--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not that the Democrats are playing…" description: "\"It's not that the Democrats are playing checkers and the Republicans are playing chess. It's that the Republicans are playing chess and the Democrats a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/jon-stewart-455_balls_it-s-not-that-the-democrats-are-playing_1516349.jpg" --- # It's not that the Democrats are playing checkers and the… ![“It's not that the Democrats are playing checkers and the Republicans are playing chess. It's that the Republicans are playing chess and the Democrats are in the nurse's office because once again they glued their balls to their thighs.” quote by Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/jon-stewart-455_balls_it-s-not-that-the-democrats-are-playing_1516349.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/jon-stewart-455_balls_it-s-not-that-the-democrats-are-playing_1516349.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/972/jon-stewart-455_balls_it-s-not-that-the-democrats-are-playing_1516349.jpg) > “It's not that the Democrats are playing checkers and the Republicans are playing chess. It's that the Republicans are playing chess and the Democrats are in the nurse's office because once again they glued their balls to their thighs.” [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) ## 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 highlights a perceived strategic disparity, suggesting Republicans act with long‑term planning while Democrats appear disorganized or sidelined. **In simple terms:** Republicans plan ahead; Democrats seem chaotic. Key Takeaway Recognize the need for strategic thinking. Themes politics strategy partisanship Mood sarcastic critical witty Type satirical political commentary. When to use this quote - election campaigns - policy debates - media analysis Key Concepts game theory power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can parties improve strategic coordination? - What are the risks of viewing politics as a game? A Different Perspective The analogy oversimplifies complex political realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Checkers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/checkers/) [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurse/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Thighs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thighs/) ## Related quotes > [The Democrats are standing on one side, and the Republicans are playing games on the other. Both sides are playing games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/the-democrats-are-standing-on-one-side-and-the-republicans-are/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [There are checks and balances in science. There's somebody checking the people doing the science, and then there's somebody who checks the checkers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/there-are-checks-and-balances-in-science-there-s-somebody-checking/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [Chess is a competition. Checkers is a competition. Mostly, I'm interested in doing real sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-skipper/chess-is-a-competition-checkers-is-a-competition-mostly-i-m/) [John Skipper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-skipper/) > [“No matter who you are or what may be your lifework, you are playing checkers with TIME! It is always your next move. Move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill-author/no-matter-who-you-are-or-what-may-be-your-lifework-you-are-playing/) Napoleon Hill (Author > [The dog becomes the repository of those model human properties that we have cynically ceased to find among humans. Where today can we find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-garber/the-dog-becomes-the-repository-of-those-model-human-properties-that/) [Marjorie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-garber/) > [The farmer doesn't care for the pitchers' battle that resolves itself into a checkers game. The farmer loves the dramatic, and slugging is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/home-run-baker/the-farmer-doesn-t-care-for-the-pitchers-battle-that-resolves-itself/) [Home Run Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/home-run-baker/) > [“Looking at the sky, he suddenly saw that it had become black. Then white again, but with great rippling circles. The circles were vultures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-g-le-cl-zio/looking-at-the-sky-he-suddenly-saw-that-it-had-become-black-then/) [J.M.G. Le Clézio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-g-le-cl-zio/) > [“Bathing Checkers was a strenuous occupation and not to be lightly undertaken. Checkers hated being bathed, partly because he couldn't see where he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livi-michael/bathing-checkers-was-a-strenuous-occupation-and-not-to-be-lightly/) [Livi Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livi-michael/) > [A reckoning is coming on the state of the internet journalism, because right now, the way it's set up, there is so much room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-lurie/a-reckoning-is-coming-on-the-state-of-the-internet-journalism-because/) [Rod Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-lurie/) > [I'm like Bush, I see the world more like checkers than chess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/i-m-like-bush-i-see-the-world-more-like-checkers-than-chess/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [In the barber shop you start playing checkers, and eventually you want to learn how to play chess. The pieces look a little more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/in-the-barber-shop-you-start-playing-checkers-and-eventually-you-want/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [It's the horsey-shape piece that moves in an L shape. It's what makes chess complicated, and why stupid people can't