--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 2008, Barack Obama did get Democrats…" description: "\"In 2008, Barack Obama did get Democrats hyperventilating, whipped up to a creamy froth, while John McCain creaked ahead like a cranky granddad whom Rep..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/james-wolcott-8178_barack_in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-h_2392826.jpg" --- # In 2008, Barack Obama did get Democrats hyperventilating… ![“In 2008, Barack Obama did get Democrats hyperventilating, whipped up to a creamy froth, while John McCain creaked ahead like a cranky granddad whom Republicans let move to the front of the buffet line, deferring to seniority, as they had in 1996, when Bob Dole turtled to the top of the ticket.” quote by James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/james-wolcott-8178_barack_in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-h_2392826.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/james-wolcott-8178_barack_in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-h_2392826.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/james-wolcott-8178_barack_in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-h_2392826.jpg) > “In 2008, Barack Obama did get Democrats hyperventilating, whipped up to a creamy froth, while John McCain creaked ahead like a cranky granddad whom Republicans let move to the front of the buffet line, deferring to seniority, as they had in 1996, when Bob Dole turtled to the top of the ticket.” [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political dynamics shift as seniority and party strategy influence candidate positioning. **In simple terms:** Party politics affect candidate order. Key Takeaway Observe how experience and strategy shape elections. Themes politics election seniority Mood analytical critical Type commentary observational When to use this quote - campaign planning - voter education - media coverage Key Concepts media studies strategic communication Questions to Reflect On - How does seniority impact voter choice? - What alternatives exist? A Different Perspective Senior candidates may not always reflect current voter needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cranky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cranky/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Republicans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republicans/) [Seniority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seniority/) ## Related quotes > [How much trouble did the Democrats cause for a particular nominee on the way to actually being confirmed.And usually it's very little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/how-much-trouble-did-the-democrats-cause-for-a-particular-nominee-on/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [The Democrats co-opted the credit for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. But if you go back and look at the history, a larger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/the-democrats-co-opted-the-credit-for-the-civil-rights-act-of-1964/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [As Bob Dole found out, you can't keep a positive image while being your party's mouthpiece in Congress. That's why no legislative leader since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/as-bob-dole-found-out-you-can-t-keep-a-positive-image-while-being/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [I believe I am more conservative than Bob Dole; I believe I am more committed to fundamentally changing American government than Bob Dole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-gramm/i-believe-i-am-more-conservative-than-bob-dole-i-believe-i-am-more/) [Phil Gramm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-gramm/) > [I'll be 50 years old tomorrow and that means, among other things, that now Bob Dole can start telling jokes about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-ll-be-50-years-old-tomorrow-and-that-means-among-other-things-that/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [When George W. Bush was president, his daddy was raising money for the Bush library. I thought that was fine. When Bob Dole was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/when-george-w-bush-was-president-his-daddy-was-raising-money-for-the/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [Phrase it in an interesting way; don't phrase it in a mean or unfriendly way. Bob Dole said that if there's anything he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/phrase-it-in-an-interesting-way-don-t-phrase-it-in-a-mean-or/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [“Conversely who do you suppose were among the most vocal supporters of Bill Clinton’s 1994 GATT treaty? None other than supposed ‘conservatives’ Newt Gingrich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/conversely-who-do-you-suppose-were-among-the-most-vocal-supporters-of/) [Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/) > [“My thermograph got nothing,” he said. “I think that place is deader than Bob Dole’s dick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-nicholson/my-thermograph-got-nothing-he-said-i-think-that-place-is-deader-than/) [Scott Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-nicholson/) > [Bob Dole used to be really funny. Barney Frank can be kind of funny. Bob Kerrey has a good sense of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/bob-dole-used-to-be-really-funny-barney-frank-can-be-kind-of-funny/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Bill Clinton, Mr. Bob Dole, You too old to understand tha way tha game is told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/bill-clinton-mr-bob-dole-you-too-old-to-understand-tha-way-tha-game/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [My generation didn't face the kind of urgent, pressing issues that my parents did, who fought through a war and a Depression and know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/my-generation-didn-t-face-the-kind-of-urgent-pressing-issues-that-my/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Bob Dole is going to be appearing in a Pepsi commercial with Britney Spears. Yeah, apparently Dole says that if this doesn't cure his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/bob-dole-is-going-to-be-appearing-in-a-pepsi-commercial-with-britney/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I almost dropped dead the first time I heard Bob Dole say 'gay marriage' on the floor of the senate. He wasn't saying nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-jones/i-almost-dropped-dead-the-first-time-i-heard-bob-dole-say-gay/) [Cherry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-jones/) > [If something happened along the route and you had to leave your children with Bob Dole or Bill Clinton, I think you would probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/if-something-happened-along-the-route-and-you-had-to-leave-your/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) ## More by James Wolcott > [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [There was a time when idealistic folksingers such as myself believed that Reality TV was a programming vogue that would peak and recede, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/there-was-a-time-when-idealistic-folksingers-such-as-myself-believed/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [After a decade this glum, we deserved a shot of 'Glee,' a show that restored our faith in the power of song, the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/after-a-decade-this-glum-we-deserved-a-shot-of-glee-a-show-that/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [It's the contemporary woman that movies don't know what to do with, other than bathe her in a bridal glow in romantic comedies where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/it-s-the-contemporary-woman-that-movies-don-t-know-what-to-do-with/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I understand the people-watching, but I've never done it where people have to race to three different shows, from here to there. