--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes the results of a first free…" description: "\"Sometimes the results of a first free election will find the moderates so poorly organized that extreme groups can eke out a victory, as Hamas did when..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/elliott-abrams-1577_did_sometimes-the-results-of-a-first-free-el_422495.jpg" --- # Sometimes the results of a first free election will find… ![“Sometimes the results of a first free election will find the moderates so poorly organized that extreme groups can eke out a victory, as Hamas did when it gained a 44-to-41 percent margin in the Palestinian election of 2006.” quote by Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/elliott-abrams-1577_did_sometimes-the-results-of-a-first-free-el_422495.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/elliott-abrams-1577_did_sometimes-the-results-of-a-first-free-el_422495.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/elliott-abrams-1577_did_sometimes-the-results-of-a-first-free-el_422495.jpg) > “Sometimes the results of a first free election will find the moderates so poorly organized that extreme groups can eke out a victory, as Hamas did when it gained a 44-to-41 percent margin in the Palestinian election of 2006.” [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. First free elections can be vulnerable when moderate groups are disorganized, allowing extremist parties to win narrowly. **In simple terms:** Weak moderates let extremists win. Key Takeaway Strengthen moderate organization. Themes politics elections moderation extremism Mood analytical cautious Type strategic informative When to use this quote - campaign planning - policy advocacy - civil society work Key Concepts electoral strategy party organization democratic vulnerability Questions to Reflect On - How can moderates improve coordination? - What safeguards protect elections from fringe wins? A Different Perspective Extremist victories may also stem from popular support, not just disorganization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Election Moderates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election-moderates-3742461/) [Extreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extreme/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Gained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gained/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Hamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hamas/) [Hamas Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hamas-did-3742464/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Margin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/margin/) [Margin Palestinian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/margin-palestinian-3742466/) [Moderates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moderates/) [Moderates Poorly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moderates-poorly-3742462/) [Organized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organized/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Palestinian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palestinian/) [Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent/) [Poorly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poorly/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [Victory Hamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory-hamas-367482/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) > [In 2006, I hung out with The Carter Center as they monitored the Palestinian elections. Nobody thought Hamas would win. Hamas did not think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maysoon-zayid/in-2006-i-hung-out-with-the-carter-center-as-they-monitored-the/) [Maysoon Zayid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maysoon-zayid/) > [America has exercised its power to insist on elections in Palestine, which Hamas did win. Once they won, we then engaged in a policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/america-has-exercised-its-power-to-insist-on-elections-in-palestine/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Longhand isn't well suited to my way of writing. I tend to end up with dozens of pages of crossings-out and margin scribbles just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hall/longhand-isn-t-well-suited-to-my-way-of-writing-i-tend-to-end-up-with/) [Steven Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hall/) > [The three most important words in investing...Margin of Safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-three-most-important-words-in-investing-margin-of-safety/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Edge also implies what Ben Graham…called a margin of safety. You have a margin of safety when you buy an asset at a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mauboussin/edge-also-implies-what-ben-graham-called-a-margin-of-safety-you-have/) [Michael Mauboussin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mauboussin/) > [“Marginless is the disease of the new millennium; margin is its cure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-swenson/marginless-is-the-disease-of-the-new-millennium-margin-is-its-cure/) [Richard Swenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-swenson/) > [Only the margin left to write on now. I love you, I love you, I love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/only-the-margin-left-to-write-on-now-i-love-you-i-love-you-i-love-you/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [The United States is a leader across a broad range of scientific disciplines. Our technological prowess is part of our greatness as a nation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/the-united-states-is-a-leader-across-a-broad-range-of-scientific/) [Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/) > [The margin between winning and losing is slim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-murray/the-margin-between-winning-and-losing-is-slim/) [Jamal Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-murray/) > [But it is impossible to divide a cube into two cubes, or a fourth power into fourth powers, or generally any power beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-fermat/but-it-is-impossible-to-divide-a-cube-into-two-cubes-or-a-fourth/) [Pierre de Fermat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-fermat/) > [Any investment bought via credit always runs the risk of margin calls and, eventually, liquidation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/any-investment-bought-via-credit-always-runs-the-risk-of-margin-calls/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [In the margin for error lies all our room for maneuver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-geary/in-the-margin-for-error-lies-all-our-room-for-maneuver/) [James Geary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-geary/) > [Tell us what it is to be a woman so that we may know what it is to be a man. What moves at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/tell-us-what-it-is-to-be-a-woman-so-that-we-may-know-what-it-is-to-be/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [The margin is very marginal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-robson/the-margin-is-very-marginal/) [Bobby Robson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-robson/) ## More by Elliott Abrams > [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The story of the Jews in the Bible is replete with incidents of their ingratitude to God for His gifts to them: incidents that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-story-of-the-jews-in-the-bible-is-replete-with-incidents-of-their/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [History may someday record that the Arab awakening that began with the Arab revolt of 1916 against the Ottomans ended about a century later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/history-may-someday-record-that-the-arab-awakening-that-began-with/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [From its earliest days in the nineteenth century, and until the Holocaust, the Orthodox rabbinate in eastern Europe was not enthusiastic about the Zionist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/from-its-earliest-days-in-the-nineteenth-century-and-until-the/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The Pope is not a political figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-pope-is-not-a-political-figure/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Israel and the Palestinians had been at the table together for decades until the Obama/Mitchell/Rahm Emanuel decision to demand a total end to Israeli…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/israel-and-the-palestinians-had-been-at-the-table-together-for/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Pundits are used to analyzing the gap between what our ideals suggest and what our security interests require.