--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: IS WHERE POWER GOES”: the most…" description: "\"“IS WHERE POWER GOES”: the most significant factor in any equation that adds up to political power, Lyndon Johnson had assured his allies, is the indiv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/robert-a-caro-15999_lyndon-johnson_is-where-power-goes-the-most-significant_1000140.jpg" --- # IS WHERE POWER GOES”: the most significant factor in any… ![“IS WHERE POWER GOES”: the most significant factor in any equation that adds up to political power, Lyndon Johnson had assured his allies, is the individual, not the office; for a man with a gift for acquiring power, whatever office he held would become powerful—because of what he would make out of…” quote by Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/robert-a-caro-15999_lyndon-johnson_is-where-power-goes-the-most-significant_1000140.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/robert-a-caro-15999_lyndon-johnson_is-where-power-goes-the-most-significant_1000140.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b5/robert-a-caro-15999_lyndon-johnson_is-where-power-goes-the-most-significant_1000140.jpg) > ““IS WHERE POWER GOES”: the most significant factor in any equation that adds up to political power, Lyndon Johnson had assured his allies, is the individual, not the office; for a man with a gift for acquiring power, whatever office he held would become powerful—because of what he would make out of it. Johnson”” [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power stems from the individual’s abilities, not the position they hold. **In simple terms:** Power is about the person, not the office. Key Takeaway Develop personal influence. Themes leadership power politics Mood analytical historical Type political educational When to use this quote - political campaigns - organizational leadership Key Concepts agency institutional theory Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals overcome institutional limits? - What personal traits most affect power? A Different Perspective It may downplay structural constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquiring Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquiring-power-2105316/) [Goes Significant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-significant-2105318/) [Lyndon johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyndon-johnson/) [Political power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-power/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Lyndon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-lyndon-2105317/) ## Related quotes > [Those who have power a) understand that the world is not always a just and fair place and accept that fact, b) understand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/those-who-have-power-a-understand-that-the-world-is-not-always-a-just/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [“It is not clear who will bring to the Whitehouse those useful commodities of vivid language, a sense of history and most important -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/it-is-not-clear-who-will-bring-to-the-whitehouse-those-useful/) [Robert A. 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Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“We have talked long enough ... about civil rights,' Lyndon Johnson had said. 'It is time ... to write it in the books of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/we-have-talked-long-enough-about-civil-rights-lyndon-johnson-had-said/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“He was to become the lawmaker for the poor and the downtrodden and the oppressed. He was to be the bearer of at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/he-was-to-become-the-lawmaker-for-the-poor-and-the-downtrodden-and/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“The second most powerful man in the country.” All his life Lyndon Johnson had been taking “nothing jobs” and making them into something—something big.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/the-second-most-powerful-man-in-the-country-all-his-life-lyndon/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“Ask not what you have done for Lyndon Johnson, but what you have done for him lately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/ask-not-what-you-have-done-for-lyndon-johnson-but-what-you-have-done/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“He won that election in the byways,” Bill Deason says. Ava Cox says: “That’s what made Lyndon Johnson be elected the first time.… He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/he-won-that-election-in-the-byways-bill-deason-says-ava-cox-says-that/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“With a note of sadness, Wicker wrote in 1983 that “the reverence, the childlike dependence, the willingness to follow where the President leads, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/with-a-note-of-sadness-wicker-wrote-in-1983-that-the-reverence-the/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“Abraham Lincoln struck off the chains of black Americans, but it was Lyndon Johnson who led them into voting booths, closed democracy’s sacred curtain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/abraham-lincoln-struck-off-the-chains-of-black-americans-but-it-was/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [We will use political power as a tool to improve the lives of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayawati/we-will-use-political-power-as-a-tool-to-improve-the-lives-of-the/) [Mayawati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayawati/) > [This position is untenable, and there can be no pause in the agitation for full political power and responsibility until these are granted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-kelley/this-position-is-untenable-and-there-can-be-no-pause-in-the-agitation/) [Florence Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-kelley/) > [ \[Lyndon \] Johnson was responding to a black freedom movement that was tearing the country open and he did what he had to do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/lyndon-johnson-was-responding-to-a-black-freedom-movement-that-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) ## More by Robert A. Caro > [“And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country” that they summoned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/and-so-my-fellow-americans-ask-not-what-your-country-can-do-for-you/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“And, in fact, had Johnson’s plan succeeded, in many ways it would indeed have been “just the way it was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/and-in-fact-had-johnson-s-plan-succeeded-in-many-ways-it-would-indeed/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“As one 1935 study put it, boys and girls who were 15 or 16 in 1929 when the Depression began are no longer children;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/as-one-1935-study-put-it-boys-and-girls-who-were-15-or-16-in-1929/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“On the rare occasions on which a movie was shown, there was as much suspense in the audience over whether the electricity would hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/on-the-rare-occasions-on-which-a-movie-was-shown-there-was-as-much/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“Abraham Lincoln struck off the chains of black Americans, but it was Lyndon Johnson who led them into voting booths, closed democracy’s sacred curtain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/abraham-lincoln-struck-off-the-chains-of-black-americans-but-it-was/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“I, sir, take a different view of the whole matter. I look upon Ohio and South Carolina to be parts of one whole—parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/i-sir-take-a-different-view-of-the-whole-matter-i-look-upon-ohio-and/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“A newcomer could ascertain the identity of a town's true leaders – which storekeeper was respected, which farmer was listened to other farmers –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/a-newcomer-could-ascertain-the-identity-of-a-town-s-true-leaders/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“MR. CALHOUN.   