Bob Beckel Quotes

There are many causes why a people politically ignorant cannot be roused to action. Perfect political ignorance must be accompanied by indifference to the general interests of society, and thus one of the most powerful motives which can act on the human mind is totally destroyed.

I feel like there is this weird thing where celebrity involvement in political campaigns kind of goes together like peanut butter and chocolate. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad.

People have always tut-tutted about actors stepping out of line politically. And I can sort of see it because what you've got your fame for is not being someone who can influence things, so it's cheating.

Just like Tim Robbins is very political - and obviously, Arnold Schwarzenegger must be - I want to be able to have this public personality that's considered authoritative.

I don't think there was really a time when I have not been politically aware.

I don't play politics; I don't do that. I think there's too many celebrities out there claiming what they believe. I think it's our job to get people out to study the issues and to know what they believe and what they want to vote for.

I do struggle with how much and in which way, as an artist or celebrity, that you voice your political views.

I am not political. It is not my job. But I would be happy if politicians could read my work and draw some conclusions from it.

I truly believe that people like myself, who are in a position of entertainers in the limelight, should keep their mouth shut on politics.

I think it's really important for celebrities to use their power of money and fame to get their voices out there. It's funny to me that we're expected to keep quiet just because of who we are. Why do I lose my right to speak my mind because I'm famous?

I have always hated celebrities lecturing people on politics. So forgive me. But I am passionate about this country. I am equally passionate about the potential of the people who live here.

I do not believe that artists or actors and people should be out there like voicing their full-blown opinions on politics because, let's face it, at the end of the day, I'm not that smart of a guy.

I never wanted to be one of those actors with a political agenda.

It's not my place to tell you whom to vote for, to take any political stand, to tell you what religion to believe in. I'm an athlete. I can influence certain things, but when I see other athletes and celebrities telling you whom to vote for, I actually get a bit offended.

I don't feel particularly comfortable about actors using whatever power they may have to push their beliefs, unless they're extremely well informed.

I do not think that politics has much to do with celebrity.

Geeks like to think that they can ignore politics, you can leave politics alone, but politics won't leave you alone.

In my late 20s, I realized that I had a very clear social conscience and strong opinions about things like diversity, equality, and education, and while I tried to become more politically literate, I just couldn't catch on. It felt like I had walked into a movie that had already started, and no one would explain what had happened.

I think people can't say anymore, 'Celebrities should keep their political opinions to themselves,' because we elected a reality TV star, so I think that's off limits.

It's horrible when actors say that they are apolitical.

Not only has celebrity dumbed down our politics, it has become intertwined with it.

I think Jane Fonda is to be admired for her stands.

I think it's very important of course that you're politically aware of what you do.

Let stars choose what causes they want to endorse without making it an issue of loyalty to the state or country.

Celebrities have a platform, and people listen to them. And there's a lot of people that we are able to touch, who aren't watching activists and aren't watching the news, that are watching what celebrities say.