---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can stick a fork in Barack Obama…"
description: "\"You can stick a fork in Barack Obama. Politically, he's done. The main way we can screw this up is if we choose the wrong Republican.\" — Tim Pawlenty"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/tim-pawlenty-15469_barack_you-can-stick-a-fork-in-barack-obama-pol_1126654.png"
---

#  You can stick a fork in Barack Obama. Politically, he's…

![“You can stick a fork in Barack Obama. Politically, he's done. The main way we can screw this up is if we choose the wrong Republican.” quote by Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/tim-pawlenty-15469_barack_you-can-stick-a-fork-in-barack-obama-pol_1126654.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/tim-pawlenty-15469_barack_you-can-stick-a-fork-in-barack-obama-pol_1126654.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/tim-pawlenty-15469_barack_you-can-stick-a-fork-in-barack-obama-pol_1126654.png)

> “You can stick a fork in Barack Obama. Politically, he's done. The main way we can screw this up is if we choose the wrong Republican.”

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Barack Obama’s political career is considered finished; the key risk is choosing an unsuitable Republican successor.

**In simple terms:** Obama’s era is over; choose the right Republican.

Key Takeaway

Focus on selecting strong candidates.

Themes

politics elections party strategy

Mood

cautious strategic

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

- primary debates
- campaign strategy sessions
- party conventions

Key Concepts

candidate vetting party unity

Questions to Reflect On

- What criteria define a “right” Republican?
- How does party choice affect policy direction?

A Different Perspective

Opposing parties may also influence outcomes.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/)

## Related quotes

> [“But to the managing editor of Life, Joseph J. Thorndike, Jr., the problem centered on bias. “Of course, we did not intentionally mislead our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/but-to-the-managing-editor-of-life-joseph-j-thorndike-jr-the-problem/)

[David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/)

> [I’m never wrong? Who besides Republican presidents and evil masterminds can say that with a straight face?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/i-m-never-wrong-who-besides-republican-presidents-and-evil/)

[Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/)

> [The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-world-was-my-oyster-but-i-used-the-wrong-fork/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [I used to fight the pain, but recently this became clear to me: pain is not my enemy; it is my call to greatness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-used-to-fight-the-pain-but-recently-this-became-clear-to-me-pain-is/)

[Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/)

> [I come from both sides of the spectrum: I grew up listening to hip-hop and R&B then learned how to make a track by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lotic/i-come-from-both-sides-of-the-spectrum-i-grew-up-listening-to-hip-hop/)

[Lotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lotic/)

> [Where did that flashlight come from?" Chloe asked. "My purse." Chloe looked at Tara. "She carries a flashlight in her purse." "For emergencies," Maddie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/where-did-that-flashlight-come-from-chloe-asked-my-purse-chloe-looked/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

> [At New Year's he had given Anne a present of silver forks with handles of rock crystal. He hopes she will use them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/at-new-year-s-he-had-given-anne-a-present-of-silver-forks-with/)

[Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/)

> [Once I was in a restaurant and I dropped my fork on the floor, and they gave me a new fork. So I pushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/once-i-was-in-a-restaurant-and-i-dropped-my-fork-on-the-floor-and/)

[Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/)

> [Blaming guns for murder is like blaming forks for obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/blaming-guns-for-murder-is-like-blaming-forks-for-obesity/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [This is really good,” Donovan Caine said, attacking his third strawberry pancake. “You sound surprised,” I said. He shrugged. “I just didn’t think an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/this-is-really-good-donovan-caine-said-attacking-his-third-strawberry/)

[Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/)

> [If you see someone lying out knives and forks consistently, but then one day those knives and forks become weapons you're not sure if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/if-you-see-someone-lying-out-knives-and-forks-consistently-but-then/)

[Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/)

> [When it comes to forks in the road, your heart always knows the answer, not your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/when-it-comes-to-forks-in-the-road-your-heart-always-knows-the-answer/)

[Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/)

> [A language possesses utility only insofar as it can construct conventional boundaries. A language of no boundaries is no language at all, and thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/a-language-possesses-utility-only-insofar-as-it-can-construct/)

[Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/)

> [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/)

[Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/)