play chess. Go play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-love/it-s-the-horsey-shape-piece-that-moves-in-an-l-shape-it-s-what-makes/) [Courtney Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-love/) > [My dad's the type of guy when I was 5 years old, we played checkers and he would not let me win. That's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/my-dad-s-the-type-of-guy-when-i-was-5-years-old-we-played-checkers/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [“Don’t get too hung up on working with any one person, because it’s like a game of checkers where dudes are hopping over one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t-2/don-t-get-too-hung-up-on-working-with-any-one-person-because-it-s/) [Ice-T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t-2/) > [He sank into the rocking chair, the same one in which Rebecca had sat during the early days of the house to give embroidery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/he-sank-into-the-rocking-chair-the-same-one-in-which-rebecca-had-sat/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) ## More by Jon Stewart > [Clearly, I'm way older than everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/clearly-i-m-way-older-than-everyone/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I don't know how people feel,that's the beauty of TV, is they can see us, but we can't see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-know-how-people-feel-that-s-the-beauty-of-tv-is-they-can-see/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I don't think marijuana should be illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-think-marijuana-should-be-illegal/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I reject the idea there are just two sides. I think that with the amount of ideas and thoughts there are, it's not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-reject-the-idea-there-are-just-two-sides-i-think-that-with-the/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Megachurches. I can't be the only one frightened when our houses of worship sound like they could take on Godzilla.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/megachurches-i-can-t-be-the-only-one-frightened-when-our-houses-of/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [While opponents label (Howard) Dean a throwback liberal, The New York Times recently noted that as governor, Dean cut income taxes, reformed welfare and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/while-opponents-label-howard-dean-a-throwback-liberal-the-new-york/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [You just have to keep trying to do good work, and hope that it leads to more good work. I want to look back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/you-just-have-to-keep-trying-to-do-good-work-and-hope-that-it-leads/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [You know, in Saudi Arabia, you're innocent until proven Jewish. Female. Guilty! They're guilty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/you-know-in-saudi-arabia-you-re-innocent-until-proven-jewish-female/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [The unfortunate, yet truly exciting thing about your life, is that there is no core curriculum. The entire place is an elective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-unfortunate-yet-truly-exciting-thing-about-your-life-is-that/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [A guy who says what people who aren't thinking are thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/a-guy-who-says-what-people-who-aren-t-thinking-are-thinking/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Do you guys have to sell everything? I'd like to buy the Earth's core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/do-you-guys-have-to-sell-everything-i-d-like-to-buy-the-earth-s-core/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Christmas and the New Year are actually two holidays. So there is a plural, which in the English language, necessitates the use of 's.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/christmas-and-the-new-year-are-actually-two-holidays-so-there-is-a/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [We're going to do a challenge. I'm going to try and download every movie ever made and you are going to try to sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/we-re-going-to-do-a-challenge-i-m-going-to-try-and-download-every/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Our culture is just a series of checks and balances. The whole idea that we're in a battle between tyranny and freedom - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/our-culture-is-just-a-series-of-checks-and-balances-the-whole-idea/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [For me it was just exciting to see fake news catching on like that. We don't you know, it's interesting. I think we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/for-me-it-was-just-exciting-to-see-fake-news-catching-on-like-that-we/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) [Explore all 545 Jon Stewart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) ## More Balls quotes > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. 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And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Maybe bring in sponge balls to learn the technique and gain that experience of actually challenging for a header.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/maybe-bring-in-sponge-balls-to-learn-the-technique-and-gain-that/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [I like René Descartes' theory about a ball of wax. You can change its form from solid to liquid, but it's still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-like-ren-descartes-theory-about-a-ball-of-wax-you-can-change-its/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. 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