--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When politicians began to see that every…" description: "\"When politicians began to see that every last thing that they did in public could be broadcast to a mass audience, the fact that the stakes were so muc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc1/joe-klein-12661_audience_when-politicians-began-to-see-that-every_2125587.png" --- # When politicians began to see that every last thing that… ![“When politicians began to see that every last thing that they did in public could be broadcast to a mass audience, the fact that the stakes were so much higher now that every moment became fraught caused them to become more cautious, and the consultants very gradually but inevitably became literal…” quote by Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc1/joe-klein-12661_audience_when-politicians-began-to-see-that-every_2125587.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc1/joe-klein-12661_audience_when-politicians-began-to-see-that-every_2125587.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc1/joe-klein-12661_audience_when-politicians-began-to-see-that-every_2125587.png) > “When politicians began to see that every last thing that they did in public could be broadcast to a mass audience, the fact that the stakes were so much higher now that every moment became fraught caused them to become more cautious, and the consultants very gradually but inevitably became literal reactionaries.” [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politicians act more cautiously because media amplifies every action, pushing consultants toward defensive strategies. **In simple terms:** Media makes politicians nervous, consultants become defensive. Key Takeaway Act with transparency and consider long‑term impact. Themes politics media consulting risk management Mood anxious critical Type analytical observational When to use this quote - campaign planning - media training - crisis management Key Concepts public perception media scrutiny strategic communication Questions to Reflect On - How does media pressure shape policy decisions? - Can consultants balance caution with boldness? A Different Perspective Caution can stifle innovation and authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Cautious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cautious/) [Every moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-moment/) [Fraught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fraught/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Reactionaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reactionaries/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If every American automatically has health coverage, the age at which Medicare kicks in becomes a less fraught issue. We could gradually raise the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/if-every-american-automatically-has-health-coverage-the-age-at-which/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [In today's time, writing stuff that actually happened is touch-and-go, because you don't want to be too personal. If you are, then it probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-turner/in-today-s-time-writing-stuff-that-actually-happened-is-touch-and-go/) [Josh Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-turner/) > [I can reach the mass audience if I come from different perspectives on every song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-lambert/i-can-reach-the-mass-audience-if-i-come-from-different-perspectives/) [Miranda Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-lambert/) > [Obviously the Internet has become something of a leveler; it was once a luxury to be able to reach a mass audience, and now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonso-duralde/obviously-the-internet-has-become-something-of-a-leveler-it-was-once/) [Alonso Duralde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonso-duralde/) > [To reach a mass audience, you have to offer more than just hostility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-itzkoff/to-reach-a-mass-audience-you-have-to-offer-more-than-just-hostility/) [Dave Itzkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-itzkoff/) > [When writing for a mass audience, put a fact in every sentence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/when-writing-for-a-mass-audience-put-a-fact-in-every-sentence/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [If you game Facebook and Google in the right way, then you can achieve a mass audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-foer/if-you-game-facebook-and-google-in-the-right-way-then-you-can-achieve/) [Franklin Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-foer/) > [If a hit song comes on in a theater, the mass audience get so excited they throw money, just out of excitement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhushan-kumar/if-a-hit-song-comes-on-in-a-theater-the-mass-audience-get-so-excited/) [Bhushan Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhushan-kumar/) > [The movies I make - the goal isn't a mass audience. They're not expensive films. So the attempt is to reach a much more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/the-movies-i-make-the-goal-isn-t-a-mass-audience-they-re-not/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [Trying to guess what the (mass) audience wants and then trying to satisfy that is usually a bad recipe for getting something good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/trying-to-guess-what-the-mass-audience-wants-and-then-trying-to/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [You have to simplify - there is no other way to reach a mass audience. And you have to feed them evidence of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hamilton/you-have-to-simplify-there-is-no-other-way-to-reach-a-mass-audience/) [Rebecca Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hamilton/) > [The problem with individual opinion is that it doesn't necessary correlate with what the mass audience is thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mercurio/the-problem-with-individual-opinion-is-that-it-doesn-t-necessary/) [Jed Mercurio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mercurio/) > [Taken as a whole the mass media seldom rises to the level of deplorable trash, but it is also true that there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/taken-as-a-whole-the-mass-media-seldom-rises-to-the-level-of/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [I'm not really trying to reach a big mass of an audience. My movies are done for a tiny, tiny budget, and that