--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've said it before: Barack Obama is…" description: "\"I've said it before: Barack Obama is really the president Richard Nixon always wanted to be. You know, he's been allowed to act unilaterally in a way t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/jonathan-turley-23780_act_i-ve-said-it-before-barack-obama-is-real_1469518.jpg" --- # I've said it before: Barack Obama is really the president… ![“I've said it before: Barack Obama is really the president Richard Nixon always wanted to be. You know, he's been allowed to act unilaterally in a way that we've fought for decades.” quote by Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/jonathan-turley-23780_act_i-ve-said-it-before-barack-obama-is-real_1469518.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/jonathan-turley-23780_act_i-ve-said-it-before-barack-obama-is-real_1469518.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/jonathan-turley-23780_act_i-ve-said-it-before-barack-obama-is-real_1469518.jpg) > “I've said it before: Barack Obama is really the president Richard Nixon always wanted to be. You know, he's been allowed to act unilaterally in a way that we've fought for decades.” [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Obama's unilateral actions reflect a desire for strong leadership, reminiscent of Nixon's ambitions. **In simple terms:** Obama acted alone, like Nixon wanted. Key Takeaway Consider the impact of concentrated power. Themes politics leadership power Mood critical contemplative Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy analysis - government oversight - public discourse Key Concepts executive authority democracy historical comparison Questions to Reflect On - Is unilateral action justified? - What are the risks of strong leadership? A Different Perspective Concentration of power can undermine checks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act/) [Allowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowed/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Barack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) [Barack obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack-obama/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) [Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades/) [Fought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fought/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nixon/) [Nixon Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nixon-wanted-3578534/) [Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama/) [Obama Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-really-397526/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Really President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-president-1489677/) [Richard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/richard/) [Richard nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/richard-nixon/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [“Jonathan Turley was even more blunt in his assessment: “Barack Obama is really the president Richard Nixon always wanted to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-cashill/jonathan-turley-was-even-more-blunt-in-his-assessment-barack-obama-is/) [Jack Cashill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-cashill/) > [Previous presidents, including great ones like Roosevelt, have used the IRS against their enemies. 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If he swings, it will be from right to far right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/there-s-no-question-that-roberts-will-vote-like-william-rehnquist-if/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [For many, the recent disclosure of massive warrantless surveillance programs of all citizens by the Obama administration has brought back memories of George Orwell's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/for-many-the-recent-disclosure-of-massive-warrantless-surveillance/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [I supported Barack Obama. I wasn't very quiet about my support. I thought he was going to be a refreshing change to George Bush.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/i-supported-barack-obama-i-wasn-t-very-quiet-about-my-support-i/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [After almost half a billion dollars spent on the computer registration system for Obamacare, the website coughed, sputtered, and appeared to descend into an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/after-almost-half-a-billion-dollars-spent-on-the-computer/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [Truth be known, President Obama has never been particularly driven by principle. Right after his election, I wrote a column in a few days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/truth-be-known-president-obama-has-never-been-particularly-driven-by/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [Few people know that President Obama has used drone attacks many times more than Bush ever did. 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Part of the reason is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/people-don-t-realize-that-the-obama-administration-has-been-if/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) [Explore all 25 Jonathan Turley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) ## More Act quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Teachers' unions don't act in the interest of most teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/teachers-unions-don-t-act-in-the-interest-of-most-teachers/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. 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