--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's true that Americans are less than…" description: "\"It's true that Americans are less than thrilled with President Obama and congressional Democrats. Their approval ratings are nothing to celebrate. But ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/kirsten-powers-9672_celebrate_it-s-true-that-americans-are-less-than-t_267856.png" --- # It's true that Americans are less than thrilled with… ![“It's true that Americans are less than thrilled with President Obama and congressional Democrats. Their approval ratings are nothing to celebrate. But electoral politics is a zero-sum game. If one side loses, then the other side wins. Success depends on being just slightly less odious than your…” quote by Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/kirsten-powers-9672_celebrate_it-s-true-that-americans-are-less-than-t_267856.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/kirsten-powers-9672_celebrate_it-s-true-that-americans-are-less-than-t_267856.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce6/kirsten-powers-9672_celebrate_it-s-true-that-americans-are-less-than-t_267856.png) > “It's true that Americans are less than thrilled with President Obama and congressional Democrats. Their approval ratings are nothing to celebrate. But electoral politics is a zero-sum game. If one side loses, then the other side wins. Success depends on being just slightly less odious than your opponent.” [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political success often hinges on appearing marginally less detestable than the rival, not on winning outright. **In simple terms:** Winning means being slightly less odious than the opponent. Key Takeaway Focus on reducing your own negativity. Themes politics competition public perception Mood cynical strategic Type political analytical When to use this quote - campaign strategy - public relations - voter outreach - media messaging Key Concepts zero‑sum dynamics strategic framing image management Questions to Reflect On - How can a candidate improve their image without negative attacks? - What policies can shift focus from personal odium to substantive issues? A Different Perspective If both sides are equally odious, the game stalls and voter disengagement grows. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [I was surprised that when you get into electoral politics how scientific the analysis was in the electorate. You can identify on a state-by-state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/i-was-surprised-that-when-you-get-into-electoral-politics-how/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [The opportunism of electoral politics makes people lie to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/the-opportunism-of-electoral-politics-makes-people-lie-to-each-other/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [“appeal to non-business interests) and let them be effective. Although there is marked and frequently observed dissatisfaction with the Republicans and Democrats, electoral politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/appeal-to-non-business-interests-and-let-them-be-effective-although/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We're building an independent political program that can run electoral politics and then turn on a dime to hold our leaders to task, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-trumka/we-re-building-an-independent-political-program-that-can-run/) [Richard Trumka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-trumka/) > [I don't for the life of me understand how anybody could contemplate the results of the 2000 election in the US and say that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/i-don-t-for-the-life-of-me-understand-how-anybody-could-contemplate/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [I think it would be very good if writers and artists take a stand in electoral politics. They've got the ability to put words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/i-think-it-would-be-very-good-if-writers-and-artists-take-a-stand-in/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [I'm not ready to give you a clear answer on whether electoral politics holds any particular hope for progressives. It would mean that nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hayden/i-m-not-ready-to-give-you-a-clear-answer-on-whether-electoral/) [Tom Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hayden/) > [Among my generation, there was a purist position that any contact with electoral politics was an unforgiveable compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/among-my-generation-there-was-a-purist-position-that-any-contact-with/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I'm so unhappy with electoral politics that I switched to sports radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-so-unhappy-with-electoral-politics-that-i-switched-to-sports-radio/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “In the United States \[…\] the two main business-dominated parties, with the support of the corporate community, have refused to reform laws that make… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-w-mcchesney/in-the-united-states-the-two-main-business-dominated-parties-with-the/) Robert W. McChesney > [Trump's lawyers are right that if a president does what he honestly thinks is simultaneously in his personal electoral and the national interests, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/trump-s-lawyers-are-right-that-if-a-president-does-what-he-honestly/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [The folks that are suggesting Occupy move to electoral politics are ignoring history, ignoring what actually creates change. People get involved in electoral politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/the-folks-that-are-suggesting-occupy-move-to-electoral-politics-are/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [Electoral politics was always an objective of the Black Panther party, so Barack Obama is a part of what we dreamed and struggled and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-seale/electoral-politics-was-always-an-objective-of-the-black-panther-party/) [Bobby Seale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-seale/) > [To me, polls are like approval ratings for presidents are like an offensive line, right. And if an offensive line is weak, that means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-dowd/to-me-polls-are-like-approval-ratings-for-presidents-are-like-an/) [Matthew Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-dowd/) > [My passion for ideas is not matched with a passion for partisan or electoral politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/my-passion-for-ideas-is-not-matched-with-a-passion-for-partisan-or/) [Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/) ## More by Kirsten Powers > [Illiberal feminists turn simple ideological disagreements, whether about the federal budget or the Second Amendment or anything else, into excuses to engage in character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/illiberal-feminists-turn-simple-ideological-disagreements-whether/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Within the paradigm of Democratic politics, even though people probably think I'm a centrist, I'm more a liberal, except for