--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man can be right and president, but he…" description: "\"A man can be right and president, but he can't be both at the same time.\" — Finley Peter Dunne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/finley-peter-dunne-8007_men_a-man-can-be-right-and-president-but-he_1636845.jpg" --- # A man can be right and president, but he can't be both at… ![“A man can be right and president, but he can't be both at the same time.” quote by Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/finley-peter-dunne-8007_men_a-man-can-be-right-and-president-but-he_1636845.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/finley-peter-dunne-8007_men_a-man-can-be-right-and-president-but-he_1636845.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/finley-peter-dunne-8007_men_a-man-can-be-right-and-president-but-he_1636845.jpg) > “A man can be right and president, but he can't be both at the same time.” [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person may hold correct opinions yet be unsuitable for leadership, as competence and popularity can conflict. **In simple terms:** Being right doesn’t guarantee effective leadership. Key Takeaway Don’t assume expertise equals suitability. Themes leadership competence politics Mood skeptical reflective Type political advice When to use this quote - elections - organizational hiring - policy advocacy - public debates Key Concepts ethics public perception decision making Questions to Reflect On - Is expertise more important than charisma? - How to balance truth with leadership appeal? A Different Perspective Popularity can outweigh expertise, leading to poor outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Man Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-right/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-time-532946/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Right President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-president-532945/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [I have one president at a time. I only work for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-one-president-at-a-time-i-only-work-for-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Mr. President, it is time for you to give me back my country. You can either continue to make fools of the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nilantha-ilangamuwa/mr-president-it-is-time-for-you-to-give-me-back-my-country-you-can/) [Nilantha Ilangamuwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nilantha-ilangamuwa/) > [The new rule of thumb is that 80% of a president's time must be spent in raising funds for their schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-rogers/the-new-rule-of-thumb-is-that-80-of-a-president-s-time-must-be-spent/) [James E. Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-rogers/) > [White House officials acknowledge in broad terms that a president's time and public rhetoric are among his most valuable policy tools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/white-house-officials-acknowledge-in-broad-terms-that-a-president-s/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [I love Obama. He's my favorite president of all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-pally/i-love-obama-he-s-my-favorite-president-of-all-time/) [Adam Pally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-pally/) > [When a man is right with God, God will freely use him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-b-meyer/when-a-man-is-right-with-god-god-will-freely-use-him/) [F.B. 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Reed: Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/representative-william-mck-springer-remarks-in-the-house-quoting/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [I'm not going to put my lot in with economists, because I know if we get it right, if we actually did it right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-m-not-going-to-put-my-lot-in-with-economists-because-i-know-if-we/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I think with the right leadership on both sides and the right president, we can get a lot done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raja-krishnamoorthi/i-think-with-the-right-leadership-on-both-sides-and-the-right/) [Raja Krishnamoorthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raja-krishnamoorthi/) > [This president can ask us to be patient. This president can tell us it was someone elses fault. This president can tell us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/this-president-can-ask-us-to-be-patient-this-president-can-tell-us-it/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [“Sir, I would rather be right than to be President.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay/sir-i-would-rather-be-right-than-to-be-president/) [Henry Clay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay/) > [I had rather be right than be President.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay/i-had-rather-be-right-than-be-president/) [Henry Clay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay/) > [I would like to introduce right now the next president of the United States, Mr. Joe Walsh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-eagles/i-would-like-to-introduce-right-now-the-next-president-of-the-united/) [The Eagles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-eagles/) ## More by Finley Peter Dunne > [If Christian scientists had more science and doctors more Christianity, it wouldn't make any difference which you called in - if you had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finley-peter-dunne/if-christian-scientists-had-more-science-and-doctors-more/) [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) > [What's wan man's news is another man's throubles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finley-peter-dunne/what-s-wan-man-s-news-is-another-man-s-throubles/) [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) > [Freedom is like drink. If you take any at all, you might as well take enough to make you happy for a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finley-peter-dunne/freedom-is-like-drink-if-you-take-any-at-all-you-might-as-well-take/) [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) > [Th' first thing to have in a libry is a shelf. Fr'm time to time this can be decorated with lithrachure. 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It is the natural tendency in one when filled with dismay to turn to his wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finley-peter-dunne/what-is-instinct-it-is-the-natural-tendency-in-one-when-filled-with/) [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) > [That is, no matther whether th' constitution follows th' flag or not, th' supreme coort follows th' iliction returns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finley-peter-dunne/that-is-no-matther-whether-th-constitution-follows-th-flag-or-not-th/) [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) > [The only good husbands stay bachelors: They're too considerate to get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finley-peter-dunne/the-only-good-husbands-stay-bachelors-they-re-too-considerate-to-get/) [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) > [High finance isn't burglary or obtaining money by false pretenses, but rather a judicious selection from the best features of those fine arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finley-peter-dunne/high-finance-isn-t-burglary-or-obtaining-money-by-false-pretenses-but/) [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) > [It is more comfortable to feel that we are a slight improvement on a monkey than such a fallin' off from the angels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finley-peter-dunne/it-is-more-comfortable-to-feel-that-we-are-a-slight-improvement-on-a/) [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) > [A fanatic is a man that does what he thinks the Lord would do if He knew the facts of the case.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finley-peter-dunne/a-fanatic-is-a-man-that-does-what-he-thinks-the-lord-would-do-if-he/) [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) > [“Oh, ye're always pitchin' into some wan," said Mr. Hennessy. 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