--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conservatives won't want to hear this…" description: "\"Conservatives won't want to hear this, but the Republican who maneuvered his way into the most impressive victory of the election was California Gov. A..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/fred-barnes-31502_arnold-schwarzenegge_conservatives-won-t-want-to-hear-this-bu_2053683.jpg" --- # Conservatives won't want to hear this, but the Republican… ![“Conservatives won't want to hear this, but the Republican who maneuvered his way into the most impressive victory of the election was California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Okay, he's sui generis. But he won a landslide victory after moving to the center, while holding onto conservatives by not…” quote by Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/fred-barnes-31502_arnold-schwarzenegge_conservatives-won-t-want-to-hear-this-bu_2053683.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/fred-barnes-31502_arnold-schwarzenegge_conservatives-won-t-want-to-hear-this-bu_2053683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/fred-barnes-31502_arnold-schwarzenegge_conservatives-won-t-want-to-hear-this-bu_2053683.jpg) > “Conservatives won't want to hear this, but the Republican who maneuvered his way into the most impressive victory of the election was California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Okay, he's sui generis. But he won a landslide victory after moving to the center, while holding onto conservatives by not hiking taxes.” [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Arnold Schwarzenegger won by appealing to centrists while keeping conservatives satisfied, showing a unique political path. **In simple terms:** Centrist appeal can win elections. Key Takeaway Balance moderate policies with core base support. Themes politics election strategy moderation Mood analytical cautious Type political strategic When to use this quote - campaign messaging - policy platforms - voter outreach Key Concepts center‑right politics cross‑ideological appeal Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders maintain core support while shifting toward the center? - What risks arise from compromising core principles? A Different Perspective Such a balance may be unsustainable long‑term. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [California](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/california/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Hiking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiking/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) ## Related quotes > [We have made major reforms in Greece. When I took over after a landslide victory we had a mandate for change and I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/we-have-made-major-reforms-in-greece-when-i-took-over-after-a/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [A concrete agenda and landslide victory might not even guarantee a president his mandate in a capital as polarized as Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/a-concrete-agenda-and-landslide-victory-might-not-even-guarantee-a/) [Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/) > [In 2010, conservatives won big majorities in the Wisconsin State Legislature, and I openly supported many of their reforms, including changes to collective bargaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sykes/in-2010-conservatives-won-big-majorities-in-the-wisconsin-state/) [Charlie Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sykes/) > [“The conservatives won. They turned the Democrats into a center-right party. They got the entire country singing 'God Bless America,' stress on God, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/the-conservatives-won-they-turned-the-democrats-into-a-center-right/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [The 2018 elections gave Democrats a landslide victory in the House and showed that voters are eager if not desperate to hold Trump accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-jean-pierre/the-2018-elections-gave-democrats-a-landslide-victory-in-the-house/) [Karine Jean-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-jean-pierre/) > [“According to Bishop, the author of The Big Sort, in 1976 less than 25% of Americans lived in places where the presidential election was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/according-to-bishop-the-author-of-the-big-sort-in-1976-less-than-25/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [ Lindsey \[Buckingham\] and I went up to Aspen and we went to somebody's incredible house and they had a piano and I had my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/lindsey-buckingham-and-i-went-up-to-aspen-and-we-went-to-somebody-s/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) > [. . . all that she had had, and all that she had missed, were lost together, and were twice lost in this landslide of remembered losses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/all-that-she-had-had-and-all-that-she-had-missed-were-lost-together/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) > [Who among us is not at a loss for words? Tears pour out. Tears of joy. Tears of relief. A stunning, whopping landslide of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/who-among-us-is-not-at-a-loss-for-words-tears-pour-out-tears-of-joy/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [If I were afraid of polls, I never would've been elected in two landslide elections, leading a highest percentage in our state's last election…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-jindal/if-i-were-afraid-of-polls-i-never-would-ve-been-elected-in-two/) [Bobby Jindal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-jindal/) > [Perhaps there can be too much making of cups of tea, I thought, as I watched Miss Statham filling the heavy teapot. Did we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-pym/perhaps-there-can-be-too-much-making-of-cups-of-tea-i-thought-as-i/) [Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/) > [In a one-party system there is always a landslide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/in-a-one-party-system-there-is-always-a-landslide/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [ Everybody was telling \[the Democrats\], the media, everybody telling them they're gonna win in a landslide, \[Donald\] Trump's a buffoon, look at his campaign… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/everybody-was-telling-the-democrats-the-media-everybody-telling-them/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If you look back through history in the United States, there have been very few landslide elections. Half the country always voted for someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/if-you-look-back-through-history-in-the-united-states-there-have-been/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [..I find it incredible impossible not to cry when I hear Stevie Nicks's "Landslide," especially the lyric: "I've been afraid of changing, because I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-find-it-incredible-impossible-not-to-cry-when-i-hear-stevie-nicks-s/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) ## More by Fred Barnes > [Ronald Reagan has a story for every occasion. Bill Clinton has an excuse for every occasion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/ronald-reagan-has-a-story-for-every-occasion-bill-clinton-has-an/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [Candidates don't have to deal with reality. They talk about the wonderful things they can accomplish as if advocating them is the same as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/candidates-don-t-have-to-deal-with-reality-they-talk-about-the/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [Obama sounded like Al Gore on global warming. The more the case for man-made warming falls apart, the more hysterical Gore gets about an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/obama-sounded-like-al-gore-on-global-warming-the-more-the-case-for/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [President Obama insists he's a free-market guy. But you have to wonder whether he understands how a free economy really works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/president-obama-insists-he-s-a-free-market-guy-but-you-have-to-wonder/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [Obama specializes in knocking down straw men. 