--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Watching Republicans in Washington is…" description: "\"Watching Republicans in Washington is like watching lemmings, if lemmings jumped into cesspools instead of off cliffs. Splash! There goes Mark Foley!\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff3/p-j-o-rourke-184_cliffs_watching-republicans-in-washington-is-li_1005799.jpg" --- # Watching Republicans in Washington is like watching… ![“Watching Republicans in Washington is like watching lemmings, if lemmings jumped into cesspools instead of off cliffs. Splash! There goes Mark Foley!” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff3/p-j-o-rourke-184_cliffs_watching-republicans-in-washington-is-li_1005799.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff3/p-j-o-rourke-184_cliffs_watching-republicans-in-washington-is-li_1005799.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff3/p-j-o-rourke-184_cliffs_watching-republicans-in-washington-is-li_1005799.jpg) > “Watching Republicans in Washington is like watching lemmings, if lemmings jumped into cesspools instead of off cliffs. Splash! There goes Mark Foley!” [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political behavior can be blind and self‑destructive, following the crowd into harmful situations. **In simple terms:** Blind groupthink leads to ruin. Key Takeaway Question group dynamics and act independently. Themes politics groupthink leadership Mood cynical critical Type satirical political When to use this quote - campaign strategy - public policy - media analysis Key Concepts social psychology political satire Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when a group is heading toward disaster? - What steps can you take to avoid following harmful trends? A Different Perspective Blind loyalty can ignore rational assessment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Lemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lemmings/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Republicans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republicans/) ## Related quotes > [Watching Republicans in Washington is like watching lemmings, if lemmings jumped into cesspools instead of off cliffs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/watching-republicans-in-washington-is-like-watching-lemmings-if-2/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'm not a lemming about to run off the end of a cliff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-roeder/i-m-not-a-lemming-about-to-run-off-the-end-of-a-cliff/) [Glenn Roeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-roeder/) > [I believed that lemmings really jump off of cliffs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-believed-that-lemmings-really-jump-off-of-cliffs/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [ The beautiful came to this city \[Hollywood\] in huge pathetic herds, to suffer, to be humiliated, to see the powerful currency of their beauty… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-beautiful-came-to-this-city-hollywood-in-huge-pathetic-herds-to/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [People without financial knowledge, who take advice from financial experts are like lemmings simply following their leader. They race for the cliff and leap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/people-without-financial-knowledge-who-take-advice-from-financial/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Not a moment passes these days without fresh rushes of academic lemmings off the cliffs they proclaim the political responsibilities of the critic, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/not-a-moment-passes-these-days-without-fresh-rushes-of-academic/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [I've probably said a million times in my life something about, "All those people are just lemmings. They'd follow each other off a cliff."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-ve-probably-said-a-million-times-in-my-life-something-about-all/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [I'm driving down the freeway the other day, on my way to Knott's Scary Farm probably, and I hear this report on NPR that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-m-driving-down-the-freeway-the-other-day-on-my-way-to-knott-s-scary/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [The press heralded this as a major accomplishment. The rush from the press as soon as it was announced suggested a high level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erick-erickson/the-press-heralded-this-as-a-major-accomplishment-the-rush-from-the/) [Erick Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erick-erickson/) > [I always enjoy watching Republicans compliment Bill Clinton now, because at the time, I'm sure he didn't feel a lot of the love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-always-enjoy-watching-republicans-compliment-bill-clinton-now/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [People always say, "Could it have been a show about a conservative Republican administration?" No! Nobody wants to watch that! Watching Republicans flirt makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-whitford/people-always-say-could-it-have-been-a-show-about-a-conservative/) [Bradley Whitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-whitford/) > [There's a whiff of the lynch mob or the lemming migration about any overlarge concentration of like-thinking individuals, no matter how virtuous their cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/there-s-a-whiff-of-the-lynch-mob-or-the-lemming-migration-about-any/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Trump could teach Republicans in Washington a lot if only they stopped posturing long enough to watch carefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/trump-could-teach-republicans-in-washington-a-lot-if-only-they/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [It's critical to have a sound foundation in free-market