“Though Americans talk a good deal about the virtue of being serious, they generally prefer people who are solemn over people who are serious. In politics, the rare candidate who is serious, like Adlai Stevenson, is easily overwhelmed by one who is solemn, like General Eisenhower. This is probably because it is hard for most people to recognize seriousness, which is rare, especially in politics, but comfortable to endorse solemnity, which is as commonplace as jogging.” PeopleHardDealsVirtueSeriousComfortableCandidatesOverwhelmedSeriousnessSolemnCommonplaceJoggingSolemnity Author:Russell Baker
“In the past, in order to continue as a candidate, a serious candidate, you had to be in the top three finishes in Iowa. You had to be in the top two out of New Hampshire. All our presidents elected in the past half-century finished either first or second in New Hampshire and in the top three in Iowa. That changed with the Citizens United, when we gave unlimited amounts of money.” FirstsTwoPastOrderThreePresidentUnitedHalfCenturyChangedSeriousAmountCitizensFinishedCandidatesUnlimitedIowaHampshireNew HampshireCitizens United Author:Mark Shields
“When a candidate walks away from a reality show, that's when you know they're serious about being president of the United States.” KnowsStatesShowsRealityPresidentWalksUnitedUnited StatesSeriousCandidatesReality Shows Author:Jay Leno
“It's starting to look like Donald Trump may be a serious presidential candidate. If you're in my line of work, Trump running for president for real is the greatest thing that has ever happened.” IfsLooksMayRealRunningPresidentLinesHappenedSeriousTrumpStartingPresidentialCandidatesPresidential CandidateUs President Author:Conan O'Brien
“Donald Trump is not a serious kind of candidate. We need someone that thinks this through. That can lead our country to safety and security.” ThinkingNeedsKindCountrySecuritySeriousTrumpSafetyOur CountryCandidatesSafety And Security Author:Jeb Bush
“Is Donald Trump a serious candidate? The reason I ask this is, if you're going to close the Internet, realize, America, what that entails. That entails getting rid of the First amendment, ok? It's no small feat.” IfsFirstsReasonAmericaAsksRealizingSeriousTrumpInternetCandidatesAmendmentsFirst AmendmentFeats Author:Rand Paul
“I think it's a sign of a gotcha political system that's looking to take down public interest candidates that they make a big deal out of a comment to a parent concerned about the exposure of young children to Wi-Fi. Now it turns out that Wi-Fi is actually untested. A large study by the NIH [National Institutes of Health] released a month ago raised serious questions about whether kids ought to be exposed, whether young children ought to be exposed to Wi-Fi. And you know, I'm not saying they should or they shouldn't but that this should be studied. Absolutely it should be studied.” ThinkingKnowsShouldChildrenBigsKidsYoungPoliticalTurnsParentInterestDealsStudySeriousMonthsOughtConcernedRaisedCandidatesCommentExposedExposureBig DealInstitutePolitical SystemsYoung ChildrenPublic InterestInstitutes Author:Jill Stein
“As an American, no one expected Donald Trump to ever be a serious candidate for President. I don't think he even expected to be a serious candidate. He wanted the free media he would get.” ThinkingWantedPresidentMediaSeriousTrumpExpectedCandidates Author:Moby
“A reporter told me it is very rare to see a woman of my age in the movies. Right! In the movies! But they have been for so long in very serious and important positions in life: scientists, prime ministers, candidates to be the president.” LongHas BeensImportantAgePresidentPositionSeriousScientistMinistersCandidatesPrimeReportersPrime Minister Author:Sonia Braga
“Candidates run for election on campaign promises, but once they're elected they renege on those promises, which happened with President [Barack] Obama on Guantánamo, the surveillance programs and investigating the crimes of the Bush administration. These were very serious campaign promises that were not fulfilled.” RunningPresidentHappenedCrimeSeriousPromiseProgramElectionCampaignsAdministrationBarackCandidatesFulfilledSurveillancePresident Barack ObamaInvestigating Author:Edward Snowden
“If we can create a climate among people that says that any serious candidate for president, Senate, governor, [the] House is going to have to talk about income inequality, raising wages in America, trade policy - that's a huge success. It's not putting pressure on a candidate. It's mobilizing people.” PeopleIfsAmericaHousePresidentPolicySeriousHugePressureTradeClimateIncomeInequalityCandidatesSenateGovernorsWagesIncome Inequality Author:Bernie Sanders