--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a modern tragedy that one of the…" description: "\"It is a modern tragedy that one of the Soviet Union's most intelligent and realistic leaders has served and died during the administration of the most ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b3/george-mcgovern-3955_administration_it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-one-of-the-s_2856560.png" --- # It is a modern tragedy that one of the Soviet Union's most… ![“It is a modern tragedy that one of the Soviet Union's most intelligent and realistic leaders has served and died during the administration of the most ill-informed and dangerous man ever to occupy the White House.” quote by George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b3/george-mcgovern-3955_administration_it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-one-of-the-s_2856560.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b3/george-mcgovern-3955_administration_it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-one-of-the-s_2856560.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b3/george-mcgovern-3955_administration_it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-one-of-the-s_2856560.png) > “It is a modern tragedy that one of the Soviet Union's most intelligent and realistic leaders has served and died during the administration of the most ill-informed and dangerous man ever to occupy the White House.” [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizes a president as ill‑informed and dangerous, contrasting with a capable Soviet leader. **In simple terms:** Political leadership can be disastrous. Key Takeaway Stay informed, vote wisely. Themes politics leadership danger Mood critical concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - elections - public debates - media analysis - civic engagement Key Concepts history policy critique Questions to Reflect On - What qualities define good leadership? - How do you evaluate political risk? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex politics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Cold war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-war/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Dangerous man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous-man/) [Died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/died/) [Died Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/died-administration-3830834/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Informed Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/informed-dangerous-3830835/) [Intelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Modern tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-tragedy-124148/) [Realistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realistic/) [Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet/) [Soviet union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-union/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [Tragedy Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy-soviet-3830833/) [Unions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) ## Related quotes > [ The weakness of modern tragedy\[is that\] transgression against the social code is made to bring destruction, as though the social code worked our irrevocable… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/the-weakness-of-modern-tragedy-is-that-transgression-against-the/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [I wouldn't overall say that "The Diagnosis" is a funny book. I would say that it has comic moments. It's a modern tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/i-wouldn-t-overall-say-that-the-diagnosis-is-a-funny-book-i-would-say/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [It is a modern tragedy that despair has so many spokesmen, and hope so few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hammerstein-ii/it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-despair-has-so-many-spokesmen-and-hope-so/) [Oscar Hammerstein II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hammerstein-ii/) > [God the father, and even more often the devil himself, appears at times in the place of fate in the modern tragedy. Why is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-the-father-and-even-more-often-the-devil-himself-appears-at-times/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Classical tragedy was the war between good and evil. We wanted evil to be defeated and good to be victorious. But the battle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asghar-farhadi/classical-tragedy-was-the-war-between-good-and-evil-we-wanted-evil-to/) [Asghar Farhadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asghar-farhadi/) > [Athens is the birthplace of modern tragedy. In the Greek tragic plays, the tableau of the characters would become a statue, like the statue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-booy/athens-is-the-birthplace-of-modern-tragedy-in-the-greek-tragic-plays/) [Simon Van Booy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-booy/) > [“For your fourth consoling thought, I would point out that in this venue," a wave of his finger took in Vorbarr Sultana, and by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/for-your-fourth-consoling-thought-i-would-point-out-that-in-this/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [The most dangerous man in the world is the contemplative who is guided by nobody. He trusts his own visions. He obeys the attractions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-most-dangerous-man-in-the-world-is-the-contemplative-who-is/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I have a lot of respect for Cody Garbrandt and Askar Askarov, but they made a huge mistake, not respecting Kai Kara-France. He's dangerous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-moreno/i-have-a-lot-of-respect-for-cody-garbrandt-and-askar-askarov-but-they/) [Brandon Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-moreno/) > [I'm very proud that some people think that I'm a danger for the intellectual health of students. When people start thinking of health in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/i-m-very-proud-that-some-people-think-that-i-m-a-danger-for-the/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [If a physician presumes to take into consideration in his work whether life has value or not, the consequences are boundless and the physician…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-wilhelm-hufeland/if-a-physician-presumes-to-take-into-consideration-in-his-work/) [Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-wilhelm-hufeland/) > [That was exciting to be able to comment on civil rights. I mean, the civil rights movement that young people don't know about today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-feiffer/that-was-exciting-to-be-able-to-comment-on-civil-rights-i-mean-the/) [Jules Feiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-feiffer/) > [“He's the most dangerous man alive. Not so much because he believes in his actions, but because he believes his actions are all which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/he-s-the-most-dangerous-man-alive-not-so-much-because-he-believes-in/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [Ken Shamrock is the World's Most Dangerous Man? Maybe behind the wheel of a car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-frye/ken-shamrock-is-the-world-s-most-dangerous-man-maybe-behind-the-wheel/) [Don Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-frye/) > [“You belong with me, Azami. Your family will be my family. My family—the GhostWalkers—will be yours.” “You’re a very dangerous man, Sam Johnson,” she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/you-belong-with-me-azami-your-family-will-be-my-family-my-family-the/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) ## More by George McGovern > [Every Senator in this Chamber is partly responsible for sending 50,000 young Americans to an early grave. This Chamber reeks of blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/every-senator-in-this-chamber-is-partly-responsible-for-sending-50/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [I