---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look at Thomas Jefferson. The guy had…"
description: "\"Look at Thomas Jefferson. The guy had illegitimate kids in the 1700s, and they caught him last year. If you cheat on your wife and cover it up for 200 ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/greg-giraldo-10617_caught_look-at-thomas-jefferson-the-guy-had-ill_1003054.png"
---

#  Look at Thomas Jefferson. The guy had illegitimate kids in…

![“Look at Thomas Jefferson. The guy had illegitimate kids in the 1700s, and they caught him last year. If you cheat on your wife and cover it up for 200 years, you're pretty much thinking you're home free.” quote by Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/greg-giraldo-10617_caught_look-at-thomas-jefferson-the-guy-had-ill_1003054.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/greg-giraldo-10617_caught_look-at-thomas-jefferson-the-guy-had-ill_1003054.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/greg-giraldo-10617_caught_look-at-thomas-jefferson-the-guy-had-ill_1003054.png)

> “Look at Thomas Jefferson. The guy had illegitimate kids in the 1700s, and they caught him last year. If you cheat on your wife and cover it up for 200 years, you're pretty much thinking you're home free.”

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He mocks Jefferson’s hypocrisy, noting that past indiscretions can resurface and challenge perceived immunity.

**In simple terms:** Jefferson’s past sins show no one is truly untouchable.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge past actions affect present reputation.

Themes

hypocrisy history accountability reputation politics

Mood

sarcastic critical

Type

satirical observational

When to use this quote

- political campaigns
- media investigations
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

ethical standards public scrutiny legacy

Questions to Reflect On

- How do we balance forgiveness with accountability?
- What lessons can we learn from past leaders?

A Different Perspective

Historical examples may not directly apply to modern contexts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/)

## Related quotes

> [To be intimate with a married man, when my own father cheated on my mother, is not something I could forgive. I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/to-be-intimate-with-a-married-man-when-my-own-father-cheated-on-my/)

[Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/)

> [8 Reasons Why I Wont Cheat on My Wife/men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi/8-reasons-why-i-wont-cheat-on-my-wife-men/)

[Naomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi/)

> [If you cheat on your wife, you'll cheat on your business partner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/if-you-cheat-on-your-wife-you-ll-cheat-on-your-business-partner/)

[Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/)

> [HAPPY life cheat the WIFE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ejazz/happy-life-cheat-the-wife/)

EjAzz

> [A guy who'd cheat on his wife would cheat at cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/texas-guinan/a-guy-who-d-cheat-on-his-wife-would-cheat-at-cards/)

[Texas Guinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/texas-guinan/)

> [Using the Oval office to cheat on your wife makes you a bad husband and an irresponsible leader. Using the Oval office to lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-carlysle/using-the-oval-office-to-cheat-on-your-wife-makes-you-a-bad-husband/)

[Jules Carlysle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-carlysle/)

> [For happily married life, You must cheat on your wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/for-happily-married-life-you-must-cheat-on-your-wife/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [“Despite my wretched command of the Spanish language, I understand sexo. But even if I were in the mood to, y’know, cheat on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ellis/despite-my-wretched-command-of-the-spanish-language-i-understand-sexo/)

Joshua Ellis

> [Love is an awesome feeling that makes you feel so good that you'll cheat on your wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/love-is-an-awesome-feeling-that-makes-you-feel-so-good-that-you-ll/)

[Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/)

> [“So you cheat on your wife and you want me to give you a gold star for it, said Domino. Well, mister, I pity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/so-you-cheat-on-your-wife-and-you-want-me-to-give-you-a-gold-star-for/)

[William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/)

> [Not sure if you should cheat on your wife with the hot chick from work? Let your dick make the decision for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/not-sure-if-you-should-cheat-on-your-wife-with-the-hot-chick-from/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [A lion would never cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfredable/a-lion-would-never-cheat-on-his-wife-but-a-tiger-wood/)

[Winfredable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfredable/)

> [All authors secretly hope that their works will be read in 100 years' time and 200 years, and that they will somehow survive into the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sjon/all-authors-secretly-hope-that-their-works-will-be-read-in-100-years/)

[Sjon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sjon/)

> [What's taken God 200 years to create was wiped out in a couple of days by what was apparently an arsonist, And it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-janklow/what-s-taken-god-200-years-to-create-was-wiped-out-in-a-couple-of/)

[Bill Janklow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-janklow/)

> [ That statement \[ Stephen Ambrose:'You, Sam, have the hardest job, which is, pretend like nothing has happened in the last 200 years.'\] woke me… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/that-statement-stephen-ambrose-you-sam-have-the-hardest-job-which-is/)

[Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/)