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/pundits-are-used-to-analyzing-the-gap-between-what-our-ideals-suggest/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The Egyptian military and the government of Israel have long had a common interest in maintaining order and fighting terrorism in Sinai.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-egyptian-military-and-the-government-of-israel-have-long-had-a/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [In 2007, early in the improbable presidential candidacy of Barack Obama, the young first-term senator began a series of foreign-policy speeches that seemed too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/in-2007-early-in-the-improbable-presidential-candidacy-of-barack/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Terrorists that kill Americans don't get released.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/terrorists-that-kill-americans-don-t-get-released/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Refusing to lift sanctions and adopting tougher rhetoric toward Iran would not be partisan issues. Plenty of Democrats think that those actions are both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/refusing-to-lift-sanctions-and-adopting-tougher-rhetoric-toward-iran/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [At the height of the Cold War, when Ronald Reagan was president, the Soviets and their allies and satellites did not shirk human rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/at-the-height-of-the-cold-war-when-ronald-reagan-was-president-the/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [I personally would not talk to a Jew for Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/i-personally-would-not-talk-to-a-jew-for-jesus/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [When freedom of the press is threatened, the United States should be leading efforts to protect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/when-freedom-of-the-press-is-threatened-the-united-states-should-be/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Israel bombed the Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007. What the Syrians did in response, nothing. Israel has killed a number of terrorist leaders in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/israel-bombed-the-syrian-nuclear-reactor-in-2007-what-the-syrians-did/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) [Explore all 226 Elliott Abrams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) ## More Did quotes > [Hats off to starting a franchise younger than we all did in 'Twilight' and keeping your cool. The 'Harry Potter' men and women had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/hats-off-to-starting-a-franchise-younger-than-we-all-did-in-twilight/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Here we are 17 years later. Those agencies never did come through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/here-we-are-17-years-later-those-agencies-never-did-come-through/) [Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/) > [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/) [Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [I am a big outliner. For my adult book, 'The Visibles,' I did not outline, and it took me two years to write because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-am-a-big-outliner-for-my-adult-book-the-visibles-i-did-not-outline/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [You didn't want to laugh, did you? It wasn't very funny, was it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-kennedy/you-didn-t-want-to-laugh-did-you-it-wasn-t-very-funny-was-it/) [Graham Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-kennedy/) > [I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood and was raised by a man who did not emote, ever... I always cry at movies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/i-grew-up-in-a-blue-collar-neighborhood-and-was-raised-by-a-man-who/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [I met Tyler Perry and we did 'House of Payne' and a movie. We've done a couple other films since then, but it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-gross/i-met-tyler-perry-and-we-did-house-of-payne-and-a-movie-we-ve-done-a/) [Lance Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-gross/) > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [I am excited to partner with Aeropostale for my very own collection. It was a great experience to be able to work with them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-mota/i-am-excited-to-partner-with-aeropostale-for-my-very-own-collection/) [Bethany Mota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-mota/) > [When we built Roomba, we explicitly designed it to not have a face. We didn't want to think it was cute; we wanted people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/when-we-built-roomba-we-explicitly-designed-it-to-not-have-a-face-we/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) > [I turned to my mom and said, 'I'm going to be a martial arts movie star.' She didn't believe me, and neither did my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/i-turned-to-my-mom-and-said-i-m-going-to-be-a-martial-arts-movie-star/) [Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/) [Browse all 4,331 Did quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes the results of a first free election will find the moderates so poorly organized that extreme groups can eke out a victory, as Hamas did when it gained a 44-to-41 percent margin in the Palestinian election of 2006.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elliott Abrams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/sometimes-the-results-of-a-first-free-election-will-find-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Did" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/sometimes-the-results-of-a-first-free-election-will-find-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/elliott-abrams-1577_did_sometimes-the-results-of-a-first-free-el_422495.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/elliott-abrams-1577_did_sometimes-the-results-of-a-first-free-el_422495.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/elliott-abrams-1577_did_sometimes-the-results-of-a-first-free-el_422495.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes the results of a first free election will find the moderates so poorly organized that extreme…” — Elliott Abrams", "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": "Elliott Abrams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sometimes the results of a first...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/sometimes-the-results-of-a-first-free-election-will-find-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/sometimes-the-results-of-a-first-free-election-will-find-the/#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 } } ] } ```