--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I contend that Bush would be a lot more…" description: "\"I contend that Bush would be a lot more moderate if there weren't some fundamentalists breathing down his neck every time he wants to establish the sta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/tony-campolo-2506_breathing_i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more_298860.jpg" --- # I contend that Bush would be a lot more moderate if there… ![“I contend that Bush would be a lot more moderate if there weren't some fundamentalists breathing down his neck every time he wants to establish the state of Israel, every time he wants to do justice for the Palestinian people.” quote by Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/tony-campolo-2506_breathing_i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more_298860.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/tony-campolo-2506_breathing_i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more_298860.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/tony-campolo-2506_breathing_i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more_298860.jpg) > “I contend that Bush would be a lot more moderate if there weren't some fundamentalists breathing down his neck every time he wants to establish the state of Israel, every time he wants to do justice for the Palestinian people.” [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He suggests that Bush's policies are constrained by religious fundamentalists influencing his stance on Israel and Palestine. **In simple terms:** Fundamentalists limit Bush's moderation on Middle East issues. Key Takeaway Recognize the impact of ideological pressure on policy. Themes politics religion policy influence Mood critical analytical Type political analytical When to use this quote - government decision‑making - diplomatic negotiations - public statements Key Concepts ideological pressure foreign policy moderation Questions to Reflect On - How do religious groups shape political leaders? - What other forces affect Middle East policy? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify complex geopolitical factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Fundamentalists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentalists/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Palestinian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palestinian/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Christianity isn't the only group that has fundamentalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/christianity-isn-t-the-only-group-that-has-fundamentalists/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [This point seems counter-intuitive, given the amount of conspicuous vulgarity, vice, and immorality in America. Indeed some Islamic fundamentalists argue that their regimes are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/this-point-seems-counter-intuitive-given-the-amount-of-conspicuous/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [The god who is reputed to have created fleas to keep dogs from moping over their situation must also have created fundamentalists to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hardin/the-god-who-is-reputed-to-have-created-fleas-to-keep-dogs-from-moping/) [Garrett Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hardin/) > [But it is no good using the tongs of reason to pull the Fundamentalists' chestnuts out of the fire of contradiction. Their real troubles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hardin/but-it-is-no-good-using-the-tongs-of-reason-to-pull-the/) [Garrett Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hardin/) > [“Since the turn of the century, American fundamentalists had reveled in their sense of persecution by an infidel elite, but in the 1960s the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-andersen/since-the-turn-of-the-century-american-fundamentalists-had-reveled-in/) [Kurt Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-andersen/) > [Fundamentalists believe that we don't believe in anything. In their view of the world, they are in possession of absolute certainties, while we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/fundamentalists-believe-that-we-don-t-believe-in-anything-in-their/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Fundamentalists are panicked by the apparent disintegration of the family, the disappearance of certainty and the decay of morality. Fear leads them to ask,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hardin/fundamentalists-are-panicked-by-the-apparent-disintegration-of-the/) [Garrett Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hardin/) > [My parents banned nothing, though the Christian fundamentalists in my tribe held book-and-record burnings every now and again. So, yes, fundamentalist assholes can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-parents-banned-nothing-though-the-christian-fundamentalists-in-my/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Fundamentalists from every religion have to be replaced, have to be disempowered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-redfield/fundamentalists-from-every-religion-have-to-be-replaced-have-to-be/) [James Redfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-redfield/) > [If there is one thing French Muslims want, it is to be rid of the daily pressures imposed on them by Islamic fundamentalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/if-there-is-one-thing-french-muslims-want-it-is-to-be-rid-of-the/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [In every state of the Union, Fundamentalists still fight to ban all the science they dislike and prosecute all who teach it. To them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/in-every-state-of-the-union-fundamentalists-still-fight-to-ban-all/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [“I do not give a damn whether a person is a scientist, a philosopher or a theologian If that person cannot recognize the basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/i-do-not-give-a-damn-whether-a-person-is-a-scientist-a-philosopher-or/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/when-we-criticize-in-iran-the-actions-of-the-government-the/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [ The common people don't believe this kind of religion \[of islamic fundamentalists\] because first and foremost they want to solve their basic problems, including… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-sattar-edhi/the-common-people-don-t-believe-this-kind-of-religion-of-islamic/) [Abdul Sattar Edhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-sattar-edhi/) ## More by Tony Campolo > [To prevent discussion of any other explanations of human origins is hardly what I would expect from open-minded educators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/to-prevent-discussion-of-any-other-explanations-of-human-origins-is/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Christianity isn't the only group that has fundamentalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/christianity-isn-t-the-only-group-that-has-fundamentalists/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [In our post-Freudian world, it is no longer a goal to become people of character who live out a God-ordained ideal of selfhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/in-our-post-freudian-world-it-is-no-longer-a-goal-to-become-people-of/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [If a guy is intimidated by a woman in leadership, he has real problems with his own concepts of masculinity. That's a harsh statement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/if-a-guy-is-intimidated-by-a-woman-in-leadership-he-has-real-problems/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [But I think it's up to a local congregation to determine whether or not a marriage should be blessed of God. And it shouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/but-i-think-it-s-up-to-a-local-congregation-to-determine-whether-or/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Certain things happened in the early church. Women who had never had any freedom suddenly have the ability to stand up and speak and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/certain-things-happened-in-the-early-church-women-who-had-never-had/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [A strong case can be made for religious leaders to speak out on political issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/a-strong-case-can-be-made-for-religious-leaders-to-speak-out-on/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [It has taken countless hours of prayer, study, conversation and emotional turmoil to bring me to the place where I am finally ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/it-has-taken-countless-hours-of-prayer-study-conversation-and/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/grandchildren-are-god-s-reward-for-not-killing-your-kids/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [One of the most startling discoveries of my life was the realization that the Jesus that I love, the Jesus who died for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/one-of-the-most-startling-discoveries-of-my-life-was-the-realization/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Young Evangelicals, especially, are breaking ranks with older Evangelicals (over 40) and are more and more leaning towards voting Democratic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/young-evangelicals-especially-are-breaking-ranks-with-older/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [“I have three things I'd like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-have-three-things-i-d-like-to-say-today-first-while-you-were/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [While I can see how the government has, at times, wasted taxpayers' money, and I can admit that too often its programs are ineffective,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/while-i-can-see-how-the-government-has-at-times-wasted-taxpayers/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/we-ought-to-get-out-of-the-judging-business-we-should-leave-it-up-to/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [I've got some repenting to do. I doubt, however, that those who have wedded Christianity with laissez-faire capitalism will see things this way. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-ve-got-some-repenting-to-do-i-doubt-however-that-those-who-have/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) [Explore all 163 Tony Campolo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) ## More Breathing quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) > [People don't think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing has to be number one - even though it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-don-t-think-much-about-breathing-of-all-the-things-we-take-for/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [I wish," Jared began, and stopped, breathing in. "Do you remember how you used to believe I wasn't real? Sometimes I wish that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-wish-jared-began-and-stopped-breathing-in-do-you-remember-how-you/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Breathing is give(carbon dioxide) and take(oxygen), such is life, find balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-williams/breathing-is-give-carbon-dioxide-and-take-oxygen-such-is-life-find/) Marcel Williams > [I'll probably be writing as long as I'm breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/i-ll-probably-be-writing-as-long-as-i-m-breathing/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [For me writing is like breathing. I could not live without breathing and I could not live without writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/for-me-writing-is-like-breathing-i-could-not-live-without-breathing/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I’m in, Cat. I’d never leave you. Especially when you’ve got death breathing down your neck.” “Very funny,” I retorted, since Bones was inches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-in-cat-i-d-never-leave-you-especially-when-you-ve-got-death/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [He’d moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn’t the only one breathing heavily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/he-d-moved-toward-me-again-his-hands-released-mine-and-moved-to-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I'm really fascinated and you know I've been wondering about that usage of language, various breathing techniques and why in these practices language is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/i-m-really-fascinated-and-you-know-i-ve-been-wondering-about-that/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [I’m exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us — comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-m-exactly-right-for-you-bella-it-would-have-been-effortless-for-us/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) [Browse all 1,666 Breathing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I contend that Bush would be a lot more moderate if there weren't some fundamentalists breathing down his neck every time he wants to establish the state of Israel, every time he wants to do justice for the Palestinian people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Campolo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more-moderate-if-there-weren-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breathing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more-moderate-if-there-weren-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/tony-campolo-2506_breathing_i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more_298860.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/tony-campolo-2506_breathing_i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more_298860.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/tony-campolo-2506_breathing_i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more_298860.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I contend that Bush would be a lot more moderate if there weren't some fundamentalists breathing down his…” — Tony Campolo", "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": "Tony Campolo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I contend that Bush would be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more-moderate-if-there-weren-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more-moderate-if-there-weren-t/#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 } } ] } ```