--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not just Barack Obama, but I doubt…" description: "\"It's not just Barack Obama, but I doubt Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton would have made it to the White House without Selma.\" — John Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/john-lewis-1310_barack-obama_it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-j_2309530.jpg" --- # It's not just Barack Obama, but I doubt Jimmy Carter or… ![“It's not just Barack Obama, but I doubt Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton would have made it to the White House without Selma.” quote by John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/john-lewis-1310_barack-obama_it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-j_2309530.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/john-lewis-1310_barack-obama_it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-j_2309530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/john-lewis-1310_barack-obama_it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-j_2309530.jpg) > “It's not just Barack Obama, but I doubt Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton would have made it to the White House without Selma.” [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical leaders often needed grassroots movements like Selma to achieve high office, highlighting collective action’s power. **In simple terms:** Great leaders need grassroots support. Key Takeaway Recognize the impact of collective activism. Themes politics history activism Mood inspirational critical Type historical political When to use this quote - campaign strategy - voter mobilization - community organizing Key Concepts grassroots movements civil rights Questions to Reflect On - What role does community play in political change? - Can individual leaders succeed without grassroots? A Different Perspective Even with strong candidates, without mass movement success is limited. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) ## Related quotes > [Being dragged off that bus was worth it just to see Barack Obama become president, because so many others gave their lives and didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it-just-to-see-barack-obama/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [Everyone who has a pair of eyes in this country understands the racial tensions and the issues we have are very serious and they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-rapinoe/everyone-who-has-a-pair-of-eyes-in-this-country-understands-the/) [Megan Rapinoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-rapinoe/) > [A troubled economy is always the sitting president's fault. It was when Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter, when Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/a-troubled-economy-is-always-the-sitting-president-s-fault-it-was/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Electing Barack Obama president was a glorious Jackie Robinson moment for the United States of America. Obama didn't just win; he became the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/electing-barack-obama-president-was-a-glorious-jackie-robinson-moment/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Don't worry, America. We survived Jimmy Carter, and we will survive Barack Obama. Only one questions remains... who is the next Ronald Reagan?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-troia-mcfarland/don-t-worry-america-we-survived-jimmy-carter-and-we-will-survive/) [Kathleen Troia McFarland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-troia-mcfarland/) > [In 1965, the attempted march from Selma to Montgomery on March 7th was planned to dramatize to the state of Alabama and to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/in-1965-the-attempted-march-from-selma-to-montgomery-on-march-7th-was/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [We come to Selma to be renewed. We come to be inspired. We come to be reminded that we must do the work that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/we-come-to-selma-to-be-renewed-we-come-to-be-inspired-we-come-to-be/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Selma was the turning point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/selma-was-the-turning-point/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Selma helped make it possible for hundreds and thousands of people in the South to become registered voters and encouraged people all across America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/selma-helped-make-it-possible-for-hundreds-and-thousands-of-people-in/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [In Selma, Alabama, in 1965, only 2.1 percent of blacks of voting age were registered to vote. The only place you could attempt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/in-selma-alabama-in-1965-only-2-1-percent-of-blacks-of-voting-age/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/for-the-first-time-in-my-adult-lifetime-i-am-really-proud-of-my/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country ... not just because Barack has done well, but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-le/for-the-first-time-in-my-adult-lifetime-i-m-really-proud-of-my/) [Michel'le](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-le/) > [I don't really feel McCain. It ain't just because Barack is black; he can make change. 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You have to take that long hard look and just believe that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/if-you-re-not-hopeful-and-optimistic-then-you-just-give-up-you-have/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The reward for playing jazz is playing jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-reward-for-playing-jazz-is-playing-jazz/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [I am very, very hopeful about the American South - I believe that we will lead America to what Dr. King called 'the beloved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-am-very-very-hopeful-about-the-american-south-i-believe-that-we/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ \[Donald Trump's inauguration\] will be the first one that I miss since I've been in Congress. You cannot be at home with something that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-s-inauguration-will-be-the-first-one-that-i-miss-since-i/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [To question the legitimacy of the next United States president, you know, and you're worried about a tweet that says, hey, why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/to-question-the-legitimacy-of-the-next-united-states-president-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [We are tired of being beaten by policemen. We are tired of seeing our people locked up in jails over and over again. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/we-are-tired-of-being-beaten-by-policemen-we-are-tired-of-seeing-our/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Now we have black and white elected officials working together. Today, we have gone beyond just passing laws. Now we have to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/now-we-have-black-and-white-elected-officials-working-together-today/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [“For me, the nomination of Barack Obama as a candidate for president and his inauguration in Washington represents a brief glimpse at the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/for-me-the-nomination-of-barack-obama-as-a-candidate-for-president/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Too many people struggled, suffered, and died to make it possible for every American to exercise their right to vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/too-many-people-struggled-suffered-and-died-to-make-it-possible-for/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The vote is precious. It's almost sacred, so go out and vote like you never voted before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-vote-is-precious-it-s-almost-sacred-so-go-out-and-vote-like-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [My position is very, very simple. That I fought too long and too hard against discrimination based on race and color, not to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/my-position-is-very-very-simple-that-i-fought-too-long-and-too-hard/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Many of us in Nashville accepted nonviolence as a way of life, a way of living, not simply as a technique or a tactic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/many-of-us-in-nashville-accepted-nonviolence-as-a-way-of-life-a-way/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Right now, what my job is - pardon me? Those are just words. Right now, what my - my job is right now going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/right-now-what-my-job-is-pardon-me-those-are-just-words-right-now/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ Donald Trump has made it clear that certainly over the last few years that President \[Barack\] Obama was born in Hawaii. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-has-made-it-clear-that-certainly-over-the-last-few-years/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) [Explore all 258 John Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## More Barack obama quotes > [In 2008, Barack Obama did a phenomenal job of reaching out to minority groups, to younger people, and a lot of newer voters, Hispanics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/in-2008-barack-obama-did-a-phenomenal-job-of-reaching-out-to-minority/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [There has certainly been ugly, right-wing hatred targeting Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/there-has-certainly-been-ugly-right-wing-hatred-targeting-barack-obama/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [As a Democrat following the 2012 presidential election closely, I was happy to see that South Carolina voted overwhelmingly for Newt Gingrich, a candidate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schlossberg/as-a-democrat-following-the-2012-presidential-election-closely-i-was/) [Jack Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schlossberg/) > [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/) > [It has been my honor to support and work with President Barack Obama, a man who has brought courage and character to the presidency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/it-has-been-my-honor-to-support-and-work-with-president-barack-obama/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [When the 2008 victory of Barack Obama and the defeat of grumpy old John McCain began looking, um, inevitable, I started fielding inquiries about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/when-the-2008-victory-of-barack-obama-and-the-defeat-of-grumpy-old/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [President Barack Obama is a doer. And we in America will do big things with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hunt/president-barack-obama-is-a-doer-and-we-in-america-will-do-big-things/) [Jim Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hunt/) > [“Been living on this earth for so long now and still don't know what a happy life feels like. I'm ready for a change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anthony-burkett/been-living-on-this-earth-for-so-long-now-and-still-don-t-know-what-a/) [Jonathan Anthony Burkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anthony-burkett/) > [“Attacking a lightning rod doesn't make you lightning..." Regarding Barack Obama”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-rafael-cimino/attacking-a-lightning-rod-doesn-t-make-you-lightning-regarding-barack/) [T. Rafael Cimino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-rafael-cimino/) > [Tell me why the limousine fleet has increased by 42 percent since Barack Obama took office. Why are we spending taxpayers' money on that?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-neumann/tell-me-why-the-limousine-fleet-has-increased-by-42-percent-since/) [Mark Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-neumann/) > [Trudeau, like President Barack Obama, is a champion of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-klobuchar/trudeau-like-president-barack-obama-is-a-champion-of-change/) [Amy Klobuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-klobuchar/) > [There is the bipartisan pretense that the FBI is the only government agency in Washington that is above reproach. Yet, this is the agency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fitton/there-is-the-bipartisan-pretense-that-the-fbi-is-the-only-government/) [Tom Fitton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fitton/) > [Income inequality has gotten worse under President Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/income-inequality-has-gotten-worse-under-president-barack-obama/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [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/) > [When Caroline Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 as her father's rightful heir, she laid upon him the mantle of Camelot and the enduring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-kelley/when-caroline-kennedy-endorsed-barack-obama-in-2008-as-her-father-s/) [Kitty Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-kelley/) Browse all 363 Barack obama quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not just Barack Obama, but I doubt Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton would have made it to the White House without Selma.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Lewis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-jimmy-carter-or-bill-clinton/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barack obama" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-jimmy-carter-or-bill-clinton/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/john-lewis-1310_barack-obama_it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-j_2309530.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/john-lewis-1310_barack-obama_it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-j_2309530.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/john-lewis-1310_barack-obama_it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-j_2309530.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's not just Barack Obama, but I doubt Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton would have made it to the White House…” — John Lewis", "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 Lewis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's not just Barack Obama, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-jimmy-carter-or-bill-clinton/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-jimmy-carter-or-bill-clinton/#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 } } ] } ```