--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Presidents are not elected anymore; they…" description: "\"“Presidents are not elected anymore; they are hired.”\" — Michel Templet" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/michel-templet-11969_elected_presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they_256344.jpg" --- # Presidents are not elected anymore; they are hired. ![“Presidents are not elected anymore; they are hired.” quote by Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/michel-templet-11969_elected_presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they_256344.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/michel-templet-11969_elected_presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they_256344.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/michel-templet-11969_elected_presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they_256344.jpg) > ““Presidents are not elected anymore; they are hired.”” [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern presidents are selected like CEOs, emphasizing managerial skills over electoral politics. **In simple terms:** Presidents are now hired like executives. Key Takeaway Focus on competence, not campaigning. Themes politics leadership corporate culture Mood critical analytical Type political commentary observational When to use this quote - government hiring - policy making - public trust Key Concepts executive recruitment democratic erosion Questions to Reflect On - Should leadership be chosen by merit or vote? - What are the dangers of “hiring” political leaders? A Different Perspective Risk of reducing democratic accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Elections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elections/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Presidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidents/) ## Related quotes > [Presidents are elected not by direct popular vote but by 538 members of the Electoral College.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-mann/presidents-are-elected-not-by-direct-popular-vote-but-by-538-members/) [Thomas E. Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-mann/) > [Presidents should do whatever possible and practical to encourage an environment of cooperation and bipartisanship. And they should maintain a certain level of decorum,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/presidents-should-do-whatever-possible-and-practical-to-encourage-an/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [In the past, in order to continue as a candidate, a serious candidate, you had to be in the top three finishes in Iowa.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/in-the-past-in-order-to-continue-as-a-candidate-a-serious-candidate/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [In theory, at least, all presidents are servants of the people who elected them. In the case of Barack Obama, it has seemed from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/in-theory-at-least-all-presidents-are-servants-of-the-people-who/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [Presidents are selected, not elected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/presidents-are-selected-not-elected/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being an Arab leader has its rewards: the suite at the Waldorf-Astoria during the United Nations General Assembly, travel in your own plane, plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/being-an-arab-leader-has-its-rewards-the-suite-at-the-waldorf-astoria/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [“The wish to be elected cannot be more important than the wish to do the right thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-bello-accioly/the-wish-to-be-elected-cannot-be-more-important-than-the-wish-to-do/) [Victor Bello Accioly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-bello-accioly/) > [In the span of three years, the Iraqi people participated in three elections, drafted a constitution, and elected a new government. While more work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-murphy/in-the-span-of-three-years-the-iraqi-people-participated-in-three/) [Tim Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-murphy/) > [“Ballot papers do not define leaders. Leadership is defined by conviction, vision, passion and inspiration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/ballot-papers-do-not-define-leaders-leadership-is-defined-by/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I had been hired and fired so many times and been so very blessed and lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldust/i-had-been-hired-and-fired-so-many-times-and-been-so-very-blessed-and/) [Goldust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldust/) > [I promised myself: Before your 18th birthday, you're going to be at Jean Paul Gaultier. And it worked. I was hired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-ghesquiere/i-promised-myself-before-your-18th-birthday-you-re-going-to-be-at/) [Nicolas Ghesquiere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-ghesquiere/) > [“With warm pleasantries, strangers become clients. With firm handshakes, contracts become signed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/utibe-samuel-mbom/with-warm-pleasantries-strangers-become-clients-with-firm-handshakes/) [Utibe Samuel Mbom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/utibe-samuel-mbom/) > [The more shows that are produced, the more writers are hired, producers are hired, actors are hired, directors are hired, it means the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/the-more-shows-that-are-produced-the-more-writers-are-hired-producers/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [“stay in for a while?” Donnie turned to face him. “You not staying out at her place?” “I’ll get my hired”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-hayes/stay-in-for-a-while-donnie-turned-to-face-him-you-not-staying-out-at/) [Christy Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-hayes/) > [“I study dead languages for a living,” I said. “That’s why you hired me. Why should I be up to speed on your line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-study-dead-languages-for-a-living-i-said-that-s-why-you-hired-me/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## More by Michel Templet > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“To speak only one language is to do yourself a great injustice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/to-speak-only-one-language-is-to-do-yourself-a-great-injustice/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“There is no such thing as a victimless crime, and people should be allowed to do as they please with their own bodies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-victimless-crime-and-people-should-be/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“We have a problem when the same people who make the law get to decide whether or not they themselves have broken the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/we-have-a-problem-when-the-same-people-who-make-the-law-get-to-decide/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“I find it significant that most military veterans become pacifists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/i-find-it-significant-that-most-military-veterans-become-pacifists/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“We live in a nation where education and free thought are tantamount to treason, and I have to ask, under these circumstances, is treason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/we-live-in-a-nation-where-education-and-free-thought-are-tantamount/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Patriotism is racism for the modern era.