---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gimmicks belong almost anyplace except a…"
description: "\"Gimmicks belong almost anyplace except a Republican presidential primary.\" — Meghan McCain"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/meghan-mccain-4652_belong_gimmicks-belong-almost-anyplace-except-a_2925043.png"
---

#  Gimmicks belong almost anyplace except a Republican…

![“Gimmicks belong almost anyplace except a Republican presidential primary.” quote by Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/meghan-mccain-4652_belong_gimmicks-belong-almost-anyplace-except-a_2925043.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/meghan-mccain-4652_belong_gimmicks-belong-almost-anyplace-except-a_2925043.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/meghan-mccain-4652_belong_gimmicks-belong-almost-anyplace-except-a_2925043.png)

> “Gimmicks belong almost anyplace except a Republican presidential primary.”

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Political tactics often prioritize style over substance, especially in high‑stakes elections.

**In simple terms:** Gimmicks dominate politics, especially in primaries.

Key Takeaway

Focus on policies, not tricks.

Themes

politics campaigns media strategy

Mood

cynical critical

Type

political commentary

When to use this quote

- primary debates
- campaign rallies
- advertising
- social media
- public speeches

Key Concepts

populism media framing voter perception

Questions to Reflect On

- How do gimmicks affect voter decisions?
- What alternatives can candidates use to convey substance?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on gimmicks can obscure genuine policy differences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/)

## Related quotes

> [My first presidential primary vote was for Bobby Kennedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/my-first-presidential-primary-vote-was-for-bobby-kennedy/)

[Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/)

> [Presidential primary debates are an important part of our political process. But the media has wrested complete control from the parties and candidates over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/presidential-primary-debates-are-an-important-part-of-our-political/)

[Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/)

> [For people who write about electoral, or 'horse race,' politics, few things are more enjoyable than an exciting presidential primary season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/for-people-who-write-about-electoral-or-horse-race-politics-few/)

[Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/)

> [I have a specialization in a very particular area: the presidential primary process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kornacki/i-have-a-specialization-in-a-very-particular-area-the-presidential/)

[Steve Kornacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kornacki/)

> [Is it any wonder somebody like Donald Trump is racing through the presidential primary process?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/is-it-any-wonder-somebody-like-donald-trump-is-racing-through-the/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [I had supported Governor George W. Bush over Senator John McCain in the 2000 Rhode Island presidential primary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-chafee/i-had-supported-governor-george-w-bush-over-senator-john-mccain-in/)

[Lincoln Chafee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-chafee/)

> [Sharpton is not even on the Presidential primary ballot here in Louisiana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-brown/sharpton-is-not-even-on-the-presidential-primary-ballot-here-in/)

Tony Brown

> [What sort of job can you hold in America in which it is safe to hold the personal conviction that same-sex marriage is wrong?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/what-sort-of-job-can-you-hold-in-america-in-which-it-is-safe-to-hold/)

[Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/)

> [I don't want any gimmicks. The fact that people think that Whack is a gimmick is so crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tierra-whack/i-don-t-want-any-gimmicks-the-fact-that-people-think-that-whack-is-a/)

[Tierra Whack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tierra-whack/)

> [The new artists with gimmicks have the most problems staying out here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/the-new-artists-with-gimmicks-have-the-most-problems-staying-out-here/)

[Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/)

> [I am a successful lecturer in physics for popular audiences. The real entertainment gimmick is the excitement, drama and mystery of the subject matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-am-a-successful-lecturer-in-physics-for-popular-audiences-the-real/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [Why do photographers start giving numbers to their prints? It’s absurd. What do you do when the 20th print has been done? Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-cartier-bresson/why-do-photographers-start-giving-numbers-to-their-prints-it-s-absurd/)

[Henri Cartier-Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-cartier-bresson/)

> [I want to show my range before I fall into any typecasting. I've turned down a lot of things trying to wait. But at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-garity/i-want-to-show-my-range-before-i-fall-into-any-typecasting-i-ve/)

[Troy Garity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-garity/)

> [I'm not much on gimmicks. I never have been because they don't last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/i-m-not-much-on-gimmicks-i-never-have-been-because-they-don-t-last/)

[Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/)

> [I think, honestly, that the word 'indie' is a false gimmick. 'Independent' used to mean a movie that was financed outside corporate Hollywood, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-think-honestly-that-the-word-indie-is-a-false-gimmick-independent/)

[Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/)

