Bus Quote by Theodore White
“When the bus or the plane rolled or flew through the night, they sang songs of their own composition about Mr Nixon and the Republicans in chorus with the Kennedy staff and felt that they, too, were marching like soldiers of the Lord to the New Frontier.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Making of the President 1960 by Theodore White, 1961
Observers felt the political campaign was a grand, almost religious, collective endeavor.
In simple terms: Campaign seen as a spiritual march.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the power of shared narrative.
Themes
politics
culture
collective identity
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- election campaigns
- political rallies
- media coverage
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
mythmaking
media framing
national myth
Questions to Reflect On
- How does framing politics as a religious quest affect civic engagement?
- What narratives unify or divide participants?
A Different Perspective
May overlook individual agency within mass movements.
![“As soon as I was born, my mom said I was humming 'When the Saints Go Marching In,' or something like that, you know? It's in the family. And in that neighborhood [Treme, in New Orleans], I think everybody in the neighborhood has some type of musical influence, even if they don't play instruments…” quote by Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/troy-andrews-56231_born_as-soon-as-i-was-born-my-mom-said-i-was_2182733.jpg)
