---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even with the best of intentions, even…"
description: "\"Even with the best of intentions, even when they're very smart and knowledgeable - as opposed to George W., who is neither - it doesn't seem to matter...."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10a/robert-scheer-12420_best_even-with-the-best-of-intentions-even-wh_572591.png"
---

#  Even with the best of intentions, even when they're very…

![“Even with the best of intentions, even when they're very smart and knowledgeable - as opposed to George W., who is neither - it doesn't seem to matter.” quote by Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10a/robert-scheer-12420_best_even-with-the-best-of-intentions-even-wh_572591.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10a/robert-scheer-12420_best_even-with-the-best-of-intentions-even-wh_572591.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10a/robert-scheer-12420_best_even-with-the-best-of-intentions-even-wh_572591.png)

> “Even with the best of intentions, even when they're very smart and knowledgeable - as opposed to George W., who is neither - it doesn't seem to matter.”

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Intention and intelligence alone don't guarantee impact when other factors dominate.

**In simple terms:** Good intentions aren't enough.

Key Takeaway

Focus on influence beyond knowledge.

Themes

politics intention impact

Mood

cautious realistic

Type

analytical critical

When to use this quote

- policy making
- activism
- leadership

Key Concepts

power dynamics inefficacy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you amplify impact despite constraints?
- What external factors matter most?

A Different Perspective

Even expertise can't overcome systemic obstacles.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Best Of Intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-of-intentions/) [Intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intentions/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/)

## Related quotes

> [You are too smart and too knowledgeable to believe much of the nonsense you have been espousing on global warming and many other issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-wolpe/you-are-too-smart-and-too-knowledgeable-to-believe-much-of-the/)

Howard Wolpe

> [We don't need a president like a Trump who doesn't actually, George, doesn't even believe in climate change, let alone wants to do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/we-don-t-need-a-president-like-a-trump-who-doesn-t-actually-george/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [“If anyone were ever to ask George why he doesn't fear the things most people do, he would see, perhaps, that yes; it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-kramer/if-anyone-were-ever-to-ask-george-why-he-doesn-t-fear-the-things-most/)

[Richard Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-kramer/)

> [“I may be smart, but I'm not knowledgeable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-iadanza/i-may-be-smart-but-i-m-not-knowledgeable/)

[Emma Iadanza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-iadanza/)

> [To really carewhen surrounded by indifference, is honorable. When one can maintain positive motivation amid apathetic crowds shows great integrity. And to motivate without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-deaton/to-really-carewhen-surrounded-by-indifference-is-honorable-when-one/)

Chip Deaton

> [We saw what happened in Jimmy Carter's administration. President Carter was a good man with the best of intentions. But he came to Washington…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hunt/we-saw-what-happened-in-jimmy-carter-s-administration-president/)

[Jim Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hunt/)

> [“If God exists, and I truly don’t believe he does, he will know that there are limits to human understanding. He was the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/if-god-exists-and-i-truly-don-t-believe-he-does-he-will-know-that/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“Life is much richer and more complex than even the most perfect plans to make it better. It ultimately takes vengeance for attempts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-s-gorbachev/life-is-much-richer-and-more-complex-than-even-the-most-perfect-plans/)

[Mikhail S. Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-s-gorbachev/)

> [“Equality applies the same rules and advantages to all in an attempt to treat everyone fairly. While used with the best of intentions, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-taylor/equality-applies-the-same-rules-and-advantages-to-all-in-an-attempt/)

[Sara Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-taylor/)

> [It took me a long time to realize that distance can ruin even the best of intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/it-took-me-a-long-time-to-realize-that-distance-can-ruin-even-the/)

[Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/)

> [“done for the last few days has been completely wrong, even though you did it with the best of intentions. This is the risk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-chamberlain/done-for-the-last-few-days-has-been-completely-wrong-even-though-you/)

[Diane Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-chamberlain/)

> [A major cause of the Roman Empire's decline, after six centuries of world dominance was its replacement of stone aqueducts by lead pipes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harris-l-coulter/a-major-cause-of-the-roman-empire-s-decline-after-six-centuries-of/)

[Harris L Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harris-l-coulter/)

> [“I lied, but by his reaction I think he liked what I had said. I had told Shreya about Sudeshna and she was okay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhaskaryya-deka/i-lied-but-by-his-reaction-i-think-he-liked-what-i-had-said-i-had/)

