Two wooden signposts have arrows pointing in opposite directions, with the purple arrow curling around its post.

Original artwork, not a still

Don Marquis

Did you ever notice that when a politician does get an idea he usually gets it all wrong.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker invites agreement that politicians rarely have ideas, and that on the occasions one does arrive, it tends to be badly mistaken. It is a dry jibe: the rare flash of thought in public life is not a sign of insight but of confident error.

Context reviewed

Share this quote