--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a long tradition in this country…" description: "\"There's a long tradition in this country of questioning generals.\" — Jake Tapper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/jake-tapper-4443_country_there-s-a-long-tradition-in-this-country_1195652.jpg" --- # There's a long tradition in this country of questioning… ![“There's a long tradition in this country of questioning generals.” quote by Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/jake-tapper-4443_country_there-s-a-long-tradition-in-this-country_1195652.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/jake-tapper-4443_country_there-s-a-long-tradition-in-this-country_1195652.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/jake-tapper-4443_country_there-s-a-long-tradition-in-this-country_1195652.jpg) > “There's a long tradition in this country of questioning generals.” [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) ## 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 highlights a cultural habit of scrutinizing military leaders to ensure accountability and prevent unchecked power. **In simple terms:** People often question generals to keep them in check. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant about authority. Themes accountability military democracy media public scrutiny Mood critical inquisitive cautious Type political journalistic observational When to use this quote - political debates - news analysis - public forums - election campaigns Key Concepts civilian oversight political responsibility historical precedent Questions to Reflect On - How does questioning leaders strengthen democracy? - When does skepticism become harmful? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on questioning can erode trust in necessary leadership decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Questioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-questioning-3564905/) [Generals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generals/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-tradition/) [Questioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questioning/) [Questioning Generals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questioning-generals-3564904/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) ## Related quotes > [You know who has done a lot of questioning of generals? President Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/you-know-who-has-done-a-lot-of-questioning-of-generals-president-trump/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [Perl has a long tradition of working around compilers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/perl-has-a-long-tradition-of-working-around-compilers/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Any Democratic statement of core beliefs about the importance of families must include all our families, gay and straight. Our party has a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-shaheen/any-democratic-statement-of-core-beliefs-about-the-importance-of/) [Jeanne Shaheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-shaheen/) > [I come from a family with a long tradition in shoemaking, and I still live in a region famous for its shoemakers. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-della-valle/i-come-from-a-family-with-a-long-tradition-in-shoemaking-and-i-still/) [Diego Della Valle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-della-valle/) > [We have a long tradition in this state of caring for our neighbors - it is truly an Iowa value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-a-long-tradition-in-this-state-of-caring-for-our-neighbors-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [India has a long tradition of giving that cuts across all sections of society. It is a living legacy that we can all be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohini-nilekani/india-has-a-long-tradition-of-giving-that-cuts-across-all-sections-of/) [Rohini Nilekani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohini-nilekani/) > [In America, there's a very long tradition of a comic strip that comes in newspapers, which is not true all over the world. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-katchor/in-america-there-s-a-very-long-tradition-of-a-comic-strip-that-comes-2/) [Ben Katchor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-katchor/) > [You know, there is a long tradition in the U.S. of, um, promoting elections up to the point that you get an outcome you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/you-know-there-is-a-long-tradition-in-the-u-s-of-um-promoting/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [There's this long tradition of... even 'Where The Wild Things Are,' which many people consider the best kids' picture book of all time. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/there-s-this-long-tradition-of-even-where-the-wild-things-are-which/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) > [There is a long tradition in China for writers and journalists to take pen names, partly as protection from retaliation by authorities. If Facebook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-anti/there-is-a-long-tradition-in-china-for-writers-and-journalists-to/) [Michael Anti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-anti/) > [There's a long tradition of people from the South living in New York City.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/there-s-a-long-tradition-of-people-from-the-south-living-in-new-york/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [We Europeans have a long tradition of cultural and economic relationship with Iran.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federica-mogherini/we-europeans-have-a-long-tradition-of-cultural-and-economic/) [Federica Mogherini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federica-mogherini/) > [“Yoga has a long tradition of meeting people where they are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-vaughn/yoga-has-a-long-tradition-of-meeting-people-where-they-are/) [Amy Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-vaughn/) > [Filibuster has long tradition, but used to harm civil rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/filibuster-has-long-tradition-but-used-to-harm-civil-rights/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We in Tunisia have no problem with respecting other people's religion, and we have a long tradition of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashid-al-ghannushi/we-in-tunisia-have-no-problem-with-respecting-other-people-s-religion/) [Rashid al-Ghannushi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashid-al-ghannushi/) ## More by Jake Tapper > [You know what takes effort? Being kind, being patient, being respectful, telling someone how you feel politely instead of just avoiding them for six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/you-know-what-takes-effort-being-kind-being-patient-being-respectful/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [My job, in general, is nonfiction, so writing fiction was liberating. If you can't find the answer to something, you just make it up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/my-job-in-general-is-nonfiction-so-writing-fiction-was-liberating-if/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [I listen to a lot of criticism. From the Left and the Right and from everywhere. I mean, everybody's a media critic. And sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/i-listen-to-a-lot-of-criticism-from-the-left-and-the-right-and-from/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [I don't really get nervous anymore unless there's a big interview.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/i-don-t-really-get-nervous-anymore-unless-there-s-a-big-interview/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [People mess up. 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I did a weekly comic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/i-did-freelance-cartooning-off-and-on-from-college-graduation-in-1991/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [I definitely pack coffee if I'm going someplace where it might not be available. When I went to Afghanistan in 2011, I brought a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/i-definitely-pack-coffee-if-i-m-going-someplace-where-it-might-not-be/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [ The estimated 11 or so million undocumented immigrants currently in the United States. This is what Mr. \[Donald \] Trump promised back in November. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/the-estimated-11-or-so-million-undocumented-immigrants-currently-in/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [I think it's important to have as diverse of a feed as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/i-think-it-s-important-to-have-as-diverse-of-a-feed-as-possible/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) [Explore all 110 Jake Tapper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's a long tradition in this country of questioning generals.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jake Tapper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/there-s-a-long-tradition-in-this-country-of-questioning-generals/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/there-s-a-long-tradition-in-this-country-of-questioning-generals/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/jake-tapper-4443_country_there-s-a-long-tradition-in-this-country_1195652.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/jake-tapper-4443_country_there-s-a-long-tradition-in-this-country_1195652.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/jake-tapper-4443_country_there-s-a-long-tradition-in-this-country_1195652.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's a long tradition in this country of questioning generals.” — Jake Tapper", "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": "Jake Tapper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's a long tradition in this...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/there-s-a-long-tradition-in-this-country-of-questioning-generals/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/there-s-a-long-tradition-in-this-country-of-questioning-generals/#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 } } ] } ```