--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: During the protracted tooth-and-nail…" description: "\"During the protracted tooth-and-nail tussle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic primaries, I was one of those fierce partis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/lionel-shriver-744_barack-obama_during-the-protracted-tooth-and-nail-tus_2632003.jpg" --- # During the protracted tooth-and-nail tussle between Barack… ![“During the protracted tooth-and-nail tussle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic primaries, I was one of those fierce partisans desperate for the first black candidate with a serious shot at the White House to win the nomination.” quote by Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/lionel-shriver-744_barack-obama_during-the-protracted-tooth-and-nail-tus_2632003.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/lionel-shriver-744_barack-obama_during-the-protracted-tooth-and-nail-tus_2632003.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/lionel-shriver-744_barack-obama_during-the-protracted-tooth-and-nail-tus_2632003.jpg) > “During the protracted tooth-and-nail tussle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic primaries, I was one of those fierce partisans desperate for the first black candidate with a serious shot at the White House to win the nomination.” [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She expresses strong support for Obama, reflecting partisan passion and desire for historic change. **In simple terms:** She was a fervent Obama supporter in 2008. Key Takeaway Support candidates who align with your values. Themes politics enthusiasm historical change Mood hopeful determined Type political personal When to use this quote - voting decisions - activism - public discourse Key Concepts electoral politics campaign dynamics identity politics Questions to Reflect On - What drives your political loyalty? - How do you balance hope with critical assessment? A Different Perspective Passionate support may overlook complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desperate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) [Win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win/) ## Related quotes > [Even before Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton threw their exploratory committees into the ring, every reporter seemed to be asking, 'Which candidate are Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/even-before-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-threw-their-exploratory/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [In 2008, many Democrats and Republicans believed Hillary Clinton to be a responsible public leader - a firm hand on the wheel, experienced in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/in-2008-many-democrats-and-republicans-believed-hillary-clinton-to-be/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [Because of where I come from, I never thought I'd see in my life a black candidate running for President.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/because-of-where-i-come-from-i-never-thought-i-d-see-in-my-life-a/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Barack Obama didn't get elected president, would never have been elected president, had he decided to run as a black candidate. In order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-ifill/barack-obama-didn-t-get-elected-president-would-never-have-been/) [Gwen Ifill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-ifill/) > [I think that seeing as much support as somebody like Obama as a black candidate running for president in a country that historically has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-draiman/i-think-that-seeing-as-much-support-as-somebody-like-obama-as-a-black/) [David Draiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-draiman/) > [ President \[Barack\] Obama and Hillary Clinton have engaged in gross dereliction of duty by surrendering the safety of the American people to open borders,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/president-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-have-engaged-in-gross/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You're never going to be able to delve into the character traits of a Michelle Obama or Hillary Clinton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-wright/you-re-never-going-to-be-able-to-delve-into-the-character-traits-of-a/) [Robin Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-wright/) > [“The Wall Street Journal didn’t pull any punches when it described Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton’s role in the deal as “a fiasco” and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/the-wall-street-journal-didn-t-pull-any-punches-when-it-described/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [The U.S. cannot survive another four years of the Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton regime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hoekstra/the-u-s-cannot-survive-another-four-years-of-the-barack-obama-hillary/) [Pete Hoekstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hoekstra/) > [“The more people learn about them (Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton) and how they handle the pressure, the more their support will evaporate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/the-more-people-learn-about-them-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-and/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The left - which is run by Obama and Hillary Clinton and the hierarchy in the Democrat Party - is doing everything they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-left-which-is-run-by-obama-and-hillary-clinton-and-the-hierarchy/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [What is Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton done to this country? That the most basic responsibility of an administration is to protect the safety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/what-is-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-done-to-this-country-that/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [We need to fix the military, help veterans, our inner cities are a disaster, you get shot walking to the store. We cannot take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-to-fix-the-military-help-veterans-our-inner-cities-are-a/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [ I know both Secretary \[Hillary\] Clinton and President \[Barack\] Obama were very gracious and I respect that a lot in the way they handled… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/i-know-both-secretary-hillary-clinton-and-president-barack-obama-were/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [One of the things we've seen here is how easy it is for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to get distracted from dealing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/one-of-the-things-we-ve-seen-here-is-how-easy-it-is-for-barack-obama/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) ## More by Lionel Shriver > [The discovery that heartbreak is indeed heartbreaking consoles us about our humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-discovery-that-heartbreak-is-indeed-heartbreaking-consoles-us/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“I’m a journalist, and journalists need news. Deprive them of it, and they go a bit barking. Deprive them of news long enough, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-m-a-journalist-and-journalists-need-news-deprive-them-of-it-and/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“One of the things I learned with Charles," said Gray carefully, "was that finding someone like you does not necessarily mean that either of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/one-of-the-things-i-learned-with-charles-said-gray-carefully-was-that/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [In the particular dwells the tawdry. In the conceptual dwells the grand, the transcendent, the everlasting. Earthly countries and single malignant boys can go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/in-the-particular-dwells-the-tawdry-in-the-conceptual-dwells-the/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“The idea is that you don't only have one destiny. Younger and younger, kids are pressed to decide what they want to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-idea-is-that-you-don-t-only-have-one-destiny-younger-and-younger/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [Oddly, for