I married the first man I ever kissed. When I tell this to my children, they just about throw up.
Barbara BushRead
The personal things should be left out of platforms at conventions. You can argue yourself blue in the face, and you're not going to change each other's minds. It's a waste of your time and my time.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Public discussions should focus on common issues rather than personal opinions.
Barbara Bush emphasizes the importance of keeping personal views out of public forums, such as conventions, suggesting that debating personal beliefs is futile and unproductive. Instead of attempting to change someone's deeply held opinions, which often cannot be swayed, it is more beneficial to focus on shared goals and constructive dialogue.
Themes
Public DiscourseConventionsDebateOpinionsCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
In a meeting discussing community issues, this quote may be used to remind participants to focus on solutions rather than personal grievances.
More from Barbara Bush
All quotes →Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others.
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You don't just luck into things as much as you would like to think you do. You build step by step, whether it is friendships or opportunities.
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You have to love your children unselfishly. That's hard. But it's the only way.
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Your success as a family... our success as a nation... depends not on what happens inside the White House, but on what happens inside your house.
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To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there.
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