--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let me start by saying that I do not…" description: "\"Let me start by saying that I do not enjoy nor relish the partisan role of attack dog. I never found any fun in that. I don't think it's constructive. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/marco-rubio-355_constructive_let-me-start-by-saying-that-i-do-not-enj_792673.png" --- # Let me start by saying that I do not enjoy nor relish the… ![“Let me start by saying that I do not enjoy nor relish the partisan role of attack dog. I never found any fun in that. I don't think it's constructive. I don't intend to become that here in the Senate.” quote by Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/marco-rubio-355_constructive_let-me-start-by-saying-that-i-do-not-enj_792673.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/marco-rubio-355_constructive_let-me-start-by-saying-that-i-do-not-enj_792673.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/marco-rubio-355_constructive_let-me-start-by-saying-that-i-do-not-enj_792673.png) > “Let me start by saying that I do not enjoy nor relish the partisan role of attack dog. I never found any fun in that. I don't think it's constructive. I don't intend to become that here in the Senate.” [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He rejects the aggressive, partisan “attack dog” role, emphasizing constructive discourse over combative tactics. **In simple terms:** Avoid hostile partisan tactics; aim for constructive dialogue. Key Takeaway Promote respectful, solution‑focused debate. Themes politics ethics collaboration Mood determined hopeful reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislative sessions - committee hearings - public debates Key Concepts partisanship civility policy making Questions to Reflect On - What can you do to model civility in a hostile setting? - How might constructive criticism replace attack? A Different Perspective Political environments often reward aggression, making restraint challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Partisan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partisan/) [Senate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senate/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Children's books are by nature partisan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-walters/children-s-books-are-by-nature-partisan/) [Eric Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-walters/) > [Incivility is a symptom, not the disease. We've always had partisan conflict in Congress, and we always will. Yet when I worked for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/incivility-is-a-symptom-not-the-disease-we-ve-always-had-partisan/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [To be locked into partisan politics doesn't permit you to think clearly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/to-be-locked-into-partisan-politics-doesn-t-permit-you-to-think/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [I became a lightning rod for some partisan battles. I could not be prouder of the track record we've put together. By almost every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-became-a-lightning-rod-for-some-partisan-battles-i-could-not-be/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A cool blooded and crafty politician, when he would be thoroughly revenged on his enemy, makes the injuries which have been inflicted, not on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/a-cool-blooded-and-crafty-politician-when-he-would-be-thoroughly/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [I've never been a partisan, I've never been a Republican, I've never been a Democrat, ever, which is why I was very frustrated being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/i-ve-never-been-a-partisan-i-ve-never-been-a-republican-i-ve-never/) [Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/) > [As partisans of our own way of life, we cannot help thinking in a partisan manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-partisans-of-our-own-way-of-life-we-cannot-help-thinking-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You see, party labels do not ensure unanimity any more than trying to cast the challenge we confront as a people through a partisan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-hayworth/you-see-party-labels-do-not-ensure-unanimity-any-more-than-trying-to/) [J. D. Hayworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-hayworth/) > [Registering people to vote is not partisan activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-bysiewicz/registering-people-to-vote-is-not-partisan-activity/) [Susan Bysiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-bysiewicz/) > [The trouble is nowadays that parts of the media operate in a very partisan way. There's no point in complaining about it, that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-trouble-is-nowadays-that-parts-of-the-media-operate-in-a-very/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [American media has just become talk radio, incredibly partisan name-calling and op-eds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/american-media-has-just-become-talk-radio-incredibly-partisan-name/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [Let a man be of what side he may in politics, unless he be much more of a partisan than a patriot, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/let-a-man-be-of-what-side-he-may-in-politics-unless-he-be-much-more/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Even as a partisan Republican, I'm not sure a 40-year run is healthy for either party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/even-as-a-partisan-republican-i-m-not-sure-a-40-year-run-is-healthy/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [The partisan when he is engaged in a dispute, cares nothing about the rights of the question, but is anxious only to convince his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-partisan-when-he-is-engaged-in-a-dispute-cares-nothing-about-the/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I'll go anywhere to talk about the Constitution. I believe in trans-partisan organizing around these issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/i-ll-go-anywhere-to-talk-about-the-constitution-i-believe-in-trans/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) ## More by Marco Rubio > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [The president we have today is a typical Washington politician that's prone to hyperbole and decisiveness and false outrage. And I think it's very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-president-we-have-today-is-a-typical-washington-politician-that-s/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee, because we are not going to allow - people will wake up and we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/donald-trump-is-not-going-to-be-the-nominee-because-we-are-not-going/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [My first job paid well for a young attorney. I was making over $50,000, which was more than either of my parents had ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/my-first-job-paid-well-for-a-young-attorney-i-was-making-over-50-000/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [My dad was a bartender. My mom was a cashier, a maid and a stock clerk at K-Mart. They never made it big. