---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would never say John Kerry would be a…"
description: "\"I would never say John Kerry would be a great president. I will say that George Bush has divided us; he has filled this country with hatred.\" — John Me..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/john-mellencamp-5745_country_i-would-never-say-john-kerry-would-be-a_2105617.jpg"
---

#  I would never say John Kerry would be a great president. I…

![“I would never say John Kerry would be a great president. I will say that George Bush has divided us; he has filled this country with hatred.” quote by John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/john-mellencamp-5745_country_i-would-never-say-john-kerry-would-be-a_2105617.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/john-mellencamp-5745_country_i-would-never-say-john-kerry-would-be-a_2105617.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/john-mellencamp-5745_country_i-would-never-say-john-kerry-would-be-a_2105617.jpg)

> “I would never say John Kerry would be a great president. I will say that George Bush has divided us; he has filled this country with hatred.”

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker criticizes political division and hatred, attributing them to a specific leader while denying another's suitability for leadership.

**In simple terms:** Political critique of division and hatred.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address divisive rhetoric.

Themes

politics leadership division hatred

Mood

critical concerned

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

- campaign speeches
- debates
- public statements

Key Concepts

polarization public discourse media influence

Questions to Reflect On

- How does rhetoric shape public perception?
- What responsibilities do leaders have to unite?

A Different Perspective

Critique may oversimplify complex political dynamics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/)

## Related quotes

> [After 9-11, the President had a historic opportunity to unite Americans and the world in common cause. Instead, by exploiting the politics of fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/after-9-11-the-president-had-a-historic-opportunity-to-unite/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [Even the Congressional Budget Office and the Social Security trustees appointed by the president say that Social Security is financially sound, without any changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-roosevelt/even-the-congressional-budget-office-and-the-social-security-trustees/)

[James Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-roosevelt/)

> [I'm not saying we wouldn't get our hair mussed, Mr. President, but I do say not more than ten to twenty million dead depending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/i-m-not-saying-we-wouldn-t-get-our-hair-mussed-mr-president-but-i-do/)

[Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/)

> [I was heartened to hear the President say that as we make progress on the ground, and Iraqi forces increasingly take the lead, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-coble/i-was-heartened-to-hear-the-president-say-that-as-we-make-progress-on/)

[Howard Coble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-coble/)

> [I do expect that the President will say something at the beginning of his remarks today, at the conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/i-do-expect-that-the-president-will-say-something-at-the-beginning-of/)

[Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/)

> [ Like I say, if \[Barack\] Obama really, really wanted to use the law to stop acts of militant terrorism, he would get hold of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/like-i-say-if-barack-obama-really-really-wanted-to-use-the-law-to/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [And if you think I won't say bulls\*\*t to the President, I say move on, cause I'll say what's on my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/and-if-you-think-i-won-t-say-bulls-t-to-the-president-i-say-move-on/)

[Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/)

> [I also hear your president say that war is the means of last resort and I think he means that. I met him last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/i-also-hear-your-president-say-that-war-is-the-means-of-last-resort/)

[Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/)

> [A lot of people of color and the Black Lives Matter movement will talk about what's really happening, but it seems like you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamila-woods/a-lot-of-people-of-color-and-the-black-lives-matter-movement-will/)

[Jamila Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamila-woods/)

> [To put in doubt the leadership of Sepp Blatter as FIFA president is not for me to say or managers to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-villas-boas/to-put-in-doubt-the-leadership-of-sepp-blatter-as-fifa-president-is/)

[Andre Villas-Boas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-villas-boas/)

> [“You could take seriously a president that quoted T. S. Eliot. But none do, and none ever would. No president would ever dare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sinclair/you-could-take-seriously-a-president-that-quoted-t-s-eliot-but-none/)

[David Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sinclair/)

> [At least she's the president of something, which is more than I can say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/at-least-she-s-the-president-of-something-which-is-more-than-i-can-say/)

[Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/)

