--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think we need leadership that can…" description: "\"I think we need leadership that can gently and with affection remind us of what we Americans mostly agree upon: civility, kindness, tolerance, humour, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/george-saunders-317_administration_i-think-we-need-leadership-that-can-gent_3049555.jpg" --- # I think we need leadership that can gently and with… ![“I think we need leadership that can gently and with affection remind us of what we Americans mostly agree upon: civility, kindness, tolerance, humour, et cetera. The current Trump administration seems to thrive on trying to enforce a very odd, fearful agenda, that it tries to disguise in a false…” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/george-saunders-317_administration_i-think-we-need-leadership-that-can-gent_3049555.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/george-saunders-317_administration_i-think-we-need-leadership-that-can-gent_3049555.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/george-saunders-317_administration_i-think-we-need-leadership-that-can-gent_3049555.jpg) > “I think we need leadership that can gently and with affection remind us of what we Americans mostly agree upon: civility, kindness, tolerance, humour, et cetera. The current Trump administration seems to thrive on trying to enforce a very odd, fearful agenda, that it tries to disguise in a false garment of fondness for the working-class - despite the fact that its policies seem designed to continue the decades-long habit of marginalizing that group.” [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote calls for compassionate leadership that emphasizes shared values like civility and kindness, contrasting it with a current administration perceived as fear‑driven and disingenuous. **In simple terms:** Leadership should be kind and uphold shared values, not exploit fear. Key Takeaway Promote empathy and common ground in leadership. Themes leadership civility kindness politics social cohesion Mood concerned hopeful critical Type political social commentary inspirational When to use this quote - community meetings - policy debates - media commentary - grassroots organizing Key Concepts political rhetoric empathy public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders balance empathy with decisive action? - What role does humor play in political discourse? A Different Perspective The appeal may overlook structural issues that require more than civility to resolve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/) [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Agendas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agendas/) [Agree upon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agree-upon/) [Civility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Disguise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disguise/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Fearful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearful/) [Fondness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fondness/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) [Working class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-class/) ## Related quotes > [We need to seek wise leaders who will seek common ground among Americans instead of dividing us further for political gain. As citizens, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/we-need-to-seek-wise-leaders-who-will-seek-common-ground-among/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [“...the apartment is an oasis - of civility, kindness, and elegance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-schwalbe/the-apartment-is-an-oasis-of-civility-kindness-and-elegance/) [Will Schwalbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-schwalbe/) > [I know no religion that destroys courtesy, civility, and kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/i-know-no-religion-that-destroys-courtesy-civility-and-kindness/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [An hour and thirty-one minutes after launch, my pressure altimeter halts at 103,300 feet. At ground control the radar altimeters also have stopped-on readings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kittinger/an-hour-and-thirty-one-minutes-after-launch-my-pressure-altimeter/) Joseph Kittinger > [Every religion ... has rituals, practices, holy writings or traditions, etc. Nothing like that has ever developed from Atheism. There are no holy men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrel-ray/every-religion-has-rituals-practices-holy-writings-or-traditions-etc/) [Darrel Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrel-ray/) > [The primary means-of-reviva l that everyone agrees upon is extraordinary prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-primary-means-of-reviva-l-that-everyone-agrees-upon-is/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Canada has an experience of governance of which much of the world stands in dire need. It is a world of increasing dissension and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aga-khan-iv/canada-has-an-experience-of-governance-of-which-much-of-the-world/) [Aga Khan IV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aga-khan-iv/) > [That which occasions so many mistakes in the computations of men, when they expect return for favors, is that the giver's pride and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/that-which-occasions-so-many-mistakes-in-the-computations-of-men-when/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [I do not want to speak about our cooperation with Japan now. Thank God, we have had no such problems there. Nor would we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-do-not-want-to-speak-about-our-cooperation-with-japan-now-thank-god/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [The mutability of the past is the central tenet of Ingsoc. Past events, it is argued, have no objective existance, but survive only in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-mutability-of-the-past-is-the-central-tenet-of-ingsoc-past-events/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [It would not be desirable to include 'terrorism' among international crimes subject to International Criminal Court jurisdiction if defined to apply only to anti-state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/it-would-not-be-desirable-to-include-terrorism-among-international/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [My sense is that we may not need the language of innateness or genetics to understand that we are all ethically bound to recognize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-butler/my-sense-is-that-we-may-not-need-the-language-of-innateness-or/) [Judith Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-butler/) > [How about we agree upon what our common American values are, which is lets make this a true land of opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurene-powell-jobs/how-about-we-agree-upon-what-our-common-american-values-are-which-is/) [Laurene Powell Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurene-powell-jobs/) > [Our normal expectations about reality are created by a social consensus. We are taught how to see and understand the world. The trick of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/our-normal-expectations-about-reality-are-created-by-a-social/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [I think the point that we all agree upon is that we have to engage with Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/i-think-the-point-that-we-all-agree-upon-is-that-we-have-to-engage/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) ## More by George Saunders > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Wow wow wow is all I can say! Remember how I always buy lunchtime Scratch-Off ticket? Have I said? Maybe did not say? 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Think about Frank Sinatra, he says: born to sing. Think about Willie Mays: born to play ball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/a-clinton-staffer-tells-me-his-theory-think-about-frank-sinatra-he/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-try-we-fail-we-posture-we-aspire-we-pontificate-and-then-we-age/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. 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It's good for us to hear someone speak the irrational truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-good-the-prophet-in-the-wilderness-may-do-is-incremental-and/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We're in the transition between birth and death. 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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": "I think we need leadership that can gently and with affection remind us of what we Americans mostly agree upon: civility, kindness, tolerance, humour, et cetera. 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