a book to do well merely because people like it is surprisingly rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/oddly-for-a-book-to-do-well-merely-because-people-like-it-is/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“And there's a freedom in apathy, a wild, dizzying liberation on which you can almost get drunk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/and-there-s-a-freedom-in-apathy-a-wild-dizzying-liberation-on-which/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [The sign that I don't like the book I'm reading is finding myself watching reruns of 'Come Dine With Me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-sign-that-i-don-t-like-the-book-i-m-reading-is-finding-myself/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [We speak often of 'destroying the planet' when what we mean is destroying its habitability for humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/we-speak-often-of-destroying-the-planet-when-what-we-mean-is/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [My agent had warned that, while a fine film would do my profile a world of good, a bad one wouldn't help me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/my-agent-had-warned-that-while-a-fine-film-would-do-my-profile-a/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“I think that's the biggest favor you can grant anyone, don't you? Permission to be dull. I know Henry will sometimes say something so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-think-that-s-the-biggest-favor-you-can-grant-anyone-don-t-you/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“They were determined to find something mechanically wrong with him - because broken machines are easier to fix. p303”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/they-were-determined-to-find-something-mechanically-wrong-with-him/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“Bur Armenians have a talent for sorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/bur-armenians-have-a-talent-for-sorrow/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“What is cool changes; that there is such a thing as cool is immutable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/what-is-cool-changes-that-there-is-such-a-thing-as-cool-is-immutable/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“I have theorized that you can locate most people on a spectrum of the crudest sort and that it may be their position on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-have-theorized-that-you-can-locate-most-people-on-a-spectrum-of-the/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) [Explore all 375 Lionel Shriver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) ## More Barack obama quotes > [In 2008, Barack Obama did a phenomenal job of reaching out to minority groups, to younger people, and a lot of newer voters, Hispanics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/in-2008-barack-obama-did-a-phenomenal-job-of-reaching-out-to-minority/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [There has certainly been ugly, right-wing hatred targeting Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/there-has-certainly-been-ugly-right-wing-hatred-targeting-barack-obama/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [As a Democrat following the 2012 presidential election closely, I was happy to see that South Carolina voted overwhelmingly for Newt Gingrich, a candidate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schlossberg/as-a-democrat-following-the-2012-presidential-election-closely-i-was/) [Jack Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schlossberg/) > [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [It has been my honor to support and work with President Barack Obama, a man who has brought courage and character to the presidency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/it-has-been-my-honor-to-support-and-work-with-president-barack-obama/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [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/) > [President Barack Obama is a doer. And we in America will do big things with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hunt/president-barack-obama-is-a-doer-and-we-in-america-will-do-big-things/) [Jim Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hunt/) > [“Been living on this earth for so long now and still don't know what a happy life feels like. I'm ready for a change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anthony-burkett/been-living-on-this-earth-for-so-long-now-and-still-don-t-know-what-a/) [Jonathan Anthony Burkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anthony-burkett/) > [“Attacking a lightning rod doesn't make you lightning..." Regarding Barack Obama”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-rafael-cimino/attacking-a-lightning-rod-doesn-t-make-you-lightning-regarding-barack/) [T. Rafael Cimino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-rafael-cimino/) > [Tell me why the limousine fleet has increased by 42 percent since Barack Obama took office. Why are we spending taxpayers' money on that?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-neumann/tell-me-why-the-limousine-fleet-has-increased-by-42-percent-since/) [Mark Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-neumann/) > [Trudeau, like President Barack Obama, is a champion of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-klobuchar/trudeau-like-president-barack-obama-is-a-champion-of-change/) [Amy Klobuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-klobuchar/) > [There is the bipartisan pretense that the FBI is the only government agency in Washington that is above reproach. Yet, this is the agency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fitton/there-is-the-bipartisan-pretense-that-the-fbi-is-the-only-government/) [Tom Fitton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fitton/) > [Income inequality has gotten worse under President Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/income-inequality-has-gotten-worse-under-president-barack-obama/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [For even the most seasoned observers of American politics, Barack Obama is a phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/for-even-the-most-seasoned-observers-of-american-politics-barack/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [When Caroline Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 as her father's rightful heir, she laid upon him the mantle of Camelot and the enduring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-kelley/when-caroline-kennedy-endorsed-barack-obama-in-2008-as-her-father-s/) [Kitty Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-kelley/) Browse all 363 Barack obama quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "During the protracted tooth-and-nail tussle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic primaries, I was one of those fierce partisans desperate for the first black candidate with a serious shot at the White House to win the nomination.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lionel Shriver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/during-the-protracted-tooth-and-nail-tussle-between-barack-obama-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barack obama" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/during-the-protracted-tooth-and-nail-tussle-between-barack-obama-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/lionel-shriver-744_barack-obama_during-the-protracted-tooth-and-nail-tus_2632003.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/lionel-shriver-744_barack-obama_during-the-protracted-tooth-and-nail-tus_2632003.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/lionel-shriver-744_barack-obama_during-the-protracted-tooth-and-nail-tus_2632003.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“During the protracted tooth-and-nail tussle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic…” — Lionel Shriver", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lionel Shriver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "During the protracted tooth-and-nail tussle between...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/during-the-protracted-tooth-and-nail-tussle-between-barack-obama-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/during-the-protracted-tooth-and-nail-tussle-between-barack-obama-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```