--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My friends understood how painful it…" description: "\"“My friends understood how painful it would be to sit on the platform and watch Donald Trump sworn in as our next Commander in Chief. I had campaigned ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_commander-in-chief_my-friends-understood-how-painful-it-wou_1782641.jpg" --- # My friends understood how painful it would be to sit on… ![“My friends understood how painful it would be to sit on the platform and watch Donald Trump sworn in as our next Commander in Chief. I had campaigned relentlessly to make sure that never happened. I was convinced he represented a clear and present danger to the country and the world. Now the worst…” quote by Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_commander-in-chief_my-friends-understood-how-painful-it-wou_1782641.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_commander-in-chief_my-friends-understood-how-painful-it-wou_1782641.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_commander-in-chief_my-friends-understood-how-painful-it-wou_1782641.jpg) > ““My friends understood how painful it would be to sit on the platform and watch Donald Trump sworn in as our next Commander in Chief. I had campaigned relentlessly to make sure that never happened. I was convinced he represented a clear and present danger to the country and the world. Now the worst had happened, and he was going to take the oath of office.”” [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes deep fear and disappointment over political outcome, emphasizing perceived danger and betrayal **In simple terms:** Feeling betrayed by political events Key Takeaway Recognize and confront political anxieties Themes politics disillusionment danger Mood concerned critical Type political reflective When to use this quote - voting decisions - public discourse - media consumption Key Concepts democracy leadership civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can protect democracy? - How do we heal after political shock? A Different Perspective Political fear can be amplified by rhetoric, leading to polarization ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clear And Present Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear-and-present-danger/) [Commander in chief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commander-in-chief/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Going Oath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-oath-1876231/) [Oath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oath/) [Sworn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sworn/) [Sworn Commander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sworn-commander-1876230/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Trump Sworn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump-sworn-1863781/) ## Related quotes > [On January 20, 2017, Trump will be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, and he will be given the nuclear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/on-january-20-2017-trump-will-be-sworn-in-as-the-45th-president-of/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [“At some point in the day’s proceedings, Michelle and I shared a rueful look. It said, “Can you believe this?” Eight years before, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/at-some-point-in-the-day-s-proceedings-michelle-and-i-shared-a-rueful/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [ Kofi Annan's kangaroo court \[is\] a clear and present danger to the war on terror and to Americans fighting it all over the world. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/kofi-annan-s-kangaroo-court-is-a-clear-and-present-danger-to-the-war/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [WikiLeaks presents a clear and present danger to the national security of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wikileaks-presents-a-clear-and-present-danger-to-the-national/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I wouldn’t,” said the Luidaeg. “Love is love. It’s rarer in Faerie than it used to be—rarer than it should be, if you ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/i-wouldn-t-said-the-luidaeg-love-is-love-it-s-rarer-in-faerie-than-it/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) > [The homosexual agenda represents a clear and present danger to virtually every fundamental right given to us by our Creator and enshrined for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fischer/the-homosexual-agenda-represents-a-clear-and-present-danger-to/) [Bryan Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fischer/) > [“And yet, being surveilled with the intention of assault or rape is practically mundane, it happens so often. It’s such an ingrained part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scaachi-koul/and-yet-being-surveilled-with-the-intention-of-assault-or-rape-is/) [Scaachi Koul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scaachi-koul/) > [Obama can't be everything to everyone. He changed. He did. I never thought I'd hear Obama say, "Let's go back to nuclear arms," but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/obama-can-t-be-everything-to-everyone-he-changed-he-did-i-never/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [We need not renounce the use of conventional force. We will be ready to repel any clear and present danger that poses a genuine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-c-sorensen/we-need-not-renounce-the-use-of-conventional-force-we-will-be-ready/) [Theodore C. 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And I think, in many ways, the Trump presidency poses a clear and present danger to our country and to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-m-deeply-concerned-and-i-think-in-many-ways-the-trump-presidency/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic. .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-most-stringent-protection-of-free-speech-would-not-protect-a-man/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Radical Islamic terrorists and those who fund it remain a credible threat to America and a clear and present danger to democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zinke/radical-islamic-terrorists-and-those-who-fund-it-remain-a-credible/) [Ryan Zinke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zinke/) > [None of us, remember, knew that 9/11 was gonna happen. We didn't live in a state of anxiety and fear about Osama Bin Laden.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/none-of-us-remember-knew-that-9-11-was-gonna-happen-we-didn-t-live-in/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) ## More by Hillary Rodham Clinton > [“Putin has positioned himself as the leader of an authoritarian, xenophobic international movement that wants to expel immigrants, break up the European Union, weaken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/putin-has-positioned-himself-as-the-leader-of-an-authoritarian/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“It’s true, though, that we struggled to stay on message. My advisors had to deal with a candidate—me—who often wanted something new to say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/it-s-true-though-that-we-struggled-to-stay-on-message-my-advisors-had/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“He reminded me to focus on the “trendlines,” not just the headlines, and to relish the experiences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/he-reminded-me-to-focus-on-the-trendlines-not-just-the-headlines-and/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Democrats should reevaluate a lot of our assumptions about which policies are politically viable. These trends make universal programs even more appealing than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/democrats-should-reevaluate-a-lot-of-our-assumptions-about-which/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“You Can't Keep Wild Animal In Your Back Yard And Expect It To Go only After Your