--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After President Obama took office, his…" description: "\"After President Obama took office, his campaign book 'The Audacity of Hope' receded into his past fast. Its sweet, naive, bipartisan 'let's reason toge..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/john-dickerson-7273_books_after-president-obama-took-office-his-ca_1892960.jpg" --- # After President Obama took office, his campaign book 'The… ![“After President Obama took office, his campaign book 'The Audacity of Hope' receded into his past fast. Its sweet, naive, bipartisan 'let's reason together' passages fell away, too.” quote by John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/john-dickerson-7273_books_after-president-obama-took-office-his-ca_1892960.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/john-dickerson-7273_books_after-president-obama-took-office-his-ca_1892960.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/john-dickerson-7273_books_after-president-obama-took-office-his-ca_1892960.jpg) > “After President Obama took office, his campaign book 'The Audacity of Hope' receded into his past fast. Its sweet, naive, bipartisan 'let's reason together' passages fell away, too.” [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political optimism can quickly fade when reality confronts idealistic rhetoric. **In simple terms:** Idealism fades under real politics. Key Takeaway Stay realistic about political promises. Themes politics idealism disillusionment Mood cynical reflective Type political commentary When to use this quote - campaign speeches - policy debates - public expectations Key Concepts public trust bipartisanship media narrative Questions to Reflect On - How do leaders maintain hope without losing credibility? - What role does media play in shaping public optimism? A Different Perspective Idealistic language may not translate into action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I read 'Game Change.' If you want to relive the campaign, that book is unbelievable. It's great. It's the book of that campaign. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-read-game-change-if-you-want-to-relive-the-campaign-that-book-is/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Hikes in the debt ceiling - without any political demands from the opposition party - had been routine until President Obama took office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/hikes-in-the-debt-ceiling-without-any-political-demands-from-the/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [Barack Obama took over after Vladimir Putin's first aggression, in Georgia. In 2009, he did the reset policy because they had these stupid ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/barack-obama-took-over-after-vladimir-putin-s-first-aggression-in/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Poverty existed before January 20, 2008, OK? Before President Obama took office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hill-harper/poverty-existed-before-january-20-2008-ok-before-president-obama-took/) [Hill Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hill-harper/) > [In case we forgot, that was the change we believe in, that was the change we fought for, that was the change President Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/in-case-we-forgot-that-was-the-change-we-believe-in-that-was-the/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [The number of people, the labor force, has shrunk by nine million human beings since Obama took office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-number-of-people-the-labor-force-has-shrunk-by-nine-million-human/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Obama took a bad situation and, in certain ways, made it worse. ... I find Obama scary in a way that I had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/obama-took-a-bad-situation-and-in-certain-ways-made-it-worse-i-find/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [Obama took a tour of the Great Wall of China and said, 'We need one of these things around the White House.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/obama-took-a-tour-of-the-great-wall-of-china-and-said-we-need-one-of/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [“As Obama took office, America derived over 85 percent of its total energy from oil, gas, and coal. The business was enormous, with profits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/as-obama-took-office-america-derived-over-85-percent-of-its-total/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [Barack Obama took office in the middle of a massive financial crisis. He was handed a bunch of messes all around the world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovett/barack-obama-took-office-in-the-middle-of-a-massive-financial-crisis/) [Jon Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovett/) > [Both Presidents George Bush and Barack Obama pursued policies of regime change after 9/11 - with Bush removing al-Qaida's safe haven in Afghanistan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hoekstra/both-presidents-george-bush-and-barack-obama-pursued-policies-of/) [Pete Hoekstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hoekstra/) > [We have made progress from where we were when President Obama took office, when the economy - our economy had just contracted almost by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/we-have-made-progress-from-where-we-were-when-president-obama-took/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Obama took 20 million people from the category of ignorables and put them into the category of unignorables. No one had to do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/obama-took-20-million-people-from-the-category-of-ignorables-and-put/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) > [All non-incumbent campaigns promise hope and change, but Obama took the promise to a new level of absurdity. He suggested that a vote for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/all-non-incumbent-campaigns-promise-hope-and-change-but-obama-took/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Yes, Obama took over two wars from Bush - just as President Richard Nixon inherited Vietnam from President Lyndon Johnson and President Dwight Eisenhower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/yes-obama-took-over-two-wars-from-bush-just-as-president-richard/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) ## More by John Dickerson > [That's what politics is. It's the story of what's happening, what does it mean, what's the conclusion, who are the interesting characters?