Barack Quote by Ted Cruz
![“We keep hearing from [Barack] Obama and Hillary Clinton and Washington Republicans that they're searching for these mythical moderate rebels. It's like a purple unicorn. They never exist. These moderate rebels end up being jihadists.” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/103/ted-cruz-487_barack_we-keep-hearing-from-barack-obama-and-hi_1216054.jpg)
“We keep hearing from [Barack] Obama and Hillary Clinton and Washington Republicans that they're searching for these mythical moderate rebels. It's like a purple unicorn. They never exist. These moderate rebels end up being jihadists.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Republican primary rally, 2016
People claim moderate rebels exist, but they are mythic; in reality, those labeled moderate often become extreme, showing the danger of chasing non‑existent centrist heroes.
In simple terms: Moderate rebels are mythic; they often turn extreme.
Key Takeaway
Beware of chasing unrealistic political ideals.
Themes
politics
moderation
myth
extremism
leadership
ideology
Mood
skeptical
critical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- campaign strategy
- policy debates
- voter outreach
- party platforms
Key Concepts
political theory
polarization
idealism
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you see true moderates in politics?
- How can parties avoid labeling extremes as moderates?
A Different Perspective
Extremism can arise from false expectations of moderation.
![“The death toll is not nearly high enough... too many [jihadists] have escaped.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e5f/christopher-hitchens-117_death_the-death-toll-is-not-nearly-high-enough_349015.jpg)
![“Donald Trump has opened [ politically correct enforcement] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little bit when he said it is temporary.” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/572/ted-cruz-487_bits_donald-trump-has-opened-politically-corr_6712.jpg)
![“I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect [Donald Trump], or then-president [Barack Obama]. But it's - I'm very clear. I voted for the change that put the Army Field Manual in place as a member of Congress. I understand that law very, very quickly and am also deeply aware…” quote by James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/761/james-mattis-9515_army_i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-th_3990.jpg)
![“The president [Barack Obama] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years. And we announced during the tour last week that we have gotten more than 60,000 jobs, and we're well on our way to just crashing that goal out of the…” quote by Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/83d/michelle-obama-518_barack_the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-c_15651.jpg)
![“I think the president's [Barack Obama] position has been very clear on Syria. He wants more aggressive, he's put the Special Ops on the ground, in fact one of the Republican criticisms is he's got thousands of Americans there. We just don't call them troops on the ground, we don't admit to it. But…” quote by Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f9c/juan-williams-7909_aggressive_i-think-the-president-s-barack-obama-pos_17086.jpg)
![“It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president [Barack Obama] has consistently said - which I agree with - is that we will support those who take the fight to ISIS. That is why we have troops in Iraq that are helping to train and build back up the Iraqi military, why we have…” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f1e/hillary-clinton-51_agree_it-cannot-be-an-american-fight-and-i-thi_19737.jpg)
![“It wasn't [Barack] Obama per se; it was the feeling on the ground; it was seeing an old black woman in a wheelchair being wheeled by her son waving a big American flag, and then seeing a guy with his baby in his arms saying, "I didn't want her to miss tonight! I wanted to be able to tell her!" And…” quote by Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/806/bill-ayers-1848_able_it-wasn-t-barack-obama-per-se-it-was-the_20409.jpg)
