--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He wasn’t serving up these insults for…" description: "\"“He wasn’t serving up these insults for effect—well, not entirely. And his behavior wasn’t carefully calculated; it was tit for tat, and he likely woul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/michael-wolff-423_good-luck_he-wasn-t-serving-up-these-insults-for-e_797985.jpg" --- # He wasn’t serving up these insults for effect—well, not… ![“He wasn’t serving up these insults for effect—well, not entirely. And his behavior wasn’t carefully calculated; it was tit for tat, and he likely would have said what he’d said even if no one was left standing with him. (This very lack of calculation, this inability to be political, was part of…” quote by Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/michael-wolff-423_good-luck_he-wasn-t-serving-up-these-insults-for-e_797985.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/michael-wolff-423_good-luck_he-wasn-t-serving-up-these-insults-for-e_797985.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/michael-wolff-423_good-luck_he-wasn-t-serving-up-these-insults-for-e_797985.jpg) > ““He wasn’t serving up these insults for effect—well, not entirely. And his behavior wasn’t carefully calculated; it was tit for tat, and he likely would have said what he’d said even if no one was left standing with him. (This very lack of calculation, this inability to be political, was part of his political charm.) It was just his good luck that the Trumpian 35 percent—that standing percentage of people who, according to most polls, seemed to support him no matter what (who would, in his estimation, let him get away with shooting someone on Fifth Avenue)—was largely unfazed and maybe even buoyed by every new expression of Trumpness.”” [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A political figure’s uncalculated, raw behavior can attract a loyal base that admires authenticity over strategy, even when controversial. **In simple terms:** Raw political style can win loyal followers. Key Takeaway Understand the appeal of authenticity in politics. Themes politics authenticity populism Mood critical analytical Type political observational When to use this quote - campaigns - media coverage - public perception - grassroots movements Key Concepts charisma political branding Questions to Reflect On - Why do people gravitate toward unfiltered leaders? - What are the risks of valuing style over substance? A Different Perspective Authenticity can also alienate moderate voters and cause instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Tit For Tat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tit-for-tat/) ## Related quotes > [“His behavior wasn’t helping his Q points at all. He’d been making attempts to engage in conversation with almost everyone, but once he joined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/his-behavior-wasn-t-helping-his-q-points-at-all-he-d-been-making/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [I wasn't writing, I wasn't drawing, and personality-wise, I was just completely arrogant. I'm not trying to be overly apologetic for my behavior -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-wasn-t-writing-i-wasn-t-drawing-and-personality-wise-i-was-just/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Senator McCain believes there ought to be a limit to how much the government can take from anybody, and he believes that today with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/senator-mccain-believes-there-ought-to-be-a-limit-to-how-much-the/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [We are even more confident that when President Goodluck Jonathan returns in 2015, women would be talking about 50 percent, no longer 35 percent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kema-chikwe/we-are-even-more-confident-that-when-president-goodluck-jonathan/) Kema Chikwe > [As of the mid-90s, over 50 percent of women have a bachelor's and master's degree, compared to about 35 percent and 30 percent, respectively, in 1920.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/as-of-the-mid-90s-over-50-percent-of-women-have-a-bachelor-s-and/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [How is the government going to run without people like us? We make 35 percent of the bread in this country, and that much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-andreas/how-is-the-government-going-to-run-without-people-like-us-we-make-35/) [Dwayne Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-andreas/) > [I came from a state where 35 percent self-identify as Tea Partiers, so I'm a bit distorted perhaps in my appreciation for the larger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-carson/i-came-from-a-state-where-35-percent-self-identify-as-tea-partiers-so/) [Brad Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-carson/) > [Under my plan, I'll be reducing taxes tremendously, from 35 percent to 15 percent for companies, small and big businesses. That's going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/under-my-plan-i-ll-be-reducing-taxes-tremendously-from-35-percent-to/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [35% percent of a relationship involves tolerating bad breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/35-percent-of-a-relationship-involves-tolerating-bad-breath/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We also need to reduce corporate tax rates. This applies to small, medium and large businesses. At 35 percent, we have the second highest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-whitman/we-also-need-to-reduce-corporate-tax-rates-this-applies-to-small/) [Meg Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-whitman/) > [The fact that 35 percent of all American giving went to religious organizations in 2010 reflects how closely bound many of us are with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/the-fact-that-35-percent-of-all-american-giving-went-to-religious/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [We're going to start making things again in America. As part of our plan to bring back our jobs, we're going to lower our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-re-going-to-start-making-things-again-in-america-as-part-of-our/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Any party that writes off 25, 30, 35 percent of the American people is not going to be a winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-schumer/any-party-that-writes-off-25-30-35-percent-of-the-american-people-is/) [Chuck Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-schumer/) > [Up until 1986, the top marginal rate, the top statutory rate was 50 percent. Now it's 35 percent. And all the pressure is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-bartlett/up-until-1986-the-top-marginal-rate-the-top-statutory-rate-was-50/) [Bruce Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-bartlett/) > [I think if any president gets 30 - 35 percent of the agenda done within those first 100 days, I think it's a pretty big accomplishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-maccallum/i-think-if-any-president-gets-30-35-percent-of-the-agenda-done-within/) [Martha MacCallum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-maccallum/) ## More by Michael Wolff > [Donald Trump doesn't necessarily stay mad for very long. He's a transactional guy. If you can offer him something, he will take it. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/donald-trump-doesn-t-necessarily-stay-mad-for-very-long-he-s-a/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“he could yet make a case for a straight line from Nixon to Trump.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/he-could-yet-make-a-case-for-a-straight-line-from-nixon-to-trump/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“it confirmed Bannon’s worst fear: Trump, in his true heart, was a marshmallow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/it-confirmed-bannon-s-worst-fear-trump-in-his-true-heart-was-a/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“An important aspect of Kaplan’s New York Observer and its self-conscious inside media baseball was that the paper became the prime school for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/an-important-aspect-of-kaplan-s-new-york-observer-and-its-self/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“The candidate who billed himself as a billionaire—ten times over—refused even to invest his own money in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/the-candidate-who-billed-himself-as-a-billionaire-ten-times-over/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [If institutions don't grow, they... well, I don't know what happens to them, because they always grow. 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Please use the search function…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/the-index-that-appeared-in-the-print-version-of-this-title-does-not/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“Trump liked to say that one of the things that made life worth living was getting your friends’ wives into bed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/trump-liked-to-say-that-one-of-the-things-that-made-life-worth-living/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“The kids”—Jared and Ivanka—exhibited an increasingly panicked sense that the FBI and DOJ were moving beyond Russian election interference and into family finances. “Ivanka…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/the-kids-jared-and-ivanka-exhibited-an-increasingly-panicked-sense/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [I am old enough to think the word 'journalist' is not all that noble a designation. Journalist - that record keeper, quote taker and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/i-am-old-enough-to-think-the-word-journalist-is-not-all-that-noble-a/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“Politics had seemed to become, even well before the age of Trump, a mortal affair. It was now zero-sum: When one side profited, another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/politics-had-seemed-to-become-even-well-before-the-age-of-trump-a/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) [Explore all 570 Michael Wolff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) ## More Good luck quotes > [“if you cannot control your hunger and appetite, good luck managing your blood chemistry, metabolism, waistline, and, in the bigger picture, the prospect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-perlmutter/if-you-cannot-control-your-hunger-and-appetite-good-luck-managing/) [David Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-perlmutter/) > [“Generally speaking, 99 percent of the time life is benign and supportive. The ego leads us to fixate on the 1 percent when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-richard-riso/generally-speaking-99-percent-of-the-time-life-is-benign-and/) [Don Richard Riso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-richard-riso/) > [“When Sebastian, cearly delighted to be treated like one of the guys, didn't move, Alex bared his teeth. " Depeche-toi! " Sebastian depeched. Alex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/when-sebastian-cearly-delighted-to-be-treated-like-one-of-the-guys/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Retweet this and you'll have good luck and happiness for the rest of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lush/retweet-this-and-you-ll-have-good-luck-and-happiness-for-the-rest-of/) [Matthew Lush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lush/) > [Worst thing in the world? John is completely out of it. Good luck, ladies. He's a freak!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/worst-thing-in-the-world-john-is-completely-out-of-it-good-luck/) [Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/) > [Good luck is the gayest of all gay girls; Long in one place, she will not stay:](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton-hay/good-luck-is-the-gayest-of-all-gay-girls-long-in-one-place-she-will/) John Milton Hay > [Instead of just being the person that's like: 'Gosh, that's cool that people are doing stuff and good luck. Do you need me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mendoza/instead-of-just-being-the-person-that-s-like-gosh-that-s-cool-that/) [Jessica Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mendoza/) > [Dear you have always been doing well; if you will keep on going you will meet your destination. Good luck to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/dear-you-have-always-been-doing-well-if-you-will-keep-on-going-you/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Epitaphs are cheap, and they do a poor chap a world of good after he is dead, especially if he had hard luck while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/epitaphs-are-cheap-and-they-do-a-poor-chap-a-world-of-good-after-he/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [\[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. 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And his behavior wasn’t carefully calculated; it was tit for tat, and he likely would have said what he’d said even if no one was left standing with him. (This very lack of calculation, this inability to be political, was part of his political charm.) 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