--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I personally never expected anything of…" description: "\"“I personally never expected anything of Obama, and wrote about it before the 2008 primaries. I thought it was smoke and mirrors [...] I don't usually ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/noam-chomsky-42_chomsky_i-personally-never-expected-anything-of_949949.jpg" --- # I personally never expected anything of Obama, and wrote… ![“I personally never expected anything of Obama, and wrote about it before the 2008 primaries. I thought it was smoke and mirrors [...] I don't usually admire Sarah Palin, but when she was making fun of this 'hopey changey' stuff, she was right, there was nothing there. And it was understood by the…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/noam-chomsky-42_chomsky_i-personally-never-expected-anything-of_949949.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/noam-chomsky-42_chomsky_i-personally-never-expected-anything-of_949949.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/noam-chomsky-42_chomsky_i-personally-never-expected-anything-of_949949.jpg) > ““I personally never expected anything of Obama, and wrote about it before the 2008 primaries. I thought it was smoke and mirrors \[...\] I don't usually admire Sarah Palin, but when she was making fun of this 'hopey changey' stuff, she was right, there was nothing there. And it was understood by the people who run the political system, and so it's no great secret that the US electoral system is mainly a public relations extravaganza...it's sort of a marketing affair.”” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The US electoral process is portrayed as a public relations spectacle rather than a genuine democratic exercise. **In simple terms:** Elections are more about marketing than substance. Key Takeaway Be skeptical of political narratives. Themes politics media public perception Mood cynical critical Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - voter education - campaign strategy - media literacy - political activism Key Concepts democratic theory media manipulation public relations Questions to Reflect On - How does media framing shape voter expectations? - What reforms could reduce PR influence in elections? A Different Perspective The view may overlook structural reforms that could improve transparency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Linguist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/linguist/) [Making fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-fun/) [Parties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parties/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Political system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-system/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Public relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-relations/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Smoke and mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoke-and-mirrors/) [Third party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/third-party/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [I personally never expected anything of Obama, and wrote about it before the 2008 primaries. I thought it was smoke and mirrors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-personally-never-expected-anything-of-obama-and-wrote-about-it-2/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't usually admire Sarah Palin, but when she was making fun of this 'hopey changey stuff,' she was right: there was nothing there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-usually-admire-sarah-palin-but-when-she-was-making-fun-of/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“How, then, does one become an activist? The easy answer would be to say that we do not become activists; we simply forget that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/how-then-does-one-become-an-activist-the-easy-answer-would-be-to-say/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“As Chomsky says, if you act like there is no possibility of change for the better, you guarantee that there will be no change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/as-chomsky-says-if-you-act-like-there-is-no-possibility-of-change-for/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“When understanding fails, there is always more force in reserve. As the "experiments in material and human resources control" collapse and "revolutionary development" grinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/when-understanding-fails-there-is-always-more-force-in-reserve-as-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“In the succeeding thirty-two years of U.S. guidance, not only has Guatemala gradually become a terrorist state rarely matched in the scale of systematic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-succeeding-thirty-two-years-of-u-s-guidance-not-only-has/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“The hypothesis advanced by the propaganda model, excluded from debate as unthinkable, is that in dealing with the American wars in Indochina, the media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-hypothesis-advanced-by-the-propaganda-model-excluded-from-debate/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [A cunning linguist puts his money where his mouth is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rock-cowles/a-cunning-linguist-puts-his-money-where-his-mouth-is/) [Rock Cowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rock-cowles/) > [Although a linguist, I was always interested in, and fascinated by, Stephen's explanations of his work and proud of his discoveries and achievements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hawking/although-a-linguist-i-was-always-interested-in-and-fascinated-by/) [Jane Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hawking/) > [“The