--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our chief justices have probably had more…" description: "\"Our chief justices have probably had more profound and lasting influence on their times and on the direction of the nation than most presidents.\" — Ric..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/richard-m-nixon-727_influence_our-chief-justices-have-probably-had-mor_965306.jpg" --- # Our chief justices have probably had more profound and… ![“Our chief justices have probably had more profound and lasting influence on their times and on the direction of the nation than most presidents.” quote by Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/richard-m-nixon-727_influence_our-chief-justices-have-probably-had-mor_965306.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/richard-m-nixon-727_influence_our-chief-justices-have-probably-had-mor_965306.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab6/richard-m-nixon-727_influence_our-chief-justices-have-probably-had-mor_965306.jpg) > “Our chief justices have probably had more profound and lasting influence on their times and on the direction of the nation than most presidents.” [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Supreme Court justices often shape national direction more profoundly than presidents. **In simple terms:** Justices have lasting influence. Key Takeaway Respect judicial independence. Themes law government history Mood reflective serious Type analytical historical When to use this quote - civic education - policy analysis - public discourse Key Concepts constitutional law political science Questions to Reflect On - How does judicial power affect democracy? - What makes a justice influential? A Different Perspective Judicial decisions can be controversial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Profound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profound/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [It's sobering to think of the seventeen chief justices; certainly a solid majority of them have to be characterized as failures. The successful ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/it-s-sobering-to-think-of-the-seventeen-chief-justices-certainly-a/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [If you want to have a lasting influence upon the world, you must invest in people's lives; and if you want to maximize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-barna/if-you-want-to-have-a-lasting-influence-upon-the-world-you-must/) [George Barna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-barna/) > [Truly successful individuals create both immediate and long-lasting influence attracting others to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-burg/truly-successful-individuals-create-both-immediate-and-long-lasting/) [Bob Burg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-burg/) > [If I had to name one book that has had the most lasting influence on my work, I would pick 'The Big Sea' by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/if-i-had-to-name-one-book-that-has-had-the-most-lasting-influence-on/) [Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/) > [I think The Beatles are the lasting influence on me, even more so than Dylan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-hitchcock/i-think-the-beatles-are-the-lasting-influence-on-me-even-more-so-than/) [Robyn Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-hitchcock/) > [I never had come up with a really profound and strong gesture - nothing like Julia Butterfly's. So I figured the best thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hannah/i-never-had-come-up-with-a-really-profound-and-strong-gesture-nothing/) [Daryl Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hannah/) > [It is not what a man does that is of final importance, but what he is in what he does. The atmosphere produced by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/it-is-not-what-a-man-does-that-is-of-final-importance-but-what-he-is/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [It turns out that justices are also God’s children; and being of this world, their makeup consists of actual flesh and blood. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-turns-out-that-justices-are-also-god-s-children-and-being-of-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We give Supreme Court justices this freedom because we expect them to remain above the pull of politics, to avoid the effects of public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/we-give-supreme-court-justices-this-freedom-because-we-expect-them-to/) [Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/) > [As president, I will only nominate judges - including Supreme Court justices - who will commit to upholding Roe v. Wade as settled law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/as-president-i-will-only-nominate-judges-including-supreme-court/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [You know, it shows how old I am. I can remember the good old days when the president picked the Supreme Court justices instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/you-know-it-shows-how-old-i-am-i-can-remember-the-good-old-days-when/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [If we put another two or perhaps three justice on, that's really what's going to be ­­ that will happen. And that'll happen automatically,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-we-put-another-two-or-perhaps-three-justice-on-that-s-really-what/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Hillary Clinton will nominate justices to the Supreme Court who are prepared to overturn Citizens United and end the movement toward oligarchy that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/hillary-clinton-will-nominate-justices-to-the-supreme-court-who-are/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“The lawyers ceded their right to argue to case before the justices. A verdict would be rendered in secret, behind closed doors, with only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-berard/the-lawyers-ceded-their-right-to-argue-to-case-before-the-justices-a/) [Adrienne Berard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-berard/) > [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/) [John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/) ## More by Richard M. Nixon > [I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-never-been-a-quitter-to-leave-office-before-my-term-is/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I have earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life I have never obstructed justice,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-earned-every-cent-and-in-all-of-my-years-of-public-life-i-have/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions. It has become a common cause of all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/restoring-nature-to-its-natural-state-is-a-cause-beyond-party-and/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [What kind of nation we will be, what kind of world we will live in, whether we shape the future in the image of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/what-kind-of-nation-we-will-be-what-kind-of-world-we-will-live-in/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Once you get into this great stream of history you can't get out. You can drown. Or you can be pulled ashore by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/once-you-get-into-this-great-stream-of-history-you-can-t-get-out-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The ultimate test of a nation's character is not how it responds to adversity in war but how it meets the challenge of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-ultimate-test-of-a-nation-s-character-is-not-how-it-responds-to/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [History is a pathetic junkyard of broken treaties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/history-is-a-pathetic-junkyard-of-broken-treaties/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I refuse to make a decision that somebody else can make. The first rule of leadership is to save yourself for the big decision.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-refuse-to-make-a-decision-that-somebody-else-can-make-the-first/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/those-who-hate-you-don-t-win-unless-you-hate-them-and-then-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I made my mistakes, but in all of my years in public life, I have never profited, never profited from public serviceI have earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-made-my-mistakes-but-in-all-of-my-years-in-public-life-i-have-never/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I know you heard what you thought I said, but what I said isn't what I meant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-know-you-heard-what-you-thought-i-said-but-what-i-said-isn-t-what-i/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I want to be sure...that nothing is done on these veterans. Is that understood?...Is the word out? That they are not to touch em,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-want-to-be-sure-that-nothing-is-done-on-these-veterans-is-that/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“Nations not possessing great power can indulge in the luxury of criticism of others; those possessing it have the responsibility of decision. Faced with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/nations-not-possessing-great-power-can-indulge-in-the-luxury-of/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The peace we seek in the world is not the flimsy peace which is merely an interlude between wars, but a peace which can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-peace-we-seek-in-the-world-is-not-the-flimsy-peace-which-is/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) [Explore all 388 Richard M. Nixon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## More Influence quotes > [My coach, Robert Allen, helped me a lot. He had more influence on my growth as a player than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/my-coach-robert-allen-helped-me-a-lot-he-had-more-influence-on-my/) [LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/) > [Life is not about how much you have but how much you have affect others life positively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-not-about-how-much-you-have-but-how-much-you-have-affect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [... a fellow can't predict what he will pick up in the form of influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/a-fellow-can-t-predict-what-he-will-pick-up-in-the-form-of-influence/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [We believe a scientist because he can substantiate his remarks, not because he is eloquent and forcible in his enunciation. In fact, we distrust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-a-richards/we-believe-a-scientist-because-he-can-substantiate-his-remarks-not/) [I. A. Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-a-richards/) > [It seemed to me that the human beings I met reacted pretty much the same to the same stimuli. Different idioms,yes. Circumstances and conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/it-seemed-to-me-that-the-human-beings-i-met-reacted-pretty-much-the/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [Every man is a missionary, now and forever, for good or for evil, whether he intends or designs it or not. He may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chalmers/every-man-is-a-missionary-now-and-forever-for-good-or-for-evil/) [Thomas Chalmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chalmers/) > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [Influences come from everywhere. 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