abortion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/within-the-paradigm-of-democratic-politics-even-though-people/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Trump loves free speech only when he or his supporters are speaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/trump-loves-free-speech-only-when-he-or-his-supporters-are-speaking/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Protesters can't violate First Amendment rights. Only the government can do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/protesters-can-t-violate-first-amendment-rights-only-the-government/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Women are often forced to maintain good relations with men who abuse them precisely because those men have power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/women-are-often-forced-to-maintain-good-relations-with-men-who-abuse/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [If I had a dollar for every time somebody said, 'I don't understand: how can you be a Democrat and be a Christian?' I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-somebody-said-i-don-t-understand-how/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Women likely are rejecting Trump because they know the presidential race isn't just about taxes or ISIL or immigration. It's about their place in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/women-likely-are-rejecting-trump-because-they-know-the-presidential/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Bernie is a problem Hillary can't figure out how to solve, perhaps because he's not the problem. She is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/bernie-is-a-problem-hillary-can-t-figure-out-how-to-solve-perhaps/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Perhaps all of our anxiety is not caused by broken brains but by working nonstop, missing out on time with our friends and families…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/perhaps-all-of-our-anxiety-is-not-caused-by-broken-brains-but-by/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [I've been harassed or on the receiving end of sexist and inappropriate behavior almost every place I've ever worked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/i-ve-been-harassed-or-on-the-receiving-end-of-sexist-and/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Trump may not like the fact that 20-plus anonymous sources provided the 'Times' with an unflattering portrait of his campaign, but that doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/trump-may-not-like-the-fact-that-20-plus-anonymous-sources-provided/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Donald Trump has a curious understanding of what freedom of speech means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/donald-trump-has-a-curious-understanding-of-what-freedom-of-speech/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [I know I deal with it, I'm sure a lot of other people deal with it: you have that little funny dig you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/i-know-i-deal-with-it-i-m-sure-a-lot-of-other-people-deal-with-it-you/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [People are really nice at Fox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/people-are-really-nice-at-fox/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Women cannot be equal participants in a society that views sexual assault and sexual harassment the way Donald Trump and his defenders do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/women-cannot-be-equal-participants-in-a-society-that-views-sexual/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) [Explore all 71 Kirsten Powers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) ## More Celebrate quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [Spiritually, life is a festival, a celebration. Joy is of the essence of life;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnivesh/spiritually-life-is-a-festival-a-celebration-joy-is-of-the-essence-of/) [Agnivesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnivesh/) > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Trying to find this industry's tendency to celebrate the physical is a waste of time. So I'm happy to play the game. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/trying-to-find-this-industry-s-tendency-to-celebrate-the-physical-is/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [On Valentine's Day, couples in Calgary can celebrate their love for each other with couples' nude yoga - great way to get in shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/on-valentine-s-day-couples-in-calgary-can-celebrate-their-love-for/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-society-that-presumes-a-norm-of-violence-and-celebrates-aggression/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [No matter what day we celebrate Australia Day, let's celebrate it together and give thanks to the original inhabitants of this vast country. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/no-matter-what-day-we-celebrate-australia-day-let-s-celebrate-it/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [I'm not so much in the future as always in the present. The future always takes care of itself. What I do now with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-mekas/i-m-not-so-much-in-the-future-as-always-in-the-present-the-future/) [Jonas Mekas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-mekas/) > [Birth, life, death is a cycle. And they're all beautiful, you celebrate all of them. Animals do grieve, but they move on. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-millan/birth-life-death-is-a-cycle-and-they-re-all-beautiful-you-celebrate/) [Cesar Millan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-millan/) > [I just wanted to jump into the stands and start celebrating with those wonderful fans. (on reaching the Champions League final)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-gerrard/i-just-wanted-to-jump-into-the-stands-and-start-celebrating-with/) [Steven Gerrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-gerrard/) > [What I have found is, so much of that is like a Chinese finger trap: the more you play to the dark, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-palmer/what-i-have-found-is-so-much-of-that-is-like-a-chinese-finger-trap/) [Amanda Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-palmer/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [While we celebrate our diversity, what surprises me time and time again as I travel around the constituency is that we are far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/while-we-celebrate-our-diversity-what-surprises-me-time-and-time/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [I feel like the downfall of any person is the second an artist starts celebrating their work themselves, that becomes problematic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/questlove/i-feel-like-the-downfall-of-any-person-is-the-second-an-artist-starts/) [Questlove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/questlove/) Browse all 2,313 Celebrate quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's true that Americans are less than thrilled with President Obama and congressional Democrats. Their approval ratings are nothing to celebrate. But electoral politics is a zero-sum game. 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