--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In presidential elections, I think people…" description: "\"In presidential elections, I think people focus way too much on ideology.\" — Eric Garcetti" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/eric-garcetti-5068_democracy_in-presidential-elections-i-think-people_180703.jpg" --- # In presidential elections, I think people focus way too… ![“In presidential elections, I think people focus way too much on ideology.” quote by Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/eric-garcetti-5068_democracy_in-presidential-elections-i-think-people_180703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/eric-garcetti-5068_democracy_in-presidential-elections-i-think-people_180703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/eric-garcetti-5068_democracy_in-presidential-elections-i-think-people_180703.jpg) > “In presidential elections, I think people focus way too much on ideology.” [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People prioritize ideological labels over practical policies in elections, limiting nuanced discussion. **In simple terms:** Voters focus on ideology rather than substance. Key Takeaway Look beyond party slogans. Themes politics ideology election public opinion decision making Mood skeptical reflective Type analytical political When to use this quote - voting - campaign analysis - policy debates Key Concepts critical thinking cognitive bias media influence Questions to Reflect On - What facts are you overlooking? - How can you evaluate policies objectively? A Different Perspective Ideology can oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Elections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elections/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Midterms behave very differently than presidential elections. Midterms, for a federal candidate, often times are a referendum on the president, where in presidential years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/midterms-behave-very-differently-than-presidential-elections-midterms/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [My participation in the presidential elections can truly be a step on the path towards the transformation that our country needs so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/my-participation-in-the-presidential-elections-can-truly-be-a-step-on/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Federal elections happen every two years in this country. Presidential elections every four years. And four years just isn't long enough to dismantle all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/federal-elections-happen-every-two-years-in-this-country-presidential/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [ Barack Obama was elected President in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. The natural thing would be to suggest money on the right \[wing\] doesn't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/barack-obama-was-elected-president-in-2008-and-re-elected-in-2012-the/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [My opinion of presidential elections are - they need to be about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/my-opinion-of-presidential-elections-are-they-need-to-be-about-the/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [Favorite-son candidates almost always win their states decisively in presidential elections. But their status as national celebrities can end up breeding fatigue and resentment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kornacki/favorite-son-candidates-almost-always-win-their-states-decisively-in/) [Steve Kornacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kornacki/) > [In the party of Lincoln and Reagan and much of the donor class, the defense of human life is what they think loses elections.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/in-the-party-of-lincoln-and-reagan-and-much-of-the-donor-class-the/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [Any country needs to know that there are consequences when they get involved in our elections. And I think that's why it's good that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/any-country-needs-to-know-that-there-are-consequences-when-they-get/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [In most presidential elections, the taller candidate wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-estrich/in-most-presidential-elections-the-taller-candidate-wins/) [Susan Estrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-estrich/) > [“only Mubarak could stand for presidential election on a yes or no vote. Elections were more of a selection process since most of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amiso-m-george/only-mubarak-could-stand-for-presidential-election-on-a-yes-or-no/) Amiso M. George > [As is always the case with American presidential elections, nobody's talking about the fact that the empire will be ruled from Washington, and foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashid-khalidi/as-is-always-the-case-with-american-presidential-elections-nobody-s/) [Rashid Khalidi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashid-khalidi/) > [The pattern of American presidential elections is that the more optimistic candidate, whether it's John Kennedy and let's get America moving again, Ronald Reagan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/the-pattern-of-american-presidential-elections-is-that-the-more/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Voter identification tends to solidify after a new generation votes consecutively for the same party in three presidential elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/voter-identification-tends-to-solidify-after-a-new-generation-votes/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > [Presidential elections always turn on personalities, they turn on how campaigns are run, they turn on natural desires for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/presidential-elections-always-turn-on-personalities-they-turn-on-how/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It seems to me that our presidential elections have turned more into a popularity contest than a real analysis about who really should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/it-seems-to-me-that-our-presidential-elections-have-turned-more-into/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) ## More by Eric Garcetti > [I think it's really important to talk education, to talk infrastructure, to talk good jobs and the future of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/i-think-it-s-really-important-to-talk-education-to-talk/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [I have a piano in my office, and sometimes during meetings, I'll sit down and goof on the keyboard a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/i-have-a-piano-in-my-office-and-sometimes-during-meetings-i-ll-sit/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [I don't spend much time on the computer at all, so I do most of my email on my phone if I do any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/i-don-t-spend-much-time-on-the-computer-at-all-so-i-do-most-of-my/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [On my mom's side, the Jewish side of the family, I come from a family of musicians who are pianists, so I've always loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/on-my-mom-s-side-the-jewish-side-of-the-family-i-come-from-a-family/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [I don't think you can lead a nation if you don't have a definition of the nation. We have to define, as Democrats, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/i-don-t-think-you-can-lead-a-nation-if-you-don-t-have-a-definition-of/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [I'm a typical mutt American. I have an Italian last name. Half-Mexican, half-Jewish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/i-m-a-typical-mutt-american-i-have-an-italian-last-name-half-mexican/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [Campaigns are these moments of suspended animation where people usually learn how to be friends afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/campaigns-are-these-moments-of-suspended-animation-where-people/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [The idea of red-washing or blue-washing an entire county because a few more people vote one way or the other does a disservice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/the-idea-of-red-washing-or-blue-washing-an-entire-county-because-a/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [I'm not one of those politicians, to my probably discredit, who thinks very far ahead. It has to feel right to me and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/i-m-not-one-of-those-politicians-to-my-probably-discredit-who-thinks/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [My wife and I are foster parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/my-wife-and-i-are-foster-parents/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [Most people will be primarily getting into autonomous vehicles if we look 20, 30 years out. If we mandate that autonomous vehicles have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/most-people-will-be-primarily-getting-into-autonomous-vehicles-if-we/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [The problem with the Democratic Party is, we're like, 'If we just get another presidential candidate in there, everything will be OK.' We should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/the-problem-with-the-democratic-party-is-we-re-like-if-we-just-get/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [When President Trump got out of the Paris climate accords, we got 412 cities to say we will do it instead, because we're on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/when-president-trump-got-out-of-the-paris-climate-accords-we-got-412/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [On things like the minimum wage, where cities as well as states are increasingly looking at income disparity, mayors will have, I think, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/on-things-like-the-minimum-wage-where-cities-as-well-as-states-are/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [I have to spend my time worrying about poor families at the expense of helping businesses, or vice versa. To me, I really see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/i-have-to-spend-my-time-worrying-about-poor-families-at-the-expense/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) [Explore all 103 Eric Garcetti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In presidential elections, I think people focus way too much on ideology.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Garcetti" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/in-presidential-elections-i-think-people-focus-way-too-much-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/in-presidential-elections-i-think-people-focus-way-too-much-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/eric-garcetti-5068_democracy_in-presidential-elections-i-think-people_180703.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/eric-garcetti-5068_democracy_in-presidential-elections-i-think-people_180703.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/eric-garcetti-5068_democracy_in-presidential-elections-i-think-people_180703.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In presidential elections, I think people focus way too much on ideology.” — Eric Garcetti", "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": "Eric Garcetti", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In presidential elections, I think people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/in-presidential-elections-i-think-people-focus-way-too-much-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/in-presidential-elections-i-think-people-focus-way-too-much-on/#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 } } ] } ```