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/that-s-what-politics-is-it-s-the-story-of-what-s-happening-what-does/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [When the kids were young, they just wanted to be around us. We were units of comfort and support. As they get older, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/when-the-kids-were-young-they-just-wanted-to-be-around-us-we-were/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [If we practice hard enough, we can become thoroughly interested in even the simplest things of daily life, the way a child would. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/if-we-practice-hard-enough-we-can-become-thoroughly-interested-in/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [In addition to surviving the Forrestal, McCain has survived three other plane disasters, including being shot down over enemy territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/in-addition-to-surviving-the-forrestal-mccain-has-survived-three/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [There's kind of a Tom Harkin aspect to Bernie Sanders, even though Harkin is supporting Secretary Clinton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/there-s-kind-of-a-tom-harkin-aspect-to-bernie-sanders-even-though/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [I am always looking for material - whether for my notebooks or for Twitter or Instagram - which means I'm looking for meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/i-am-always-looking-for-material-whether-for-my-notebooks-or-for/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [When former Defense Secretary Robert Gates wrote his recent book, 'Duty', it was full of tough assessments and candor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/when-former-defense-secretary-robert-gates-wrote-his-recent-book-duty/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [Mr. Obama said that he personally told Mr. Putin to knock it off and vows to retaliate. But the Obama presidency is coming to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/mr-obama-said-that-he-personally-told-mr-putin-to-knock-it-off-and/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [When she died, Mom left me her letters and journals. Windows into things I would have been too young to understand when she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/when-she-died-mom-left-me-her-letters-and-journals-windows-into/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [The swashbuckling independence of my childhood was not all good, and as a father, I'm puzzling out how to be part of my children's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/the-swashbuckling-independence-of-my-childhood-was-not-all-good-and/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [Mother's Day is a welcome event in partisan times. Nearly everyone agrees that we should show mothers gratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/mother-s-day-is-a-welcome-event-in-partisan-times-nearly-everyone/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [Talking to the press is not always good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/talking-to-the-press-is-not-always-good/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [When I interviewed John McCain in 2000 about whether he had taken medication for his anger, I remember thinking, 'Let's see how this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/when-i-interviewed-john-mccain-in-2000-about-whether-he-had-taken/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [A president cannot grow a long-term lack of trust in someone with whom they had full confidence the day before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/a-president-cannot-grow-a-long-term-lack-of-trust-in-someone-with/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [What is the appetite for truth in the Trump White House? That's not a question about the untrue things the president says. It's about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/what-is-the-appetite-for-truth-in-the-trump-white-house-that-s-not-a/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) [Explore all 93 John Dickerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After President Obama took office, his campaign book 'The Audacity of Hope' receded into his past fast. Its sweet, naive, bipartisan 'let's reason together' passages fell away, too.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Dickerson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/after-president-obama-took-office-his-campaign-book-the-audacity-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/after-president-obama-took-office-his-campaign-book-the-audacity-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/john-dickerson-7273_books_after-president-obama-took-office-his-ca_1892960.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/john-dickerson-7273_books_after-president-obama-took-office-his-ca_1892960.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/john-dickerson-7273_books_after-president-obama-took-office-his-ca_1892960.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“After President Obama took office, his campaign book 'The Audacity of Hope' receded into his past fast. Its…” — John Dickerson", "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": "John Dickerson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "After President Obama took office, his...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/after-president-obama-took-office-his-campaign-book-the-audacity-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/after-president-obama-took-office-his-campaign-book-the-audacity-of/#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 } } ] } ```