always thought of myself as a moderate liberal, a fighter for peace and justice. I never thought of myself as being all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/i-always-thought-of-myself-as-a-moderate-liberal-a-fighter-for-peace/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [I was tired. I hadn't slept eight hours in two, three years. I lived on four, five hours of sleep. You can do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/i-was-tired-i-hadn-t-slept-eight-hours-in-two-three-years-i-lived-on/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [I did frequently refer to my war record in World War II, but not in any flamboyant way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/i-did-frequently-refer-to-my-war-record-in-world-war-ii-but-not-in/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [It's a tough thing, to know what to do about a war that deep in your gut you feel is wrong and yet watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/it-s-a-tough-thing-to-know-what-to-do-about-a-war-that-deep-in-your/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [I'm what a normal, healthy, ideal American should be like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/i-m-what-a-normal-healthy-ideal-american-should-be-like/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/i-m-fed-up-to-the-ears-with-old-men-dreaming-up-wars-for-young-men-to/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [I always thought of myself as a good old South Dakota boy who grew up here on the prairie,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/i-always-thought-of-myself-as-a-good-old-south-dakota-boy-who-grew-up/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [I always thought of myself as a good old South Dakota boy who grew up here on the prairie. My dad was a Methodist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/i-always-thought-of-myself-as-a-good-old-south-dakota-boy-who-grew-up-2/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [Above all, being a Democrat means having compassion for others. ... It means standing up for people who have been kept down ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/above-all-being-a-democrat-means-having-compassion-for-others-it/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [I am fed up with a system which busts the pot smoker and lets the big dope racketeer go free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/i-am-fed-up-with-a-system-which-busts-the-pot-smoker-and-lets-the-big/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [To those who charge that liberalism has been tried and found wanting, I answer that the failure is not in the idea, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/to-those-who-charge-that-liberalism-has-been-tried-and-found-wanting/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [When I was a youngster growing up in South Dakota, we never referred to the national debt, it was always referred to as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/when-i-was-a-youngster-growing-up-in-south-dakota-we-never-referred/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [ I still love to go back to Mitchell \[his home town\] and wander up and down those streets. It just kind of reassures me… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/i-still-love-to-go-back-to-mitchell-his-home-town-and-wander-up-and/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [Truth is a habit of integrity, not a strategy of politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/truth-is-a-habit-of-integrity-not-a-strategy-of-politics/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) [Explore all 118 George McGovern quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) ## More Administration quotes > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you want to serve in a Trump administration, you're going to serve this country, not yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/if-you-want-to-serve-in-a-trump-administration-you-re-going-to-serve/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-believe-anyone-that-i-know-in-the-administration-ever-said/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [What was unique about me being in City Hall during the Giuliani Administration, I was the only one who wasn't an attorney. I may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lhota/what-was-unique-about-me-being-in-city-hall-during-the-giuliani/) [Joe Lhota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lhota/) > [The Trump administration launched the cruise missile strikes in Syria, an act of war, without a U.N. resolution or Congressional authorization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-trump-administration-launched-the-cruise-missile-strikes-in-syria/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The only way I'll ever run a marathon is if I'm involved in the administration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/the-only-way-i-ll-ever-run-a-marathon-is-if-i-m-involved-in-the/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [Obama spent the first two years of his administration practicing political unilateral disarmament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/obama-spent-the-first-two-years-of-his-administration-practicing/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [The actions of the University in my case make it abundantly clear that the Administration's rhetoric about Harvard's desire to attract and retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/the-actions-of-the-university-in-my-case-make-it-abundantly-clear/) [Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/) > [In mid-May, the House of Representatives approved the full amount of money that the Veterans Administration said was needed for next year - plus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-hastings/in-mid-may-the-house-of-representatives-approved-the-full-amount-of/) [Doc Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-hastings/) > [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/when-we-criticize-in-iran-the-actions-of-the-government-the/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [We will finally complete the biometric entry-exit visa tracking system, which we need desperately. For years Congress has required biometric entry-exit visa tracking systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-will-finally-complete-the-biometric-entry-exit-visa-tracking/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) [Browse all 1,855 Administration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is a modern tragedy that one of the Soviet Union's most intelligent and realistic leaders has served and died during the administration of the most ill-informed and dangerous man ever to occupy the White House.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George McGovern" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-one-of-the-soviet-union-s-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Administration" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-one-of-the-soviet-union-s-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b3/george-mcgovern-3955_administration_it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-one-of-the-s_2856560.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b3/george-mcgovern-3955_administration_it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-one-of-the-s_2856560.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b3/george-mcgovern-3955_administration_it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-one-of-the-s_2856560.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is a modern tragedy that one of the Soviet Union's most intelligent and realistic leaders has served and…” — George McGovern", "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": "George McGovern", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is a modern tragedy that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-one-of-the-soviet-union-s-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/it-is-a-modern-tragedy-that-one-of-the-soviet-union-s-most/#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 } } ] } ```