--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I guess I don't have a candidate who…" description: "\"I guess I don't have a candidate who makes my heart go pitter-patter the way I wish it would. I'm thinking, here's an African American candidate - yes!..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/sara-paretsky-8563_african-american_i-guess-i-don-t-have-a-candidate-who-mak_1234051.jpg" --- # I guess I don't have a candidate who makes my heart go… ![“I guess I don't have a candidate who makes my heart go pitter-patter the way I wish it would. I'm thinking, here's an African American candidate - yes! And here's a woman candidate - yes! Why can't I get behind either one of them? Don't tell me I have latent sexism or racism that I need to…” quote by Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/sara-paretsky-8563_african-american_i-guess-i-don-t-have-a-candidate-who-mak_1234051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/sara-paretsky-8563_african-american_i-guess-i-don-t-have-a-candidate-who-mak_1234051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/sara-paretsky-8563_african-american_i-guess-i-don-t-have-a-candidate-who-mak_1234051.jpg) > “I guess I don't have a candidate who makes my heart go pitter-patter the way I wish it would. I'm thinking, here's an African American candidate - yes! And here's a woman candidate - yes! Why can't I get behind either one of them? Don't tell me I have latent sexism or racism that I need to confront. I don't believe that. I think we are so burned by the current situation that we want somebody that it isn't possible to have. We want someone who definitely looks like the messiah.” [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker resists acknowledging personal bias, claiming their preferences are purely based on idealized expectations rather than prejudice. **In simple terms:** Denial of bias despite contradictory feelings. Key Takeaway Examine hidden biases honestly. Themes bias identity politics expectations Mood frustrated defensive Type political personal When to use this quote - voting decisions - candidate selection - personal relationships - media consumption Key Concepts intersectionality implicit bias idealization Questions to Reflect On - What standards do you truly value in leaders? - How might idealized expectations limit realistic choices? A Different Perspective Self‑deception can mask true prejudice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Sexism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexism/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [Don't tell me I have latent sexism or racism that I need to confront. I don't believe that. I think we are so burned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/don-t-tell-me-i-have-latent-sexism-or-racism-that-i-need-to-confront/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [ “Initially, the purveyors of racism need no more than the silent acquiescence of the public ... \[I\]t is never too soon to confront bigotry… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-j-massaquoi/initially-the-purveyors-of-racism-need-no-more-than-the-silent/) Hans J. Massaquoi > [As a woman candidate myself, I know how important it was to be encouraged to run, to think outside of the box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-stefanik/as-a-woman-candidate-myself-i-know-how-important-it-was-to-be/) [Elise Stefanik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-stefanik/) > [Hillary Clinton should be president not because she's a woman but because she's the best for the job. I don't think that any woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/hillary-clinton-should-be-president-not-because-she-s-a-woman-but/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [There's going to be a demand for perfectionism on the part of Hillary Clinton, or any other pro-equality woman candidate, that would not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/there-s-going-to-be-a-demand-for-perfectionism-on-the-part-of-hillary/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Leaders talk about gender equality but it is not seen during selection of candidates. They will talk about winnability and a woman candidate seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagma/leaders-talk-about-gender-equality-but-it-is-not-seen-during/) [Nagma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagma/) > [“One merely had to imagine a woman candidate doing what Trump did, from lying to leering, to understand what latitude masculinity possesses. "No advanced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/one-merely-had-to-imagine-a-woman-candidate-doing-what-trump-did-from/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“There is no issue that is more important to baby boom and post baby boom believers than the question of gender and racial equality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-daily/there-is-no-issue-that-is-more-important-to-baby-boom-and-post-baby/) [Steve Daily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-daily/) > [Sexism, racism, and other forms of discrimination are being built into the machine-learning algorithms that underlie the technology behind many 'intelligent' systems that shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-crawford/sexism-racism-and-other-forms-of-discrimination-are-being-built-into/) [Kate Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-crawford/) > [Unfortunately, a lot of fantasy is chock full of sexism and racism. A lot of authors don't even realize they're doing it, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/unfortunately-a-lot-of-fantasy-is-chock-full-of-sexism-and-racism-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“People target advertisers because they’re tired of their hard-won consumer dollars going to pay sexists and racists and homophobes who got those jobs, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-west/people-target-advertisers-because-they-re-tired-of-their-hard-won/) [Lindy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-west/) > [Sexism and racism are parallel problems. You can compare them in some ways, but they're not at all the same. But they're both symptoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/sexism-and-racism-are-parallel-problems-you-can-compare-them-in-some/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I think that we need to have an honest conversation in this country. This idea that somehow we're beyond sexism, beyond racism is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/i-think-that-we-need-to-have-an-honest-conversation-in-this-country/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [All my life, I faced sexism and racism and then, when I hit 40, ageism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-moreno/all-my-life-i-faced-sexism-and-racism-and-then-when-i-hit-40-ageism/) [Rita Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-moreno/) > [“When you expose a problem you pose a problem. It might then be assumed that the problem would go away if you would just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-ahmed/when-you-expose-a-problem-you-pose-a-problem-it-might-then-be-assumed/) [Sara Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-ahmed/) ## More by Sara Paretsky > [Rule number something or other -- never tell anybody anything unless you're going to get something better in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/rule-number-something-or-other-never-tell-anybody-anything-unless-you/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [Heart