--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The single biggest surprise about…" description: "\"The single biggest surprise about arriving to the Senate is the defeatist attitude here.\" — Ted Cruz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/ted-cruz-487_about_the-single-biggest-surprise-about-arrivi_379568.png" --- # The single biggest surprise about arriving to the Senate… ![“The single biggest surprise about arriving to the Senate is the defeatist attitude here.” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/ted-cruz-487_about_the-single-biggest-surprise-about-arrivi_379568.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/ted-cruz-487_about_the-single-biggest-surprise-about-arrivi_379568.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/ted-cruz-487_about_the-single-biggest-surprise-about-arrivi_379568.png) > “The single biggest surprise about arriving to the Senate is the defeatist attitude here.” [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Senate environment feels defeatist, surprising the speaker who expected more optimism. **In simple terms:** The Senate seems overly pessimistic. Key Takeaway Challenge defeatist attitudes with proactive solutions. Themes politics optimism institutional culture Mood critical determined Type political inspirational When to use this quote - legislative sessions - campaign strategy - public debates Key Concepts leadership policy motivation Questions to Reflect On - How can you inspire hope in a cynical environment? - What concrete actions counter defeatism? A Different Perspective Optimism may be unrealistic in partisan settings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Defeatist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeatist/) [Senate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senate/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) ## Related quotes > [I cannot overemphasize this, the attitude, the defeatist attitude that everybody on the Republican side had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-cannot-overemphasize-this-the-attitude-the-defeatist-attitude-that/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [A defeatist attitude kills almost as many marriages as do affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-thomas/a-defeatist-attitude-kills-almost-as-many-marriages-as-do-affairs/) [Gary L. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-thomas/) > [I'm not going to take this defeatist attitude and listen to all this crap any more from all these people who have nothing except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-shelby/i-m-not-going-to-take-this-defeatist-attitude-and-listen-to-all-this/) [Carroll Shelby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-shelby/) > [“Because he refused to adopt a defeatist attitude, he overcame the obstacles in his path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-dobson/because-he-refused-to-adopt-a-defeatist-attitude-he-overcame-the/) [James C. Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-dobson/) > [Capitalism is like this fractal thing where anything that contains an element of capitalism anywhere inside it is just something that turns into capitalism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/capitalism-is-like-this-fractal-thing-where-anything-that-contains-an/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [I literally make music for my wife and my friends. I don't feel beholden to my fans. I don't even really know who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lee/i-literally-make-music-for-my-wife-and-my-friends-i-don-t-feel/) [Ben Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lee/) > [“Some say it is better to rule in hell than serve in heaven. That is a defeatist attitude. I intend to rule everywhere, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/some-say-it-is-better-to-rule-in-hell-than-serve-in-heaven-that-is-a/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [“I think the difficulty with people who can't follow printed directions for knitting or anything else is that they try to understand them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-dickinson-rich/i-think-the-difficulty-with-people-who-can-t-follow-printed/) [Louise Dickinson Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-dickinson-rich/) > [Defeatist, you and I will never be the same! I've taken this vow of hatred. A promise to myself to never be my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hatebreed/defeatist-you-and-i-will-never-be-the-same-i-ve-taken-this-vow-of/) [Hatebreed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hatebreed/) > [Don't be defeatist, dear, it's very middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/don-t-be-defeatist-dear-it-s-very-middle-class/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [Can't is the tool of the defeatist. You have to believe, and you have to fight if you want your dreams to come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-michael-hardy/can-t-is-the-tool-of-the-defeatist-you-have-to-believe-and-you-have/) [D Michael Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-michael-hardy/) > [A defeatist spirit must inevitably lead to disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-znosko-borovsky/a-defeatist-spirit-must-inevitably-lead-to-disaster/) [Eugene Znosko-Borovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-znosko-borovsky/) > [It's defeatist to harp on what might have been, and yet, it's hard to resist considering what might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/it-s-defeatist-to-harp-on-what-might-have-been-and-yet-it-s-hard-to/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [“If I felt less, I could do more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/if-i-felt-less-i-could-do-more/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Defeatist thoughts handicap persons from elevating their mechanistic life to superior states. The majority of persons consider themselves defeated even before beginning the struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samael-aun-weor/defeatist-thoughts-handicap-persons-from-elevating-their-mechanistic/) [Samael Aun Weor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samael-aun-weor/) ## More by Ted Cruz > [I was born in Cuba. At the age of 14 years of age I was involved in a revolution. We were suffering from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-born-in-cuba-at-the-age-of-14-years-of-age-i-was-involved-in-a/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ 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… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I get that the media wants us to play theater critics and critique every other proposal. What I'm focusing on are my own policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-get-that-the-media-wants-us-to-play-theater-critics-and-critique/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [We need to remain a nation that doesn't just welcome but that celebrates legal immigrants who come here seeking to pursue the American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-remain-a-nation-that-doesn-t-just-welcome-but-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Donald Trump threatened to file a defamation suit against me for running a TV ad that consisted only entirely of his own words on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-threatened-to-file-a-defamation-suit-against-me-for/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The immigrant experience of all of us is what makes us Americans, because we value in our DNA liberty and opportunity above all else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-immigrant-experience-of-all-of-us-is-what-makes-us-americans/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The First Amendment exists to protect our religious liberty--to ensure that all Americans are able to seek out worship God with all our hearts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-first-amendment-exists-to-protect-our-religious-liberty-to-ensure/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [It is my hope that all of the Republicans who recognize that nominating a candidate who agrees with Hillary Clinton on a host of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/it-is-my-hope-that-all-of-the-republicans-who-recognize-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The Senate Majority Leader has the unilateral ability to stand up and say, 'If you defy Congress, if you defy the Constitution, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-senate-majority-leader-has-the-unilateral-ability-to-stand-up-and/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [You can't get to a balanced budget and begin to pay down debt and thus create jobs in this country if you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/you-can-t-get-to-a-balanced-budget-and-begin-to-pay-down-debt-and/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [That's what actually caused me to run for office is, you know, my family story, the experience of growing up in a family where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/that-s-what-actually-caused-me-to-run-for-office-is-you-know-my/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [When you subpoena one pastor, you subpoena every pastor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/when-you-subpoena-one-pastor-you-subpoena-every-pastor/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [One of the things we've seen here is how easy it is for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to get distracted from dealing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/one-of-the-things-we-ve-seen-here-is-how-easy-it-is-for-barack-obama/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Imagine a legal immigration system that welcomes and celebrates those who come to achieve the American dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/imagine-a-legal-immigration-system-that-welcomes-and-celebrates-those/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The court follows elite opinion, not public opinion. And Democratic leaders in Congress and Republican leaders in Congress follow elite opinion as well. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-court-follows-elite-opinion-not-public-opinion-and-democratic/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) [Explore all 523 Ted Cruz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The single biggest surprise about arriving to the Senate is the defeatist attitude here.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ted Cruz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-single-biggest-surprise-about-arriving-to-the-senate-is-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-single-biggest-surprise-about-arriving-to-the-senate-is-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/ted-cruz-487_about_the-single-biggest-surprise-about-arrivi_379568.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/ted-cruz-487_about_the-single-biggest-surprise-about-arrivi_379568.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/ted-cruz-487_about_the-single-biggest-surprise-about-arrivi_379568.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The single biggest surprise about arriving to the Senate is the defeatist attitude here.” — Ted Cruz", "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": "Ted Cruz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The single biggest surprise about arriving...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-single-biggest-surprise-about-arriving-to-the-senate-is-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-single-biggest-surprise-about-arriving-to-the-senate-is-the/#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 } } ] } ```