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/patriotism-is-racism-for-the-modern-era/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Obama's plan for "change": Let's do everything Bush did, only with more suck! Because it just didn't suck badly enough the first time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/obama-s-plan-for-change-let-s-do-everything-bush-did-only-with-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Always remember, if you have been diagnosed with PTSD, it is not a sign of weakness; rather, it is proof of your strength, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/always-remember-if-you-have-been-diagnosed-with-ptsd-it-is-not-a-sign/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Why am I a socialist? Simple: Because I believe in freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/why-am-i-a-socialist-simple-because-i-believe-in-freedom/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“On 11 September 2001, a bunch of Saudis killed almost 3000 US civilians, which led to the construction of a monument in New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/on-11-september-2001-a-bunch-of-saudis-killed-almost-3000-us/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Is it morally acceptable to murder one hundred innocent people in the process of catching a serial killer who has murdered ten people? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/is-it-morally-acceptable-to-murder-one-hundred-innocent-people-in-the/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Barack Obama is an even worse president than George W. Bush, because an evil bastard who knows what he's doing is far more dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/barack-obama-is-an-even-worse-president-than-george-w-bush-because-an/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Presenting a rational argument to a person who has forsaken the use of reason is like asking a vegetarian to eat a cheeseburger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/presenting-a-rational-argument-to-a-person-who-has-forsaken-the-use/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“I absolutely hate the way the United States glorifies its military and its wars. Real heroes fight for peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/i-absolutely-hate-the-way-the-united-states-glorifies-its-military/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) [Explore all 57 Michel Templet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) ## More Elected quotes > [No matter how unusual a personality may be who gets elected to office, there are constraints in this country. 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And, so every single day, you have to remind yourself why you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-rasoul/when-you-re-running-when-you-re-in-elected-office-you-re-surrounded/) [Sam Rasoul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-rasoul/) > [We hope that the elected officials will respond positively to a ground swell of letters, phone calls, e-mails and visits from parents. The law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-hope-that-the-elected-officials-will-respond-positively-to-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I came into office to do what was correct, not to see what was politically expedient to get re-elected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fortuno/i-came-into-office-to-do-what-was-correct-not-to-see-what-was/) [Luis Fortuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fortuno/) > [The American people, in their own families, they understand that you have to do that. You have to make the tough decisions. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/the-american-people-in-their-own-families-they-understand-that-you/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [You now have the potential of 200 people deciding who ends up being elected president every single time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-now-have-the-potential-of-200-people-deciding-who-ends-up-being/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If elected, I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/if-elected-i-shall-see-to-it-that-every-man-has-a-square-deal-no-less/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Others will have opinions on how I do and that's just fine... I've been elected four times, delivered results for my constituents and delivered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-poilievre/others-will-have-opinions-on-how-i-do-and-that-s-just-fine-i-ve-been/) [Pierre Poilievre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-poilievre/) > [I was elected to Parliament as a Conservative three times, most recently in 2017.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/i-was-elected-to-parliament-as-a-conservative-three-times-most/) [Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/) > [My goal was never to get re-elected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mccallum/my-goal-was-never-to-get-re-elected/) [Scott McCallum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mccallum/) > [I was elected because I believed in what we call "grassroots politics," politics from the bottom up, not the top down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-was-elected-because-i-believed-in-what-we-call-grassroots-politics/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There are many Israelis who are not keen on Barack Obama - they did not want to see him elected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/there-are-many-israelis-who-are-not-keen-on-barack-obama-they-did-not/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Now we have black and white elected officials working together. Today, we have gone beyond just passing laws. Now we have to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/now-we-have-black-and-white-elected-officials-working-together-today/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) Browse all 542 Elected quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Presidents are not elected anymore; they are hired.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michel Templet" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they-are-hired/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Elected" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they-are-hired/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/michel-templet-11969_elected_presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they_256344.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/michel-templet-11969_elected_presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they_256344.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc3/michel-templet-11969_elected_presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they_256344.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Presidents are not elected anymore; they are hired.” — Michel Templet", "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": "Michel Templet", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Presidents are not elected anymore; they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they-are-hired/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they-are-hired/#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 } } ] } ```