last blowing of the trumpet will the last miracle to mankind”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aliyu-mustaph/the-last-blowing-of-the-trumpet-will-the-last-miracle-to-mankind/) [Aliyu mustaph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aliyu-mustaph/) > [To money, the finest linguist in the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minna-antrim/to-money-the-finest-linguist-in-the-world/) [Minna Antrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minna-antrim/) > [“I’m not a linguist, but do you ever think there’s something wrong with the things we do and don’t have words for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/i-m-not-a-linguist-but-do-you-ever-think-there-s-something-wrong-with/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [The job of the linguist, like that of the biologist or the botanist, is not to tell us how nature should behave, or what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arika-okrent/the-job-of-the-linguist-like-that-of-the-biologist-or-the-botanist-is/) [Arika Okrent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arika-okrent/) > [“I believe in miracles because am a believer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aliyu-mustaph/i-believe-in-miracles-because-am-a-believer/) [Aliyu mustaph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aliyu-mustaph/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Chomsky quotes > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I read Noam Chomsky. I like some of Gore Vidal's stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-read-noam-chomsky-i-like-some-of-gore-vidal-s-stuff/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [I think Noam Chomsky is a national treasure - make that an international treasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/i-think-noam-chomsky-is-a-national-treasure-make-that-an/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [“even if Noam Chomsky were right about everything, the Islamic doctrines related to martyrdom, jihad, blasphemy, apostasy, the rights of women and homosexuals, etc.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/even-if-noam-chomsky-were-right-about-everything-the-islamic/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Please stop putting quotes from Nietzsche at the end of your emails. Five years ago you were laughing your guts out over American Pie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/please-stop-putting-quotes-from-nietzsche-at-the-end-of-your-emails/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [As Chomsky says here, clearly and in depth, the American empire is doing all it can to consolidate its system of domination. And we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-chavez/as-chomsky-says-here-clearly-and-in-depth-the-american-empire-is/) [Hugo Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-chavez/) > [“My quarrel with Chomsky goes back to the Balkan wars of the 1990s, where he more or less openly represented the "Serbian Socialist Party"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/my-quarrel-with-chomsky-goes-back-to-the-balkan-wars-of-the-1990s/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Chomsky's writings are "classics" in Mark Twain's sense: something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-pinker/chomsky-s-writings-are-classics-in-mark-twain-s-sense-something-that/) [Stephen Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-pinker/) > [“A fundamental element of human nature is the need for creative work, for creative enquiry, for free creation.’1 Noam Chomsky”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-ind/a-fundamental-element-of-human-nature-is-the-need-for-creative-work/) [Nicholas Ind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-ind/) > [The role of the intellectual, so it is said, is to speak truth to power. Noam Chomsky has dismissed this pious tag on two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/the-role-of-the-intellectual-so-it-is-said-is-to-speak-truth-to-power/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [“Chomsky is like the teenager who first discovers that those in authority—his parent, his teacher—are not as all-knowing as they claim to be and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-c-isaac/chomsky-is-like-the-teenager-who-first-discovers-that-those-in/) Jeffrey C. Isaac > [ “\[A TV commercial\] crossed my desk in 1986. It came with a press release boasting about an enormous production budget employed in service of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-garfield/a-tv-commercial-crossed-my-desk-in-1986-it-came-with-a-press-release/) [Bob Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-garfield/) > [Noam Chomsky skittles and skithers all over the political landscape to distract the reader’s attention from the plain truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/noam-chomsky-skittles-and-skithers-all-over-the-political-landscape/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [“I know how easy it is to sound like a corny version of Noam Chomsky when talking about something like this, but in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dito-montiel/i-know-how-easy-it-is-to-sound-like-a-corny-version-of-noam-chomsky/) [Dito Montiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dito-montiel/) > [“In the succeeding thirty-two years of U.S. guidance, not only has Guatemala gradually become a terrorist state rarely matched in the scale of systematic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-succeeding-thirty-two-years-of-u-s-guidance-not-only-has/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) Browse all 44 Chomsky quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I personally never expected anything of Obama, and wrote about it before the 2008 primaries. 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