--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: you have to understand something about…" description: "\"“you have to understand something about presidential elections in general. The politicians devise strategies and court donors years in advance. At the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e65/katy-tur-10146_friendship_you-have-to-understand-something-about-p_962591.jpg" --- # you have to understand something about presidential… ![“you have to understand something about presidential elections in general. The politicians devise strategies and court donors years in advance. At the same time, newspapers and networks carefully decide which reporter they’ll match with which candidate. Trump wasn’t part of anyone’s plan. For that…” quote by Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e65/katy-tur-10146_friendship_you-have-to-understand-something-about-p_962591.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e65/katy-tur-10146_friendship_you-have-to-understand-something-about-p_962591.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e65/katy-tur-10146_friendship_you-have-to-understand-something-about-p_962591.jpg) > ““you have to understand something about presidential elections in general. The politicians devise strategies and court donors years in advance. At the same time, newspapers and networks carefully decide which reporter they’ll match with which candidate. Trump wasn’t part of anyone’s plan. For that matter, neither was I. Five days into my New York trip, while I was running an errand, I got a call from a friend at work. “Hey, Katy. Heads up,” the friend said. “Deborah Turness \[my boss\] is going to assign you to Trump full-time. \[David, another boss\] Verdi is going to call. If you don’t want to do this, you better figure out what you’re going to say to get out of it. Don’t let on that I told you, but get ready.” Anxiety. Indecision. Italy. My vacation with Benoît is in just over a week. On the other hand, as good as life can be in Europe, there’s also a lot of professional boredom. It would be nice to get some TV time. And New York is unbeatable in the summer. I hung up and paced the sidewalk. Then I called a friend from CBS. “They want me to cover Trump full-time,” I told him. My friend had covered Romney in 2012. “What do I do?”” [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes the sudden, unplanned assignment to cover a high‑profile political figure, highlighting the tension between personal plans and professional demands. **In simple terms:** Unexpected work changes cause stress and force quick decisions. Key Takeaway Weigh personal priorities against career opportunities. Themes career politics media decisionmaking Mood anxious conflicted determined Type personal professional reflective When to use this quote - covering a political campaign - travel planning - negotiating assignments - managing anxiety Key Concepts journalism political strategy work‑life balance Questions to Reflect On - How will you balance personal commitments with sudden work demands? - What strategies can you use to negotiate or decline? A Different Perspective The assignment may conflict with personal life and lead to burnout if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) [Candidate Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate-trump-405609/) [Cover Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cover-trump-1790723/) [Decide Reporter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide-reporter-1790724/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Trump Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump-time-897100/) ## Related quotes > [On the campaign trail, candidate Trump occasionally raised the idea of creating 'safe zones' for Syrian civilians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/on-the-campaign-trail-candidate-trump-occasionally-raised-the-idea-of/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Candidate Trump held out his hand to Vladimir Putin. He rejected further U.S. intervention in Syria other than to smash ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/candidate-trump-held-out-his-hand-to-vladimir-putin-he-rejected/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [It's so hard to cover Trump. What Trump says, what he feels, what he thinks changes from day to day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/it-s-so-hard-to-cover-trump-what-trump-says-what-he-feels-what-he/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [“This is an egregious breach of journalistic ethics. It’s absolutely inappropriate, whether they consider themselves “journalists” or not. You don’t “act” the part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/this-is-an-egregious-breach-of-journalistic-ethics-it-s-absolutely/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [I don't know which way to take Donald Trump. And only time will tell. Only time will tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/i-don-t-know-which-way-to-take-donald-trump-and-only-time-will-tell/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [There's so much being said about Donald Trump already, all the time, and the more you joke about him, the more you risk making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/there-s-so-much-being-said-about-donald-trump-already-all-the-time/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [ We are ready to meet \[with Donald Trump\] at any time, this is no problem for us, but I believe we should be patient… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-are-ready-to-meet-with-donald-trump-at-any-time-this-is-no-problem/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [It would be impossible to be fact-checking Donald Trump