---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Momentum has always counted for…"
description: "\"Momentum has always counted for something, not everything, but it's always perceived as being something that matters in American politics.\" — James Car..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/james-carville-2521_american_momentum-has-always-counted-for-somethin_1870703.png"
---

#  Momentum has always counted for something, not everything…

![“Momentum has always counted for something, not everything, but it's always perceived as being something that matters in American politics.” quote by James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/james-carville-2521_american_momentum-has-always-counted-for-somethin_1870703.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/james-carville-2521_american_momentum-has-always-counted-for-somethin_1870703.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/james-carville-2521_american_momentum-has-always-counted-for-somethin_1870703.png)

> “Momentum has always counted for something, not everything, but it's always perceived as being something that matters in American politics.”

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

## About This Quote

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

Momentum is valued in politics, though it isn’t everything; it’s perceived as crucial for influence.

**In simple terms:** Momentum matters in politics.

Key Takeaway

Leverage momentum wisely.

Themes

politics influence perception

Mood

analytical critical

Type

political observational

When to use this quote

- election cycles
- policy advocacy

Key Concepts

campaign strategy public opinion

Questions to Reflect On

- When does momentum become a hindrance?
- How can you sustain momentum?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[American politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-politics/) [Momentum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/momentum/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/)

## Related quotes

> [Species conversation is beyond a doubt an issue that truly matters to the American public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-somerhalder/species-conversation-is-beyond-a-doubt-an-issue-that-truly-matters-to/)

[Ian Somerhalder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-somerhalder/)

> [What matters is that the majority of American people have become complacent in a senseless injustice that occurs all around them. What matters is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-gonzalez/what-matters-is-that-the-majority-of-american-people-have-become/)

[Emma Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-gonzalez/)

> [I think Ralph Nader is the biggest liar in American politics when he said it didn't matter who was president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/i-think-ralph-nader-is-the-biggest-liar-in-american-politics-when-he/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [Politics is a rough and tumble business, and yet there seems to be an effort by the commentariat to sanitise American politics to some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/politics-is-a-rough-and-tumble-business-and-yet-there-seems-to-be-an/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [Affirming belief that America is an exceptional nation has become a test of patriotism in American politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/affirming-belief-that-america-is-an-exceptional-nation-has-become-a/)

[Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/)

> [For even the most seasoned observers of American politics, Barack Obama is a phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/for-even-the-most-seasoned-observers-of-american-politics-barack/)

[David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/)

> [My husband is American but Italian. Then I have the Mexicano side. I see both in my kids. My daughter is more Italian -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thalia/my-husband-is-american-but-italian-then-i-have-the-mexicano-side-i/)

[Thalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thalia/)

> [We are creating a political demolition derby, not a presidential debate. Those strange impulses in the American soul that have produced mud wrestling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-sidey/we-are-creating-a-political-demolition-derby-not-a-presidential/)

[Hugh Sidey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-sidey/)

> [“The CIA is behind it all. That’s the conclusion of Mae Brussell—one of America’s foremost assassination experts—a researcher who has collected every pertinent newspaper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-brussell/the-cia-is-behind-it-all-that-s-the-conclusion-of-mae-brussell-one-of/)

[Mae Brussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-brussell/)

> [We picked their cotton. We cooked their food. We nursed their babies. Now we can run their cities. We can run their states. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-picked-their-cotton-we-cooked-their-food-we-nursed-their-babies/)

[Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/)

> [Would anyone else like to say anything nice about women?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/would-anyone-else-like-to-say-anything-nice-about-women/)

[Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/)

> [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/)

[Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/)

> [Hart is still like that little tub of vaguely milklike gunk that comes with airline coffee. It is labeled a "nondairy" product. Fine: we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/hart-is-still-like-that-little-tub-of-vaguely-milklike-gunk-that/)

[George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/)