> [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

## More by Tim Pawlenty

> [We need to be calling out the flaws and misguided decisions of the Democrats in Congress and the Obama administration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/we-need-to-be-calling-out-the-flaws-and-misguided-decisions-of-the/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [I'm a market person, but there are certain circumstances where you've got to have government put up the guardrails or bust up entrenched interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/i-m-a-market-person-but-there-are-certain-circumstances-where-you-ve/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [I've come to realize that Barack Obama is the tattoo president. Like a big tattoo, it seemed cool when you were young. But later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/i-ve-come-to-realize-that-barack-obama-is-the-tattoo-president-like-a/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [The marketplace measurement in politics is something called an election. It's a pretty good barometer - it's transparent, it's numerical, it's objective. It gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/the-marketplace-measurement-in-politics-is-something-called-an/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [History has taught us over and over again that freedom is not free. When push comes to shove, the ultimate protectors of freedom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/history-has-taught-us-over-and-over-again-that-freedom-is-not-free/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [President Obama said that he designed Obamacare after Romneycare and basically made it Obamneycare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/president-obama-said-that-he-designed-obamacare-after-romneycare-and/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [National polls basically always misinterpret the final outcome or mis-predict the final outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/national-polls-basically-always-misinterpret-the-final-outcome-or-mis/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [In my address last year, I spoke on the issue of gaming. My preference then is my preference now: to keep gaming within its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/in-my-address-last-year-i-spoke-on-the-issue-of-gaming-my-preference/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [We have a country that is $5 a gallon gas, $4 a gallon gas, we got unbearable unemployment and a federal government that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/we-have-a-country-that-is-5-a-gallon-gas-4-a-gallon-gas-we-got/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [I think the country's in trouble. And I think I have a pretty clear sense of the values and principles that have made this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/i-think-the-country-s-in-trouble-and-i-think-i-have-a-pretty-clear/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [A strong dollar reflects a strong country and a strong economy, and we need to make sure that we get the - stop the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/a-strong-dollar-reflects-a-strong-country-and-a-strong-economy-and-we/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [It appears that President Obama is making great progress on climate change, he is changing the political climate in the country back to Republican.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/it-appears-that-president-obama-is-making-great-progress-on-climate/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [We have the highest graduation rates, the broadest health care access, and the greatest level of home ownership and workforce participation in the country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/we-have-the-highest-graduation-rates-the-broadest-health-care-access/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [The rising cost of prescription drugs has sparked a prairie fire that is spreading across our nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/the-rising-cost-of-prescription-drugs-has-sparked-a-prairie-fire-that/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

> [We should say to private employers, if you knowingly hire illegal immigrants, there's going to be a consequence. I underline the word 'knowingly.' And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/we-should-say-to-private-employers-if-you-knowingly-hire-illegal/)

[Tim Pawlenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

[Explore all 43 Tim Pawlenty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/)

## More Barack quotes

> [ 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.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/)

[Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/)

> [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. They're in Raqqa, Syria.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-tell-you-who-s-planning-terroris-attacks-the-leaders-of-isil/)

[Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/)

> [ 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.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [The big story today, Barack Obama was accused of insulting Sarah Palin when he criticized Republican policies by saying, you can put lipstick on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-big-story-today-barack-obama-was-accused-of-insulting-sarah-palin/)

[Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/)

> [ 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… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/i-think-the-president-s-barack-obama-position-has-been-very-clear-on/)

[Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/)

> [ It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president \[Barack Obama\] has consistently said - which I agree with - is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-cannot-be-an-american-fight-and-i-think-what-the-president-barack/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [ 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… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/it-wasn-t-barack-obama-per-se-it-was-the-feeling-on-the-ground-it-was/)

[Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/)

> [I don't think that we really know a whole lot about Barack Obama at all that you would really call distinctive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-mcwhorter/i-don-t-think-that-we-really-know-a-whole-lot-about-barack-obama-at/)

[John H. McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-mcwhorter/)

> [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/)

[Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/)

> [I think President Barack Obama has been an extraordinarily successful president, and that this period will record that with a bunch of exclamation points.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/i-think-president-barack-obama-has-been-an-extraordinarily-successful/)

[Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/)

> [The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atherton/the-archives-recall-not-one-single-incriminating-incident-not-one/)

Michael Atherton

> [In public, Barack Obama's giving the simple version of his beliefs for the mass public. In private, he can discuss it at a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/in-public-barack-obama-s-giving-the-simple-version-of-his-beliefs-for/)

[Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/)

Browse all 1,672 Barack quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You can stick a fork in Barack Obama. Politically, he's done. The main way we can screw this up is if we choose the wrong Republican.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tim Pawlenty"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/you-can-stick-a-fork-in-barack-obama-politically-he-s-done-the-main/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Barack"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/you-can-stick-a-fork-in-barack-obama-politically-he-s-done-the-main/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/tim-pawlenty-15469_barack_you-can-stick-a-fork-in-barack-obama-pol_1126654.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/tim-pawlenty-15469_barack_you-can-stick-a-fork-in-barack-obama-pol_1126654.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b97/tim-pawlenty-15469_barack_you-can-stick-a-fork-in-barack-obama-pol_1126654.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You can stick a fork in Barack Obama. Politically, he's done. The main way we can screw this up is if we…” — Tim Pawlenty",
                "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": "Tim Pawlenty",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-pawlenty/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You can stick a fork in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/you-can-stick-a-fork-in-barack-obama-politically-he-s-done-the-main/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-pawlenty/you-can-stick-a-fork-in-barack-obama-politically-he-s-done-the-main/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```