## More by Greg Giraldo

> [Terrorism is obviously on everybody's mind. The other day my son says to me, 'Daddy, how come the bad men hate us?' How sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/terrorism-is-obviously-on-everybody-s-mind-the-other-day-my-son-says/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [The things that make me laugh are considered smart or whatever, I guess. But stuff that's self-consciously intelligent or self-consciously hip or cool, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/the-things-that-make-me-laugh-are-considered-smart-or-whatever-i/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [Even before the kids are born, you've go to make these decisions. If it's a boy, do we get him circumcised? If it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/even-before-the-kids-are-born-you-ve-go-to-make-these-decisions-if-it/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [Look at the insane things the Jews believe. The Jews believe that Barbra Streisand is worth $1,000 bucks a ticket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/look-at-the-insane-things-the-jews-believe-the-jews-believe-that/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [People always want to compare their dogs to having kids. That's insulting. First of all, nobody has a dog because they were too drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/people-always-want-to-compare-their-dogs-to-having-kids-that-s/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [All the evidence we need that God is angry with us is Justin Timberlake's career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/all-the-evidence-we-need-that-god-is-angry-with-us-is-justin/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [The hardest part, for real, is probably when you just don't feel like going on stage and being funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/the-hardest-part-for-real-is-probably-when-you-just-don-t-feel-like/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [There's been so much talk in the news lately about illegal aliens in the workplace. When was the last time an illegal alien stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/there-s-been-so-much-talk-in-the-news-lately-about-illegal-aliens-in/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [My advice to graduates is to stay positive. Life is short, and you'll be dead soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/my-advice-to-graduates-is-to-stay-positive-life-is-short-and-you-ll/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [If you're going to dedicate your career to ranting about the excesses of American capitalism, you probably shouldn't weigh 450 pounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/if-you-re-going-to-dedicate-your-career-to-ranting-about-the-excesses/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [When I heard you could get a disease from playing with your prairie dog, I thought, 'Wow, what a euphemism.' I thought playing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/when-i-heard-you-could-get-a-disease-from-playing-with-your-prairie/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [I've always had real trouble knowing what my actual desires and goals are. I've just been dragged along by fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/i-ve-always-had-real-trouble-knowing-what-my-actual-desires-and-goals/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [A dangerous fire retardant chemical is being found in women's breast milk. My wife's breastfeeding, but you know, you gotta be an optimist. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/a-dangerous-fire-retardant-chemical-is-being-found-in-women-s-breast/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [A good joke provides tension, and then, release of that tension. You build the tension by saying things that are controversial. The release is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/a-good-joke-provides-tension-and-then-release-of-that-tension-you/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

> [There are no black people in Iraq, so how will they know who to shoot at?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/there-are-no-black-people-in-iraq-so-how-will-they-know-who-to-shoot/)

[Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

[Explore all 64 Greg Giraldo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/)

## More Caught quotes

> [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

> [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/)

[Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/)

> [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/)

[Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/)

> [Hollywood is very much an industry town. Your life becomes caught up in all of the parties and this list and that list. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-johnson/hollywood-is-very-much-an-industry-town-your-life-becomes-caught-up/)

[Don Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-johnson/)

> [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/)

[Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/)

> [Merkel has realized that the euro is not working, but she cannot change the narrative she has created because that narrative has caught the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/merkel-has-realized-that-the-euro-is-not-working-but-she-cannot/)

[George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/)

> [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [Sam reached his hand toward mine and I automatically put my fingers in his. With a guilty little smile he pulled my hand toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/sam-reached-his-hand-toward-mine-and-i-automatically-put-my-fingers/)

[Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/)

> [I never caught on to being a bully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nolte/i-never-caught-on-to-being-a-bully/)

[Nick Nolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nolte/)

> [“I caught you!" he beamed. "See, girls really do throw themselves at me. Hey, guys!" His voice echoed off the carved stone and marble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-kirk/i-caught-you-he-beamed-see-girls-really-do-throw-themselves-at-me-hey/)

A&amp;E Kirk

> [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/)

[Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/)

> [Everybody here is so caught up in the game of life they don't see death. They don't see beyond their deaths. They are on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everybody-here-is-so-caught-up-in-the-game-of-life-they-don-t-see/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [America today is a confused society, caught up in a terror war, a culture war, and a media war, where honesty and professional standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/america-today-is-a-confused-society-caught-up-in-a-terror-war-a/)

[Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/)

> [My phone rings, they call me up and say, 'Chael, your testosterone level is too high.' I say, 'Well, how high was it?' They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/my-phone-rings-they-call-me-up-and-say-chael-your-testosterone-level/)

[Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/)

> [Do not be caught up in materialism, one of the real plagues of our generation-that is, acquiring things, fast-paced living, and securing career success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/do-not-be-caught-up-in-materialism-one-of-the-real-plagues-of-our/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

Browse all 2,627 Caught quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Look at Thomas Jefferson. The guy had illegitimate kids in the 1700s, and they caught him last year. If you cheat on your wife and cover it up for 200 years, you're pretty much thinking you're home free.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Greg Giraldo"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/look-at-thomas-jefferson-the-guy-had-illegitimate-kids-in-the-1700s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Caught"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/look-at-thomas-jefferson-the-guy-had-illegitimate-kids-in-the-1700s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/greg-giraldo-10617_caught_look-at-thomas-jefferson-the-guy-had-ill_1003054.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/greg-giraldo-10617_caught_look-at-thomas-jefferson-the-guy-had-ill_1003054.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/greg-giraldo-10617_caught_look-at-thomas-jefferson-the-guy-had-ill_1003054.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Look at Thomas Jefferson. The guy had illegitimate kids in the 1700s, and they caught him last year. If you…” — Greg Giraldo",
                "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": "Greg Giraldo",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Look at Thomas Jefferson. The guy...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/look-at-thomas-jefferson-the-guy-had-illegitimate-kids-in-the-1700s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/look-at-thomas-jefferson-the-guy-had-illegitimate-kids-in-the-1700s/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
