--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Politics is a contact sport - a question…" description: "\"Politics is a contact sport - a question of accepting an elbow or two.\" — Mark Shields" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/mark-shields-1572_accepting_politics-is-a-contact-sport-a-question-o_620075.png" --- # Politics is a contact sport - a question of accepting an… ![“Politics is a contact sport - a question of accepting an elbow or two.” quote by Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/mark-shields-1572_accepting_politics-is-a-contact-sport-a-question-o_620075.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/mark-shields-1572_accepting_politics-is-a-contact-sport-a-question-o_620075.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/mark-shields-1572_accepting_politics-is-a-contact-sport-a-question-o_620075.png) > “Politics is a contact sport - a question of accepting an elbow or two.” [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. Politics is likened to a contact sport, emphasizing aggression and resilience in political battles. **In simple terms:** Politics is aggressive and competitive. Key Takeaway Prepare for conflict and stay resilient. Themes politics conflict resilience Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - campaign strategy - debate tactics - legislative negotiations Key Concepts power dynamics strategic aggression Questions to Reflect On - How can civility survive in aggressive politics? - What strategies balance aggression with cooperation? A Different Perspective It may ignore collaborative and diplomatic aspects of politics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contact sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contact-sports/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [Everybody knows politics is a contact sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/everybody-knows-politics-is-a-contact-sport/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Politics is a contact sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-chabot/politics-is-a-contact-sport/) [Steve Chabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-chabot/) > [As for myself, in sport you have to question yourself every week and be ready in your head, and you have to be at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-giroud/as-for-myself-in-sport-you-have-to-question-yourself-every-week-and/) [Olivier Giroud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-giroud/) > [Don't put a lump of rock under my elbow again!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-put-a-lump-of-rock-under-my-elbow-again/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If the elbow had been placed closer to the hand, the forearm would have been too short to bring the glass to the mouth;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-the-elbow-had-been-placed-closer-to-the-hand-the-forearm-would/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Temptation: the fiend at my elbow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/temptation-the-fiend-at-my-elbow/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The people accusing me of being productive don't know how hard it is for me to just bend my elbow sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/the-people-accusing-me-of-being-productive-don-t-know-how-hard-it-is/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I am double jointed in my elbow. So I can turn it all the way around and then bend it so it looks like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gigi-hadid/i-am-double-jointed-in-my-elbow-so-i-can-turn-it-all-the-way-around/) [Gigi Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gigi-hadid/) > [I'm definitely an elbow-room guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kwanten/i-m-definitely-an-elbow-room-guy/) [Ryan Kwanten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kwanten/) > [Diseases of the eye are to bee cured with the elbow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/diseases-of-the-eye-are-to-bee-cured-with-the-elbow/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [I can lick my elbow. I know that's supposed to be impossible, but I can do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-voegele/i-can-lick-my-elbow-i-know-that-s-supposed-to-be-impossible-but-i-can/) [Kate Voegele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-voegele/) > [I don't know my armpit from my elbow in Los Angeles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-schilling/i-don-t-know-my-armpit-from-my-elbow-in-los-angeles/) [Taylor Schilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-schilling/) > [Politics is a contact sport, and certainly heads butt from time to time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-malliotakis/politics-is-a-contact-sport-and-certainly-heads-butt-from-time-to-time/) [Nicole Malliotakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-malliotakis/) > [The wrestling business and politics are both full-contact sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/the-wrestling-business-and-politics-are-both-full-contact-sports/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [They say politics is a contact sport, and I have to agree with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/they-say-politics-is-a-contact-sport-and-i-have-to-agree-with-that/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) ## 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 Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Politics is a contact sport - a question of accepting an elbow or two.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Shields" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/politics-is-a-contact-sport-a-question-of-accepting-an-elbow-or-two/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/politics-is-a-contact-sport-a-question-of-accepting-an-elbow-or-two/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/mark-shields-1572_accepting_politics-is-a-contact-sport-a-question-o_620075.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/mark-shields-1572_accepting_politics-is-a-contact-sport-a-question-o_620075.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/mark-shields-1572_accepting_politics-is-a-contact-sport-a-question-o_620075.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Politics is a contact sport - a question of accepting an elbow or two.” — Mark Shields", "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": "Mark Shields", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Politics is a contact sport -...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/politics-is-a-contact-sport-a-question-of-accepting-an-elbow-or-two/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/politics-is-a-contact-sport-a-question-of-accepting-an-elbow-or-two/#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 } } ] } ```