economics and the Constitution. A great many Republicans in Washington don't have that foundation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/it-s-critical-to-have-a-sound-foundation-in-free-market-economics-and/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [But I think the - what the tea party movement demonstrates, and I think the, the, the enthusiasm that we're seeing from independents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cornyn/but-i-think-the-what-the-tea-party-movement-demonstrates-and-i-think/) [John Cornyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cornyn/) ## More by P. J. O'Rourke > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [My whole family can talk. They are all car salesmen. They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'll be 56 this year, I've got two kids, and I think it's probably time to go back to writing one-glove jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-ll-be-56-this-year-i-ve-got-two-kids-and-i-think-it-s-probably-time/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) [Explore all 983 P. J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## More Cliffs quotes > [But actually theory is very practical. Gravity is a theory, for example. It allows you to predict that if you step off a cliff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/but-actually-theory-is-very-practical-gravity-is-a-theory-for-example/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [We are about to change history, said Saphira. We’re throwing ourselves off a cliff without knowing how deep the water below is. Ah, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/we-are-about-to-change-history-said-saphira-we-re-throwing-ourselves/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [O the mind, mind has mountains; cliffs of fall Frightful, sheer, no-man-fathomed. Hold them cheap May who ne'er hung there. Nor does long our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/o-the-mind-mind-has-mountains-cliffs-of-fall-frightful-sheer-no-man/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [You've got to junp off cliffs all the time and build wings on the way down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pradeepkumardevi/you-ve-got-to-junp-off-cliffs-all-the-time-and-build-wings-on-the-way/) [Pradeepkumardevi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pradeepkumardevi/) > [There are some moments in life that are like pivots around which your existence turns—small intuitive flashes, when you know you have done something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-davidson/there-are-some-moments-in-life-that-are-like-pivots-around-which-your/) [Robyn Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-davidson/) > [And yes, Holden would keep those kids from falling off the cliff, but WHO WOULDN'T? Does she think I would just fold my arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/and-yes-holden-would-keep-those-kids-from-falling-off-the-cliff-but/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I could see how easy it would be to fall into loving Bella. It would be exactly like falling: effortless. Not letting myself love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-could-see-how-easy-it-would-be-to-fall-into-loving-bella-it-would/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ignorantly is how we all fall in love; for it is a kind of fall. Closing our eyes, we leap from that cliff in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/ignorantly-is-how-we-all-fall-in-love-for-it-is-a-kind-of-fall/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Guernsey itself was overcrowded, but its cliffs were utterly empty. I spent a wonderful year with a friend, climbing them. It was sheer magic:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mawer/guernsey-itself-was-overcrowded-but-its-cliffs-were-utterly-empty-i/) [Simon Mawer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mawer/) > [I'm an adrenaline junkie. I love climbing crazy trees or cliffs, which doesn't make my mom very happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colletti/i-m-an-adrenaline-junkie-i-love-climbing-crazy-trees-or-cliffs-which/) [Stephen Colletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colletti/) > [I had killed our careful relationship by driving my tongue through its heart and pushing it off a cliff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/i-had-killed-our-careful-relationship-by-driving-my-tongue-through/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [“You’ve got to jump off cliffs and build your wings on the way down. —Ray Bradbury”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellery-adams/you-ve-got-to-jump-off-cliffs-and-build-your-wings-on-the-way-down/) [Ellery Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellery-adams/) > [The knowledge that she would never be loved in return acted upon her ideas as a tide acts upon cliffs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/the-knowledge-that-she-would-never-be-loved-in-return-acted-upon-her/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [The entrepreneurial journey starts with jumping off a cliff and assembling an airplane on the way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/the-entrepreneurial-journey-starts-with-jumping-off-a-cliff-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [In our system, at about 11:30 on election night, they just push you off the edge of the cliff-and that's it. You might scream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-f-mondale/in-our-system-at-about-11-30-on-election-night-they-just-push-you-off/) [Walter F. Mondale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-f-mondale/) Browse all 452 Cliffs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Watching Republicans in Washington is like watching lemmings, if lemmings jumped into cesspools instead of off cliffs. Splash! There goes Mark Foley!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P. J. 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