--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an American, no one expected Donald…" description: "\"As an American, no one expected Donald Trump to ever be a serious candidate for President. I don't think he even expected to be a serious candidate. He..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76c/moby-549_candidate_as-an-american-no-one-expected-donald-tr_2173639.png" --- # As an American, no one expected Donald Trump to ever be a… ![“As an American, no one expected Donald Trump to ever be a serious candidate for President. I don't think he even expected to be a serious candidate. He wanted the free media he would get.” quote by Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76c/moby-549_candidate_as-an-american-no-one-expected-donald-tr_2173639.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76c/moby-549_candidate_as-an-american-no-one-expected-donald-tr_2173639.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76c/moby-549_candidate_as-an-american-no-one-expected-donald-tr_2173639.png) > “As an American, no one expected Donald Trump to ever be a serious candidate for President. I don't think he even expected to be a serious candidate. He wanted the free media he would get.” [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker notes that Donald Trump’s candidacy was unexpected, driven by media attention rather than traditional political ambition. **In simple terms:** Trump’s run was media‑driven, not expected. Key Takeaway Question media motives in politics. Themes media influence political ambition unexpected candidacy Mood critical skeptical Type political analytical When to use this quote - election campaigns - media strategy - public skepticism - political analysis Key Concepts political communication public perception Questions to Reflect On - How does media shape political expectations? - What are the risks of seeking office for fame? A Different Perspective Media focus can obscure policy substance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Donald Trump is the first candidate ever to run for president in the last 40-plus years who has not released his tax returns, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/donald-trump-is-the-first-candidate-ever-to-run-for-president-in-the/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The expectation that 'Trump as president' will be starkly different from 'Trump as candidate' is a false hope at best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-khashoggi/the-expectation-that-trump-as-president-will-be-starkly-different/) [Jamal Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-khashoggi/) > [When Trump was a candidate, he talked about the stock market, because, oh, the stock market was going up when Obama was president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-trump-was-a-candidate-he-talked-about-the-stock-market-because/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [If Donald Trump is the candidate against Hillary Clinton, then I will be supporting Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-zeldin/if-donald-trump-is-the-candidate-against-hillary-clinton-then-i-will/) [Lee Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-zeldin/) > [ I'll be honest with you, I never expected \[Donald\] Trump to actually prosecute \[Hillary Clinton\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-ll-be-honest-with-you-i-never-expected-donald-trump-to-actually/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I'm not sure that Enrique Pena expected Donald Trump to take him up on his offer to come to Mexico and meet with him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-diaz-balart/i-m-not-sure-that-enrique-pena-expected-donald-trump-to-take-him-up/) [Jose Diaz-Balart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-diaz-balart/) > [I think he tries to be nice. But he has absolutely zero self-awareness. None. Zip. So we see the public Donald Trump, the candidate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/i-think-he-tries-to-be-nice-but-he-has-absolutely-zero-self-awareness/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [There is no evidence at all that a voting booth was hacked or one person's vote in America was taken from Trump candidate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/there-is-no-evidence-at-all-that-a-voting-booth-was-hacked-or-one/) [Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/) > [Trump campaigned as somebody who was very skeptical of the multinational deals. He was supportive of Brexit. He was very skeptical of NATO. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-walter/trump-campaigned-as-somebody-who-was-very-skeptical-of-the/) [Amy Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-walter/) > [Previous candidates who get elected are almost always sobered by the office and the responsibility they take on. Donald Trump shows no evidence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/previous-candidates-who-get-elected-are-almost-always-sobered-by-the/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [We are the only campaign that has beaten Donald Trump. And we're the only candidate that can beat Donald Trump. If you look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-are-the-only-campaign-that-has-beaten-donald-trump-and-we-re-the/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Is Donald Trump a serious candidate? The reason I ask this is, if you're going to close the Internet, realize, America, what that entails.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/is-donald-trump-a-serious-candidate-the-reason-i-ask-this-is-if-you/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Donald Trump is a candidate who divided his own party more deeply than any presidential candidate has before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/donald-trump-is-a-candidate-who-divided-his-own-party-more-deeply/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [One thing we've learned about Donald Trump - this candidate first, president-elect, and now president - is that he has this sort of reptilian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-h-winters/one-thing-we-ve-learned-about-donald-trump-this-candidate-first/) [Ben H. Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-h-winters/) > [Congressman Heck says Donald Trump is the candidate he trusts on national security and changing our economy. Well, I don't know about you, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-cortez-masto/congressman-heck-says-donald-trump-is-the-candidate-he-trusts-on/) [Catherine Cortez-Masto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-cortez-masto/) ## More by Moby > [If Nirvana had remained a small, underground punk rock band, Kurt Cobain would still be alive. And he'd probably be living in Seattle, getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/if-nirvana-had-remained-a-small-underground-punk-rock-band-kurt/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [A great song is a great song, whether it's on vinyl or CD or cassette or reel to reel or mp3. Then again, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/a-great-song-is-a-great-song-whether-it-s-on-vinyl-or-cd-or-cassette/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [When I dj at big venues I try to play tracks that I would want to hear if I were e'd up in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/when-i-dj-at-big-venues-i-try-to-play-tracks-that-i-would-want-to/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [The good thing about not being drop-dead gorgeous is that as time passes, I don't have much to worry about. I have friends