## More by Meghan McCain

> [HBO is turning 'Game Change' into a miniseries, and they've cast Ed Harris as my dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/hbo-is-turning-game-change-into-a-miniseries-and-they-ve-cast-ed/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [I can't really regret things; you just have to move on and live your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/i-can-t-really-regret-things-you-just-have-to-move-on-and-live-your/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [I can't cook, unless you want Cheez Whiz on a Ritz cracker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/i-can-t-cook-unless-you-want-cheez-whiz-on-a-ritz-cracker/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [Mary Matalin and James Carville have given me more hope when it comes to love and relationships than any romance book or chick flick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/mary-matalin-and-james-carville-have-given-me-more-hope-when-it-comes/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [We Republicans need to look at the future instead of living in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/we-republicans-need-to-look-at-the-future-instead-of-living-in-the/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [It is really hard not to love Whoopi Goldberg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/it-is-really-hard-not-to-love-whoopi-goldberg/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [I'm in, like, dating Babylon. Like, I go on dates with men and, literally, like Sarah Palin will come up in like the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/i-m-in-like-dating-babylon-like-i-go-on-dates-with-men-and-literally/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [Campaigns are weird animals and innately bring out bizarre road stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/campaigns-are-weird-animals-and-innately-bring-out-bizarre-road/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [There are people I know who love President Trump and think that he's the greatest thing that's ever happened to America. I understand those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/there-are-people-i-know-who-love-president-trump-and-think-that-he-s/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [I care more about my economy, national security, and fiscal conservatism than I do about what other women do with their bodies. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/i-care-more-about-my-economy-national-security-and-fiscal/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [I can't give into hate. It's too great a burden to bear. I have to stick with love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/i-can-t-give-into-hate-it-s-too-great-a-burden-to-bear-i-have-to/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [It's because of women like my grandmother Roberta - women who have lived their lives fearlessly, on their own terms - that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/it-s-because-of-women-like-my-grandmother-roberta-women-who-have/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [I really like working with people who believe what they're saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/i-really-like-working-with-people-who-believe-what-they-re-saying/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> [I grew up in Arizona listening to Hank Williams Jr., Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, and Dolly Parton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/i-grew-up-in-arizona-listening-to-hank-williams-jr-johnny-cash-tammy/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

> ['Game Change,' the infamous bestseller written by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, has plagued anyone directly associated with the 2008 election cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/game-change-the-infamous-bestseller-written-by-john-heilemann-and/)

[Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

[Explore all 108 Meghan McCain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/)

## More Belong quotes

> [How come I end up where I started How come I end up where I belong... You used to be alright What happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/how-come-i-end-up-where-i-started-how-come-i-end-up-where-i-belong/)

[Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/)

> [Each of us is precious to God because each of us has their name written on the palms of God's hands. And God says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/each-of-us-is-precious-to-god-because-each-of-us-has-their-name/)

[Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/)

> [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [I hate this feeling. Like Im here. But, Im not. Like someone cares. But, they dont. Like I belong somewhere else, anywhere but here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-this-feeling-like-im-here-but-im-not-like-someone-cares-but/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [As you know, in America there's no rights for the artist, so whatever films I've made kind of belong to the studio, so if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-jewison/as-you-know-in-america-there-s-no-rights-for-the-artist-so-whatever/)

[Norman Jewison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-jewison/)

> [“When the time comes, everybody’s got to end up where they belong. Only me, I didn’t have a place to call my own. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-the-time-comes-everybody-s-got-to-end-up-where-they-belong-only/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [God has a purpose for us. If he didn't we wouldn't be alive in the first place. We have a calling. We are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-janssen/god-has-a-purpose-for-us-if-he-didn-t-we-wouldn-t-be-alive-in-the/)

[Kenny Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-janssen/)

> [I thought of how many places there are in the world that belong in this way to someone, who has it in his blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/i-thought-of-how-many-places-there-are-in-the-world-that-belong-in/)

[Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/)

> [I belong to a Bohri Muslim family, and for us, food is our biggest celebration. We are used to elaborate five- to six-course meals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nushrat-bharucha/i-belong-to-a-bohri-muslim-family-and-for-us-food-is-our-biggest/)

[Nushrat Bharucha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nushrat-bharucha/)

> [“You need to belong to yourself, and let others belong to themselves too. You need to be free and detached from things and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/you-need-to-belong-to-yourself-and-let-others-belong-to-themselves/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [I want all of my films to belong to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-want-all-of-my-films-to-belong-to-me/)

[Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/)

> [“Your beliefs, and your beliefs alone, belong to you. You are the only one who is with you for your entire life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz-jr/your-beliefs-and-your-beliefs-alone-belong-to-you-you-are-the-only/)

[Miguel Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz-jr/)

> [Earth does not belong to us; we belong to earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-seattle/earth-does-not-belong-to-us-we-belong-to-earth/)

[Chief Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-seattle/)

> [I think I know where you belong. I think I know its not with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-i-know-where-you-belong-i-think-i-know-its-not-with-me/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There's a compelling reason why I belong in the Hall of Fame, but I understand the argument against me. My career didn't go like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-warner/there-s-a-compelling-reason-why-i-belong-in-the-hall-of-fame-but-i/)

[Kurt Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-warner/)

Browse all 1,571 Belong quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Gimmicks belong almost anyplace except a Republican presidential primary.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Meghan McCain"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/gimmicks-belong-almost-anyplace-except-a-republican-presidential/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Belong"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/gimmicks-belong-almost-anyplace-except-a-republican-presidential/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/meghan-mccain-4652_belong_gimmicks-belong-almost-anyplace-except-a_2925043.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/meghan-mccain-4652_belong_gimmicks-belong-almost-anyplace-except-a_2925043.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/meghan-mccain-4652_belong_gimmicks-belong-almost-anyplace-except-a_2925043.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Gimmicks belong almost anyplace except a Republican presidential primary.” — Meghan McCain",
                "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": "Meghan McCain",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Gimmicks belong almost anyplace except a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/gimmicks-belong-almost-anyplace-except-a-republican-presidential/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/gimmicks-belong-almost-anyplace-except-a-republican-presidential/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