all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-would-be-impossible-to-be-fact-checking-donald-trump-all-the-time/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Were there hour-by-hour countdowns to the end of the Bush presidency? The end of the Obama years? No, definitely not to this extent. Trump's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/were-there-hour-by-hour-countdowns-to-the-end-of-the-bush-presidency/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [Candidate Trump had previously opined that 'Islam hates us' and had called for 'the total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/candidate-trump-had-previously-opined-that-islam-hates-us-and-had/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [ No one should be surprised that in the balance between national security and civil liberties, President \[Donald\] Trump, like candidate Trump wants to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-halperin/no-one-should-be-surprised-that-in-the-balance-between-national/) [Mark Halperin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-halperin/) > [As a candidate, Trump could make outlandish statements with little regard for their Constitutional implications. As President, he is pledged to respect the Constitution's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/as-a-candidate-trump-could-make-outlandish-statements-with-little/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [As a presidential candidate, Trump seems heaven-sent just to make fools out of Republicans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/as-a-presidential-candidate-trump-seems-heaven-sent-just-to-make/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [I look up at the screen and I see no difference between the way candidate Trump, president-elect Trump, and President Trump is being treated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/i-look-up-at-the-screen-and-i-see-no-difference-between-the-way/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) ## More by Katy Tur > [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [I think Trump is someone who appreciates and connects with people who hold their own and are strong individuals. I think he can smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/i-think-trump-is-someone-who-appreciates-and-connects-with-people-who/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [“Some politicians have a gift for language. Trump is not one of those politicians. His sentences call to mind an aerial shot of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/some-politicians-have-a-gift-for-language-trump-is-not-one-of-those/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [I was on the campaign trail, covering Donald Trump for two years - and it's really hard to do anything for yourself with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/i-was-on-the-campaign-trail-covering-donald-trump-for-two-years-and/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [I've always been an outsider. I think, being in the White House press corps, it's difficult to do the sort of journalism that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/i-ve-always-been-an-outsider-i-think-being-in-the-white-house-press/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [“Seven seconds. Seven measly seconds. that's how long it took Trump to dismiss a lie he told for five years. He did not apologize.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/seven-seconds-seven-measly-seconds-that-s-how-long-it-took-trump-to/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [I'm a big believer in being the same person on and off TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/i-m-a-big-believer-in-being-the-same-person-on-and-off-tv/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [I was known as a dogged, unflappable live reporter, the kind who runs barefoot to the camera, high heels in one hand, notebook in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/i-was-known-as-a-dogged-unflappable-live-reporter-the-kind-who-runs/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [When you're just starting out in the TV business, you don't know anything at all, and you think you're doing a better job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/when-you-re-just-starting-out-in-the-tv-business-you-don-t-know/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [For one of my first TV jobs, I was required to cut my hair, dress a certain way, and wear a certain amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/for-one-of-my-first-tv-jobs-i-was-required-to-cut-my-hair-dress-a/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [ His \[Donald Trump\]support is crossing wide swaths of the party. It's not just the evangelicals. It's the moderates, as well. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/his-donald-trump-support-is-crossing-wide-swaths-of-the-party-it-s/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [“But access journalism is barely journalism. And somewhere along the way, out here on the trail, wherever it is I am right now, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/but-access-journalism-is-barely-journalism-and-somewhere-along-the/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [Donald Trump can say whatever he wants and his supporters don't mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/donald-trump-can-say-whatever-he-wants-and-his-supporters-don-t-mind/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [Donald Trump is the kind of guy that wants you to like him. He wants to be the centre of attention. A TV reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/donald-trump-is-the-kind-of-guy-that-wants-you-to-like-him-he-wants/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [My mom likes to say I've been covering news since the day I was born - longer if you count my time in utero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/my-mom-likes-to-say-i-ve-been-covering-news-since-the-day-i-was-born/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) [Explore all 66 Katy Tur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) ## More Candidate quotes > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [As a registered Democrat, I am praying for a credible presidential candidate to emerge from the younger tier of politicians in their late 40s.