who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/the-good-thing-about-not-being-drop-dead-gorgeous-is-that-as-time/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [When you look at the consequences of climate change, at rainforest deforestation, at antibiotic resistance, these are not necessarily political issues, but rather issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/when-you-look-at-the-consequences-of-climate-change-at-rainforest/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [What I love about making albums in the 21st century is that so few people buy albums! I can make an album without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/what-i-love-about-making-albums-in-the-21st-century-is-that-so-few/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [Factory-farm lobbyists are so powerful and so well funded and they do everything in their power to hide the truth about farming. They keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/factory-farm-lobbyists-are-so-powerful-and-so-well-funded-and-they-do/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [What makes me feel old is having no hair on the top of my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/what-makes-me-feel-old-is-having-no-hair-on-the-top-of-my-head/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [Up until I started working with him, I had thought that music was a nice thing that I enjoyed and liked making, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/up-until-i-started-working-with-him-i-had-thought-that-music-was-a/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [I'm obsessed with politics, and I talk about it any chance I can get. I have strong opinions about how the world should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-m-obsessed-with-politics-and-i-talk-about-it-any-chance-i-can-get-i/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [As I wake its kaleidoscopic mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/as-i-wake-its-kaleidoscopic-mind/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [Even love is goin' 'round. You can't ignore what is goin' 'round](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/even-love-is-goin-round-you-can-t-ignore-what-is-goin-round/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [“I had an epiphany a few years ago when I was out at a celebrity party and it suddenly dawned on me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-had-an-epiphany-a-few-years-ago-when-i-was-out-at-a-celebrity-party/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [I see 'Ahab's Wife' as offering an alternative vision to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-see-ahab-s-wife-as-offering-an-alternative-vision-to/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [I think that, for a lot of us, the closer we get to showing people who we really are, that's where we feel the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-think-that-for-a-lot-of-us-the-closer-we-get-to-showing-people-who/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) [Explore all 483 Moby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) ## More Candidate quotes > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [As a registered Democrat, I am praying for a credible presidential candidate to emerge from the younger tier of politicians in their late 40s.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/as-a-registered-democrat-i-am-praying-for-a-credible-presidential/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Obama did organize a great large number of people and many enthusiastic people, what's called in the press 'Obama's Army.' But the army is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/obama-did-organize-a-great-large-number-of-people-and-many/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Candidate Trump held out his hand to Vladimir Putin. He rejected further U.S. intervention in Syria other than to smash ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/candidate-trump-held-out-his-hand-to-vladimir-putin-he-rejected/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [You should not be misled about the so-called single opposition candidate. There are so many of them now that you will lack the fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/you-should-not-be-misled-about-the-so-called-single-opposition/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [I want to say that I cannot be intimidated or stopped. In order to put an end to various attempts to get rid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitali-klitschko/i-want-to-say-that-i-cannot-be-intimidated-or-stopped-in-order-to-put/) [Vitali Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitali-klitschko/) > [Today, I'm a candidate for the office of president of the United States of America. My kids can't believe I just said that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-huntsman-jr/today-i-m-a-candidate-for-the-office-of-president-of-the-united/) [Jon Huntsman, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-huntsman-jr/) > [I think Trump is a very interesting candidate in this sense: I think he has cross-party appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/i-think-trump-is-a-very-interesting-candidate-in-this-sense-i-think/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [I do think that sometimes, especially coming into this going straight from activism to being a candidate or to being a person who potentially,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandria-ocasio-cortez/i-do-think-that-sometimes-especially-coming-into-this-going-straight/) [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandria-ocasio-cortez/) > [Even though I don't agree with Donald Trump on everything, and I think there may be certain things or statements of his that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-zeldin/even-though-i-don-t-agree-with-donald-trump-on-everything-and-i-think/) [Lee Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-zeldin/) > [I'm not quite certain how you can force a candidate to stick by the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-ifill/i-m-not-quite-certain-how-you-can-force-a-candidate-to-stick-by-the/) [Gwen Ifill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-ifill/) > [I am not a fan of Mitt Romney, but I admit that he is, politically speaking, a good candidate for president. He has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schlossberg/i-am-not-a-fan-of-mitt-romney-but-i-admit-that-he-is-politically/) [Jack Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schlossberg/) > [I am aware of the responsibility I am taking on as the chancellor. Things have developed very quickly for me in recent years, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-kurz/i-am-aware-of-the-responsibility-i-am-taking-on-as-the-chancellor/) [Sebastian Kurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-kurz/) > [For people to even think that I'd be considered or a good candidate for a supporting actress nomination is mind blowing to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naya-rivera/for-people-to-even-think-that-i-d-be-considered-or-a-good-candidate/) [Naya Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naya-rivera/) > [A candidate's faith is not the only consideration, but should be a major consideration in electing the president of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/a-candidate-s-faith-is-not-the-only-consideration-but-should-be-a/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) [Browse all 529 Candidate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As an American, no one expected Donald Trump to ever be a serious candidate for President. 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