable-care-act-they/) [Jerrold Nadler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerrold-nadler/) > [House Republicans continue to vote to repeal health care reform, not only removing guarantees that women aren't charged more than men for coverage, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/house-republicans-continue-to-vote-to-repeal-health-care-reform-not/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If House Republicans can't get border security right, who will trust them on the other bills?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tancredo/if-house-republicans-can-t-get-border-security-right-who-will-trust/) [Tom Tancredo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tancredo/) > [As the most radical agenda in American history comes through the 117th Congress, the Whip Team will play an important role in making sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/as-the-most-radical-agenda-in-american-history-comes-through-the/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [Today House Republicans are doing what they always do - using taxpayers' money to continue investigating claims that have already been debunked just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/today-house-republicans-are-doing-what-they-always-do-using-taxpayers/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) ## More by Ed Gillespie > [Well, my wife, Cathy Gillespie, worked for Joe Barton, who was running for Congress in 1984.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/well-my-wife-cathy-gillespie-worked-for-joe-barton-who-was-running/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [Frankly, I thought we would have lost the House by now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/frankly-i-thought-we-would-have-lost-the-house-by-now/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [I think one of the problems the Democrats have today is that they are an elitist party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/i-think-one-of-the-problems-the-democrats-have-today-is-that-they-are/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [Even as a partisan Republican, I'm not sure a 40-year run is healthy for either party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/even-as-a-partisan-republican-i-m-not-sure-a-40-year-run-is-healthy/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [I don't think we're as divided as many in the elite would have us believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/i-don-t-think-we-re-as-divided-as-many-in-the-elite-would-have-us/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [One is that President Clinton, in his first two years of his term, did not govern as he had campaigned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/one-is-that-president-clinton-in-his-first-two-years-of-his-term-did/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [We are seeing at the Republican National Committee a phenomenon that is worth noting this week; maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe Wednesday, we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/we-are-seeing-at-the-republican-national-committee-a-phenomenon-that/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [I don't want to be disrespectful of the president of the United States, but as a political person, one of the things I appreciated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/i-don-t-want-to-be-disrespectful-of-the-president-of-the-united/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [I don't believe we're the party of big business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/i-don-t-believe-we-re-the-party-of-big-business/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [They do believe that if we do not wage this war against terror in places like Baghdad and Kabul, we are more likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/they-do-believe-that-if-we-do-not-wage-this-war-against-terror-in/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [So I think that our foreign policy, the president's strong and principled leadership when it comes to the war against terror and foreign policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/so-i-think-that-our-foreign-policy-the-president-s-strong-and/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [We are in favor of greater free markets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/we-are-in-favor-of-greater-free-markets/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [And so it was interesting for me to find myself very enamored of a Republican president, but Ronald Reagan was someone I thought captured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/and-so-it-was-interesting-for-me-to-find-myself-very-enamored-of-a/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [The fact is that we as a party at the Republican National Committee registered 3.4 million new voters in the past two years and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/the-fact-is-that-we-as-a-party-at-the-republican-national-committee/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [People like passion in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/people-like-passion-in-politics/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) [Explore all 34 Ed Gillespie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) ## More Clinton quotes > [There's more than 1700 emails out of the thirty three thousand Hillary Clinton emails that we've published, just about Libya. It's not that Libya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/there-s-more-than-1700-emails-out-of-the-thirty-three-thousand/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [You can criticize Trump and his wealth all day long, but you can't say he hasn't worked. You can say that about the Clintons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-can-criticize-trump-and-his-wealth-all-day-long-but-you-can-t-say/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ I guarantee you \[Hillary Clinton\] is smoking in humiliation over the idea that she needs to heal and that \[Donald\] Trump's the guy to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-guarantee-you-hillary-clinton-is-smoking-in-humiliation-over-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [All my life I've been involved with racial politics. I was a Freedom Rider in the South. I was the author of books on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hayden/all-my-life-i-ve-been-involved-with-racial-politics-i-was-a-freedom/) [Tom Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hayden/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I didn't do anything for Russia. I've done nothing for Russia. Hillary Clinton gave them 20% of our uranium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-didn-t-do-anything-for-russia-i-ve-done-nothing-for-russia-hillary/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I absolutely trust Hillary Clinton to stand strong on trade agreements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrod-brown/i-absolutely-trust-hillary-clinton-to-stand-strong-on-trade-agreements/) [Sherrod Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrod-brown/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Hillary Clinton is the least popular candidate for president ever except for Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pickering/hillary-clinton-is-the-least-popular-candidate-for-president-ever/) [Charlie Pickering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pickering/) > [Hillary Clinton truly is sincere, but she has to connect more with the American people in terms of what she believes in and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/hillary-clinton-truly-is-sincere-but-she-has-to-connect-more-with-the/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [Why can't we have a voice? What's the difference between an athlete having millions or Donald Trump? Every time a politician talks, they talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abdul-rauf/why-can-t-we-have-a-voice-what-s-the-difference-between-an-athlete/) [Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-abdul-rauf/) > [Hillary Clinton's been around for 30 years. Why do these stories need to be told? It isn't all of this widely known?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/hillary-clinton-s-been-around-for-30-years-why-do-these-stories-need/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I happen to think that Hillary Clinton is a beacon of hope for younger girls, as was Barack Obama in other inspirational areas. We've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-meneses/i-happen-to-think-that-hillary-clinton-is-a-beacon-of-hope-for/) [Alex Meneses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-meneses/) > [If you're going to run for president as the anti-Clinton, you should know that Democrats and their media friends will do whatever it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gigot/if-you-re-going-to-run-for-president-as-the-anti-clinton-you-should/) [Paul Gigot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gigot/) [Browse all 2,917 Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But I think there was a sense amongst the House Republicans especially that we didn't just want to be opposed to Bill Clinton; that we wanted to tell the country what we were for and to brand ourselves in a more positive manner.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ed Gillespie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-the-house-republicans/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clinton" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-the-house-republicans/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0e/ed-gillespie-18531_clinton_but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-th_1959779.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0e/ed-gillespie-18531_clinton_but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-th_1959779.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0e/ed-gillespie-18531_clinton_but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-th_1959779.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But I think there was a sense amongst the House Republicans especially that we didn't just want to be…” — Ed Gillespie", "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": "Ed Gillespie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But I think there was a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-the-house-republicans/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/but-i-think-there-was-a-sense-amongst-the-house-republicans/#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 } } ] } ```