Bhaskaryya Deka

> [“Does God exist? Unlike many people, this had not been the great inner debate of her life. Under the old Communist regime, the official…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/does-god-exist-unlike-many-people-this-had-not-been-the-great-inner/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“I don’t know who I am.” “You’re Skylar Stone. You’re charming, kind, clever, helpful, beautiful inside and out. You don’t give up. You bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/i-don-t-know-who-i-am-you-re-skylar-stone-you-re-charming-kind-clever/)

[Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/)

## More by Robert Scheer

> [I was able to do something that people can't do these days, which is to have quality time with the guys who were trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/i-was-able-to-do-something-that-people-can-t-do-these-days-which-is/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [The publisher Jeff Johnson, who has offered not a word of explanation to me, has privately told people that he hated every word that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/the-publisher-jeff-johnson-who-has-offered-not-a-word-of-explanation/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [When Howard Dean started saying some honest things, they hung him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/when-howard-dean-started-saying-some-honest-things-they-hung-him/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [Well, what happened is that I had been the subject of vicious attacks by Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/well-what-happened-is-that-i-had-been-the-subject-of-vicious-attacks/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [I have broken a lot of stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/i-have-broken-a-lot-of-stories/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [There's a problem of terrorism in the world. There's always been terrorism. There will be terrorism. You have to deal with it surgically. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/there-s-a-problem-of-terrorism-in-the-world-there-s-always-been/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [We talk about a free press. These people hide, they make a lot of money off the media. They hide behind the slogans of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/we-talk-about-a-free-press-these-people-hide-they-make-a-lot-of-money/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [Democrats can give us wars, you know? Democrats can play the false patriotism card.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/democrats-can-give-us-wars-you-know-democrats-can-play-the-false/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [What passes for investigative journalism is finding somebody with their pants down - literally or otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/what-passes-for-investigative-journalism-is-finding-somebody-with/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [ He \[Reagan\] likes to tell jokes and that's why he told the ethnic joke that got him into some trouble. Perhaps if reporters didn't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/he-reagan-likes-to-tell-jokes-and-that-s-why-he-told-the-ethnic-joke/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [The paper nominated me 12 or 13 times for the Pulitzer Prize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/the-paper-nominated-me-12-or-13-times-for-the-pulitzer-prize/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [For example, I spent a lot of time with Reagan, both before he ran for governor and when he was running for president. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/for-example-i-spent-a-lot-of-time-with-reagan-both-before-he-ran-for/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [The issue I highlight in the book is welfare reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/the-issue-i-highlight-in-the-book-is-welfare-reform/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [The death of American liberalism as a significant moral force can be traced to the point in when President Bill Clinton signed legislation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/the-death-of-american-liberalism-as-a-significant-moral-force-can-be/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

> [Nuclear weapons are inherently threatening to all of civilization. If that had been a nuclear weapon at the World Trade Center, even the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/nuclear-weapons-are-inherently-threatening-to-all-of-civilization-if/)

[Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

[Explore all 55 Robert Scheer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/)

## More Best quotes

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/)

[Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/)

[Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/)

> [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/)

[Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/)

[Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/)

> [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/)

[Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/)

> [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/)

[Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/)

> [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/)

Gene Scott

> [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/)

[Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/)

> [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/)

[Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/)

> [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/)

[Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/)

> [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/)

[Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/)

Browse all 21,674 Best quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Even with the best of intentions, even when they're very smart and knowledgeable - as opposed to George W., who is neither - it doesn't seem to matter.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert Scheer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/even-with-the-best-of-intentions-even-when-they-re-very-smart-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Best"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/even-with-the-best-of-intentions-even-when-they-re-very-smart-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10a/robert-scheer-12420_best_even-with-the-best-of-intentions-even-wh_572591.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10a/robert-scheer-12420_best_even-with-the-best-of-intentions-even-wh_572591.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10a/robert-scheer-12420_best_even-with-the-best-of-intentions-even-wh_572591.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Even with the best of intentions, even when they're very smart and knowledgeable - as opposed to George W…” — Robert Scheer",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Robert Scheer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Even with the best of intentions,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/even-with-the-best-of-intentions-even-when-they-re-very-smart-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/even-with-the-best-of-intentions-even-when-they-re-very-smart-and/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
