--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The tough thing about a campaign being…" description: "\"The tough thing about a campaign being over is, you lose your enemy.\" — Mark Shields" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/mark-shields-1572_campaign_the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-o_1412254.jpg" --- # The tough thing about a campaign being over is, you lose… ![“The tough thing about a campaign being over is, you lose your enemy.” quote by Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/mark-shields-1572_campaign_the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-o_1412254.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/mark-shields-1572_campaign_the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-o_1412254.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/mark-shields-1572_campaign_the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-o_1412254.jpg) > “The tough thing about a campaign being over is, you lose your enemy.” [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. When a campaign ends, the opponent disappears, leaving a void of purpose and challenge. **In simple terms:** Loss of enemy can feel empty. Key Takeaway Find new purpose beyond conflict. Themes purpose challenge identity competition Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - post‑campaign reflection - career transition - personal growth Key Concepts political cycles psychology of rivalry Questions to Reflect On - How will you define purpose without a rival? - What new challenges can you pursue? A Different Perspective Without an opponent, motivation may wane. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Campaigns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ## Related quotes > [But when you meet with the enemy and genuinely try to understand his or her perspective, you lose the enemy as a political tool.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/but-when-you-meet-with-the-enemy-and-genuinely-try-to-understand-his/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [“When you lose your enemy, it's like you lost your love!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fereidoon-yazdi/when-you-lose-your-enemy-it-s-like-you-lost-your-love/) [Fereidoon Yazdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fereidoon-yazdi/) > [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/) > [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/) > [If you look at the newspapers here - the Washington papers - most of the discussion deals with campaign gossip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/if-you-look-at-the-newspapers-here-the-washington-papers-most-of-the/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [It's a strategic thing to be in permanent campaign mode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-s-a-strategic-thing-to-be-in-permanent-campaign-mode/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [It wouldn't do me much good to back somebody that won in Iowa if they can't carry on the campaign elsewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-grassley/it-wouldn-t-do-me-much-good-to-back-somebody-that-won-in-iowa-if-they/) [Chuck Grassley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-grassley/) > [Part of the challenge of the Barack Obama campaign was to try to neutralize that white backlash, and of course, he was masterful in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/part-of-the-challenge-of-the-barack-obama-campaign-was-to-try-to/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The brutality of the pace. This was my third presidential campaign and it was a thousand times faster paced than my first one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-madden/the-brutality-of-the-pace-this-was-my-third-presidential-campaign-and/) [Kevin Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-madden/) > [ What this \[presidency\] campaign is about this bringing millions of people jobs in this country. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/what-this-presidency-campaign-is-about-this-bringing-millions-of/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [And so there are a lot of bad things. And in this campaign, if there's somebody you don't think should be nominated, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-cowan/and-so-there-are-a-lot-of-bad-things-and-in-this-campaign-if-there-s/) [Geoffrey Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-cowan/) > [The White House begun airing their TV commercials to re-elect the president, and the John Kerry campaign is condemning his use of 9/11 in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-white-house-begun-airing-their-tv-commercials-to-re-elect-the/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [People can expect to see a lot of me - I'm not too proud to stand on corners and hold my campaign signs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-wynn/people-can-expect-to-see-a-lot-of-me-i-m-not-too-proud-to-stand-on/) [Albert Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-wynn/) > [I would like to have campaign spending limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-would-like-to-have-campaign-spending-limits/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [If you put everything, your heart and soul into a campaign, it might take you a while to come around to the realization that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/if-you-put-everything-your-heart-and-soul-into-a-campaign-it-might/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) ## 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 Campaign quotes > [If you put everything, your heart and soul into a campaign, it might take you a while to come around to the realization that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/if-you-put-everything-your-heart-and-soul-into-a-campaign-it-might/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [The #MeToo campaign is monumental. It is giving a voice to so many too scared to speak out before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-smart/the-metoo-campaign-is-monumental-it-is-giving-a-voice-to-so-many-too/) [Elizabeth Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-smart/) > [I have a tendency to campaign positively and campaign on issues, not try to tear someone else down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/i-have-a-tendency-to-campaign-positively-and-campaign-on-issues-not/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [I would like to have campaign spending limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-would-like-to-have-campaign-spending-limits/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The public should begin to understand that there's nothing that comes out of this campaign, or this Obama White House, that they can believe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sununu/the-public-should-begin-to-understand-that-there-s-nothing-that-comes/) [John Sununu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sununu/) > [“It’s true, though, that we struggled to stay on message. My advisors had to deal with a candidate—me—who often wanted something new to say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/it-s-true-though-that-we-struggled-to-stay-on-message-my-advisors-had/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [A digital director shouldn't be out front, but a campaign manager's job is to set a narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-parscale/a-digital-director-shouldn-t-be-out-front-but-a-campaign-manager-s/) [Brad Parscale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-parscale/) > [I'm of the philosophy that you wage a campaign of full engagement and you use every tool in the toolbox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/i-m-of-the-philosophy-that-you-wage-a-campaign-of-full-engagement-and/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [I'm going to have to campaign to teach Bolivians who the president is, because apparently they haven't realized I'm here yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-m-going-to-have-to-campaign-to-teach-bolivians-who-the-president-is/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [I injured myself politically when I took on Jesse Jackson' in the 1988 presidential campaign. I was too strident. I didn't recognize the emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-injured-myself-politically-when-i-took-on-jesse-jackson-in-the-1988/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [When I campaign with seniors, it's always, 'Are you a Democrat or Republican?' But when I campaign on college campuses, they ask me where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/when-i-campaign-with-seniors-it-s-always-are-you-a-democrat-or/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product. Unless your advertising contains a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/it-takes-a-big-idea-to-attract-the-attention-of-consumers-and-get/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [The #SwimSexy campaign is redefining standards of beauty, and I'm proud to be a part of it. My hope is that this campaign connects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philomena-kwao/the-swimsexy-campaign-is-redefining-standards-of-beauty-and-i-m-proud/) [Philomena Kwao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philomena-kwao/) > [During a campaign, the trick is to spend no more than 15 to 30 seconds with anyone and to keep moving so that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-navarro/during-a-campaign-the-trick-is-to-spend-no-more-than-15-to-30-seconds/) [Peter Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-navarro/) > [“...the weather was atrocious. A frightful storm burst upon us. We camped literally in water...To cap our woe, there was no means to light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonce-patry/the-weather-was-atrocious-a-frightful-storm-burst-upon-us-we-camped/) Leonce Patry Browse all 801 Campaign quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The tough thing about a campaign being over is, you lose your enemy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Shields" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-over-is-you-lose-your-enemy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Campaign" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-over-is-you-lose-your-enemy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/mark-shields-1572_campaign_the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-o_1412254.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/mark-shields-1572_campaign_the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-o_1412254.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/mark-shields-1572_campaign_the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-o_1412254.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The tough thing about a campaign being over is, you lose your enemy.” — 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": "The tough thing about a campaign...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-over-is-you-lose-your-enemy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/the-tough-thing-about-a-campaign-being-over-is-you-lose-your-enemy/#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 } } ] } ```