"Maybe politically it wasn't wise but when people have different view points I think the public has a right to hear it and the public has a right to make decisions based on those view points"
About this Quote
The real engine here is the pivot from strategy to civic morality. By invoking “different view points,” McCallum frames disagreement as a public good rather than a threat to unity. That matters because political controversy often gets recoded as irresponsibility: you “gave a platform,” you “inflamed,” you “confused voters.” His counter-claim is procedural and democratic: the public has “a right to hear it,” then “a right to make decisions.” The repetition of “a right” does rhetorical work, transforming what could be seen as a tactical blunder into a defense of citizens as capable adjudicators.
Subtextually, he’s pushing against gatekeeping - by party leaders, media filters, or institutional norms - that decides which arguments are too risky to air. It’s also a subtle bid for absolution: if the public owns the decision, the politician can share the burden of consequences. In a polarized climate, that’s both a principled stance and a convenient redistribution of accountability. The line tells you exactly how modern politicians survive: by wrapping risk in the language of openness and calling it democracy.
Quote Details
| Topic | Freedom |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
McCallum, Scott. (2026, January 16). Maybe politically it wasn't wise but when people have different view points I think the public has a right to hear it and the public has a right to make decisions based on those view points. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/maybe-politically-it-wasnt-wise-but-when-people-89976/
Chicago Style
McCallum, Scott. "Maybe politically it wasn't wise but when people have different view points I think the public has a right to hear it and the public has a right to make decisions based on those view points." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/maybe-politically-it-wasnt-wise-but-when-people-89976/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Maybe politically it wasn't wise but when people have different view points I think the public has a right to hear it and the public has a right to make decisions based on those view points." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/maybe-politically-it-wasnt-wise-but-when-people-89976/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.