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/my-dad-was-a-bartender-my-mom-was-a-cashier-a-maid-and-a-stock-clerk/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Now, look, it's true, Americans do want leaders that will come to Washington, D.C. and work together to get things done, but that comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/now-look-it-s-true-americans-do-want-leaders-that-will-come-to/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I have been an underdog my whole life, both in life and in politics. We're going to do well. We're going to pick up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-have-been-an-underdog-my-whole-life-both-in-life-and-in-politics-we/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Certainly being governor is an important job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/certainly-being-governor-is-an-important-job/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [The conservative movement is about government playing its important yet limited role, and about not falling into the trap of believing that every problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-conservative-movement-is-about-government-playing-its-important/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [The greatest thing that we can do for the world is be America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-greatest-thing-that-we-can-do-for-the-world-is-be-america/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Our people want jobs. They don't want a safety net as a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/our-people-want-jobs-they-don-t-want-a-safety-net-as-a-way-of-life/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I believe that every single human being is entitled to the protection of our laws, whether they can vote or not. Whether they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-believe-that-every-single-human-being-is-entitled-to-the-protection/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I don't measure success by how many buildings have my name on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-don-t-measure-success-by-how-many-buildings-have-my-name-on-it/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Any time you can degrade or take away the top leadership of an organization, it's a positive step forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/any-time-you-can-degrade-or-take-away-the-top-leadership-of-an/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) [Explore all 649 Marco Rubio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) ## More Constructive quotes > [It is extremely difficult to do anything constructive, let alone deep, on daily commercial television, especially on a talk show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/it-is-extremely-difficult-to-do-anything-constructive-let-alone-deep/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Fear is a negative thought in your mind. Supplant it with a constructive thought. Fear has killed millions. Confidence is greater than fear. Nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/fear-is-a-negative-thought-in-your-mind-supplant-it-with-a/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Art shows us how to see things that are constructive and good, and to be an active part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/art-shows-us-how-to-see-things-that-are-constructive-and-good-and-to/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [The goal in raising one's child is to enable him, first, to discover who he wants to be, and then to become a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-bettelheim/the-goal-in-raising-one-s-child-is-to-enable-him-first-to-discover/) [Bruno Bettelheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-bettelheim/) > [One of the great qualities of Chancellor Merkel is that she is steady. She analyzes a situation. She's honest. Sometimes we've had disagreements, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-of-the-great-qualities-of-chancellor-merkel-is-that-she-is-steady/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Trusting people to be creative and constructive when given more freedom does not imply an overly optimistic belief in the perfectibility of human nature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/trusting-people-to-be-creative-and-constructive-when-given-more/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [Increasingly constructive doubt is the sign of advancing civilization. We must put question marks along many of our inherited legal dogmas, since they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-frank/increasingly-constructive-doubt-is-the-sign-of-advancing-civilization/) [Jerome Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-frank/) > [“To improve your skills, you need to be receptive to constructive criticism and open to feeling uncomfortable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-kaplan/to-improve-your-skills-you-need-to-be-receptive-to-constructive/) [Robert S. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-kaplan/) > [Coming to appreciate your worth can, in some cases, dramatically improve your circumstances by changing the choices you make and the actions you take.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/coming-to-appreciate-your-worth-can-in-some-cases-dramatically/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [I commend Sri Chinmoy for his faith and serenity, and I hope he will continue to exert his calming and constructive influence on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mulroney/i-commend-sri-chinmoy-for-his-faith-and-serenity-and-i-hope-he-will/) [Brian Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mulroney/) > [Intuitionism is not constructive, perfectionism is unacceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/intuitionism-is-not-constructive-perfectionism-is-unacceptable/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Constructive argument brings out the best in both partnership and relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-nwakama/constructive-argument-brings-out-the-best-in-both-partnership-and/) [Anne Nwakama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-nwakama/) > [If only we could love ourselves enough to dare to approach God, what constructive dreams he would give us! What noble possibilities God wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/if-only-we-could-love-ourselves-enough-to-dare-to-approach-god-what/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [There are times in everyone's life when something constructive is born out of adversity... when things seem so bad that you've got to grab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/there-are-times-in-everyone-s-life-when-something-constructive-is/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [You do what you know is good, because it's good, and then you have a certain peace of mind, saying, you've been an activist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-mcgovern/you-do-what-you-know-is-good-because-it-s-good-and-then-you-have-a/) [Ray McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-mcgovern/) Browse all 548 Constructive quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let me start by saying that I do not enjoy nor relish the partisan role of attack dog. I never found any fun in that. I don't think it's constructive. 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