---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even Napoleon had his Watergate."
description: "\"Even Napoleon had his Watergate.\" — Yogi Berra"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/yogi-berra-1349_napoleon_even-napoleon-had-his-watergate-2691303_2691303.png"
---

#  Even Napoleon had his Watergate.

![“Even Napoleon had his Watergate.” quote by Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/yogi-berra-1349_napoleon_even-napoleon-had-his-watergate-2691303_2691303.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/yogi-berra-1349_napoleon_even-napoleon-had-his-watergate-2691303_2691303.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/yogi-berra-1349_napoleon_even-napoleon-had-his-watergate-2691303_2691303.png)

> “Even Napoleon had his Watergate.”

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

## About This Quote

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

Even great leaders have personal scandals; no one is immune.

**In simple terms:** Leaders can have personal scandals too.

Key Takeaway

Expect human flaws in leaders.

Themes

leadership scandal humility

Mood

cynical reflective

Type

historical political

When to use this quote

- politics
- sports
- media analysis

Key Concepts

public scrutiny personal failings

Questions to Reflect On

- How do we hold leaders accountable?
- What lessons arise from leader scandals?

A Different Perspective

May excuse misconduct.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Napoleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/napoleon/) [Watergate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watergate/)

## Related quotes

> [“Even Napoleon had his Watergate.” —Danny Ozark, Former Philadelphia Phillies Manager”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-ponsi/even-napoleon-had-his-watergate-danny-ozark-former-philadelphia/)

Ed Ponsi

> [Everybody has a little bit of Watergate in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/everybody-has-a-little-bit-of-watergate-in-him/)

[Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/)

> [I think that in the minds of many, the press is being seen less and less as a neutral observer in the impeachment enterprise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/i-think-that-in-the-minds-of-many-the-press-is-being-seen-less-and/)

[Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/)

> [The political lesson of Watergate is this: Never again must America allow an arrogant, elite guard of political adolescents to by-pass the regular party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/the-political-lesson-of-watergate-is-this-never-again-must-america/)

[Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/)

> [ Those \[Watergate\] tapes are going to take me to my grave with a huge smile on my face.. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/those-watergate-tapes-are-going-to-take-me-to-my-grave-with-a-huge/)

[Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/)

> [This we learn from Watergate that almost any creep'll be glad to help the Government overthrow the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yip-harburg/this-we-learn-from-watergate-that-almost-any-creep-ll-be-glad-to-help/)

[Yip Harburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yip-harburg/)

> [What did the president know, and when did he know it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-baker/what-did-the-president-know-and-when-did-he-know-it/)

[Howard Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-baker/)

> [Way before Watergate, senior administration officials hid behind anonymity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/way-before-watergate-senior-administration-officials-hid-behind/)

[Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/)

> [The underlying crime in Watergate was a clumsy, third-rate burglary in an election campaign that turned out to be a landslide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/the-underlying-crime-in-watergate-was-a-clumsy-third-rate-burglary-in/)

[George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/)

> [We're a little bit low in the 1970s, right, post-Vietnam, Watergate era, malaise, all that, but this is more like the 1930s where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-fried/we-re-a-little-bit-low-in-the-1970s-right-post-vietnam-watergate-era/)

[Daniel Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-fried/)

> [“The CIA is behind it all. That’s the conclusion of Mae Brussell—one of America’s foremost assassination experts—a researcher who has collected every pertinent newspaper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-brussell/the-cia-is-behind-it-all-that-s-the-conclusion-of-mae-brussell-one-of/)

[Mae Brussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-brussell/)

> [“...if that Watergate case ever gets into court, he might get very nervous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-that-watergate-case-ever-gets-into-court-he-might-get-very-nervous/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [I remember being a kid and the Vietnam War was huge and looking at Watergate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-the-vietnam-war-was-huge-and-looking-at/)

[David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/)

> [Watergate got us to think of leaders as mere mortals. America began to think of itself in a very different way - I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/watergate-got-us-to-think-of-leaders-as-mere-mortals-america-began-to/)

[Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/)

> [If the many allegations made to this date are true, then the burglars who broke into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/if-the-many-allegations-made-to-this-date-are-true-then-the-burglars/)

[Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/)

