---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we were subjected to a vicious…"
description: "\"When we were subjected to a vicious character assassination campaign orchestrated by senior White House officials and championed by their allies in the..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/valerie-plame-5250_character_when-we-were-subjected-to-a-vicious-char_1132453.png"
---

#  When we were subjected to a vicious character…

![“When we were subjected to a vicious character assassination campaign orchestrated by senior White House officials and championed by their allies in the right-wing echo chamber, Hillary reached out to us. Her counsel during that tumultuous period was as timely as it was wise.” quote by Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/valerie-plame-5250_character_when-we-were-subjected-to-a-vicious-char_1132453.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/valerie-plame-5250_character_when-we-were-subjected-to-a-vicious-char_1132453.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/valerie-plame-5250_character_when-we-were-subjected-to-a-vicious-char_1132453.png)

> “When we were subjected to a vicious character assassination campaign orchestrated by senior White House officials and championed by their allies in the right-wing echo chamber, Hillary reached out to us. Her counsel during that tumultuous period was as timely as it was wise.”

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

## About This Quote

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

Support from allies during crises provides timely guidance and moral strength.

**In simple terms:** Allies help navigate tough times.

Key Takeaway

Lean on trusted counsel in adversity.

Themes

politics resilience solidarity

Mood

cautious determined

Type

advisory reflective

When to use this quote

- political scandal
- career challenges
- public scrutiny

Key Concepts

Crisis management leadership ethical decision-making

Questions to Reflect On

- Who can you trust for honest advice?
- How do you balance loyalty and self‑preservation?

A Different Perspective

Advice may be limited by political constraints and personal risk.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character assassination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-assassination/) [Right wing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-wing/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/)

## Related quotes

> [Illiberal feminists turn simple ideological disagreements, whether about the federal budget or the Second Amendment or anything else, into excuses to engage in character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/illiberal-feminists-turn-simple-ideological-disagreements-whether/)

[Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/)

> [How damaging is a habit that permits faultfinding, character assassination, and the sharing of malicious rumors! Gossip and caustic comments often create chains of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/how-damaging-is-a-habit-that-permits-faultfinding-character/)

[Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/)

> [I had to learn early on that where conservatives are concerned, the truth about them is the last thing anybody wants to report. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-had-to-learn-early-on-that-where-conservatives-are-concerned-the/)

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

> [ The campaign of character assassination waged \[against President Clinton\] by the right was a singular, unprecedented effort. Nothing like it exists on the left.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/the-campaign-of-character-assassination-waged-against-president/)

[David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/)

> [“What is the source of Character Assassination? Jealousy. Jealousy originates from Limitation. A jealous person sees you as having a gift, skill, charisma, talent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bravandt/what-is-the-source-of-character-assassination-jealousy-jealousy/)

[Deborah Bravandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bravandt/)

> [“Attempts at character assassination occur when it is too conspicuous to pierce your target with a bullet. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sardonyx-jade/attempts-at-character-assassination-occur-when-it-is-too-conspicuous/)

Sardonyx Jade

> [I've always believed that the great strength of the Internet is that it allows us to communicate with each other, it allows debate. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/i-ve-always-believed-that-the-great-strength-of-the-internet-is-that/)

[Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/)

> [“Never judge someone's character based on the words of another. Instead, study the motives behind the words of the person casting the bad judgment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/never-judge-someone-s-character-based-on-the-words-of-another-instead/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [Every two years the American politics industry fills the airwaves with the most virulent, scurrilous, wall-to-wall character assassination of nearly every political practitioner in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/every-two-years-the-american-politics-industry-fills-the-airwaves/)

[Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/)

> [Maybe Larry Kings cannot thrive or even survive in a world where the norms for discourse are rage, vehemence and character assassination. King wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/maybe-larry-kings-cannot-thrive-or-even-survive-in-a-world-where-the/)

[Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/)

> [Too often character assassination has replaced debate in principle here in Washington. Destroy someone's reputation, and you don't have to talk about what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/too-often-character-assassination-has-replaced-debate-in-principle/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Character assassination is at once easier and surer than physical assault; and it involves far less risk for the assassin. It leaves him free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-barth/character-assassination-is-at-once-easier-and-surer-than-physical/)

[Alan Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-barth/)

> [I wish to note that the level of discourse in Nigeria is abysmally low, and, usually, garnished with character assassination. We allow our personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dele-momodu/i-wish-to-note-that-the-level-of-discourse-in-nigeria-is-abysmally/)