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/i-understand-the-people-watching-but-i-ve-never-done-it-where-people/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [What had brought me to New York in the autumn of 1972 was a letter of recommendation written by Norman Mailer, the author of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/what-had-brought-me-to-new-york-in-the-autumn-of-1972-was-a-letter-of/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Historically, Hollywood comedy has arrived in skinny envelopes. From fence post Buster Keaton to herky-jerky Jerry Lewis to wiry nerve-bundle Woody Allen to hung-loose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/historically-hollywood-comedy-has-arrived-in-skinny-envelopes-from/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian would have left little more than lipstick stains in their passing had it not been for the sex videos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/paris-hilton-and-kim-kardashian-would-have-left-little-more-than/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [On August 28, 2010, Fox News messiah Glenn Beck hosted a 'Restoring Honor' revival meeting featuring sexy guest star Sarah Palin, much as Bob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/on-august-28-2010-fox-news-messiah-glenn-beck-hosted-a-restoring/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I've always stayed on the periphery of things. When I used to go to the punk clubs and things like that, I was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/i-ve-always-stayed-on-the-periphery-of-things-when-i-used-to-go-to/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [My high-school papers, my college-application essays, read like Norman Mailer packed in a crunchy-peanut-butter sandwich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/my-high-school-papers-my-college-application-essays-read-like-norman/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Telling writers to shut up is a sure way to keep them talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/telling-writers-to-shut-up-is-a-sure-way-to-keep-them-talking/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [As we divest ourselves of once familiar physical objects - digitize and dematerialize - we approach a 'Star Trek' future in which everything can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/as-we-divest-ourselves-of-once-familiar-physical-objects-digitize-and/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [The advent of DVD/Blu-ray reissues of classic Hollywood and foreign films has been a boon to film buffs, who can now study their favorites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/the-advent-of-dvd-blu-ray-reissues-of-classic-hollywood-and-foreign/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Mitt Romney - he had a Rock Hudson thing going, shoeblack hair and a well-hung resume, but even for a shameless, position-shifting phony he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/mitt-romney-he-had-a-rock-hudson-thing-going-shoeblack-hair-and-a/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) [Explore all 83 James Wolcott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) ## More Barack quotes > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. They're in Raqqa, Syria.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-tell-you-who-s-planning-terroris-attacks-the-leaders-of-isil/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [The big story today, Barack Obama was accused of insulting Sarah Palin when he criticized Republican policies by saying, you can put lipstick on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-big-story-today-barack-obama-was-accused-of-insulting-sarah-palin/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [ I think the president's \[Barack Obama\] position has been very clear on Syria. He wants more aggressive, he's put the Special Ops on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/i-think-the-president-s-barack-obama-position-has-been-very-clear-on/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [ It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president \[Barack Obama\] has consistently said - which I agree with - is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-cannot-be-an-american-fight-and-i-think-what-the-president-barack/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ It wasn't \[Barack\] Obama per se; it was the feeling on the ground; it was seeing an old black woman in a wheelchair being… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/it-wasn-t-barack-obama-per-se-it-was-the-feeling-on-the-ground-it-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [I don't think that we really know a whole lot about Barack Obama at all that you would really call distinctive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-mcwhorter/i-don-t-think-that-we-really-know-a-whole-lot-about-barack-obama-at/) [John H. McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-mcwhorter/) > [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [I think President Barack Obama has been an extraordinarily successful president, and that this period will record that with a bunch of exclamation points.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/i-think-president-barack-obama-has-been-an-extraordinarily-successful/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atherton/the-archives-recall-not-one-single-incriminating-incident-not-one/) Michael Atherton > [In public, Barack Obama's giving the simple version of his beliefs for the mass public. In private, he can discuss it at a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/in-public-barack-obama-s-giving-the-simple-version-of-his-beliefs-for/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) Browse all 1,672 Barack quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In 2008, Barack Obama did get Democrats hyperventilating, whipped up to a creamy froth, while John McCain creaked ahead like a cranky granddad whom Republicans let move to the front of the buffet line, deferring to seniority, as they had in 1996, when Bob Dole turtled to the top of the ticket.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Wolcott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-hyperventilating-whipped-up-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barack" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-hyperventilating-whipped-up-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/james-wolcott-8178_barack_in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-h_2392826.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/james-wolcott-8178_barack_in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-h_2392826.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/james-wolcott-8178_barack_in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-h_2392826.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In 2008, Barack Obama did get Democrats hyperventilating, whipped up to a creamy froth, while John McCain…” — James Wolcott", "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 Wolcott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In 2008, Barack Obama did get...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-hyperventilating-whipped-up-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-2008-barack-obama-did-get-democrats-hyperventilating-whipped-up-to/#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 } } ] } ```