--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Beguiled by George S. Bush's easy smile…" description: "\"Beguiled by George S. Bush's easy smile and casual indifference to the details, we are on the brink of electing him to office. This isn't choosing a pr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f6/roger-ebert-655_casting_beguiled-by-george-s-bush-s-easy-smile-a_1262051.jpg" --- # Beguiled by George S. Bush's easy smile and casual… ![“Beguiled by George S. Bush's easy smile and casual indifference to the details, we are on the brink of electing him to office. This isn't choosing a president, it's casting the lead in a sitcom about the presidency.” quote by Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f6/roger-ebert-655_casting_beguiled-by-george-s-bush-s-easy-smile-a_1262051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f6/roger-ebert-655_casting_beguiled-by-george-s-bush-s-easy-smile-a_1262051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f6/roger-ebert-655_casting_beguiled-by-george-s-bush-s-easy-smile-a_1262051.jpg) > “Beguiled by George S. Bush's easy smile and casual indifference to the details, we are on the brink of electing him to office. This isn't choosing a president, it's casting the lead in a sitcom about the presidency.” [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author criticizes the election of a president as a superficial, entertainment‑driven process, likening it to casting a sitcom lead rather than a serious political choice. **In simple terms:** Politics is being treated like a TV show. Key Takeaway Demand serious political engagement. Themes politics media celebrity democracy Mood critical concerned Type opinion political commentary When to use this quote - voting - public discourse - media consumption - political campaigns - civic responsibility Key Concepts cultural criticism media studies Questions to Reflect On - How does media shape political perception? - What responsibilities do voters have? A Different Perspective The comparison may oversimplify complex electoral dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bush Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bush-easy-4015627/) [Casting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casting/) [Casual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casual/) [Details](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/details/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Electing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electing-1458296/) [Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) [Lead in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lead-in/) [Lead Sitcom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lead-sitcom-1156879/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidency/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Casting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-casting-4015626/) [Sitcom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitcom/) [Sitcom Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitcom-presidency-4015625/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [But I was ready for it and I knew I could do it. I've just turned 40, I have a son and I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/but-i-was-ready-for-it-and-i-knew-i-could-do-it-i-ve-just-turned-40-i/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [I've always felt a bit of an outsider. It used to worry me that, in terms of TV, I did not look like 'the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/i-ve-always-felt-a-bit-of-an-outsider-it-used-to-worry-me-that-in/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [We have to convince people that they have the power to elect people. The people they are electing are the ones making the decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/we-have-to-convince-people-that-they-have-the-power-to-elect-people/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [Democracy is all about not electing the wrong man-eating lizard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/democracy-is-all-about-not-electing-the-wrong-man-eating-lizard/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Some said America took a step forward electing a black president. In light of the unconstitutiona l expansion of powers, lack of transparency and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/some-said-america-took-a-step-forward-electing-a-black-president-in/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [If they are given a real opportunity to affect the performance of local public services by electing the people who run them, most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/if-they-are-given-a-real-opportunity-to-affect-the-performance-of/) [Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/) > [ This election \[in 2016\] is about electing a president that will restore our economic vibrancy so that the American dream can expand to reach… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/this-election-in-2016-is-about-electing-a-president-that-will-restore/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Voting wouldn't excite me unless it included electing the directors of the big banks and corporations, who make the real decisions that affect our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/voting-wouldn-t-excite-me-unless-it-included-electing-the-directors/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Finally, it occurs to me that the biggest problem with our elections is that however you vote, you wind up electing a politician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-prelutsky/finally-it-occurs-to-me-that-the-biggest-problem-with-our-elections/) [Burt Prelutsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-prelutsky/) > [Our nation is not a fully representative democracy if we do not have a one-person, one-vote method of directly electing our president. It disproportionately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/our-nation-is-not-a-fully-representative-democracy-if-we-do-not-have/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [Electing Democratic pro-choice women in the executive offices at the state level is incredibly important to ensuring that we can protect and expand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laphonza-butler/electing-democratic-pro-choice-women-in-the-executive-offices-at-the/) [Laphonza Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laphonza-butler/) > [I don't care who does the electing, as long as I get to do the nominating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boss-tweed/i-don-t-care-who-does-the-electing-as-long-as-i-get-to-do-the/) [Boss Tweed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boss-tweed/) > [Candidates have been telling you that if elected they would 'pull you from this bog hole of financial misery.' Now is a good chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/candidates-have-been-telling-you-that-if-elected-they-would-pull-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [If you're not electing Christians then in essence you are going to legislate sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-harris/if-you-re-not-electing-christians-then-in-essence-you-are-going-to/) [Katherine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-harris/) > [We are selected, but I grew up in California and in San Francisco and there was a system of electing judges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/we-are-selected-but-i-grew-up-in-california-and-in-san-francisco-and/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) ## More by Roger Ebert > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I am, beneath everything else, a fan. I was fixed in this mode as a young boy and am awed by people