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/as-a-registered-democrat-i-am-praying-for-a-credible-presidential/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Obama did organize a great large number of people and many enthusiastic people, what's called in the press 'Obama's Army.' But the army is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/obama-did-organize-a-great-large-number-of-people-and-many/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Candidate Trump held out his hand to Vladimir Putin. He rejected further U.S. intervention in Syria other than to smash ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/candidate-trump-held-out-his-hand-to-vladimir-putin-he-rejected/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [You should not be misled about the so-called single opposition candidate. There are so many of them now that you will lack the fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/you-should-not-be-misled-about-the-so-called-single-opposition/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [I want to say that I cannot be intimidated or stopped. In order to put an end to various attempts to get rid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitali-klitschko/i-want-to-say-that-i-cannot-be-intimidated-or-stopped-in-order-to-put/) [Vitali Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitali-klitschko/) > [Today, I'm a candidate for the office of president of the United States of America. My kids can't believe I just said that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-huntsman-jr/today-i-m-a-candidate-for-the-office-of-president-of-the-united/) [Jon Huntsman, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-huntsman-jr/) > [I think Trump is a very interesting candidate in this sense: I think he has cross-party appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/i-think-trump-is-a-very-interesting-candidate-in-this-sense-i-think/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [I do think that sometimes, especially coming into this going straight from activism to being a candidate or to being a person who potentially,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandria-ocasio-cortez/i-do-think-that-sometimes-especially-coming-into-this-going-straight/) [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandria-ocasio-cortez/) > [Even though I don't agree with Donald Trump on everything, and I think there may be certain things or statements of his that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-zeldin/even-though-i-don-t-agree-with-donald-trump-on-everything-and-i-think/) [Lee Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-zeldin/) > [I'm not quite certain how you can force a candidate to stick by the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-ifill/i-m-not-quite-certain-how-you-can-force-a-candidate-to-stick-by-the/) [Gwen Ifill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-ifill/) > [I am not a fan of Mitt Romney, but I admit that he is, politically speaking, a good candidate for president. He has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schlossberg/i-am-not-a-fan-of-mitt-romney-but-i-admit-that-he-is-politically/) [Jack Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schlossberg/) > [I am aware of the responsibility I am taking on as the chancellor. Things have developed very quickly for me in recent years, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-kurz/i-am-aware-of-the-responsibility-i-am-taking-on-as-the-chancellor/) [Sebastian Kurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-kurz/) > [For people to even think that I'd be considered or a good candidate for a supporting actress nomination is mind blowing to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naya-rivera/for-people-to-even-think-that-i-d-be-considered-or-a-good-candidate/) [Naya Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naya-rivera/) > [A candidate's faith is not the only consideration, but should be a major consideration in electing the president of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/a-candidate-s-faith-is-not-the-only-consideration-but-should-be-a/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) [Browse all 529 Candidate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“you have to understand something about presidential elections in general. The politicians devise strategies and court donors years in advance. At the same time, newspapers and networks carefully decide which reporter they’ll match with which candidate. Trump wasn’t part of anyone’s plan. For that matter, neither was I. Five days into my New York trip, while I was running an errand, I got a call from a friend at work. “Hey, Katy. Heads up,” the friend said. “Deborah Turness [my boss] is going to assign you to Trump full-time. [David, another boss] Verdi is going to call. If you don’t want to do this, you better figure out what you’re going to say to get out of it. Don’t let on that I told you, but get ready.” Anxiety. Indecision. Italy. My vacation with Benoît is in just over a week. On the other hand, as good as life can be in Europe, there’s also a lot of professional boredom. It would be nice to get some TV time. And New York is unbeatable in the summer. I hung up and paced the sidewalk. 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