Behavior Quote by Mark Shields
![“[Democrats] have got to start winning elections. That involves not some great idea, but it also involves recruiting candidates. And Rahm Emanuel, the mayor of Chicago, who has given obnoxiousness a new definition in his personal behavior, oftentimes in his dealings with the press, had a very good…” quote by Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/951/mark-shields-1572_behavior_democrats-have-got-to-start-winning-elec_2090136.jpg)
“[Democrats] have got to start winning elections. That involves not some great idea, but it also involves recruiting candidates. And Rahm Emanuel, the mayor of Chicago, who has given obnoxiousness a new definition in his personal behavior, oftentimes in his dealings with the press, had a very good point.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Political Commentary, 2008
Winning elections requires practical organization and candidate recruitment, not just ideas.
In simple terms: Success needs good candidates and strategy.
Key Takeaway
Focus on recruiting strong candidates.
Themes
politics
election strategy
leadership
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
political
strategic
When to use this quote
- local elections
- party building
- grassroots mobilization
Key Concepts
campaign management
candidate vetting
Questions to Reflect On
- What qualities make a candidate electable?
- How can parties improve candidate outreach?
A Different Perspective
Recruiting alone won’t guarantee victory without voter connection.
![“The Democrats have to do what he did when [Rahm Emanuel] was chairman of the Democratic House Campaign Committee, recruit veterans, recruit football players, recruit business people. And I think that's what the job of the new party chair has to be.” quote by Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b0c/mark-shields-1572_ball-player_the-democrats-have-to-do-what-he-did-whe_2838657.jpg)
![“After I had known [Barack Obama] for a while, I remember saying to my partner, "You know, this guy is really ambitious, I think he wants to be Mayor of Chicago." That was the limit of my imagination.” quote by Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f90/bill-ayers-1848_ambitious_after-i-had-known-barack-obama-for-a-whi_2468703.jpg)
![“My church [Catholisism] is hurting from arrogance and from its indifference to the suffering of children that were abused and the inclination of the leadership to protect the institution, rather than the children.” quote by Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/14e/mark-shields-1572_arrogance_my-church-catholisism-is-hurting-from-ar_144776.jpg)