> [“Be very careful what you recommend to the president because he will do what you say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/be-very-careful-what-you-recommend-to-the-president-because-he-will/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [To engage in war is always to pick a wild card. And war must always be a last resort, not a first choice. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-byrd/to-engage-in-war-is-always-to-pick-a-wild-card-and-war-must-always-be/)

[Robert Byrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-byrd/)

> [Our black president can't say that he's for gay marriage. That is upsetting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cantone/our-black-president-can-t-say-that-he-s-for-gay-marriage-that-is/)

[Mario Cantone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cantone/)

## More by John Mellencamp

> [My grandmother made sure that I went to church every Sunday. And she'd come over and pick us boys up, and we would go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/my-grandmother-made-sure-that-i-went-to-church-every-sunday-and-she-d/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [I thought I knew a lot about music. Then you start digging and the deeper you go, the more there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-thought-i-knew-a-lot-about-music-then-you-start-digging-and-the/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [You shouldn't even be in a band if you can't play Buddy Holly's Not Fade Away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/you-shouldn-t-even-be-in-a-band-if-you-can-t-play-buddy-holly-s-not/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [Oh, I think country has changed tremendously. I think country has totally changed. Country music when I was a kid was Hank Williams. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/oh-i-think-country-has-changed-tremendously-i-think-country-has/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [I'm looking for trouble. A lot of people get to be a certain age and they just kind of lose interest or they give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-m-looking-for-trouble-a-lot-of-people-get-to-be-a-certain-age-and/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [I know there's a balance/I see it when I swing past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-know-there-s-a-balance-i-see-it-when-i-swing-past/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying And dying to me don't sound like all that much fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/growing-up-leads-to-growing-old-and-then-to-dying-and-dying-to-me-don/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [This is not a rock opera. This is not Tommy. I can write songs that emote, and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/this-is-not-a-rock-opera-this-is-not-tommy-i-can-write-songs-that/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [Hold on to 16 as long as you can,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/hold-on-to-16-as-long-as-you-can/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [Country sure has changed in the last 10 years. It was one thing, then it was another. Country has slowly marched toward a rock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/country-sure-has-changed-in-the-last-10-years-it-was-one-thing-then/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [I just think if the song's good, sing it. I don't care who's doing it. I don't care if it's a country act. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-just-think-if-the-song-s-good-sing-it-i-don-t-care-who-s-doing-it-i/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [I'm not a nostalgic person. I'm not nostalgic about much of anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-m-not-a-nostalgic-person-i-m-not-nostalgic-about-much-of-anything/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [Most people in life, give up too early.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/most-people-in-life-give-up-too-early/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [My voice has gotten better from smoking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/my-voice-has-gotten-better-from-smoking/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

> [Music actually meant something when I started doing it. Too bad I wasn't mature enough to write anything that meant anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/music-actually-meant-something-when-i-started-doing-it-too-bad-i-wasn/)

[John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

[Explore all 100 John Mellencamp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/)

## More Country quotes

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/)

[Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/)

> [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/)

[Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/)

[Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/)

> [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/)

[Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/)

> [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/)

[Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/)

> [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/)

[Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/)

> [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/)

[Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/)

[Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I would never say John Kerry would be a great president. I will say that George Bush has divided us; he has filled this country with hatred.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Mellencamp"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-would-never-say-john-kerry-would-be-a-great-president-i-will-say/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Country"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-would-never-say-john-kerry-would-be-a-great-president-i-will-say/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/john-mellencamp-5745_country_i-would-never-say-john-kerry-would-be-a_2105617.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/john-mellencamp-5745_country_i-would-never-say-john-kerry-would-be-a_2105617.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/john-mellencamp-5745_country_i-would-never-say-john-kerry-would-be-a_2105617.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I would never say John Kerry would be a great president. I will say that George Bush has divided us; he has…” — John Mellencamp",
                "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 Mellencamp",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I would never say John Kerry...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-would-never-say-john-kerry-would-be-a-great-president-i-will-say/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-would-never-say-john-kerry-would-be-a-great-president-i-will-say/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