affords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/i-m-not-really-trying-to-reach-a-big-mass-of-an-audience-my-movies/) [Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/) > [There is no such thing as a Mass Mind. The Mass Audience is made up of individuals, and good advertising is written always from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fairfax-cone/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-mass-mind-the-mass-audience-is-made-up-of/) Fairfax Cone ## More by Joe Klein > [You know, when George Bush talks about freedom not being America's gift to world but God's gift to all humankind, it smells like market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/you-know-when-george-bush-talks-about-freedom-not-being-america-s/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [When I started in the press there were really ink-stained wretches. Not everybody went to college. Now, everybody at the New York Times and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/when-i-started-in-the-press-there-were-really-ink-stained-wretches/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [In 2012 there was a megafoolish, if well-funded, effort by a group called Americans Elect to raise an independent Cincinnatus to run for president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/in-2012-there-was-a-megafoolish-if-well-funded-effort-by-a-group/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [We journalists are never so idiotic as when we analyze things that we shouldn't be analyzing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/we-journalists-are-never-so-idiotic-as-when-we-analyze-things-that-we/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [You know, larger-than-life politicians have larger-than-life strengths and larger-than-life weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/you-know-larger-than-life-politicians-have-larger-than-life-strengths/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [I believe that poverty is often the result of inappropriate behavior - out-of-wedlock births, dropping out of school, crime and drugs - which should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/i-believe-that-poverty-is-often-the-result-of-inappropriate-behavior/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [That was the miracle of Abraham Lincoln, politician. He pursued the high purpose of moving justice forward via the low arts of patronage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/that-was-the-miracle-of-abraham-lincoln-politician-he-pursued-the/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [For me, a really radical position for journalism to take is to stop being cynical. Cynicism is what passes for insight among the mediocre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/for-me-a-really-radical-position-for-journalism-to-take-is-to-stop/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [Affirmative action was always racial justice on the cheap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/affirmative-action-was-always-racial-justice-on-the-cheap/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [I'm in favour of politicians having extra-marital relationships. Oh yeah. It makes them more understanding of the flaws that the rest of us have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/i-m-in-favour-of-politicians-having-extra-marital-relationships-oh/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [In point of fact, 'Simpson-Bowles' has become a symbol, or SimBowl, rather than an actual plan, political shorthand for the process of long-term deficit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/in-point-of-fact-simpson-bowles-has-become-a-symbol-or-simbowl-rather/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [I believe, I believe that the people who voted in those primaries for Donald Trump were at least helping him along with his message…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/i-believe-i-believe-that-the-people-who-voted-in-those-primaries-for/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [“Faith, unaccompanied by rigorous skepticism, is a recipe for myopia and foolishness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/faith-unaccompanied-by-rigorous-skepticism-is-a-recipe-for-myopia-and/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [This dilettante notion that the global economy is evil because big corporate leaders make too much money... they do make too much money, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/this-dilettante-notion-that-the-global-economy-is-evil-because-big/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [I got into journalism because I came of age in the '60s. It just seemed one way for me to get things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/i-got-into-journalism-because-i-came-of-age-in-the-60s-it-just-seemed/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) [Explore all 54 Joe Klein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When politicians began to see that every last thing that they did in public could be broadcast to a mass audience, the fact that the stakes were so much higher now that every moment became fraught caused them to become more cautious, and the consultants very gradually but inevitably became literal reactionaries.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Klein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/when-politicians-began-to-see-that-every-last-thing-that-they-did-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Audience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/when-politicians-began-to-see-that-every-last-thing-that-they-did-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc1/joe-klein-12661_audience_when-politicians-began-to-see-that-every_2125587.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc1/joe-klein-12661_audience_when-politicians-began-to-see-that-every_2125587.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc1/joe-klein-12661_audience_when-politicians-began-to-see-that-every_2125587.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When politicians began to see that every last thing that they did in public could be broadcast to a mass…” — Joe Klein", "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": "Joe Klein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When politicians began to see that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/when-politicians-began-to-see-that-every-last-thing-that-they-did-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/when-politicians-began-to-see-that-every-last-thing-that-they-did-in/#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 } } ] } ```