> [Here's the point - and Jonah Goldberg reminds us of this. He wrote a blog post that was titled "The MacGuffinization of American Politics."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/here-s-the-point-and-jonah-goldberg-reminds-us-of-this-he-wrote-a/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has taken American politics by storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/republican-presidential-candidate-donald-trump-has-taken-american/)

[Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/)

## More by James Carville

> [“Victoria Westover and Shari Monetta are true patriots”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/victoria-westover-and-shari-monetta-are-true-patriots/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [I was a little-known political consultant until Bill Clinton made me. When he came upon hard times, I felt it my duty - whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/i-was-a-little-known-political-consultant-until-bill-clinton-made-me/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [As a result of that forgiveness, I will never criticize or attack any of your past actions or remarks concerning matters of race relations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/as-a-result-of-that-forgiveness-i-will-never-criticize-or-attack-any/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [“This site sucks garbage bags full of dicks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/this-site-sucks-garbage-bags-full-of-dicks/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [Every day Catholics prove that you can be a good Catholic and a good Democrat and have a different position from the Church on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/every-day-catholics-prove-that-you-can-be-a-good-catholic-and-a-good/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [My blood's not red or blue - it's brown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/my-blood-s-not-red-or-blue-it-s-brown/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [“The James Carville "herd of cows" quote is a fabrication, posted on the website thinkexist.com by someone going by thisoneworks. It has no attribution.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/the-james-carville-herd-of-cows-quote-is-a-fabrication-posted-on-the/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [We don't know each other. Democrats don't know Republicans, Republicans don't know Democrats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/we-don-t-know-each-other-democrats-don-t-know-republicans-republicans/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [When you become famous, being famous becomes your profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/when-you-become-famous-being-famous-becomes-your-profession/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [When the facts change, you change your mind. I know that is a hard concept for people to get sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/when-the-facts-change-you-change-your-mind-i-know-that-is-a-hard/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [I have always loved the college atmosphere - sometimes too much, which is why I spent so long at LSU.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/i-have-always-loved-the-college-atmosphere-sometimes-too-much-which/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [Democratic strategists and operatives should not design a strategy based off today's conditions. They should be setting a strategy for where the trajectory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/democratic-strategists-and-operatives-should-not-design-a-strategy/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [If you say three things, you don't say anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/if-you-say-three-things-you-don-t-say-anything/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [“I eat babies, shit them out and use the feces that contains their mangled remains for bullet casings. Which I use to kill Republicans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/i-eat-babies-shit-them-out-and-use-the-feces-that-contains-their/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

> [The only politician in America I know with a man-date is Jim McGreevey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/the-only-politician-in-america-i-know-with-a-man-date-is-jim-mcgreevey/)

[James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

[Explore all 163 James Carville quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/)

## More American quotes

> [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/)

[Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/)

> [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/)

[Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/)

> [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/)

[Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/)

> [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/)

[Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/)

> [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/)

[H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/)

> [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/)

[Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/)

> [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/)

[Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/)

> [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/)

[William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/)

> [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/)

[Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/)

> [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/)

[Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/)

> [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/)

[Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/)

> [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/)

[Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/)

> [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/)

[Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/)

> [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/)

[Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/)

> [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/)

[Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/)

Browse all 7,717 American quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Momentum has always counted for something, not everything, but it's always perceived as being something that matters in American politics.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Carville"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/momentum-has-always-counted-for-something-not-everything-but-it-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "American"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/momentum-has-always-counted-for-something-not-everything-but-it-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/james-carville-2521_american_momentum-has-always-counted-for-somethin_1870703.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/james-carville-2521_american_momentum-has-always-counted-for-somethin_1870703.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/james-carville-2521_american_momentum-has-always-counted-for-somethin_1870703.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Momentum has always counted for something, not everything, but it's always perceived as being something that…” — James Carville",
                "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": "James Carville",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Momentum has always counted for something,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/momentum-has-always-counted-for-something-not-everything-but-it-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/momentum-has-always-counted-for-something-not-everything-but-it-s/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
