--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All presidents rail against the press. It…" description: "\"All presidents rail against the press. It goes with the turf.\" — Helen Thomas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/helen-thomas-7044_presidents_all-presidents-rail-against-the-press-it_477376.jpg" --- # All presidents rail against the press. It goes with the… ![“All presidents rail against the press. It goes with the turf.” quote by Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/helen-thomas-7044_presidents_all-presidents-rail-against-the-press-it_477376.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/helen-thomas-7044_presidents_all-presidents-rail-against-the-press-it_477376.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/beb/helen-thomas-7044_presidents_all-presidents-rail-against-the-press-it_477376.jpg) > “All presidents rail against the press. It goes with the turf.” [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political leaders often attack the press to protect power and deflect criticism. **In simple terms:** Press is targeted to maintain control. Key Takeaway Defend press freedom against political attacks. Themes politics press freedom power dynamics media criticism Mood defensive critical Type political journalistic When to use this quote - election campaigns - policy debates - media watchdog work Key Concepts democracy authoritarianism Questions to Reflect On - When is press criticism justified? - How to differentiate political attacks from valid critique? A Different Perspective Press criticism can also stem from legitimate concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Presidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidents/) ## Related quotes > [Great presidents take stands, and they fight off these people who really are so far to the right. I don't want to call them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/great-presidents-take-stands-and-they-fight-off-these-people-who/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [“George W. Bush is the worst President in all of American history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/george-w-bush-is-the-worst-president-in-all-of-american-history/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [Presidents hate the press. They hate me most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/presidents-hate-the-press-they-hate-me-most-of-the-time/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [The presidency awed me, but presidents do not. Perhaps I have always expected too much of them, but I believe that when they reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/the-presidency-awed-me-but-presidents-do-not-perhaps-i-have-always/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [I hit the third rail. You cannot criticize Israel in this country and survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-hit-the-third-rail-you-cannot-criticize-israel-in-this-country-and/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [ I think that \[Jay\] Gould's separate compartments was a purely political ploy to win middle-of-the-road religious people to the science camp. But it's a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-think-that-jay-gould-s-separate-compartments-was-a-purely-political/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Even galaxy-spanning anarchist utopias of stupefying full-spectrum civilisational power have turf wars within their unacknowledged militaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-galaxy-spanning-anarchist-utopias-of-stupefying-full-spectrum/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Certitude leads to violence. This is a proposition that has an easy application and a difficult one. The easy application is to ideoologues, dogmatists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/certitude-leads-to-violence-this-is-a-proposition-that-has-an-easy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But I've always felt very comfortable on stage, even if I screw up. It always felt like a dog, this is my turf, piss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/but-i-ve-always-felt-very-comfortable-on-stage-even-if-i-screw-up-it/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [Today, on our own turf, we face pagan ignorance about God every bit as deep as that which the early church faced in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/today-on-our-own-turf-we-face-pagan-ignorance-about-god-every-bit-as/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [When you go to plant a flag on the visiting team's field, it's a form of taunting, .. What message are you sending when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-davis/when-you-go-to-plant-a-flag-on-the-visiting-team-s-field-it-s-a-form/) Brad Davis > [The intensity and speed of the ball on turf are very different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul/the-intensity-and-speed-of-the-ball-on-turf-are-very-different/) [Raul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul/) > [Playing on turf affects everything, you know, it affects the way the ball rolls, it affects the way the ball bounces, it affects the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-wambach/playing-on-turf-affects-everything-you-know-it-affects-the-way-the/) [Abby Wambach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-wambach/) > [No person who has not spent a period of his life in those 'stark and sullen solitudes that sentinel the Pole' will understand fully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/no-person-who-has-not-spent-a-period-of-his-life-in-those-stark-and/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [Wall Street is one big turf war. By benefiting one person you are disadvantaging another person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-madoff/wall-street-is-one-big-turf-war-by-benefiting-one-person-you-are/) [Bernard Madoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-madoff/) ## More by Helen Thomas > [I never thought about heaven per se. I think when you're dead, you're dead. If anything happens after that, you just hope you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-never-thought-about-heaven-per-se-i-think-when-you-re-dead-you-re/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [President Bush has asserted the right to wiretap and eavesdrop on any American without a warrant in the name of fighting terrorism. He has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/president-bush-has-asserted-the-right-to-wiretap-and-eavesdrop-on-any/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [I'm of Arab background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-m-of-arab-background/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [Anybody who runs for public office today has got to know his life or her life will be an open book. I've decided that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/anybody-who-runs-for-public-office-today-has-got-to-know-his-life-or/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [There are better ways we can transform this virulent hatred - by living our ideals, the Peace Corps, exchange students, teachers, exporting our music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/there-are-better-ways-we-can-transform-this-virulent-hatred-by-living/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [I think I'll work all my life. When you're having fun, why stop having fun?