By the time a man gets to be presidential material, he’s been bought ten times over.

Vidal’s line is a cynical verdict on the U.S. path to the presidency: the very process that identifies “presidential material” (fundraising prowess, party backing, media viability, donor networks) also makes a candidate dependent on moneyed interests. “Bought ten times over” is hyperbole, but it underscores a structural critique rather than an accusation about a single politician—suggesting repeated compromises, obligations, and tacit bargains accumulated over a long career. The remark fits Vidal’s broader skepticism about American political institutions, where elections can function less as popular choice than as a ratification of candidates already vetted and financed by elites.