--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe we like our politicians to appear…" description: "\"Maybe we like our politicians to appear like bumbling oafs. It certainly never did Ronald Reagan or George Bush any harm. The Italians still seem enamo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/rory-bremner-9411_anthem_maybe-we-like-our-politicians-to-appear_2622959.jpg" --- # Maybe we like our politicians to appear like bumbling… ![“Maybe we like our politicians to appear like bumbling oafs. It certainly never did Ronald Reagan or George Bush any harm. The Italians still seem enamoured of Silvio Berlusconi - a man whose entry into a room is less likely to be greeted with the Italian national anthem than by the Benny Hill…” quote by Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/rory-bremner-9411_anthem_maybe-we-like-our-politicians-to-appear_2622959.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/rory-bremner-9411_anthem_maybe-we-like-our-politicians-to-appear_2622959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/rory-bremner-9411_anthem_maybe-we-like-our-politicians-to-appear_2622959.jpg) > “Maybe we like our politicians to appear like bumbling oafs. It certainly never did Ronald Reagan or George Bush any harm. The Italians still seem enamoured of Silvio Berlusconi - a man whose entry into a room is less likely to be greeted with the Italian national anthem than by the Benny Hill theme tune.” [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politicians often appear incompetent, yet this image can be harmless or even endearing. **In simple terms:** Voters may accept bumbling leaders without harm. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate leaders beyond appearances. Themes politics media humor Mood sarcastic humorous Type political social When to use this quote - election campaigns - media analysis - public discourse Key Concepts public perception leadership image Questions to Reflect On - Why do we tolerate incompetent leaders? - What impact does satire have on political engagement? A Different Perspective It risks trivializing serious political issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anthem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anthem/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Italian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/italian/) [Italians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/italians/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [National anthem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national-anthem/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [I don't like politicians, and I don't like politics. I definitely don't want to be associated with any of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-don-t-like-politicians-and-i-don-t-like-politics-i-definitely-don-t/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [The Tea Party doesn't like politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/the-tea-party-doesn-t-like-politicians/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [EMILY's List has worked a lot with swing women voters over the years, and one thing we've learned is that they are very cynical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-malcolm/emily-s-list-has-worked-a-lot-with-swing-women-voters-over-the-years/) [Ellen Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-malcolm/) > [Unlike the general public, I rather like most politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-marr/unlike-the-general-public-i-rather-like-most-politicians/) [Andrew Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-marr/) > [I don't like politicians who vacillate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-spitzer/i-don-t-like-politicians-who-vacillate/) [Eliot Spitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-spitzer/) > [People don't like politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/people-don-t-like-politicians/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [I like my politicians and my judges and my lawyers to be simple. I think if you worry about where your hemline is you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-like-my-politicians-and-my-judges-and-my-lawyers-to-be-simple-i/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I'm less upset with politicians than the media. I feel like politicians, there is a certain, inherent - you know, the way I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-m-less-upset-with-politicians-than-the-media-i-feel-like/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I don't even pretend we can occupy the Lib Dem holier-than-thou, hands-entirely-clean-and-entirely-empty-type stance. No, we are getting our hands dirty, and inevitably and totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/i-don-t-even-pretend-we-can-occupy-the-lib-dem-holier-than-thou-hands/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [If we meet an honest and intelligent politician, a dozen, a hundred, we say they aren't like politicians at all, and our category of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-jarrell/if-we-meet-an-honest-and-intelligent-politician-a-dozen-a-hundred-we/) [Randall Jarrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-jarrell/) > [Surrounded by high-paid publicity people and professional ego massagers, movie stars, like politicians, almost invariably come to believe that they are nicer, more charming,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/surrounded-by-high-paid-publicity-people-and-professional-ego/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [We have souls. Sure we do. Otherwise we'd do bad things all the time. You know, like politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryjanice-davidson/we-have-souls-sure-we-do-otherwise-we-d-do-bad-things-all-the-time/) [MaryJanice Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryjanice-davidson/) > [Like its politicians and its wars, society has the teenagers it deserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/like-its-politicians-and-its-wars-society-has-the-teenagers-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Musicians are like politicians. They're the last people who should be making music, just like politicians are the last people who should be running…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-godrich/musicians-are-like-politicians-they-re-the-last-people-who-should-be/) [Nigel Godrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-godrich/) > [People don't like to see politicians focused on themselves, we know that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-berejiklian/people-don-t-like-to-see-politicians-focused-on-themselves-we-know/) [Gladys Berejiklian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-berejiklian/) ## More by Rory Bremner > [People may say that what I do is very clever, but it's not really at all. It's not Swift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/people-may-say-that-what-i-do-is-very-clever-but-it-s-not-really-at/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [Now I'm instantly nervous about the demands of doing a weekly column.