Neighbor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/you-can-t-keep-wild-animal-in-your-back-yard-and-expect-it-to-go-only/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“In people’s lives and worldviews, concerns about economics, race, gender, class, and culture all blend together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/in-people-s-lives-and-worldviews-concerns-about-economics-race-gender/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“if you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/if-you-want-to-go-quickly-go-alone-if-you-want-to-go-far-go-together/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“On her very first day, when she politely raised questions about Bernie’s health care plan—she has a master’s degree in public health and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/on-her-very-first-day-when-she-politely-raised-questions-about-bernie/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Too many saw the world in zero-sum terms, believing that gains made by fellow Americans they viewed as “other”—people of color, immigrants, women, LGBT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/too-many-saw-the-world-in-zero-sum-terms-believing-that-gains-made-by/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Usually when I meet people who are frustrated and angry, my instinctive response is to talk about how we can fix things. That’s why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/usually-when-i-meet-people-who-are-frustrated-and-angry-my/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“In the words of Secretary Clinton, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance in the world to pursue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/in-the-words-of-secretary-clinton-never-doubt-that-you-are-valuable/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“To quote Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in the U.S. Cabinet, under FDR, “The accusation that I’m a woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/to-quote-secretary-of-labor-frances-perkins-the-first-woman-to-serve/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“While there are few problems in today’s world that the United States can solve alone, there are even fewer that can be solved without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/while-there-are-few-problems-in-today-s-world-that-the-united-states/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“if he knows that the Donald J. Trump Foundation is little more than a personal piggy bank, he’ll turn around and accuse, with no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/if-he-knows-that-the-donald-j-trump-foundation-is-little-more-than-a/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“One of the most important but least recognized facts in American politics is that Republicans tend to win in places where more people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/one-of-the-most-important-but-least-recognized-facts-in-american/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) [Explore all 336 Hillary Rodham Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) ## More Commander in chief quotes > [No commander in chief would ever say, 'I'm not going to listen to the guys on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/no-commander-in-chief-would-ever-say-i-m-not-going-to-listen-to-the/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [Through my time in the military and my deployments, I have recognized the importance of having a Commander in Chief who will not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/through-my-time-in-the-military-and-my-deployments-i-have-recognized/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [I intend to make America strong again. I'm going to be the champion of the middle class, where I came from. If you make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/i-intend-to-make-america-strong-again-i-m-going-to-be-the-champion-of/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) > [When you kneel in prayer, don't give God orders, just report to your Commander in Chief for duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-catt/when-you-kneel-in-prayer-don-t-give-god-orders-just-report-to-your/) [Michael Catt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-catt/) > [My first job as commander in chief is to keep the American people safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-first-job-as-commander-in-chief-is-to-keep-the-american-people-safe/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As president, I wouldn't be making the day-to-day combat decisions. The job of the commander-in-chief is to lay the objective out and then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/as-president-i-wouldn-t-be-making-the-day-to-day-combat-decisions-the/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [America needs a Commander in Chief, not a Global Community Organizer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-cheney/america-needs-a-commander-in-chief-not-a-global-community-organizer/) [Liz Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-cheney/) > [The president of the United States is the commander in chief, and the people who work with him at the National Security Council are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/the-president-of-the-united-states-is-the-commander-in-chief-and-the/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) > [Let me just be candid: My party is full of racists. And the real reason a considerable portion of my party wants President Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/let-me-just-be-candid-my-party-is-full-of-racists-and-the-real-reason/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Fundamentally, the office of the presidency and its very first responsibility is to protect us as Americans and tell us how that commander in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-brennan/fundamentally-the-office-of-the-presidency-and-its-very-first/) [Margaret Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-brennan/) > [I sincerely desire to be appointed Commander in Chief of the air fleet to attack Pearl Harbor so that I may personally command that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/i-sincerely-desire-to-be-appointed-commander-in-chief-of-the-air/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [“As one becomes aware of the decline of violence, the world begins to look different. The past seems less innocent; the present less sinister.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/as-one-becomes-aware-of-the-decline-of-violence-the-world-begins-to/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [One thing Ive learned as commander in chief: Youve got to be clear, both to our allies & our enemies, about where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-thing-ive-learned-as-commander-in-chief-youve-got-to-be-clear/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“p. 274 ...his trademark decision to surrender power as commander in chief and then president, was not...a sign that he had conquered his ambitions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/p-274-his-trademark-decision-to-surrender-power-as-commander-in-chief/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [On the other side, you have the conservative intelligentsia - magazines like National Review, which has a big anti-Trump issue; Weekly Standard editor, conservative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/on-the-other-side-you-have-the-conservative-intelligentsia-magazines/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) [Browse all 192 Commander in chief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commander-in-chief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“My friends understood how painful it would be to sit on the platform and watch Donald Trump sworn in as our next Commander in Chief. I had campaigned relentlessly to make sure that never happened. I was convinced he represented a clear and present danger to the country and the world. 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