## More by Yogi Berra

> [Almost every Monday I have a charity thing. I like that. I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/almost-every-monday-i-have-a-charity-thing-i-like-that-i-do/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [A nickel ain't worth a dime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/a-nickel-ain-t-worth-a-dime/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [I never said most of the things I said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/i-never-said-most-of-the-things-i-said/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [You can have everything you want as long as you don't want it badly enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/you-can-have-everything-you-want-as-long-as-you-don-t-want-it-badly/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/baseball-is-ninety-percent-mental-the-other-half-is-physical/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [ Glen Cove. \[Referring to Glenn Close on a movie review television show\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/glen-cove-referring-to-glenn-close-on-a-movie-review-television-show/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [Swing at the strikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/swing-at-the-strikes/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [“When you get to the fork in the road…take it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/when-you-get-to-the-fork-in-the-road-take-it/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [I can see how he (Sandy Koufax) won twenty-five games. What I don't understand is how he lost five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/i-can-see-how-he-sandy-koufax-won-twenty-five-games-what-i-don-t/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [Baseball player: "What time is it?" "You mean now?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/baseball-player-what-time-is-it-you-mean-now/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [In baseball, you don't know nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/in-baseball-you-don-t-know-nothing/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/nobody-goes-there-anymore-it-s-too-crowded/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [I think Little League is wonderful. It keeps the kids out of the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/i-think-little-league-is-wonderful-it-keeps-the-kids-out-of-the-house/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [Yeah? For what paper?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/yeah-for-what-paper/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

> [A good time to hit is with men on base, because the pitcher ain't got no place to put you. He's going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/a-good-time-to-hit-is-with-men-on-base-because-the-pitcher-ain-t-got/)

[Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

[Explore all 251 Yogi Berra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/)

## More Napoleon quotes

> [“Napoleon, the man of genius, did this! But to say that he destroyed his army because he wished to, or because he was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/napoleon-the-man-of-genius-did-this-but-to-say-that-he-destroyed-his/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“It can certainly be misleading to take the attributes of a movement, or the anxieties and contradictions of a moment, and to personalize or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-can-certainly-be-misleading-to-take-the-attributes-of-a-movement/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [“They are subjected to all manner of taxes: the tithe, the hearth tax and the capitation tax. When all those are paid, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-scarrow/they-are-subjected-to-all-manner-of-taxes-the-tithe-the-hearth-tax/)

[Simon Scarrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-scarrow/)

> [“Never interfere with an enemy while he’s in the process of destroying himself.’ Napoleon Bonaparte”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/never-interfere-with-an-enemy-while-he-s-in-the-process-of-destroying/)

[Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/)

> [The Emperor Napoleon, ascending gradually from his post of national magistrate to seat himself upon a throne without limits, seems to have wished to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-lafayette/the-emperor-napoleon-ascending-gradually-from-his-post-of-national/)

[Marquis de Lafayette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-lafayette/)

> [“Napoleon the greatest of the conquerors, is a sufficient proof that great men of action are criminals, and, therefore not geniuses. One can understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/napoleon-the-greatest-of-the-conquerors-is-a-sufficient-proof-that/)

[Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/)

> [History is powerful stuff. One day your world is fine. The next day it's knocked for a metaphysical loop. Was Napoleon really at Waterloo?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-bromell/history-is-powerful-stuff-one-day-your-world-is-fine-the-next-day-it/)

[Henry Bromell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-bromell/)

> [“Your Excellency, I have no need of this hypothesis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-excellency-i-have-no-need-of-this-hypothesis/)

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

> [“Greatness has its beauties, but only in retrospect and in the imagination": thus wrote General Bonaparte to General Moreau in 1800. His observation helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/greatness-has-its-beauties-but-only-in-retrospect-and-in-the/)

[J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/)

> [Napoleon was asked, "Who do you consider to be the greatest generals?" He responded saying, "The victors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/napoleon-was-asked-who-do-you-consider-to-be-the-greatest-generals-he/)

[Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/)

> [“There is one thing alone to do in this world and that is to keep acquiring money and more money, power and more power,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-williams/there-is-one-thing-alone-to-do-in-this-world-and-that-is-to-keep/)

[Kate Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-williams/)

> [“Mac had many admirable qualities, but not tact. He was the sort of man who would have tried to cheer Napoleon up by talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/mac-had-many-admirable-qualities-but-not-tact-he-was-the-sort-of-man/)

[P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/)

> [Pitt the Younger was a great British Prime Minister. He saved Europe from Napoleon, he was the pilot who weathered the storm. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-heath/pitt-the-younger-was-a-great-british-prime-minister-he-saved-europe/)

[Edward Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-heath/)

> [I'm a little brother. I've always been small. People have said I have a Napoleon complex. But I've always had to fight for everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-paul/i-m-a-little-brother-i-ve-always-been-small-people-have-said-i-have-a/)

[Chris Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-paul/)

> [Let no one refer to the sword of Napoleon I as the instrument of progress and civilization!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-ducommun/let-no-one-refer-to-the-sword-of-napoleon-i-as-the-instrument-of/)

Elie Ducommun

[Browse all 205 Napoleon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/napoleon/)

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