--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Presidential ambition is a disease that…" description: "\"Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid .\" — John McCain" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/john-mccain-465_ambition_presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that_43376.png" --- # Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured… ![“Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid .” quote by John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/john-mccain-465_ambition_presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that_43376.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/john-mccain-465_ambition_presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that_43376.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/john-mccain-465_ambition_presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that_43376.png) > “Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid .” [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that the relentless drive for political power is a harmful obsession that can only be halted by a final, irreversible end. **In simple terms:** Power pursuit as a fatal disease Key Takeaway Unchecked ambition leads to ruin Themes politics ambition power mortality ethics Mood cynical reflective critical Type aphorism political commentary When to use this quote - political campaigns - career politicians - high‑stakes elections - government scandals Key Concepts leadership legacy human nature Practical Applications - cautionary political commentary - ethical training for leaders Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can prevent power from becoming destructive? - How does ambition shape personal and public outcomes? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambition Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition-disease-644888/) [Cured Embalming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cured-embalming-644889/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Disease Cured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease-cured-644890/) [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Embalming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embalming/) [Fluid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fluid/) [Presidential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential/) [Presidential Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential-ambition-644887/) ## Related quotes > [Ambition can be a disease, and it feeds on itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-miller/ambition-can-be-a-disease-and-it-feeds-on-itself/) [Rebecca Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-miller/) > [Paperwork is the embalming fluid of bureaucracy, maintaining an appearance of life where none exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-meltzer/paperwork-is-the-embalming-fluid-of-bureaucracy-maintaining-an/) [Robert H. Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-meltzer/) > [I have one last request. Don't use embalming fluid on me; I want to be stuffed with crab meat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-have-one-last-request-don-t-use-embalming-fluid-on-me-i-want-to-be/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Ive cleansed myself. I closed my eyes and in a nanosecond, I cured myself from this ridiculous model of disease and addiction and obsessionThe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/ive-cleansed-myself-i-closed-my-eyes-and-in-a-nanosecond-i-cured/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [I strongly believe that there will be a time in the future where there will not be a single disease that cannot be cured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himanshi-khurana/i-strongly-believe-that-there-will-be-a-time-in-the-future-where/) [Himanshi Khurana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himanshi-khurana/) > [“How can the disease be cured of itself?' you asked them. 'My body — a tumor that was once delivered from the body of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/how-can-the-disease-be-cured-of-itself-you-asked-them-my-body-a-tumor/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [“If love was a disease, I'd been cured.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-kantor/if-love-was-a-disease-i-d-been-cured/) [Melissa Kantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-kantor/) > [WhenIWasYourAge: People were never "living with their disease." We cured them. Or they died from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/wheniwasyourage-people-were-never-living-with-their-disease-we-cured/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We labor under the fatal delusion that no disease can be cured without medicine. This has been responsible for more mischief to mankind than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/we-labor-under-the-fatal-delusion-that-no-disease-can-be-cured/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Disease is cured by the body itself, not by doctors or remedies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harvey-kellogg/disease-is-cured-by-the-body-itself-not-by-doctors-or-remedies/) [John Harvey Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harvey-kellogg/) > [The angling fever is a very real disease and can only be cured by the application of cold water and fresh, untainted air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-gordon/the-angling-fever-is-a-very-real-disease-and-can-only-be-cured-by-the/) [Theodore Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-gordon/) > [“Autism is not a disease to be cured, autism is normal, a different kind of normal, but normal no less, and with a modest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/autism-is-not-a-disease-to-be-cured-autism-is-normal-a-different-kind/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [...In the history of medicine and science, no chronic or metabolic disease has been cured by factors foreign to the diet, (or) to biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-t-krebs/in-the-history-of-medicine-and-science-no-chronic-or-metabolic/) [Ernst T. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-t-krebs/) > [I think science has begun to demonstrate that aging is a disease. If it is, it can be cured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/i-think-science-has-begun-to-demonstrate-that-aging-is-a-disease-if/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“The effort to cure disease has been, without doubt, the greatest curse that has ever been perpetrated upon the human race. The idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-m-shelton/the-effort-to-cure-disease-has-been-without-doubt-the-greatest-curse/) [Herbert M. Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-m-shelton/) ## More by John McCain > [I have the utmost confidence in General Mattis, General Flynn, General Kelly, Dan Coates. I couldn't have picked a better team. And so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-have-the-utmost-confidence-in-general-mattis-general-flynn-general/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Washington is a Hollywood for ugly people. Hollywood is a Washington for the simpleminded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/washington-is-a-hollywood-for-ugly-people-hollywood-is-a-washington/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I think that it's important that we understand the importance of the Hispanic vote in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-think-that-it-s-important-that-we-understand-the-importance-of-the/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [It is perhaps my greatest hope, Mr. President, that some day we'll consider tax and spending measures with no one else in mind but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/it-is-perhaps-my-greatest-hope-mr-president-that-some-day-we-ll/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [This kind of horror has become all too familiar to us. As parents, Cindy and I offer our prayers to the memory of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/this-kind-of-horror-has-become-all-too-familiar-to-us-as-parents/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [The truth is sometimes a hard pill to swallow. It sometimes causes us difficulties at home and abroad. It is sometimes used by our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-truth-is-sometimes-a-hard-pill-to-swallow-it-sometimes-causes-us/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [My greatest fear is the Iranians acquire a nuclear weapon and give it to a terrorist organization. And there is a real threat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/my-greatest-fear-is-the-iranians-acquire-a-nuclear-weapon-and-give-it/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [3 "amnesty" didn't mean rewarding illegal behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/3-amnesty-didn-t-mean-rewarding-illegal-behavior/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [On the subject of Osama bin Laden... we will track him down. We will capture him. We will bring him to justice, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/on-the-subject-of-osama-bin-laden-we-will-track-him-down-we-will/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [That's Joe Biden right there - unbowed, unbroken and unable to stop talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/that-s-joe-biden-right-there-unbowed-unbroken-and-unable-to-stop/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [The president has promised greater border security. We can agree to that. A literal wall might not be the most effective means to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-president-has-promised-greater-border-security-we-can-agree-to/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) [Explore all 539 John McCain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid .", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John McCain" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that-can-only-be-cured-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that-can-only-be-cured-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/john-mccain-465_ambition_presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that_43376.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/john-mccain-465_ambition_presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that_43376.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/john-mccain-465_ambition_presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that_43376.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid .” — John McCain", "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 McCain", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Presidential ambition is a disease that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that-can-only-be-cured-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that-can-only-be-cured-by/#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 } } ] } ```