I’d heard this line countless times over the years. But I had never been particularly motivated to find out who said it. Recent events (which don’t need to be de-constructed right now) gave me the motivation.
The quote is attributed to Charles Dudley Warner, an American essayist and editor.
“Politics makes strange bedfellows”
It bears repeating. Because I had to let it sit and trickle into my mind for a few minutes. On it’s face, it’s quite simple. In politics, people would ally themselves with folks they otherwise wouldn’t for the sake of what all involved perceive as the common goal. And these people may not always be politicians.
But Warner didn’t say “Politics makes FOR strange bedfellows”, a common misqoute.
He said “Politics MAKES strange bedfellows.”
Now that reads a little different. I interpret that as “One’s bedfellows’ are made strange by politics”.
Therefore, relationships with one ‘s bedfellows’ which would normally be in concert and harmony, are made strange (ie- awkward, peculiar, foreign) by things political.
I’m sure there is a highly educated elitist who could help me break this down. But for now, I’m sticking with my interpretation. It seems to ring more true.
A few more Warner quotes worth sitting with for a moment…
“Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.”
“People always overdo the matter when they attempt deception.”
And I found this little gem to be relevant to our time…
“There was never a nation great until it came to the knowledge that it had nowhere in the world to go for help”
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House of Chin 
Consider the bard,
” there is no other shelter hereabout: misery
acquaints a man with strange bedfellows. I will here shroud till the
dregs of the storm be past.”
Right. That reads like the writing of Edward de Vere (aka; Shakespeare).