--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I used to work for Reverend Jesse…" description: "\"When I used to work for Reverend Jesse Jackson he would say, \"You've got to know the rules in order to break the rules.\" The 1988 campaign of Reverend ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/leah-d-daughtry-33530_break_when-i-used-to-work-for-reverend-jesse-j_2528106.jpg" --- # When I used to work for Reverend Jesse Jackson he would… ![“When I used to work for Reverend Jesse Jackson he would say, "You've got to know the rules in order to break the rules." The 1988 campaign of Reverend Jesse Jackson made fundamental changes to the way Democrats do business.” quote by Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/leah-d-daughtry-33530_break_when-i-used-to-work-for-reverend-jesse-j_2528106.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/leah-d-daughtry-33530_break_when-i-used-to-work-for-reverend-jesse-j_2528106.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/leah-d-daughtry-33530_break_when-i-used-to-work-for-reverend-jesse-j_2528106.jpg) > “When I used to work for Reverend Jesse Jackson he would say, "You've got to know the rules in order to break the rules." The 1988 campaign of Reverend Jesse Jackson made fundamental changes to the way Democrats do business.” [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding existing systems lets you innovate effectively, breaking norms with informed intent. **In simple terms:** Know rules before breaking them. Key Takeaway Learn the system, then improve it. Themes strategy innovation politics leadership Mood reflective analytical Type advisory strategic When to use this quote - political campaigning - organizational change - policy reform Key Concepts systems thinking creative disruption Questions to Reflect On - How can you identify which rules truly limit progress? - What safeguards prevent reckless rule‑breaking? A Different Perspective Rules can be opaque, making intentional disruption risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1988 Campaign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1988-campaign-1317958/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Break The Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-the-rules/) [Campaign Reverend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign-reverend-1317957/) [Campaigns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Democrats Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats-business-1317955/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesse-jackson/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Reverend Jesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverend-jesse-1317956/) [Reverend Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverend-jesse-jackson-223025/) [Reverends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverends/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I know Reverend Jesse Jackson is controversial, and not a popular figure with many, but he hired me in 1984. He gave me my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/i-know-reverend-jesse-jackson-is-controversial-and-not-a-popular/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [Following revelations that he fathered a love child, the good Reverend Jesse Jackson - or should we say the 'very' good Reverend - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/following-revelations-that-he-fathered-a-love-child-the-good-reverend/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [It has always been an irony to me that the 'religious right' has come under so much attack for being involved in politics when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-coles-james/it-has-always-been-an-irony-to-me-that-the-religious-right-has-come/) [Kay Coles James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-coles-james/) > [The United States, for its part, downgraded from low-level to complete withdrawal, much to the regret of other delegates such as the Reverend Jesse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/the-united-states-for-its-part-downgraded-from-low-level-to-complete/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [In 1984, I managed Walter Mondale's campaign for president. Mondale won the nomination after a bruising battle with Colorado Senator Gary Hart and Reverend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/in-1984-i-managed-walter-mondale-s-campaign-for-president-mondale-won/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [I am now officially ordained. Yep, that's right - Reverend Tori Spelling!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-spelling/i-am-now-officially-ordained-yep-that-s-right-reverend-tori-spelling/) [Tori Spelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-spelling/) > [To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note and now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/to-use-a-telling-phrase-of-the-reverend-martin-luther-king-we-can-say/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [As you are old and reverend, you should be wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/as-you-are-old-and-reverend-you-should-be-wise/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Reverend Fathers, my letters did not usually follow each other at such close intervals, nor were they so long… This one would not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/reverend-fathers-my-letters-did-not-usually-follow-each-other-at-such/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [I've read Reverend Kirk, in fact. My uncle's library has quite a few books of your people. I have read Mr. Lang's fairy tales…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/i-ve-read-reverend-kirk-in-fact-my-uncle-s-library-has-quite-a-few/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [I saw a photograph of a wedding conducted by Reverend Moon of the Unification Church. I wanted to understand this event, and the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-saw-a-photograph-of-a-wedding-conducted-by-reverend-moon-of-the/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [An old philosopher said to Monsieur Coignard, a Reverend Father: 'You are a pig!' To which Abad Coignard answered: 'You flatter me, sir. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/an-old-philosopher-said-to-monsieur-coignard-a-reverend-father-you/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [ Most of these other negro leaders who are supposedly integrationists aren't that intelligent \[like Reverend Galamison\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/most-of-these-other-negro-leaders-who-are-supposedly-integrationists/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [New Rule: There is no devil, so stop blaming your screw-ups on him. Last week, one of the biggest evangelical leaders in America, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-there-is-no-devil-so-stop-blaming-your-screw-ups-on-him-last/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I nominate the Reverend Ian Paisley for the position of First Minister of northern Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-adams/i-nominate-the-reverend-ian-paisley-for-the-position-of-first/) [Gerry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-adams/) ## More by Leah D. Daughtry > [I just think of Fannie Lou Hamer, because even though she didn't know my name Ms. Hamer was thinking of me. I just want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/i-just-think-of-fannie-lou-hamer-because-even-though-she-didn-t-know/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [I think the Democratic electorate is similarly very energized. In both cycles we have new folks coming into the system who had previously been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/i-think-the-democratic-electorate-is-similarly-very-energized-in-both/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [In the course of my day, I'll probably go through four pairs of shoes! I start the day in flats.I'll change into some mid-range…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/in-the-course-of-my-day-i-ll-probably-go-through-four-pairs-of-shoes/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [That is part of why we must keep talking about Fannie Lou Hamer and about our history as a party and as a nation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/that-is-part-of-why-we-must-keep-talking-about-fannie-lou-hamer-and/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [ When I looked at \[Fannie Lou\] Hamer and that speech it seemed to me that she had to be the bravest woman ever, to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/when-i-looked-at-fannie-lou-hamer-and-that-speech-it-seemed-to-me/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [I was born the day before the March on Washington. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Everybody in my neighborhood was a Democrat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/i-was-born-the-day-before-the-march-on-washington-i-grew-up-in/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [ I was just an infant when \[Fannie Lou\] Hamer spoke - barley even awake in the world. But here she was, pressing the Democratic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/i-was-just-an-infant-when-fannie-lou-hamer-spoke-barley-even-awake-in/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [You can expect to see a robust discussion and representation of those issues throughout the convention program. Not just from the nominee, but through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/you-can-expect-to-see-a-robust-discussion-and-representation-of-those/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [The Democratic Party structure is keenly aware of who makes our party strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/the-democratic-party-structure-is-keenly-aware-of-who-makes-our-party/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [A convention always involves a level of security. It is always our intent to ensure everyone attending the convention is safe. When it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/a-convention-always-involves-a-level-of-security-it-is-always-our/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [When I saw Fannie Lou Hamer speech I said, "Well, how did this Democratic Party that Miss Hamer is talking about, become the Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/when-i-saw-fannie-lou-hamer-speech-i-said-well-how-did-this/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [It means everything for me to serve as the CEO of a convention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/it-means-everything-for-me-to-serve-as-the-ceo-of-a-convention/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) > [I know from personal conversation and from personal interaction, that Hillary Clinton cares deeply about issues of inclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-d-daughtry/i-know-from-personal-conversation-and-from-personal-interaction-that/) [Leah D. Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) [Explore all 14 Leah D. Daughtry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-d-daughtry/) ## More Break quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. 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No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/) [Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dunne/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. Live with applied consciousness, prosperity will break through the walls, flood you with it. You do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/the-purpose-is-to-be-in-gratitude-forever-live-with-applied/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [Never break another man's rice bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/never-break-another-man-s-rice-bowl/) [Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/) [Browse all 8,188 Break quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I used to work for Reverend Jesse Jackson he would say, \"You've got to know the rules in order to break the rules.\" The 1988 campaign of Reverend Jesse Jackson made fundamental changes to the way Democrats do business.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leah D. 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