--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a while under Donald Trump, it was…" description: "\"For a while under Donald Trump, it was possible to believe that we could go back to a more functional, less rancorous time. This desire was expressed m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/krystal-ball-11862_believe_for-a-while-under-donald-trump-it-was-po_3056901.jpg" --- # For a while under Donald Trump, it was possible to believe… ![“For a while under Donald Trump, it was possible to believe that we could go back to a more functional, less rancorous time. This desire was expressed most eloquently at John McCain's funeral services.” quote by Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/krystal-ball-11862_believe_for-a-while-under-donald-trump-it-was-po_3056901.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/krystal-ball-11862_believe_for-a-while-under-donald-trump-it-was-po_3056901.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ead/krystal-ball-11862_believe_for-a-while-under-donald-trump-it-was-po_3056901.jpg) > “For a while under Donald Trump, it was possible to believe that we could go back to a more functional, less rancorous time. This desire was expressed most eloquently at John McCain's funeral services.” [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A nostalgic hope for a calmer political climate emerged during Trump's era, highlighted at McCain's funeral. **In simple terms:** People longed for less divisive politics. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of civility. Themes politics nostalgia unity Mood reflective hopeful Type political eulogy When to use this quote - public discourse - campaigns - community meetings Key Concepts civility polarization leadership Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster genuine bipartisanship? - What practical steps reduce political rancor? A Different Perspective Idealism may overlook systemic challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Donald trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/donald-trump/) [Funeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funeral/) [Funeral Services](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funeral-services-5109772/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [John mccain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-mccain/) [Mccain Funeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mccain-funeral-5109770/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Trump Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump-possible-5109771/) ## Related quotes > [Little things had to go wrong for Donald Trump to become president: Comey, emails, all that stuff. Big things did make Trump possible. Big,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovett/little-things-had-to-go-wrong-for-donald-trump-to-become-president/) [Jon Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovett/) > [Perhaps the right to authenticity and the reverence of authenticity should be reserved for people like John McCain. John McCain who at his most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/perhaps-the-right-to-authenticity-and-the-reverence-of-authenticity/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [It is about something personal and specific, because when the John McCain campaign in 2008 decided to elevate Sarah Palin from total obscurity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/it-is-about-something-personal-and-specific-because-when-the-john/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [John McCain has become the de facto running mate of George W. Bush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/john-mccain-has-become-the-de-facto-running-mate-of-george-w-bush/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [I think the problem with John Bolton is he disagrees with President Trump's foreign policy. He would be closer to John McCain's foreign policy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-think-the-problem-with-john-bolton-is-he-disagrees-with-president/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I honor, we honor the service of John McCain, and I respect his many accomplishments, even if he chooses to deny mine. My differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-honor-we-honor-the-service-of-john-mccain-and-i-respect-his-many/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [John McCain is falling down on the job. He has gotten weak. He has gotten old. I do want to wish him a happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-ward/john-mccain-is-falling-down-on-the-job-he-has-gotten-weak-he-has/) [Kelli Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-ward/) > [I feel like John McCain is a really cool guy who is surrounded by idiotic friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-feel-like-john-mccain-is-a-really-cool-guy-who-is-surrounded-by/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Senator John McCain, who spent over five years in a Vietnamese POW camp, publicly releases 1,000 pages of medical records. Now people are left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/senator-john-mccain-who-spent-over-five-years-in-a-vietnamese-pow/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [John McCain has refused to ever criticize Sarah Palin, to ever admit there was anything wrong about her choice. He has been capital "L"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/john-mccain-has-refused-to-ever-criticize-sarah-palin-to-ever-admit/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [If John McCain were really a war hero he would've won Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/if-john-mccain-were-really-a-war-hero-he-would-ve-won-vietnam/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/i-would-not-vote-for-john-mccain-under-any-circumstances/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [John McCain is a liar and flip-flopper and panderer and bully and whiner. And it seems to be working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tomasky/john-mccain-is-a-liar-and-flip-flopper-and-panderer-and-bully-and/) [Michael Tomasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tomasky/) > [When the 2008 victory of Barack Obama and the defeat of grumpy old John McCain began looking, um, inevitable, I started fielding inquiries about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/when-the-2008-victory-of-barack-obama-and-the-defeat-of-grumpy-old/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [I really like John McCain. He's an awesome dude and was a lot of fun when he hosted "SNL." I'd love to see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-really-like-john-mccain-he-s-an-awesome-dude-and-was-a-lot-of-fun/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) ## More by Krystal Ball > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [While President Obama assumes that at their core the Republican leadership team is just trying to do what's best for America, Mitch McConnell and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/while-president-obama-assumes-that-at-their-core-the-republican/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [The Trump administration has been quietly moving to systematically undermine health care putting lives at risk and offering no alternative solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-trump-administration-has-been-quietly-moving-to-systematically/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [Voters do not choose candidates because of their ideological fit. They choose them because of their cultural fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/voters-do-not-choose-candidates-because-of-their-ideological-fit-they/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [For a long time, Americans have bought into the meritocracy, the American dream ideal. But when we watched banksters completely destroy our economy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/for-a-long-time-americans-have-bought-into-the-meritocracy-the/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [I've lived in the state almost my entire life, so I think if I ever wanted to come back and serve in Virginia, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/i-ve-lived-in-the-state-almost-my-entire-life-so-i-think-if-i-ever/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [As soon as you know that someone is running for office, it puts a distance between you and that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/as-soon-as-you-know-that-someone-is-running-for-office-it-puts-a/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [I have a message for any young woman who is thinking about running for office and has ever attended a costume party... or done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/i-have-a-message-for-any-young-woman-who-is-thinking-about-running/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [You cannot win the democratic nomination if you are not trusted on the most important issue to democratic voters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/you-cannot-win-the-democratic-nomination-if-you-are-not-trusted-on/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [To my friends on the right, Katie Hill's national shaming is as much an example of an out of control cancel culture as anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/to-my-friends-on-the-right-katie-hill-s-national-shaming-is-as-much/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [If you want to understand why something is happening in America just follow the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/if-you-want-to-understand-why-something-is-happening-in-america-just/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [We can all mouth the words that every human is fundamentally worthy, but we don't act like it. We don't even believe it about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/we-can-all-mouth-the-words-that-every-human-is-fundamentally-worthy/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [It can be really lonely running for office, especially if you've never done it before and especially when all the normal channels of power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/it-can-be-really-lonely-running-for-office-especially-if-you-ve-never/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [But the truth is the meritocracy is a lie. Those born into wealth and privilege will always be able to game the system for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/but-the-truth-is-the-meritocracy-is-a-lie-those-born-into-wealth-and/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [Most of you probably already know this but for those who don't, I was a bit of a trailblazer in the field of salacious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/most-of-you-probably-already-know-this-but-for-those-who-don-t-i-was/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) [Explore all 57 Krystal Ball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For a while under Donald Trump, it was possible to believe that we could go back to a more functional, less rancorous time. 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