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/now-i-m-instantly-nervous-about-the-demands-of-doing-a-weekly-column/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [Or the Department of Education and another ministry were worried about duplication of effort, so what did they do? They set up two committees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/or-the-department-of-education-and-another-ministry-were-worried/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [I remember driving home one evening while they were reviewing the papers on the radio. One of the articles was about me separating from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/i-remember-driving-home-one-evening-while-they-were-reviewing-the/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [Scotland needs comedy more than ever. With the independence debate, finally after 300 years, reaching room temperature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/scotland-needs-comedy-more-than-ever-with-the-independence-debate/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [It's harder to take politics seriously, to understand the issues, than it is to drown it all in a sea of scorn. And while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/it-s-harder-to-take-politics-seriously-to-understand-the-issues-than/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [When George Bush finally leaves the White House, the satire industry will briefly join the rest of the economy in recession. It will certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/when-george-bush-finally-leaves-the-white-house-the-satire-industry/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [I think I probably tend to make life hard for myself by taking on too many things. I call it plate spinning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/i-think-i-probably-tend-to-make-life-hard-for-myself-by-taking-on-too/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [When you consider what Tony Blair was saying about liberty, human rights and that sort of thing, it would be terribly revolutionary to sell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/when-you-consider-what-tony-blair-was-saying-about-liberty-human/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [I had an Edinburgh, middle-class childhood and a public school education,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/i-had-an-edinburgh-middle-class-childhood-and-a-public-school/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [I'm supposed to be the director of a television company, but I've only ever seen that company as a vehicle for making the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/i-m-supposed-to-be-the-director-of-a-television-company-but-i-ve-only/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [I love the 6 Nations rugby. I feel very Scottish then. I feel very Scottish now, sitting in the middle of Chelsea. But thats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/i-love-the-6-nations-rugby-i-feel-very-scottish-then-i-feel-very/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [Politics now is rather like going into Starbucks for a coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/politics-now-is-rather-like-going-into-starbucks-for-a-coffee/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [I've no idea what they make of me. People usually don't recognise themselves in an impression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/i-ve-no-idea-what-they-make-of-me-people-usually-don-t-recognise/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [When I think back to my childhood, it's with a mixture of amusement and embarrassment. I was always forgetting things. My mum called me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/when-i-think-back-to-my-childhood-it-s-with-a-mixture-of-amusement/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) [Explore all 73 Rory Bremner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) ## More Anthem quotes > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [No matter what. Wherever your mind wanders, it seems to turn up at the same Field of Dreams. It's the vision you wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/no-matter-what-wherever-your-mind-wanders-it-seems-to-turn-up-at-the/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [I was in the recording studio when Pink was recording for a part of the gay rights anthem. It was just amazing to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-was-in-the-recording-studio-when-pink-was-recording-for-a-part-of/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [This miracle of me is mine to own and keep, and mine to guard, and mine to use, and mine to kneel before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/this-miracle-of-me-is-mine-to-own-and-keep-and-mine-to-guard-and-mine/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“The shortest national anthem in the world is the Japanese one, which only consists of four lines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/the-shortest-national-anthem-in-the-world-is-the-japanese-one-which/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [People who tend to listen to my music have come back and said, 'Yo, this is my anthem. This is what I live by.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/people-who-tend-to-listen-to-my-music-have-come-back-and-said-yo-this/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Colin Kaepernick is the latest professional athlete to spark a national debate about the meaning behind the American flag and the national anthem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abdul-rauf/colin-kaepernick-is-the-latest-professional-athlete-to-spark-a/) Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf > [All of us ... should remember that no amount of flag-waving, pledging allegiance, or fervent singing of the national anthem is evidence that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/all-of-us-should-remember-that-no-amount-of-flag-waving-pledging/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [I had a gig in Sweden. There were thousands of people there, and when I launched into 'I'm Yours,' they were all singing along.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-had-a-gig-in-sweden-there-were-thousands-of-people-there-and-when-i/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [When you hear the Champions League anthem, it gives you goosebumps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casemiro/when-you-hear-the-champions-league-anthem-it-gives-you-goosebumps/) [Casemiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casemiro/) > [GIRLS NATIONAL ANTHEM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-nelson/girls-national-anthem/) Jerome Nelson > [Written in support of abolishing the Corn Laws, it became Elliott's most famous poem. The Peoples Anthem When wilt thou save the people Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ebenezer-elliott/written-in-support-of-abolishing-the-corn-laws-it-became-elliott-s/) [Ebenezer Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ebenezer-elliott/) > [I sing the National Anthem, while I'm standing, over your body, hold you like a python.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-del-rey/i-sing-the-national-anthem-while-i-m-standing-over-your-body-hold-you/) [Lana Del Rey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-del-rey/) > [I came from a military family, so there are a lot of things I think about when the anthem is playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/i-came-from-a-military-family-so-there-are-a-lot-of-things-i-think/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [Who can I marry? Where can I live? What kind of career can I achieve? These are just some of the stories breaking with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-britting/who-can-i-marry-where-can-i-live-what-kind-of-career-can-i-achieve/) [Jeff Britting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-britting/) [Browse all 219 Anthem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anthem/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Maybe we like our politicians to appear like bumbling oafs. It certainly never did Ronald Reagan or George Bush any harm. 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