--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rule of thumb: When Democrats lose, they…" description: "\"Rule of thumb: When Democrats lose, they blame the candidate. When Republicans lose, they blame the opposition.\" — Timothy Noah" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39c/timothy-noah-2744_blame_rule-of-thumb-when-democrats-lose-they-b_1911088.jpg" --- # Rule of thumb: When Democrats lose, they blame the… ![“Rule of thumb: When Democrats lose, they blame the candidate. When Republicans lose, they blame the opposition.” quote by Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39c/timothy-noah-2744_blame_rule-of-thumb-when-democrats-lose-they-b_1911088.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39c/timothy-noah-2744_blame_rule-of-thumb-when-democrats-lose-they-b_1911088.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39c/timothy-noah-2744_blame_rule-of-thumb-when-democrats-lose-they-b_1911088.jpg) > “Rule of thumb: When Democrats lose, they blame the candidate. When Republicans lose, they blame the opposition.” [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When parties lose, they blame external factors, revealing bias and lack of accountability. **In simple terms:** Losing parties blame others, showing bias. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge blame culture. Themes politics bias accountability psychology Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - campaign strategy - media analysis - public discourse - education - leadership Key Concepts cognitive bias groupthink responsibility Questions to Reflect On - Why do we default to external blame? - How can accountability be fostered? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies complex causes of loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) [Blame Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame-candidate-2878788/) [Blame Opposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame-opposition-2878789/) [Candidate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidate/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats/) [Democrats Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats-lose-2638408/) [Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose/) [Lose Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose-blame-2878790/) [Opposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposition/) [Republicans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republicans/) [Republicans Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republicans-lose-2878791/) [Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule/) [Thumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thumb/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [When Democrats lose, they're pathetic. When Republicans lose, they're bitter and mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/when-democrats-lose-they-re-pathetic-when-republicans-lose-they-re/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [I think in those countries, including my own in India, where I think primary education has been badly neglected by successive governments, I blame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/i-think-in-those-countries-including-my-own-in-india-where-i-think/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [“If you win, give the credit. If you lose, take the blame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-win-give-the-credit-if-you-lose-take-the-blame/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Our culture believes strong individuals can transcend their circumstances. I myself don't much enjoy books by Hardy or Dreiser or Wharton, where the outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/our-culture-believes-strong-individuals-can-transcend-their/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [The Democrats can't lose on their own. There always has to be some trick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-democrats-can-t-lose-on-their-own-there-always-has-to-be-some/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If we have an honest discussion on whether the war on poverty should be fought with welfare or with economic growth in the private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alveda-king/if-we-have-an-honest-discussion-on-whether-the-war-on-poverty-should/) [Alveda King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alveda-king/) > [The only important lesson from the Vietnam War is this: Democrats lose wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/the-only-important-lesson-from-the-vietnam-war-is-this-democrats-lose/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [The Democrats can't lose, so they got rid of Bob Torricelli, way beyond when it was permissible. The time for a replacement had passed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-democrats-can-t-lose-so-they-got-rid-of-bob-torricelli-way-beyond/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The quarterback, you can play with a lot of big injuries. You get a little injury like an index finger or a thumb that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-manning/the-quarterback-you-can-play-with-a-lot-of-big-injuries-you-get-a/) [Eli Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-manning/) > [Everybody please put a thumb in the air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/everybody-please-put-a-thumb-in-the-air/) [Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/) > [As a general rule of thumb, Democrats do better in national elections when the year's defining issue is economic fairness, and Republicans do better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/as-a-general-rule-of-thumb-democrats-do-better-in-national-elections/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [I think that it should just be a rule of thumb that if your job asks you to cut your hair... that means that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-anderson/i-think-that-it-should-just-be-a-rule-of-thumb-that-if-your-job-asks/) [Blake Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-anderson/) > [“He ran his thumb over my lower lip, sending a flurry of sparks through me. "Good-bye, Sophie." -Cal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/he-ran-his-thumb-over-my-lower-lip-sending-a-flurry-of-sparks-through/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [If you take your thumb and your index finger and look right where they meet - go ahead and do that now - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-eglash/if-you-take-your-thumb-and-your-index-finger-and-look-right-where/) [Ron Eglash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-eglash/) > [Too much under the thumb of the Iranians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-schiff/too-much-under-the-thumb-of-the-iranians/) [Adam Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-schiff/) ## More by Timothy Noah > [When the only people in mainstream discourse who care about the working class are Wall Street investors, it really is time to ask where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/when-the-only-people-in-mainstream-discourse-who-care-about-the/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Washington culture has always had a difficult time acknowledging untruth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/washington-culture-has-always-had-a-difficult-time-acknowledging/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [GOP candidates routinely sign a pledge never, ever to raise taxes. Democratic candidates aren't even asked to sign a parallel pledge never, ever to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/gop-candidates-routinely-sign-a-pledge-never-ever-to-raise-taxes/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Whatever the reason, American Muslims appear far less inclined to support the global jihad than their European counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/whatever-the-reason-american-muslims-appear-far-less-inclined-to/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [I recognize that Republicans see a moral difference between a dollar taken away from a millionaire in government benefits and a dollar taken away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/i-recognize-that-republicans-see-a-moral-difference-between-a-dollar/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [What is the engine that drives economic growth in an ideopolis? The university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/what-is-the-engine-that-drives-economic-growth-in-an-ideopolis-the/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Income inequality has gotten worse under President Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/income-inequality-has-gotten-worse-under-president-barack-obama/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [There is quite a lot of mutual misunderstanding between the upper middle class and the working class. Reviewing what's been said about the white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/there-is-quite-a-lot-of-mutual-misunderstanding-between-the-upper/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [We Americans love our Constitution so much that we can't bear to change even the stupid parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/we-americans-love-our-constitution-so-much-that-we-can-t-bear-to/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [There's a growing consensus that the best way to defeat communism in Cuba is to get its citizens hooked on American goods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/there-s-a-growing-consensus-that-the-best-way-to-defeat-communism-in/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [What I've come to believe is that psychological advice isn't worth much if it isn't rooted in personal experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/what-i-ve-come-to-believe-is-that-psychological-advice-isn-t-worth/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [The Supreme Court needs jurists, not politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/the-supreme-court-needs-jurists-not-politicians/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Is class snobbery a social reality in the United States? Absolutely, and the kind that's codified by meritocracy is probably more toxic than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/is-class-snobbery-a-social-reality-in-the-united-states-absolutely/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Politicians have such large egos that it usually takes them an inordinately long time to grasp when they've become a pathetic joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/politicians-have-such-large-egos-that-it-usually-takes-them-an/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Being a teacher is back-breakingly difficult work. It is also extremely important work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/being-a-teacher-is-back-breakingly-difficult-work-it-is-also/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) [Explore all 152 Timothy Noah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) [Nurnizz95](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nurnizz95/) > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/) [Yeasin Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeasin-khan/) > [A refusal to admit one's mistake & not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) [Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Rule of thumb: When Democrats lose, they blame the candidate. 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