--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Candidates rarely win battles with the…" description: "\"Candidates rarely win battles with the media, and unless you really know what you're doing you should not tangle with them. The exception is when you k..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/roger-ailes-2123_accomplish_candidates-rarely-win-battles-with-the-m_705141.png" --- # Candidates rarely win battles with the media, and unless… ![“Candidates rarely win battles with the media, and unless you really know what you're doing you should not tangle with them. The exception is when you know this is a search-and- destroy mission on the part of the media and your case is very strong, you are very articulate, you know what you're…” quote by Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/roger-ailes-2123_accomplish_candidates-rarely-win-battles-with-the-m_705141.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/roger-ailes-2123_accomplish_candidates-rarely-win-battles-with-the-m_705141.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/roger-ailes-2123_accomplish_candidates-rarely-win-battles-with-the-m_705141.png) > “Candidates rarely win battles with the media, and unless you really know what you're doing you should not tangle with them. The exception is when you know this is a search-and- destroy mission on the part of the media and your case is very strong, you are very articulate, you know what you're trying to accomplish - and you have no alternatives.” [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Media battles are often unwinnable unless you have a clear, strong case and articulate strategy; otherwise avoid confrontation. **In simple terms:** Avoid media fights without strong evidence. Key Takeaway Choose battles wisely. Themes politics media strategy communication Mood cautious strategic Type political advice When to use this quote - political campaigns - press conferences - crisis management Key Concepts Power dynamics Public relations Questions to Reflect On - When should you confront the press? - What alternatives exist to direct conflict? A Different Perspective Media attacks can backfire if not carefully managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplish/) [Alternatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternatives/) [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates/) [Candidates Rarely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates-rarely-5574584/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Doing you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-you/) [Exception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exception/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Media Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media-case-5574586/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Strong Articulate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-articulate-5574585/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Very strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-strong/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Win Battles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win-battles-287528/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [“The fastest runners don't always win the race and the greatest heroes don't always win the battles. But just keep running and fighting if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/the-fastest-runners-don-t-always-win-the-race-and-the-greatest-heroes/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Sometimes you don’t win the war. You don’t even win any of the battles. All you have left to celebrate is the victory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-shaw/sometimes-you-don-t-win-the-war-you-don-t-even-win-any-of-the-battles/) [Johnny Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-shaw/) > [If you know both yourself and your enemy, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/if-you-know-both-yourself-and-your-enemy-you-can-win-a-hundred/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Let your wife win all the battles, and you'll win the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-chi-rodriguez/let-your-wife-win-all-the-battles-and-you-ll-win-the-war/) [Chi Chi Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chi-chi-rodriguez/) > [Do the best. Never afraid of consequences. Remember you have power to face every obstacle. Your strength will make you to win all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/do-the-best-never-afraid-of-consequences-remember-you-have-power-to/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“And being brave doesn’t always mean you need to fight to win your battles; there are different kinds of strengths. Sometimes bravery comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/and-being-brave-doesn-t-always-mean-you-need-to-fight-to-win-your/) [David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/) > [With a good heart, you can win many battles!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/with-a-good-heart-you-can-win-many-battles/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [We don't take on battles so small we know we can win, we take on battles so big we dare to dream of winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-burton/we-don-t-take-on-battles-so-small-we-know-we-can-win-we-take-on/) [Sarah Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-burton/) > [You don't always win your battles, but it's good to know you fought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-always-win-your-battles-but-it-s-good-to-know-you-fought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of us, but those who win battles we know nothing about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-strongest-people-are-not-those-who-show-strength-in-front-of-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Know thy enemy and know thy self and you will win a hundred battles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/know-thy-enemy-and-know-thy-self-and-you-will-win-a-hundred-battles/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“As long as you want the belt, don’t run away from the fight. Do what it takes to win the battles you face.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/as-long-as-you-want-the-belt-don-t-run-away-from-the-fight-do-what-it/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [He who knows things, and in fighting puts his knowledge into practice, will win his battles. He who knows them not, nor practices them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/he-who-knows-things-and-in-fighting-puts-his-knowledge-into-practice/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [You win battles by knowing the enemy's timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/you-win-battles-by-knowing-the-enemy-s-timing-and-using-a-timing/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [“Perseverance can win all battles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-harglesis/perseverance-can-win-all-battles/) [Andy Harglesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-harglesis/) ## More by Roger Ailes > [The contributions being made by Latinos are extraordinary, and we need to talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/the-contributions-being-made-by-latinos-are-extraordinary-and-we-need/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > ['Vanity Fair' is a left-wing rag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/vanity-fair-is-a-left-wing-rag/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [I have a good eye for talent, and my talent performs the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/i-have-a-good-eye-for-talent-and-my-talent-performs-the-best/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [I've been an underdog all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/i-ve-been-an-underdog-all-my-life/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [Obama's the one who never worked a day in his life. He never earned a penny that wasn't public money. How many fund-raisers does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/obama-s-the-one-who-never-worked-a-day-in-his-life-he-never-earned-a/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [If you've got a big star like O'Reilly, it does overshadow what the hard-news guys do during the day. That's the nature of television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/if-you-ve-got-a-big-star-like-o-reilly-it-does-overshadow-what-the/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [My first qualification is I didn't go to Columbia Journalism School.