Dele Momodu

> [The Senate has been debased to the level of a forum of hate and character assassination sheltered by the shield of congressional immunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/the-senate-has-been-debased-to-the-level-of-a-forum-of-hate-and/)

[Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/)

> [“Delta Airlines, you might have noticed, does not run negative TV ads about USAir. It does not show pictures of the crash of USAir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/delta-airlines-you-might-have-noticed-does-not-run-negative-tv-ads/)

[Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/)

## More by Valerie Plame

> [My father was an air officer in the Second World War. My brother was a marine in Vietnam. When I was given this opportunity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/my-father-was-an-air-officer-in-the-second-world-war-my-brother-was-a/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [Hair and make-up always helps. I did always try to be well-groomed, professional at all times. Take your job seriously - but not yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/hair-and-make-up-always-helps-i-did-always-try-to-be-well-groomed/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [The Cold War has ended. It's very simple. We are no longer living in a bipolar world. The chances that we will go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/the-cold-war-has-ended-it-s-very-simple-we-are-no-longer-living-in-a/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [We in no way are naive to think that just because Russia and the United States agree to reduce their arsenals, that everyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/we-in-no-way-are-naive-to-think-that-just-because-russia-and-the/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [I can tell you, all the intelligence services in the world were running my name through their databases to see did anyone by this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-can-tell-you-all-the-intelligence-services-in-the-world-were/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [These are issues we've been grappling with since the Constitution was written: how you hold your government to account for its words and deeds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/these-are-issues-we-ve-been-grappling-with-since-the-constitution-was/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [I think a nuclear detonation is society-altering in ways that other attacks, even as horrific as 9/11, are not. This isn't because we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-think-a-nuclear-detonation-is-society-altering-in-ways-that-other/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [One characteristic that I hope I never relinquish is an intense curiosity about the world around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/one-characteristic-that-i-hope-i-never-relinquish-is-an-intense/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [Joe was being called a liar and a traitor; I'm being accused of nepotism, of being a glorified secretary. The stresses that that places…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/joe-was-being-called-a-liar-and-a-traitor-i-m-being-accused-of/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [The entire intelligence community is so bloated and so reliant on contractors. There's no question there's many tasks that make sense to outsource, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/the-entire-intelligence-community-is-so-bloated-and-so-reliant-on/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [For me, I thought I had the best job in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/for-me-i-thought-i-had-the-best-job-in-the-world/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [I have always been appalled by the depiction of female CIA operatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-have-always-been-appalled-by-the-depiction-of-female-cia-operatives/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [I think human intelligence is the only one that will actually tell you intent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-think-human-intelligence-is-the-only-one-that-will-actually-tell/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [There's no way you can possibly intellectually justify, 'Well, it's okay for the Western Judeo-Christian countries to have nuclear weapons, but not for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/there-s-no-way-you-can-possibly-intellectually-justify-well-it-s-okay/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

> [Of course the job has a lot of glamour. But it really is about being smarter than your average bear. Your mind is your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/of-course-the-job-has-a-lot-of-glamour-but-it-really-is-about-being/)

[Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

[Explore all 102 Valerie Plame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/)

## More Character quotes

> [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/)

[Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

> [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/)

[Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/)

> [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/)

David Hudgins

> [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/)

[Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/)

> [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/)

[Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/)

> [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/)

[Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/)

> [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/)

[Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/)

> [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/)

[Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/)

> [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/)

[Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/)

[Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When we were subjected to a vicious character assassination campaign orchestrated by senior White House officials and championed by their allies in the right-wing echo chamber, Hillary reached out to us. Her counsel during that tumultuous period was as timely as it was wise.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Valerie Plame"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/when-we-were-subjected-to-a-vicious-character-assassination-campaign/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Character"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/when-we-were-subjected-to-a-vicious-character-assassination-campaign/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/valerie-plame-5250_character_when-we-were-subjected-to-a-vicious-char_1132453.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/valerie-plame-5250_character_when-we-were-subjected-to-a-vicious-char_1132453.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/valerie-plame-5250_character_when-we-were-subjected-to-a-vicious-char_1132453.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When we were subjected to a vicious character assassination campaign orchestrated by senior White House…” — Valerie Plame",
                "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": "Valerie Plame",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When we were subjected to a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/when-we-were-subjected-to-a-vicious-character-assassination-campaign/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/when-we-were-subjected-to-a-vicious-character-assassination-campaign/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
