--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The prevailing wisdom today is that any…" description: "\"“The prevailing wisdom today is that any candidate in a standard-brand, two-party election will get about 40 percent of the vote. The root assumption h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f2/hunter-s-thompson-278_san-diego_the-prevailing-wisdom-today-is-that-any_1408347.jpg" --- # The prevailing wisdom today is that any candidate in a… ![“The prevailing wisdom today is that any candidate in a standard-brand, two-party election will get about 40 percent of the vote. The root assumption here is that neither party would nominate a man more than 20 percent different from the type of person most Americans consider basically right and…” quote by Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f2/hunter-s-thompson-278_san-diego_the-prevailing-wisdom-today-is-that-any_1408347.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f2/hunter-s-thompson-278_san-diego_the-prevailing-wisdom-today-is-that-any_1408347.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f2/hunter-s-thompson-278_san-diego_the-prevailing-wisdom-today-is-that-any_1408347.jpg) > ““The prevailing wisdom today is that any candidate in a standard-brand, two-party election will get about 40 percent of the vote. The root assumption here is that neither party would nominate a man more than 20 percent different from the type of person most Americans consider basically right and acceptable. Which almost always happens. There is no potentially serious candidate in either major party this year who couldn’t pass for the executive vice-president for mortgage loans in any hometown bank from Bangor to San Diego.”” [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political commentary that mainstream candidates converge toward a narrow, centrist profile, limiting genuine choice. **In simple terms:** Candidates are all similar, making real choice hard. Key Takeaway Recognize and support alternatives outside the two‑party norm. Themes politics conformity choice media democracy Mood cynical critical inquisitive Type analytical political skeptical When to use this quote - local elections - primary campaigns - grassroots organizing - independent runs - voter education Key Concepts centrist bias political homogeneity voter disenfranchisement Questions to Reflect On - How can voters break the centrist cycle? - What structures keep parties centered? A Different Perspective The analysis may overlook viable reformist candidates within parties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Candidate Standard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate-standard-4956315/) [Party Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party-election-4956313/) [Party Nominate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party-nominate-1914690/) [Percent Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent-vote-944024/) [Potentially Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potentially-candidate-4956314/) [San diego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/san-diego/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Type of person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/type-of-person/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [The real fight is within the Republican Party to get it to nominate grassroots-type candidates who the public wants, and not just some 'echo'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-schlafly/the-real-fight-is-within-the-republican-party-to-get-it-to-nominate/) [Phyllis Schlafly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-schlafly/) > [Donald Trump may be unusually flamboyant, but his views are all too representative of the party that is about to nominate him for president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-steyer/donald-trump-may-be-unusually-flamboyant-but-his-views-are-all-too/) [Tom Steyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-steyer/) > [It is like sitting in a traffic jam on the San Diego Freeway with your windows rolled up and Portuguese music booming out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/it-is-like-sitting-in-a-traffic-jam-on-the-san-diego-freeway-with/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [In 2012, Hispanics were 10 percent of the electorate, underperforming their share of the voting-age population. Mitt Romney got 21 percent of their vote,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/in-2012-hispanics-were-10-percent-of-the-electorate-underperforming/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [America is an incredibly polarized country politically. I think ANY Republican would start out with 42 percent of the vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/america-is-an-incredibly-polarized-country-politically-i-think-any/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Illinois has less than a 12 percent black population and I won with 55 percent of the vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/illinois-has-less-than-a-12-percent-black-population-and-i-won-with/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) > [The very fact that I became mayor in 1977 conveys how you can't figure out what the people will do. Nobody thought I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-very-fact-that-i-became-mayor-in-1977-conveys-how-you-can-t/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [I believe that if the entire voting population of the United States could be taken in small groups on a personally conducted tour of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/i-believe-that-if-the-entire-voting-population-of-the-united-states/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [... the top 10 percent of incomes pay 70 percent of the income taxes and cast about 25 percent of the vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/the-top-10-percent-of-incomes-pay-70-percent-of-the-income-taxes-and/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [About forty percent of the people vote Democrat. About forty percent vote Republican. Of those eighty percent, most wouldn't change their votes if Adolf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/about-forty-percent-of-the-people-vote-democrat-about-forty-percent/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [ The Electoral College said that \[Donald Trump\] is the president, he's the president.But as a president, you also have to build. And if I'm… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-chaffetz/the-electoral-college-said-that-donald-trump-is-the-president-he-s/) [Jason Chaffetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-chaffetz/) > [The rich don't win elections. They support the money, but what percentage of America are rich? What is it, 2 percent? But they all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-king/the-rich-don-t-win-elections-they-support-the-money-but-what/) [Larry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-king/) > [Every election, roughly half the population votes Democrat and the other half votes Republican. Now, I understand why the Republicans get one percent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/every-election-roughly-half-the-population-votes-democrat-and-the/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [We vote - if the public votes 50 percent, we vote 70 percent. So we have a bigger impact with our numbers, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-hoffa/we-vote-if-the-public-votes-50-percent-we-vote-70-percent-so-we-have/) [James P. Hoffa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-hoffa/) > [I've been winning with 70 percent of the vote, and if you look at my district, you know it's a majority Christian district, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-ve-been-winning-with-70-percent-of-the-vote-and-if-you-look-at-my/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) ## More by Hunter S. Thompson > [“There was also the fact that sending a penniless writer to get $135 worth of beer was — as Khrushchev said of Nixon —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-was-also-the-fact-that-sending-a-penniless-writer-to-get-135/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“Cases