Government ... can't be trusted to control its own bureaucrats or collect taxes equitably or fill a pothole, much less decide which of its citizens to kill.
Helen PrejeanRead
Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it's important.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Politics, like coaching, requires knowledge and a certain level of naive passion.
Eugene McCarthy uses the analogy of a football coach to highlight the dual nature of politics. A successful politician must possess the intellectual capability to grasp the complexities of political strategies and issues, yet they must also have the somewhat naive belief in the significance of their work, just as a coach must believe in the importance of the game to motivate their team and inspire passion in others.
Themes
PoliticsCoachingPassionStrategyImportance
In practice
Example use cases
Referencing this quote during a discussion on the role of enthusiasm in politics at a town hall meeting.
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