--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every politician just has to remember how…" description: "\"Every politician just has to remember how he got his position in the first place. A young candidate running for Congress or any outsider interested in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/joseph-nye-31374_achieve_every-politician-just-has-to-remember-ho_1360668.jpg" --- # Every politician just has to remember how he got his… ![“Every politician just has to remember how he got his position in the first place. A young candidate running for Congress or any outsider interested in public office could only achieve his goals by relying on soft power. They could not force anyone to vote for them. They needed to convince their…” quote by Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/joseph-nye-31374_achieve_every-politician-just-has-to-remember-ho_1360668.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/joseph-nye-31374_achieve_every-politician-just-has-to-remember-ho_1360668.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/joseph-nye-31374_achieve_every-politician-just-has-to-remember-ho_1360668.jpg) > “Every politician just has to remember how he got his position in the first place. A young candidate running for Congress or any outsider interested in public office could only achieve his goals by relying on soft power. They could not force anyone to vote for them. They needed to convince their potential voters, they needed to do fundraising, they needed to be attractive candidates.” [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power in politics depends on attraction and persuasion, not coercion. **In simple terms:** Political influence comes from appeal, not force. Key Takeaway Cultivate credibility and shared values. Themes politics influence soft power leadership Mood strategic analytical Type political leadership When to use this quote - campaign strategy - public speaking - fundraising - constituent outreach Key Concepts attraction persuasion legitimacy Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders maintain authenticity while using soft power? - What are the risks of over‑reliance on attraction? A Different Perspective Assumes voters are rational and receptive to appeal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieve/) [Attractive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attractive/) [Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) [Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Convince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Fundraising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundraising/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Outsiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outsiders/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politician Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician-just-657700/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Public office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-office/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Running Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running-congress-480860/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Voters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voters/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-candidate-3779652/) ## Related quotes > [The only problem with the "children of Reagan" line is it reminds you that Marco Rubio is the young candidate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-walter/the-only-problem-with-the-children-of-reagan-line-is-it-reminds-you/) [Amy Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-walter/) > [I am not a politician. I am just a business guy who has had enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-beruff/i-am-not-a-politician-i-am-just-a-business-guy-who-has-had-enough/) [Carlos Beruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-beruff/) > [People think that the politician is just part of a system, and whether they're lying or not doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/people-think-that-the-politician-is-just-part-of-a-system-and-whether/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [Donald Trump is succeeding right now for sure. He is a gifted politician. But, he is just a gifted politician. He's just a gifted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/donald-trump-is-succeeding-right-now-for-sure-he-is-a-gifted/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [I am not a politician. 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Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [You spend a couple million dollars running for Congress, people get tired of seeing your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-gohmert/you-spend-a-couple-million-dollars-running-for-congress-people-get/) [Louie Gohmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-gohmert/) > [One of the rules of running for Congress is no matter where you go, you speak like you're speaking to the whole district.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ossoff/one-of-the-rules-of-running-for-congress-is-no-matter-where-you-go/) [Jon Ossoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ossoff/) > [My son Emilio is running for Congress to continue the fight for social justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/my-son-emilio-is-running-for-congress-to-continue-the-fight-for/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [Veterans tend to want to be ultra-prepared. They want to know everything they possibly can before running for Congress. That's great... but don't undersell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/veterans-tend-to-want-to-be-ultra-prepared-they-want-to-know/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [I was the last person to announce I was running for Congress in a big district, and I still won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/i-was-the-last-person-to-announce-i-was-running-for-congress-in-a-big/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [There are over 30 doctors running for the US Congress this year. That's going to be rather strange. Half the time these folks will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/there-are-over-30-doctors-running-for-the-us-congress-this-year-that/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I thought running for Congress paled in comparison to being a parent and being a mom - especially a single mom of three kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-porter/i-thought-running-for-congress-paled-in-comparison-to-being-a-parent/) [Katie Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-porter/) > [Sometimes running for Congress is a four-year strategy in terms of getting out there and building a network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/sometimes-running-for-congress-is-a-four-year-strategy-in-terms-of/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) ## More by Joseph Nye > [America rests on shared values rather than shared ethnicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/america-rests-on-shared-values-rather-than-shared-ethnicity/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [“Plenty of information leads to scarcity of attention. When people are overwhelmed with the volume of information confronting them, it is hard to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/plenty-of-information-leads-to-scarcity-of-attention-when-people-are/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [We live in a world of diverse cultures, and we know very little about social engineering and how to 'build nations.' And when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/we-live-in-a-world-of-diverse-cultures-and-we-know-very-little-about/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [America should find its interests in ways which are more consistent with the interests of other countries, which are things that are good for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/america-should-find-its-interests-in-ways-which-are-more-consistent/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [Democracy is the best school to learn soft power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/democracy-is-the-best-school-to-learn-soft-power/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [American power in the world relies on these ideals of openness and critical debate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/american-power-in-the-world-relies-on-these-ideals-of-openness-and/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [Power is the ability to affect others to get the outcomes you want, and that can be done by coercion, payment or attraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/power-is-the-ability-to-affect-others-to-get-the-outcomes-you-want/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [Leadership experts and the public alike extol the virtues of transformational leaders - those who set out bold objectives and take risks to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/leadership-experts-and-the-public-alike-extol-the-virtues-of/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [As we think of power in the 21st century, we want to get away from the idea that power’s always zero sum — my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/as-we-think-of-power-in-the-21st-century-we-want-to-get-away-from-the/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [In the information age, it's not just whose army wins, but whose story wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/in-the-information-age-it-s-not-just-whose-army-wins-but-whose-story/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [Terrorism is like jujitsu: The small players win if they make the large player use his strength against himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/terrorism-is-like-jujitsu-the-small-players-win-if-they-make-the/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [ His \[Osama bin Laden\]excessive use of terror, including numerous attacks that indiscriminately killed many women and children, and of course many Muslims, has hurt… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-nye/his-osama-bin-laden-excessive-use-of-terror-including-numerous/) [Joseph Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-nye/) > [Money and donations are an important part of our political system. 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If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. 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