--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's both strategic, to get people's…" description: "\"It's both strategic, to get people's minds off other things, and to pick an internal enemy. It's part of [Donald Trump's] psychodynamics to always care..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/mark-shields-1572_care_it-s-both-strategic-to-get-people-s-mind_524998.jpg" --- # It's both strategic, to get people's minds off other… ![“It's both strategic, to get people's minds off other things, and to pick an internal enemy. It's part of [Donald Trump's] psychodynamics to always care about his press coverage intensely. He's more interested in that than anything else.” quote by Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/mark-shields-1572_care_it-s-both-strategic-to-get-people-s-mind_524998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/mark-shields-1572_care_it-s-both-strategic-to-get-people-s-mind_524998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80d/mark-shields-1572_care_it-s-both-strategic-to-get-people-s-mind_524998.jpg) > “It's both strategic, to get people's minds off other things, and to pick an internal enemy. It's part of \[Donald Trump's\] psychodynamics to always care about his press coverage intensely. He's more interested in that than anything else.” [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trump uses distraction tactics to shift public focus and create a scapegoat, reflecting his obsession with media perception. **In simple terms:** He diverts attention and blames others to protect his image. Key Takeaway Watch for diversion tactics in leadership. Themes politics media psychology leadership Mood cautious critical Type analytical observational When to use this quote - campaign strategy - media interviews - crisis management - public relations Key Concepts propaganda scapegoating public perception Questions to Reflect On - How do diversion tactics affect public trust? - What alternatives exist for transparent leadership? A Different Perspective Such tactics can erode trust and accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [It's part of Donald Trump's psychodynamics to always care about his press coverage intensely. He's more interested in that than anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/it-s-part-of-donald-trump-s-psychodynamics-to-always-care-about-his/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [In campaign reporting more than any other kind of press coverage, reporters aren't just covering a story, they're a part of it - influencing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/in-campaign-reporting-more-than-any-other-kind-of-press-coverage/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [Press coverage has been difficult for him. I did not set out to ensnare him with a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-bashir/press-coverage-has-been-difficult-for-him-i-did-not-set-out-to/) [Martin Bashir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-bashir/) > [That is the White House, where you can fit four times the amount of people in the press conference, allowing more press, more coverage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reince-priebus/that-is-the-white-house-where-you-can-fit-four-times-the-amount-of/) [Reince Priebus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reince-priebus/) > [“The only difference between a suicide and a martyrdom really is the amount of press coverage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/the-only-difference-between-a-suicide-and-a-martyrdom-really-is-the/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“According again to Harvard’s Shorenstein Center, discussion of public policy accounted for just 10 percent of all campaign news coverage in the general election.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/according-again-to-harvard-s-shorenstein-center-discussion-of-public/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Because the only difference between a suicide and a martyrdom really is the amount of press coverage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-the-only-difference-between-a-suicide-and-a-martyrdom-really/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [America must deal once and for all with an utterly irrational health care financing system that allows private interests to make billions in profits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-gordon/america-must-deal-once-and-for-all-with-an-utterly-irrational-health/) [Suzanne Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-gordon/) > [It's easier to lecture women on sexual morality than it is to explain why all Americans shouldn't have comprehensive, fair, and equal health care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/it-s-easier-to-lecture-women-on-sexual-morality-than-it-is-to-explain/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [To the millions of Americans whove attempted to use HealthCare.gov to shop and enroll in health-care coverage, I want to apologize to you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-tavenner/to-the-millions-of-americans-whove-attempted-to-use-healthcare-gov-to/) Marilyn Tavenner > [Not only does political coverage often lose the signal—it frequently accentuates the noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/not-only-does-political-coverage-often-lose-the-signal-it-frequently/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) > [In entirely unrelated news, there's a new proposal to mandate coverage for gay infertility. The problem is that gay infertility is just biology. Two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-horowitz/in-entirely-unrelated-news-there-s-a-new-proposal-to-mandate-coverage/) [David Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-horowitz/) > [Eighty five percent of Americans, year in and year out, say they believe everyone should have universal coverage. The problem is everybody has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-altman/eighty-five-percent-of-americans-year-in-and-year-out-say-they/) Stuart Altman > [I think most people live in a space where they are looking for meaning in life and good in the world and that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryn-kagan/i-think-most-people-live-in-a-space-where-they-are-looking-for/) [Daryn Kagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryn-kagan/) > [We didn't see what happen when Marines fired M-16s... We didn't see what happened after mortars landed, only the puff of smoke. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-banfield/we-didn-t-see-what-happen-when-marines-fired-m-16s-we-didn-t-see-what/) [Ashleigh Banfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-banfield/) ## More by Mark Shields > [I'm not sure Betsy DeVos has ever spent a day in a public school. And I don't - I'm pretty sure Donald Trump hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-m-not-sure-betsy-devos-has-ever-spent-a-day-in-a-public-school-and/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Donald Trump is sounding the same theme he has sounded since May or June of 2015.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/donald-trump-is-sounding-the-same-theme-he-has-sounded-since-may-or/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [I do look upon the secretary of education's primary responsibility as the quality of education that - and improving the education that every child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-do-look-upon-the-secretary-of-education-s-primary-responsibility-as/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Dan Coats, retiring senator from Indiana, a mild-mannered man, a former United States ambassador to Germany, former congressman, said of Ted Cruz he's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/dan-coats-retiring-senator-from-indiana-a-mild-mannered-man-a-former/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [It's interesting how identity politics and Ann Coulter-style tactics have now blossomed. But they were always there in CPAC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/it-s-interesting-how-identity-politics-and-ann-coulter-style-tactics/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [When you run for president of the United States, everybody does the same thing in the campaign-they talk about veterans, how much they admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/when-you-run-for-president-of-the-united-states-everybody-does-the/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Americans don't like powerful figures who punch down, that is, who pick on someone less powerful and less able to speak for themselves than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/americans-don-t-like-powerful-figures-who-punch-down-that-is-who-pick/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Everyone has to take Donald Trump seriously, and I think that's what we're seeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/everyone-has-to-take-donald-trump-seriously-and-i-think-that-s-what/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Donald Trump defies gravity. And so I guess he has to be Donald Trump. It's gotten him so far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/donald-trump-defies-gravity-and-so-i-guess-he-has-to-be-donald-trump/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [ My church \[Catholisism\] is hurting from arrogance and from its indifference to the suffering of children that were abused and the inclination of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/my-church-catholisism-is-hurting-from-arrogance-and-from-its/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [America is Republican until 5:00 or 6:00 at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/america-is-republican-until-5-00-or-6-00-at-night/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [John Kerry's biography was central to his campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/john-kerry-s-biography-was-central-to-his-campaign/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [I think Guantanamo, has been synonymous with the staining of American values and American legal tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-think-guantanamo-has-been-synonymous-with-the-staining-of-american/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [Stronger together is, I think, a preposition and a comparative adjective, but it's not really an action verb or what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/stronger-together-is-i-think-a-preposition-and-a-comparative/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [If you only make fights that you're going to win, there would be no women's vote in America, there would be no civil rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/if-you-only-make-fights-that-you-re-going-to-win-there-would-be-no/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) [Explore all 227 Mark Shields quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) ## More Care quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. 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Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. 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