Leadership Quote by Ted Kulongoski

Politics rarely admits this openly: democracy runs on division, governance runs on choreography. Ted Kulongoski’s line neatly separates the sport of elections from the duty of inaugurations, and it’s persuasive because it treats political conflict as a phase, not a permanent identity. “Choosing sides” evokes campaigns at their most tribal: messaging built to sharpen differences, turn issues into banners, convert voters into teams. The phrase doesn’t moralize; it describes the necessary friction of winning power.

But “closing ranks” is where the real intent sits. It’s a military metaphor smuggled into civic ritual, suggesting discipline, order, and the expectation that people who were just opponents should now present a unified front. That’s not only about healing; it’s about legitimacy. Inaugurations are public performances designed to convert a contested result into a shared reality. The subtext is a warning to both camps: winners should stop campaigning, losers should stop auditioning for the next fight, and institutions need everyone to act as if the system still deserves trust.

Kulongoski, a pragmatic governor, is speaking from the executive’s vantage point: once you’re responsible for budgets, disasters, and daily governance, permanent polarization becomes less an ideology than an operational hazard. The quote also acknowledges the slightly uncomfortable truth that “unity” is partly optics. Closing ranks can mean genuine coalition-building, but it can also mean pressuring dissent into silence for the sake of stability. That tension is the line’s bite: unity is necessary, and it’s never entirely innocent.