Never, never. MR. WEBSTER.   What he means he is very apt to say. MR. CALHOUN.   Always, always. MR. WEBSTER.   And I honor him for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/mr-calhoun-never-never-mr-webster-what-he-means-he-is-very-apt-to-say/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“When Silent Cal Coolidge noted that “You don’t have to explain something you haven’t said,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/when-silent-cal-coolidge-noted-that-you-don-t-have-to-explain/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“...his success in public relations had been due primarily to his masterful utilization of a single public relations technique: identifying himself with a popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/his-success-in-public-relations-had-been-due-primarily-to-his/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“With a note of sadness, Wicker wrote in 1983 that “the reverence, the childlike dependence, the willingness to follow where the President leads, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/with-a-note-of-sadness-wicker-wrote-in-1983-that-the-reverence-the/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“He won that election in the byways,” Bill Deason says. Ava Cox says: “That’s what made Lyndon Johnson be elected the first time.… He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/he-won-that-election-in-the-byways-bill-deason-says-ava-cox-says-that/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“A candidate who, night after night, tries “to capitalize on the emotion of honest patriotism, cheapens the impulse.… It is like playing on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/a-candidate-who-night-after-night-tries-to-capitalize-on-the-emotion/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“Ask not what you have done for Lyndon Johnson, but what you have done for him lately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/ask-not-what-you-have-done-for-lyndon-johnson-but-what-you-have-done/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [“BUT WHAT, really, had the People’s Party—the farmers who called themselves “Alliancemen”—asked for? Only that when men found themselves at the mercy of forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/but-what-really-had-the-people-s-party-the-farmers-who-called/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) [Explore all 41 Robert A. Caro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) ## More Lyndon johnson quotes > [ \[Lyndon \] Johnson was responding to a black freedom movement that was tearing the country open and he did what he had to do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/lyndon-johnson-was-responding-to-a-black-freedom-movement-that-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [Lyndon Johnson faced some clear moral issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/lyndon-johnson-faced-some-clear-moral-issues/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Everyone believed the Senate could not really be led. It used to take so long to rise up through seniority. In two years Lyndon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/everyone-believed-the-senate-could-not-really-be-led-it-used-to-take/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Like Lyndon Johnson, President Obama understands that timidity in a time of troubles is a prescription for failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/like-lyndon-johnson-president-obama-understands-that-timidity-in-a/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [“Abraham Lincoln struck off the chains of black Americans, but it was Lyndon Johnson who led them into voting booths, closed democracy’s sacred curtain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/abraham-lincoln-struck-off-the-chains-of-black-americans-but-it-was/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [Originally, John Kennedy was going to come speak, and then Lyndon Johnson. Because it was October of '62, neither made it because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-maraniss/originally-john-kennedy-was-going-to-come-speak-and-then-lyndon/) [David Maraniss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-maraniss/) > [The most intimidating world leader was Lyndon Johnson, who became U.S. President when John Kennedy was assassinated. He exulted in this power and liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/the-most-intimidating-world-leader-was-lyndon-johnson-who-became-u-s/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [Every politician - FDR, Lyndon Johnson, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama - they're all conservative by nature. They are part of the big thing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/every-politician-fdr-lyndon-johnson-abraham-lincoln-barack-obama-they/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [Lyndon Johnson rose above the doubt and fear to hold this Nation on course until we rediscovered our faith in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/lyndon-johnson-rose-above-the-doubt-and-fear-to-hold-this-nation-on/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [ Years of concentration solely on work and individual success meant that in his retirement \[Lyndon Johnson\] could find no solace in family, in recreation,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/years-of-concentration-solely-on-work-and-individual-success-meant/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Much of the conventional wisdom associated with Vietnam was highly inaccurate. Far from an inevitable result of the imperative to contain communism, the war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-r-mcmaster/much-of-the-conventional-wisdom-associated-with-vietnam-was-highly/) [H. R. McMaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-r-mcmaster/) > [I wasn't part of John Kennedy's vision of the world, or Lyndon Johnson's. I thought of them as anti-Communist imperial monsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/i-wasn-t-part-of-john-kennedy-s-vision-of-the-world-or-lyndon-johnson/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [Lyndon Johnson may have escalated the war, but when I was drafted and shipped off to Vietnam, the signature on my orders was Nixon's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gunton/lyndon-johnson-may-have-escalated-the-war-but-when-i-was-drafted-and/) [Bob Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gunton/) > [The American people on the ground need a clearer, stronger, Lyndon B. Johnson-type voice from their president. Obama has that voice. It has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/the-american-people-on-the-ground-need-a-clearer-stronger-lyndon-b/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [President Lyndon Johnson's high spirits were marked as he circulated among the many guests whom he had invited to witness an event he confidently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/president-lyndon-johnson-s-high-spirits-were-marked-as-he-circulated/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Browse all 144 Lyndon johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyndon-johnson/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“IS WHERE POWER GOES”: the most significant factor in any equation that adds up to political power, Lyndon Johnson had assured his allies, is the individual, not the office; for a man with a gift for acquiring power, whatever office he held would become powerful—because of what he would make out of it. 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