“When you turn an election into a three-ring circus, there’s always a chance that the dancing bear will win.”

— Nancy Isenberg

Source: White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America

Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "When you turn an election into a three-ring circus, there’s always a chance that the dancing bear will win." by Nancy Isenberg?

Nancy Isenberg 1

American historian 1958

Related quotes

“Las Vegas is a three-ring circus with a hangover.”

Robert A. Heinlein book Friday

Source: Friday (1982), Chapter 25 (p. 260)

“I have brought you to the ring, now dance if you can.”

William Wallace (1270–1305) Scottish landowner and leader in the Wars for Scottish Independence

Statement before the Battle of Falkirk (21 July 1298); as quoted in The Story of England (1909) by Samuel B. Harding http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=harding&book=england&story=edwards
Variants: I hae brocht ye to the ring, now see gif ye can dance.
I have brought you to the ring, now see if you can dance.
I have brought you to the ring. Dance if ye can.
I have brought you to the Revel, Now dance if you can.

“When the politicians complain that TV turns the proceedings into a circus, it should be made clear that the circus was already there, and that TV has merely demonstrated that not all the performers are well trained.”

Edward R. Murrow (1908–1965) Television journalist

1959, Dons Or Crooners?: Three Lectures on the Subject of Communication in the Modern World, The British Association Granada Lectures, (Three lectures given in Guildhall London in October 1959 on the subject of communication in the modern world), Lecture Title: Television and Politics, Speaker: Edward R. Murrow, Start Page 47, Quote Page 75 and 76, Published by Granada TV, London.

“We have all seen these circus elephants complete with tusks, ivory in their head and thick skins, who move around the circus ring and grab the tail of the elephant ahead of them.”

John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) 35th president of the United States of America

Comments on members of the Republican party, in Remarks at the Cow Palace, San Francisco, California (2 November 1960) http://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research-Aids/Ready-Reference/JFK-Quotations.aspx; Box 914, Senate Speech Files, John F. Kennedy Papers, Pre-Presidential Papers, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
1960

“When you are in the office, don't target for the next election. Just try to win over their heart.”

Narendra Modi (1950) Prime Minister of India

2008, Speech, 14 January 2008
Context: And I have advice to the each and every political party. When you are in the office, don't target for the next election. Just try to win over their heart. Election may be the byproduct. In last five years I never tried for the election results. Never. I was never thinking about the elections. I was never talking about the elections. But of course, I was very, very conscious [that] I want to win the heart of the people. And this election was simply a byproduct.