In many election campaigns, politicians make statements that are memorable because they reveal a great truth.  This is more likely in U.S. presidential elections.  Some of these statements help a candidate make an important point.  Others are in the category of "a gaffe is when a politician tells the truth."  In this campaign, we have enjoyed both kinds of statements.

During the second presidential debate on 22 October 2020, President Trump said to candidate Joe Biden, "You know, Joe, I ran because of you.  I ran because of Barack Obama, because you did a poor job.  If I thought you did a good job, I would've never run."

That night, Trump also sized up politicians with this: "That's the typical political statement.  'Let's get off this China thing.'  And then he looks — 'the family, around the table.'  Everything.  Just a typical politician when I see them.  I'm not a typical politician.  That's why I got elected."

Other presidential candidates had great quotes.  During the 1996 Republican Convention, Bob Dole gave his nomination acceptance speech and said, "It is demeaning to the nation that within the Clinton administration, a core of the elite who never grew up, never did anything real, never sacrificed, never suffered, and never learned should have the power to fund with your earnings their dubious and self-serving schemes." 

The best of the great quotes came from President Reagan.  An example is "concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty."  Click here for an entertaining list.

The Democrats also have their memorable quotes.  The problem with their quotes is that they reveal the candidates' true purpose.  In the above Trump-Biden debate, Trump asked Biden if Biden would shut down the oil industry.  Biden responded, "I would transition from the oil industry, yes."  With that statement, Biden did the equivalent of threatening that people in the oil industry would lose their jobs.  If Biden loses Pennsylvania in this election, that statement will be seen as the reason.

Twenty sixteen presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also had her memorable quote.  In an interview, she said, "The unborn person doesn't have constitutional rights."  Later, in a debate, Trump commented that this means that a woman could abort her child one day before the child would have been born.  Clinton skillfully talked away from that point.  The message was that Clinton was as pro-choice as she could be.  She lost the election.

Democrats would be wise to keep their political views hidden.  Biden and Clinton are considered moderates, but when pressed on important issues, they are revealed to be as extreme as the most radical in their party.  This brings to mind one of the most popular quotes of all.  "How do you tell when a politician is lying?  His lips are moving."

Image: Marc Nozell via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.