'I reject the view that says our problems will simply take care of themselves,' he said, implying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/obama-specializes-in-knocking-down-straw-men-i-reject-the-view-that/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [The American people are not as casualty-sensitive as the weenies in the American press are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/the-american-people-are-not-as-casualty-sensitive-as-the-weenies-in/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [Overreaction is one of the things that congress specializes in. I can't think of anything congress does better than overreact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/overreaction-is-one-of-the-things-that-congress-specializes-in-i-can/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [The coverage of Central America in recent months points up one of the ugly truths about the American press: the better the news, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/the-coverage-of-central-america-in-recent-months-points-up-one-of-the/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [Presidents with strong nerves are decisive. They don't balk at unpopular decisions. They are willing to make people angry. Bush had strong nerves. Clinton,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/presidents-with-strong-nerves-are-decisive-they-don-t-balk-at/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [Religion's crucial role in the lives of many people... is rejected out of hand by the political community, especially the press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/religion-s-crucial-role-in-the-lives-of-many-people-is-rejected-out/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [The mainstream media may have trouble resisting the temptation to declare that Karl Rove has been demoted, but the truth is quite the contrary.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/the-mainstream-media-may-have-trouble-resisting-the-temptation-to/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [Thomas Sowell is America's foremost public intellectual and for good reason. His work covers almost every subject imaginable- race, economics, Marxism, ethnic groups, immigration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/thomas-sowell-is-america-s-foremost-public-intellectual-and-for-good/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [The only person who was a strong public opponent of the war in Iraq is Barack Obama. The other people weren't. So I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/the-only-person-who-was-a-strong-public-opponent-of-the-war-in-iraq/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [Never miss it - that's the second biggest compliment I'd give to RealClearPolitics.com. The first is that it has become indispensable to anyone, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/never-miss-it-that-s-the-second-biggest-compliment-i-d-give-to/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) > [The most important quality any piece of writing can have is doneness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-barnes/the-most-important-quality-any-piece-of-writing-can-have-is-doneness/) [Fred Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) [Explore all 16 Fred Barnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-barnes/) ## More Arnold schwarzenegger quotes > [Arnold Schwarzenegger looks like a brown condom full of walnuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/arnold-schwarzenegger-looks-like-a-brown-condom-full-of-walnuts/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [How would Elvira run the state of California? Well, there isn't much I could do that is worse than what Arnold Schwarzenegger has done.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/how-would-elvira-run-the-state-of-california-well-there-isn-t-much-i/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [My dream would be to play the villain in a James Bond movie, or opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger. I like everything exaggerated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/my-dream-would-be-to-play-the-villain-in-a-james-bond-movie-or/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [I recently read that Arnold Schwarzenegger collects Hummers. Now we know why Maria's face is frozen in that puckered position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-wilkerson/i-recently-read-that-arnold-schwarzenegger-collects-hummers-now-we/) [Brad Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-wilkerson/) > [I'd like to talk to Arnold Schwarzenegger, 'cause I live in California and I just want to see that canned, chemical filled body in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-d-like-to-talk-to-arnold-schwarzenegger-cause-i-live-in-california/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he's running for governor. He's got a great slogan - 'Vote for me, or I'll make 'Kindergarten Cop II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/arnold-schwarzenegger-announced-he-s-running-for-governor-he-s-got-a/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [There's no one in the world close to Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is a phenomenon. He's brilliant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/there-s-no-one-in-the-world-close-to-arnold-schwarzenegger-he-is-a/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger blew away dozens of cops as the Terminator. But I don't hear anybody complaining about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/arnold-schwarzenegger-blew-away-dozens-of-cops-as-the-terminator-but/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [ Arnold Schwarzenegger made his tax returns public, \[and\] now there's a problem about him stretching the truth. Apparently under occupation he put down 'actor.' ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/arnold-schwarzenegger-made-his-tax-returns-public-and-now-there-s-a/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Their steaks are often good, but the lobsters-with claws the size of Arnold Schwarzenegger's forearms-are as glazed and tough as most of the customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-s-forbes/their-steaks-are-often-good-but-the-lobsters-with-claws-the-size-of/) Malcolm S Forbes > [Arnold Schwarzenegger is in trouble after tapes surfaced of him saying negative things about other Republicans. Actually the Schwarzenegger tapes surfaced last year, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/arnold-schwarzenegger-is-in-trouble-after-tapes-surfaced-of-him/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Simon had drawn three pictures. In the top left corner, like a salutation, was a ghost. The middle had a big sketch of Arnold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/simon-had-drawn-three-pictures-in-the-top-left-corner-like-a/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [There's no one in the world close to Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is a phenomenon. He's brilliant. Just because his physique belies that, don't underestimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/there-s-no-one-in-the-world-close-to-arnold-schwarzenegger-he-is-a-2/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [People here in Los Angeles are disgusted now about a sex scandal involving Arnold Schwarzenegger. Apparently for seven years, he carried on a sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-kilborn/people-here-in-los-angeles-are-disgusted-now-about-a-sex-scandal/) [Craig Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-kilborn/) > [What's it like being opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger? For me? Are you kidding? Maybe if I'm lucky, come up to his navel!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hunt/what-s-it-like-being-opposite-arnold-schwarzenegger-for-me-are-you/) [Linda Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hunt/) Browse all 142 Arnold schwarzenegger quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Conservatives won't want to hear this, but the Republican who maneuvered his way into the most impressive victory of the election was California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Okay, he's sui generis. 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