“If you’re explaining, you’re losing”
“If you’re explaining, you’re losing’ is a political axiom that dates in print to at least the 1980s. A politician who has to explain is often confusing and losing his or her audience. The saying has been credited to political pundit George Will, but authorship is unknown.
Newspapers.com
22 October 1984, Fort Lauderdale (FL) News, “Debate coaches split on winner” by Ellen Stein, pg. 8A, col. 1:
But Johnson of Hollywood Hills said, “I thought the only thing Mondale won clearly on was the Lebanon situation. There’s an old
political axiom that says when you’re explaining you’re losing.”
Google Books
Close Pursuit:
A week in the life of an NYPD homicide cop
By Carsten Stroud
New York, NY: Viking
1987
Pg. 195:
Pointing to the thousands of police officers who did what was required of them in anonymity should not have struck Kennedy as a weak defense, but in the political and media combat of New York City, the old saying was true: If you’re explaining, you’re losing.
Google Books
Hill Rat:
Blowing the lid off Congress
By John L. Jackley
Washington, DC: Regnery Gateway
1992
Pg. 112:
“When you’re explaining, you’re losing,” is Congressman Coleman’s favorite expression.
(Ronald Coleman—ed.)
Google Books
Collection Assessment and Acquisitions Budgets
By Sul H. Lee
Routledge
1993
Pg. 121:
George Will reminded us a few yean ago of the axiom that when you’re explaining, you’re losing.
12 October 1994, Daily Press (Newport News, VA), “North’s allies quickly fire back new attack on Robb,” pg. B1:
“In politics, if you’re explaining, you’re losing,” Holsworth said.
(Robert Holsworth—ed.)
Google Books
Winning Right:
Campaign Politics and Conservative Policies
By Ed Gillespie
New York, NY: Simon and Schuster
2007
Pg. 122:
“When you’re explaining you’re losing.”
George Will once wrote, “It’s axiomatic in American politics that when you’re explaining you’re losing.” It was an axiom I had committed to memory, and I knew we were going to spend a lot of time explaining her position if she held to it.
Google Books
Damage control:
Why everything you know about crisis management is wrong
By Eric Dezenhall and John Weber
New York, NY: Portfolio
2007
Pg. 58:
There is a maxim in politics that if you’re explaining, you’re losing.
Google Books
The Speed of Trust:
The One Thing That Changes Everything
By Stephen R. Covey with Rebecca R. Merrill
New York, NY: Simon & Schuster
2008
Pg. 142:
In the legal world vernacular, “If you’re explaining, you’re losing.”
FOXNews.com
Former Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney Breaks Down the Final Debate
Thursday, October 16, 2008
This is a rush transcript from “Hannity & Colmes,” October 15, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
(...)
ROMNEY: . explaining, explaining, and in politics, as they say, if you’re explaining you’re losing, and Barack Obama was trying to explain some very extreme positions.