who take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-am-beneath-everything-else-a-fan-i-was-fixed-in-this-mode-as-a/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“We’d had a revelation. This was the direction American movies should take: into idiosyncratic characters, into dialogue with an ear for the vulgar and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/we-d-had-a-revelation-this-was-the-direction-american-movies-should/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“Most courtroom movies feel it necessary to end with a clear-cut verdict. But 12 Angry Men never states whether the defendant is innocent or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/most-courtroom-movies-feel-it-necessary-to-end-with-a-clear-cut/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [What every human being should do is eat a vegetarian diet based on whole foods. Period. That's it. Animal protein is bad for you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/what-every-human-being-should-do-is-eat-a-vegetarian-diet-based-on/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I value the kind of prayer when you stand at the edge of the sea, or beneath a tree, or smell a flower, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-value-the-kind-of-prayer-when-you-stand-at-the-edge-of-the-sea-or/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“One of my delights in these books, on the other hand, has been to include movies not often cited as “great”—some because they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/one-of-my-delights-in-these-books-on-the-other-hand-has-been-to/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [A movie isn't good or bad based on its politics. It's usually good or bad for other reasons, though you might agree or disagree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/a-movie-isn-t-good-or-bad-based-on-its-politics-it-s-usually-good-or/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [It is human nature to look away from illness. We don't enjoy a reminder of our own fragile mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-human-nature-to-look-away-from-illness-we-don-t-enjoy-a/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [ Gene \[Siskel\] often mentioned something François Truffaut once told him: the most beautiful sight in a movie theater is to walk down to the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/gene-siskel-often-mentioned-something-fran-ois-truffaut-once-told-him/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/a-movie-is-not-about-what-it-is-about-it-is-about-how-it-is-about-it/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [James Cameron's films have always been distinguished by ground-breaking technical excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/james-cameron-s-films-have-always-been-distinguished-by-ground/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Friends don't let Jackasses drink and drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/friends-don-t-let-jackasses-drink-and-drive/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I think we have to get beyond the idea that we have to categorize people. We can now have action movies with two stars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-think-we-have-to-get-beyond-the-idea-that-we-have-to-categorize/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) [Explore all 427 Roger Ebert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) ## More Casting quotes > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm being called in by all the great casting directors. It's no longer based on a headshot. I realize now what they're buying is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-gonzalez/i-m-being-called-in-by-all-the-great-casting-directors-it-s-no-longer/) [Nicholas Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-gonzalez/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [There's a certain feeling of giving, a certain feeling of generosity in love songs. When you sing a song of love, you're actually giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/there-s-a-certain-feeling-of-giving-a-certain-feeling-of-generosity/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [It would have been an interesting run if we hadn't gotten along! It was good casting, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-west/it-would-have-been-an-interesting-run-if-we-hadn-t-gotten-along-it/) [Dominic West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-west/) > [People are always casting me for what they call my 'authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hunt/people-are-always-casting-me-for-what-they-call-my-authority/) [Linda Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hunt/) > [So here I sit in the early candle-light of old age-I and my book-casting backward glances over out travel'd road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/so-here-i-sit-in-the-early-candle-light-of-old-age-i-and-my-book/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I guess my height has hurt me as much as it's helped me. In comedy people don't mind casting tall women next to shorter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-janney/i-guess-my-height-has-hurt-me-as-much-as-it-s-helped-me-in-comedy/) [Allison Janney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-janney/) > [I don't think anyone went the polls and said, 'I am casting my vote to make sure that Wall Street has better chances to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/i-don-t-think-anyone-went-the-polls-and-said-i-am-casting-my-vote-to/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I think Michael Crawford realised, I think we all realised, once we'd gone the route of casting a very young girl, you can't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lloyd-webber/i-think-michael-crawford-realised-i-think-we-all-realised-once-we-d/) [Andrew Lloyd Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lloyd-webber/) > [Seen from the point of view of the composer, the most nonsensical practice is that of casting people in musicals who are unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gold/seen-from-the-point-of-view-of-the-composer-the-most-nonsensical/) [Ernest Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gold/) > [I spend a long time casting, but once I've cast a film there's a reason why I selected those people. So I'm hands-on in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-spend-a-long-time-casting-but-once-i-ve-cast-a-film-there-s-a/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [That's the fun thing of casting a show. I'm a pretty strong believer that TV makes stars, not the other way around. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kring/that-s-the-fun-thing-of-casting-a-show-i-m-a-pretty-strong-believer/) [Tim Kring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kring/) > [AMC has a track record for finding actors who have been working actors but not names yet and casting them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mireille-enos/amc-has-a-track-record-for-finding-actors-who-have-been-working/) [Mireille Enos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mireille-enos/) > [I have to speak for myself. As far as videos go - casting, the artwork, everything - I'm completely hands-on. You have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pink/i-have-to-speak-for-myself-as-far-as-videos-go-casting-the-artwork/) [Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pink/) [Browse all 858 Casting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Beguiled by George S. Bush's easy smile and casual indifference to the details, we are on the brink of electing him to office. 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