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/my-first-qualification-is-i-didn-t-go-to-columbia-journalism-school/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [Just because somebody else likes a candidate doesn't necessarily mean everybody else will like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/just-because-somebody-else-likes-a-candidate-doesn-t-necessarily-mean/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [We're not programming to conservatives. We're just not eliminating their point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/we-re-not-programming-to-conservatives-we-re-just-not-eliminating/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [ They \[NPR\] are, of course, Nazis. They have a kind of Nazi attitude. They are the left wing of Nazism. These guys don't want… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/they-npr-are-of-course-nazis-they-have-a-kind-of-nazi-attitude-they/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [You just don't go out when you're over 55 years of age, have a colossal failure, and expect to find work in your field again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/you-just-don-t-go-out-when-you-re-over-55-years-of-age-have-a/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [CNBC was completely in the dumper when I went there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/cnbc-was-completely-in-the-dumper-when-i-went-there/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [Almost everything I do is related to my ability to hire good people. I don't take much of the credit myself. I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/almost-everything-i-do-is-related-to-my-ability-to-hire-good-people-i/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [Anybody's position on an issue, anything they've said about an issue, and any way they've voted on an issue is fair game. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/anybody-s-position-on-an-issue-anything-they-ve-said-about-an-issue/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [It is a tremendous sacrifice to run for political office in America today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/it-is-a-tremendous-sacrifice-to-run-for-political-office-in-america/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) [Explore all 184 Roger Ailes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) ## More Accomplish quotes > [Learn to see the big picture. Often times we get tunnel vision and lose sight of the big picture and what we're really trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/learn-to-see-the-big-picture-often-times-we-get-tunnel-vision-and/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I work every day. Sometimes I don't accomplish anything every day, but if I don't work every day, I get depressed and get afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-work-every-day-sometimes-i-don-t-accomplish-anything-every-day-but/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [God has given believers the responsibility of spreading the Gospel to all the world, and we need to use all at our disposal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-epp/god-has-given-believers-the-responsibility-of-spreading-the-gospel-to/) [Theodore Epp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-epp/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) > [There's things that you want to accomplish, but to do that you have to work. That's the name of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/there-s-things-that-you-want-to-accomplish-but-to-do-that-you-have-to/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [We have to think about the future and what it is we want to accomplish from this party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bernice-johnson/we-have-to-think-about-the-future-and-what-it-is-we-want-to/) [Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bernice-johnson/) > [Everything that I have ever hoped to accomplish, she has done and done better than anyone I have ever seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/everything-that-i-have-ever-hoped-to-accomplish-she-has-done-and-done/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [For what we want to accomplish in the future, we have to be able to view everything from the eyes of the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-katz/for-what-we-want-to-accomplish-in-the-future-we-have-to-be-able-to/) [Karen Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-katz/) > [And for me the only way to live life is to grab the bull by the horns and call up recording studios and set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/and-for-me-the-only-way-to-live-life-is-to-grab-the-bull-by-the-horns/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [A great tennis career is something that a 15-year-old normally doesn't have. I hope my example helps other teens believe they can accomplish things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/a-great-tennis-career-is-something-that-a-15-year-old-normally-doesn/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [One should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/one-should-not-withdraw-from-individuals-and-commit-to-the-community/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) [Browse all 2,426 Accomplish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplish/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Candidates rarely win battles with the media, and unless you really know what you're doing you should not tangle with them. The exception is when you know this is a search-and- destroy mission on the part of the media and your case is very strong, you are very articulate, you know what you're trying to accomplish - and you have no alternatives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger Ailes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/candidates-rarely-win-battles-with-the-media-and-unless-you-really/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accomplish" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/candidates-rarely-win-battles-with-the-media-and-unless-you-really/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/roger-ailes-2123_accomplish_candidates-rarely-win-battles-with-the-m_705141.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/roger-ailes-2123_accomplish_candidates-rarely-win-battles-with-the-m_705141.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/roger-ailes-2123_accomplish_candidates-rarely-win-battles-with-the-m_705141.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Candidates rarely win battles with the media, and unless you really know what you're doing you should not…” — Roger Ailes", "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": "Roger Ailes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Candidates rarely win battles with the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/candidates-rarely-win-battles-with-the-media-and-unless-you-really/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/candidates-rarely-win-battles-with-the-media-and-unless-you-really/#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 } } ] } ```