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-think-i-ll-work-all-my-life-when-you-re-having-fun-why-stop-having/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [American journalism's crazy old aunt in the attic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/american-journalism-s-crazy-old-aunt-in-the-attic/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [“Today, because of the immediacy of the live TV appearance with the direct quote, the presidency seems hamstrung with governing by polls and turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/today-because-of-the-immediacy-of-the-live-tv-appearance-with-the/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [Maybe the Jefferson case will give members of Congress second thoughts the next time they get ready to legislate away the rights of ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/maybe-the-jefferson-case-will-give-members-of-congress-second/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [I'm a liberal, I was born a liberal, I'll be one 'til I die, what else should a reporter be when you see so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-m-a-liberal-i-was-born-a-liberal-i-ll-be-one-til-i-die-what-else/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [If you want to be President, decide it at the age of five, and then live accordingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/if-you-want-to-be-president-decide-it-at-the-age-of-five-and-then/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [We are the only institution in our society that can question a president on a regular basis and make him accountable. Otherwise, he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/we-are-the-only-institution-in-our-society-that-can-question-a/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [I had a lot of fun bantering back and forth with Kennedy. But for ease and comfort, it would be Gerald Ford. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/i-had-a-lot-of-fun-bantering-back-and-forth-with-kennedy-but-for-ease/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [“Anybody in public life is well aware of how important the judgments of the press are. I'm firmly convinced that if the good Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/anybody-in-public-life-is-well-aware-of-how-important-the-judgments/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [Get the hell out of Palestine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/get-the-hell-out-of-palestine/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) [Explore all 95 Helen Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) ## More Presidents quotes > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Let's assume for the moment that the logic behind Presidents Day is actually sound for certain presidents. Why not have a separate holiday for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/let-s-assume-for-the-moment-that-the-logic-behind-presidents-day-is/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [Since 1775, when the first Continental Congress called for a national day of prayer, there have been such events called for by almost every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/since-1775-when-the-first-continental-congress-called-for-a-national/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [Presidents are evaluated not by what they did by the stroke of their own pen; it's what they persuade Congress to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/presidents-are-evaluated-not-by-what-they-did-by-the-stroke-of-their/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [But no matter how many times we re-rank the presidents, in another 200 years, the top presidents will still be Washington and Lincoln and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/but-no-matter-how-many-times-we-re-rank-the-presidents-in-another-200/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [Some of the presidents were great and some of them weren't. I can say that, because I wasn't one of the great presidents, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/some-of-the-presidents-were-great-and-some-of-them-weren-t-i-can-say/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Today is Presidents' Day. We honor all 44. That works out to slightly less than 33 minutes per president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-is-presidents-day-we-honor-all-44-that-works-out-to-slightly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our great presidents have been stewards, men who broadly identified with the whole of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/our-great-presidents-have-been-stewards-men-who-broadly-identified/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) > [“That depends on what your definition of 'is' is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/that-depends-on-what-your-definition-of-is-is/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [“When was the last time an American president found it worth his while to write a speech on the importance of art and literature?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viet-thanh-nguyen/when-was-the-last-time-an-american-president-found-it-worth-his-while/) [Viet Thanh Nguyen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viet-thanh-nguyen/) > [Presidents are not kings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ketanji-brown-jackson/presidents-are-not-kings/) [Ketanji Brown Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ketanji-brown-jackson/) > [We'd be in his office playing with trucks as a six-year-old while he's negotiating deals with presidents of major companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump-jr/we-d-be-in-his-office-playing-with-trucks-as-a-six-year-old-while-he/) [Donald Trump, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump-jr/) > [I've always given presidents the benefit of the doubt on their nominees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-ve-always-given-presidents-the-benefit-of-the-doubt-on-their/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I'm not impressed with presidents. I have met a few, but I'm not impressed with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeril-lagasse/i-m-not-impressed-with-presidents-i-have-met-a-few-but-i-m-not/) [Emeril Lagasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeril-lagasse/) > [“Presidents are not elected anymore; they are hired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they-are-hired/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) [Browse all 260 Presidents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All presidents rail against the press. 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