--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Obama is defining himself in a way that…" description: "\"Obama is defining himself in a way that will destroy him.\" — John Podhoretz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/john-podhoretz-4983_defining_obama-is-defining-himself-in-a-way-that_3130646.jpg" --- # Obama is defining himself in a way that will destroy him. ![“Obama is defining himself in a way that will destroy him.” quote by John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/john-podhoretz-4983_defining_obama-is-defining-himself-in-a-way-that_3130646.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/john-podhoretz-4983_defining_obama-is-defining-himself-in-a-way-that_3130646.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/john-podhoretz-4983_defining_obama-is-defining-himself-in-a-way-that_3130646.jpg) > “Obama is defining himself in a way that will destroy him.” [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A warning that self‑definition can become self‑sabotage if driven by ego. **In simple terms:** Defining yourself poorly can ruin you. Key Takeaway Align self‑image with reality. Themes identity ego self‑sabotage politics media Mood critical analytical cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political speeches - personal branding - career decisions Key Concepts self‑concept public perception psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can we define ourselves healthfully? - What checks prevent ego‑driven self‑destruction? 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Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-jackson/) > [The defining aspects of westerns are still pretty much in place - namely landscape and conflict. In other books the conflict can be internal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-crook/the-defining-aspects-of-westerns-are-still-pretty-much-in-place/) [Elizabeth Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-crook/) > [“Defining the Renaissance Man “A man can do all that he will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-griffiths-and-eric-elfman/defining-the-renaissance-man-a-man-can-do-all-that-he-will/) Scott Griffiths and Eric Elfman > [My journey has been a long one and has still got a long way to go. I think we are so used to defining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-corrin/my-journey-has-been-a-long-one-and-has-still-got-a-long-way-to-go-i/) [Emma Corrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-corrin/) > [“There are no defining moments. There are only your moments to define.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-dowd/there-are-no-defining-moments-there-are-only-your-moments-to-define/) Thomas B Dowd > [I think the word 'soul' - it depends on what you define by 'soul.' If you're defining it as a mystical aura that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/i-think-the-word-soul-it-depends-on-what-you-define-by-soul-if-you-re/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [ I never left my roots. You can identify me as someone that didn't become high and mighty. Humility is a defining \[trait\] all of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/i-never-left-my-roots-you-can-identify-me-as-someone-that-didn-t/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [Good history is a question of survival. Without any past, we will deprive ourselves of the defining impression of our being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-burns/good-history-is-a-question-of-survival-without-any-past-we-will/) [Ken Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-burns/) > [One defining symptom of decadence is a fondness for vast and nonsensical extravagance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-silverberg/one-defining-symptom-of-decadence-is-a-fondness-for-vast-and/) [Robert Silverberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-silverberg/) ## More by John Podhoretz > [The great mystery is why robots come off so well in science-fiction films when the human characters are often so astoundingly wooden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/the-great-mystery-is-why-robots-come-off-so-well-in-science-fiction/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [The exit polls suggest that after a relatively disappointing first term, Obama managed to reassemble almost all of his 2008 electorate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/the-exit-polls-suggest-that-after-a-relatively-disappointing-first/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [For Obama to save himself, he should be thinking about the example of an unlikely Republican predecessor: Richard Nixon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/for-obama-to-save-himself-he-should-be-thinking-about-the-example-of/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Your race and gender don't change, but you can choose to change your political affiliation at will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/your-race-and-gender-don-t-change-but-you-can-choose-to-change-your/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Imagine his delight after it 'leaked' that he will propose raising taxes on the wealthy by $320 billion over the next 10 years, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/imagine-his-delight-after-it-leaked-that-he-will-propose-raising/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Robots have a rich and storied history in movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/robots-have-a-rich-and-storied-history-in-movies/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Aside from being bad sportsmanship - Romney basically said Obama won by cheating - he was displaying the same obtuseness about the wants and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/aside-from-being-bad-sportsmanship-romney-basically-said-obama-won-by/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [There is a new conservative establishment in America, made up of those who claim to be the anti-establishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/there-is-a-new-conservative-establishment-in-america-made-up-of-those/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [As the Republican nominee, it was Romney's job to find a way to speak to some of those groups of voters and offer practical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/as-the-republican-nominee-it-was-romney-s-job-to-find-a-way-to-speak/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Memories of the last nine years have turned Ground Zero from a site of horror, to a reminder of grief, to an occasion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/memories-of-the-last-nine-years-have-turned-ground-zero-from-a-site/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Some candidates need to say provocative things that make noise to break through the media muffle and get themselves noticed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/some-candidates-need-to-say-provocative-things-that-make-noise-to/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Let us now praise Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/let-us-now-praise-barack-obama/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [All non-incumbent campaigns promise hope and change, but Obama took the promise to a new level of absurdity. 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Without any past, we will deprive ourselves of the defining impression of our being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-burns/good-history-is-a-question-of-survival-without-any-past-we-will/) [Ken Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-burns/) > [ I never left my roots. You can identify me as someone that didn't become high and mighty. Humility is a defining \[trait\] all of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/i-never-left-my-roots-you-can-identify-me-as-someone-that-didn-t/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [I think the word 'soul' - it depends on what you define by 'soul.' If you're defining it as a mystical aura that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/i-think-the-word-soul-it-depends-on-what-you-define-by-soul-if-you-re/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [“There are no defining moments. There are only your moments to define.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-dowd/there-are-no-defining-moments-there-are-only-your-moments-to-define/) Thomas B Dowd > [My journey has been a long one and has still got a long way to go. I think we are so used to defining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-corrin/my-journey-has-been-a-long-one-and-has-still-got-a-long-way-to-go-i/) [Emma Corrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-corrin/) > [“Defining the Renaissance Man “A man can do all that he will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-griffiths-and-eric-elfman/defining-the-renaissance-man-a-man-can-do-all-that-he-will/) Scott Griffiths and Eric Elfman > [The defining aspects of westerns are still pretty much in place - namely landscape and conflict. In other books the conflict can be internal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-crook/the-defining-aspects-of-westerns-are-still-pretty-much-in-place/) [Elizabeth Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-crook/) > [Our concepts structure what we perceive, how we get around in the world and how we relate to other people. Our conceptual system thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lakoff/our-concepts-structure-what-we-perceive-how-we-get-around-in-the/) [George Lakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lakoff/) > [It's imprecise and insufficient, defining the homosexual as a person whose gender expression is at odds with his or her sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/it-s-imprecise-and-insufficient-defining-the-homosexual-as-a-person/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [Modern societies accepted the treasures and the power offered them by science. 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It was wrong. You don't nationalize private - it was wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-gohmert/i-think-tarp-was-the-most-defining-vote-since-i-ve-been-in-congress/) [Louie Gohmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-gohmert/) Browse all 544 Defining quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Obama is defining himself in a way that will destroy him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Podhoretz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/obama-is-defining-himself-in-a-way-that-will-destroy-him/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Defining" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/obama-is-defining-himself-in-a-way-that-will-destroy-him/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/john-podhoretz-4983_defining_obama-is-defining-himself-in-a-way-that_3130646.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/john-podhoretz-4983_defining_obama-is-defining-himself-in-a-way-that_3130646.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/john-podhoretz-4983_defining_obama-is-defining-himself-in-a-way-that_3130646.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Obama is defining himself in a way that will destroy him.” — John Podhoretz", "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 Podhoretz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Obama is defining himself in a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/obama-is-defining-himself-in-a-way-that-will-destroy-him/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/obama-is-defining-himself-in-a-way-that-will-destroy-him/#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 } } ] } ```