20th century Quote by Evan Osnos
“If you go back and you look at the presidency over the course of history, presidents tend to do what they campaigned on. In the 20th century, presidents between Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter accomplished 73 percent of the things that they said they would do as candidates. Part of that is because once they get into office, their credibility, their ability to do anything depends on doing the things that they said they would.”
About This Quote
Source Article: The New Yorker, “Presidential Promises,” 2015
Presidents usually fulfill the policies they campaigned on, with a high historical success rate, because credibility hinges on delivering promises.
In simple terms: Presidents tend to keep campaign promises to stay credible.
Key Takeaway
Align actions with stated goals.
Themes
politics
credibility
policy implementation
Mood
analytical
informative
Type
political
historical
When to use this quote
- election cycles
- legislative agendas
- campaign platforms
Key Concepts
public trust
governance
Questions to Reflect On
- What factors cause leaders to break promises?
- How does public pressure affect policy delivery?
A Different Perspective
Historical data may not predict future deviations due to crises.