of champagne and scotch lay broken in the street, and everyone I saw had a bottle. They were screaming and dancing, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/cases-of-champagne-and-scotch-lay-broken-in-the-street-and-everyone-i/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No music + Bad TV = Bad mood & no pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-music-bad-tv-bad-mood-no-pages/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No Prince. What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-one-holds-command-over-me-no-man-no-god-no-prince-what-is-a-claim/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“The person who doesn't scatter the morning dew will not comb grey hairs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-person-who-doesn-t-scatter-the-morning-dew-will-not-comb-grey/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/hope-rises-and-dreams-flicker-and-die-love-plans-for-tomorrow-and/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [At age 22 I set what I insist is an all-time record for distance hitchhiking in Bermuda shorts: 3,700 miles in three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/at-age-22-i-set-what-i-insist-is-an-all-time-record-for-distance/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Paranoia is just another mask for ignorance. The truth, when you finally chase it down is almost always far worse than your darkest visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/paranoia-is-just-another-mask-for-ignorance-the-truth-when-you/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“No doubt they all Got What Was Coming To Them. All those pathetically eager acid freaks who thought they could buy Peace and Understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-doubt-they-all-got-what-was-coming-to-them-all-those-pathetically/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“For several months they'd been drifting toward political involvement, but the picture was hazy and one of the most confusing elements was their geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/for-several-months-they-d-been-drifting-toward-political-involvement/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [He wandered into the Newsroom and asked for a job the same way he’d walk into a barbershop and ask for a haircut, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/he-wandered-into-the-newsroom-and-asked-for-a-job-the-same-way-he-d/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There's no point in getting into politics at all unless you plan to lash things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-no-point-in-getting-into-politics-at-all-unless-you-plan-to/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There’s a lot of things wrong with this country, but one of the few things still right with it is that a man can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-this-country-but-one-of-the-few/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) [Explore all 765 Hunter S. Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## More San diego quotes > [“How can you love me if you don’t even know me?” He lifted my arms around his neck and placed his hands on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denyse-cohen/how-can-you-love-me-if-you-don-t-even-know-me-he-lifted-my-arms/) [Denyse Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denyse-cohen/) > [I grew up in San Diego, so it wasn't hard to move to L.A. to get into show business, but I did the standard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-benson/i-grew-up-in-san-diego-so-it-wasn-t-hard-to-move-to-l-a-to-get-into/) [Doug Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-benson/) > [Growing up in San Diego, my main interests were the Beatles, Louis Armstrong, 'Star Wars,' baseball cards, and drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-mooney/growing-up-in-san-diego-my-main-interests-were-the-beatles-louis/) [Kyle Mooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-mooney/) > [It's not just about talking. It's about - can you actually achieve objectives? I was very proud of what we were able to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/it-s-not-just-about-talking-it-s-about-can-you-actually-achieve/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) > [When I graduated from Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, I made my way back to San Diego, which is where I was born. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-bella/when-i-graduated-from-chaparral-high-school-in-scottsdale-i-made-my/) [Brie Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-bella/) > [There's a love of San Diego that I will always cherish, but this is the East. It's football - these people love rooting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weddle/there-s-a-love-of-san-diego-that-i-will-always-cherish-but-this-is/) [Eric Weddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weddle/) > [At the end of the day I have many answers for it. It has to do with my mom, who was an extraordinary woman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-have-many-answers-for-it-it-has-to-do-with-my/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [We have a great, positive relationship with Mexico. The Tijuana mayor crosses into San Diego, we talk all the time and vice verses. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/we-have-a-great-positive-relationship-with-mexico-the-tijuana-mayor/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) > [I mean we will have some of the best and brightest men and women in the country. We have some of the most entrepreneurial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/i-mean-we-will-have-some-of-the-best-and-brightest-men-and-women-in/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) > [“Doing a geographic” is a term alcoholics often use for acting on the impulse to start over by moving to a new town, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hafner/doing-a-geographic-is-a-term-alcoholics-often-use-for-acting-on-the/) [Katie Hafner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hafner/) > [The reason I'm in San Diego is not because I want distance from South Africa but because I want proximity to the people I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/the-reason-i-m-in-san-diego-is-not-because-i-want-distance-from-south/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [ “One \[project of Teddy Cruz's\] is titled Living Rooms at the Border. it takes a piece of land with an unused church zoned for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/one-project-of-teddy-cruz-s-is-titled-living-rooms-at-the-border-it/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [I think our immigrants are a strength for us in San Diego. I think it's a strength in our communities in California. Our immigrant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/i-think-our-immigrants-are-a-strength-for-us-in-san-diego-i-think-it/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) > [“That’s the downside to San Diego. Once you live here, you never want to live anywhere else. Unfortunately everyone else already lives here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/that-s-the-downside-to-san-diego-once-you-live-here-you-never-want-to/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [I think overall San Diego is probably my second-favorite place to go stadium-wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-crawford/i-think-overall-san-diego-is-probably-my-second-favorite-place-to-go/) [Brandon Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-crawford/) [Browse all 254 San diego quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/san-diego/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The prevailing wisdom today is that any candidate in a standard-brand, two-party election will get about 40 percent of the vote. The root assumption here is that neither party would nominate a man more than 20 percent different from the type of person most Americans consider basically right and acceptable. 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