QuoteProject
The president of the United States is not a king. You know? Barack Obama was elected by the American people.
Ta-Nehisi Coates
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the democratic principles of elected leadership and the separation of power.

Ta-Nehisi Coates' quote serves as a reminder that the president, despite holding significant authority, is ultimately accountable to the citizens who elect them. This highlights the importance of democratic processes and the idea that leadership should be rooted in the will of the people rather than in autocratic power.

Themes

DemocracyLeadershipAccountabilityElectionPeople

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the role of the president, you can quote this to emphasize accountability.

More from Ta-Nehisi Coates

There's a kind of optimism specifically within Christianity about the world - about whose side God is on. Well, I didn't have any of that in my background. I had physicality and chaos.
Ta-Nehisi CoatesRead
We've got in the habit of not really understanding how freedom was in the 19th century, the idea of government of the people in the 19th century. America commits itself to that in theory.
Ta-Nehisi CoatesRead
I never expected my writing to become as popular as it did.
Ta-Nehisi CoatesRead
It's hard for me to view Baltimore outside the context of what Baltimore has always been in my mind: a violent place.
Ta-Nehisi CoatesRead
If I could have anything - you know, and this is across the board for any presidential candidate - I would have a greater acknowledgment of history in our policy and in our affairs.
Ta-Nehisi CoatesRead
You can't make a direct comparison between middle-class African Americans and middle-class white Americans, affluent African Americans and affluent white Americans. The amount of wealth tends to be less.
Ta-Nehisi CoatesRead

Similar quotes

A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.
Theodore RooseveltRead
The Government of the absolute majority instead of the Government of the people is but the Government of the strongest interests; and when not efficiently checked, it is the most tyrannical and oppressive that can be devised.
John C. CalhounRead
A lot of young people don't have a lot of faith in politicians. You can't depend on what they say. They talk in circles. They don't speak the kind of language that has truth to them. I'm speaking differently.
Maxine WatersRead
I'd rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University.
William F. Buckley, Jr.Read
Party honesty is party expediency.
Grover ClevelandRead
One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition with you, you will have a coalition against you. I don't want to see China and Russia on the side of Iran more strongly than they are.
Shimon PeresRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.