surgeons do not have the world's smallest egos: when you ask them to name the world's three leading practitioners, they never can remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/heart-surgeons-do-not-have-the-world-s-smallest-egos-when-you-ask/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [I always wrote; my first story was published in the magazine The American Girl when I was 11](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/i-always-wrote-my-first-story-was-published-in-the-magazine-the/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [I'm a grandmother, and a mighty proud one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/i-m-a-grandmother-and-a-mighty-proud-one/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [Organizer is kind of a grand term for what I was doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/organizer-is-kind-of-a-grand-term-for-what-i-was-doing/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [I thought it was time for a tough, smart, likable female private investigator, and that's how VI came to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/i-thought-it-was-time-for-a-tough-smart-likable-female-private/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [Don't tell me I have latent sexism or racism that I need to confront. I don't believe that. I think we are so burned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/don-t-tell-me-i-have-latent-sexism-or-racism-that-i-need-to-confront/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [The possibility of bringing white-collar criminals to justice is ever receding over the horizon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/the-possibility-of-bringing-white-collar-criminals-to-justice-is-ever/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [These events are swirling around them. In the white community, people felt like they had no control over their neighborhoods, their destiny. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/these-events-are-swirling-around-them-in-the-white-community-people/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [No agent wants to see a book until he or she has decided whether to pursue the relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/no-agent-wants-to-see-a-book-until-he-or-she-has-decided-whether-to/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [“But one of them had on an Army medal, a service medal, something like that. Do you know all of Chad's Army friends?" Radke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/but-one-of-them-had-on-an-army-medal-a-service-medal-something-like/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [Live disasters are wonderful attractions when you're safe on the other side of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/live-disasters-are-wonderful-attractions-when-you-re-safe-on-the/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [“about your actions. You keep me totally in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/about-your-actions-you-keep-me-totally-in/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [Around the time I turned 30, I wanted to publish a novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/around-the-time-i-turned-30-i-wanted-to-publish-a-novel/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [I'm very honoured that there is a loyal following and I hope it continues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/i-m-very-honoured-that-there-is-a-loyal-following-and-i-hope-it/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) [Explore all 80 Sara Paretsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) ## More African american quotes > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [“This popularity extended to Trump himself, who, according to private demographic research conducted at the time, was even more popular with African American and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-green/this-popularity-extended-to-trump-himself-who-according-to-private/) [Joshua Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-green/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I know I'm more forgiving than most African Americans when it comes to second chances for White people who not only commit a racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/i-know-i-m-more-forgiving-than-most-african-americans-when-it-comes/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. So sometimes, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/it-may-be-changing-but-still-it-s-the-one-place-that-total-control-of/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [Most of the more celebrated names among African-American authors, poets, and artists are known to the world because of their association with specific cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/most-of-the-more-celebrated-names-among-african-american-authors/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [I think it's easier for African American and white comics to be praised than it is Latinos because they think our culture or our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/i-think-it-s-easier-for-african-american-and-white-comics-to-be/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [I'm just trying to touch the world and touch the people and just get good material. And show them that we can get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-hardrict/i-m-just-trying-to-touch-the-world-and-touch-the-people-and-just-get/) [Cory Hardrict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-hardrict/) [Browse all 1,848 African american quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I guess I don't have a candidate who makes my heart go pitter-patter the way I wish it would. I'm thinking, here's an African American candidate - yes! And here's a woman candidate - yes! Why can't I get behind either one of them? Don't tell me I have latent sexism or racism that I need to confront. I don't believe that. I think we are so burned by the current situation that we want somebody that it isn't possible to have. We want someone who definitely looks like the messiah.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sara Paretsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/i-guess-i-don-t-have-a-candidate-who-makes-my-heart-go-pitter-patter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "African american" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/i-guess-i-don-t-have-a-candidate-who-makes-my-heart-go-pitter-patter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/sara-paretsky-8563_african-american_i-guess-i-don-t-have-a-candidate-who-mak_1234051.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/sara-paretsky-8563_african-american_i-guess-i-don-t-have-a-candidate-who-mak_1234051.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04c/sara-paretsky-8563_african-american_i-guess-i-don-t-have-a-candidate-who-mak_1234051.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I guess I don't have a candidate who makes my heart go pitter-patter the way I wish it would. I'm thinking…” — Sara Paretsky", "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": "Sara Paretsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I guess I don't have a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/i-guess-i-don-t-have-a-candidate-who-makes-my-heart-go-pitter-patter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/i-guess-i-don-t-have-a-candidate-who-makes-my-heart-go-pitter-patter/#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 } } ] } ```