--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If image is everything, how can the…" description: "\"If image is everything, how can the Democratic presidential hopefuls compete with a President fresh from a war victory.\" — Judy Woodruff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/judy-woodruff-4310_democratic_if-image-is-everything-how-can-the-democ_898880.png" --- # If image is everything, how can the Democratic… ![“If image is everything, how can the Democratic presidential hopefuls compete with a President fresh from a war victory.” quote by Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/judy-woodruff-4310_democratic_if-image-is-everything-how-can-the-democ_898880.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/judy-woodruff-4310_democratic_if-image-is-everything-how-can-the-democ_898880.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/judy-woodruff-4310_democratic_if-image-is-everything-how-can-the-democ_898880.png) > “If image is everything, how can the Democratic presidential hopefuls compete with a President fresh from a war victory.” [Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Visual image dominates politics, making it hard for war‑hero presidents to compete with candidates focused on optics. **In simple terms:** Image outweighs substance in politics. Key Takeaway Focus on authentic image, not just optics. Themes media perception political image Mood analytical concerned Type political media When to use this quote - campaigns - media training - public debates - branding Key Concepts public relations war hero narrative electoral strategy Questions to Reflect On - How can a candidate build substance beyond image? - What role does media play in shaping political perception? A Different Perspective Relying on image can backfire if substance is lacking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-victory/) ## Related quotes > [Rather than embracing mainstream, majority-held positions, 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have made it exceedingly clear that they will sacrifice themselves on the altar of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/rather-than-embracing-mainstream-majority-held-positions-2020/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities...It is best to win without fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-best-victory-is-when-the-opponent-surrenders-of-its-own-accord/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [ ... \[I\]n any war a victory means another war, and yet another, until some day inevitably the tides turn, and the victor is the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/i-n-any-war-a-victory-means-another-war-and-yet-another-until-some/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/if-fighting-is-sure-to-result-in-victory-then-you-must-fight/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The statesman who yields to war fever must realise that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-statesman-who-yields-to-war-fever-must-realise-that-once-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Asking who won a given war, someone has said, is like asking who won the San Francisco earthquake. That in war there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-waltz/asking-who-won-a-given-war-someone-has-said-is-like-asking-who-won/) [Kenneth Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-waltz/) > [The object of war is victory, the object of victory is conquest, and the object of conquest is occupation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-object-of-war-is-victory-the-object-of-victory-is-conquest-and/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The object of war is victory; that of victory is conquest; and that of conquest preservation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-secondat/the-object-of-war-is-victory-that-of-victory-is-conquest-and-that-of/) [Charles de Secondat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-secondat/) > [In War: Resolution; In Defeat: Defiance; In Victory: Magnanimity; In Peace: Good Will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-war-resolution-in-defeat-defiance-in-victory-magnanimity-in-peace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited . . . 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Once upon a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/once-upon-a-time-our-traditional-goal-in-war-and-can-anyone-doubt/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [The Red Army and Navy and the whole Soviet people must fight for every inch of Soviet soil, fight to the last drop of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/the-red-army-and-navy-and-the-whole-soviet-people-must-fight-for/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/what-is-essential-in-war-is-victory-not-prolonged-operations/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) ## More by Judy Woodruff > [There have been trade-offs every day, every month, every year. There's a lot that I missed and I do have regrets in that area.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/there-have-been-trade-offs-every-day-every-month-every-year-there-s-a/) [Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/) > [One can understand the politics of that at this moment. It's an effort to buy time for a constituency of workers who have really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/one-can-understand-the-politics-of-that-at-this-moment-it-s-an-effort/) [Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/) > [Vaclav Havel didn't want to ride around in big black cars. 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I think this is a part of the nature of man, a desire for freedom, for dignified life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/i-have-no-doubt-about-it-i-think-this-is-a-part-of-the-nature-of-man/) [Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/) > [People put on their earphones, they lay out their phones, they put - open up their computers, and they convince themselves that they're most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/people-put-on-their-earphones-they-lay-out-their-phones-they-put-open/) [Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/) [Explore all 113 Judy Woodruff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/) ## More Democratic quotes > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. 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There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/if-robert-heinlein-is-more-to-your-taste-than-george-lucas-if-you-are/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We fight to defend our democratic ideals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-austin/we-fight-to-defend-our-democratic-ideals/) [Lloyd Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-austin/) > [I'm going to do everything I can to get myself elected, but that's not enough. I'm going to try to help move the Senate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-m-going-to-do-everything-i-can-to-get-myself-elected-but-that-s-not/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gillmor/while-not-widely-reported-our-victories-in-iraq-are-plentiful/) [Paul Gillmor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gillmor/) > [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/) [David H. 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