“I'm done doing this!' Obama said, finally erupting. 'We've all agreed on a plan. And we're all going to stick to that plan. I haven't agreed to anything beyond that.' The 30,000 was a 'hard cap,' he said forcefully. 'I don't want enablers to be used as wiggle room. The easy thing for me to do - politically - would actually be to say no' to the 30,000. Then he gestured out the Oval Office windows, across the Potomac, in the direction of the Pentagon. Referring to Gates and the uniformed military, he said. 'They think it's the opposite. I'd be perfectly happy -' He stopped mid-sentence. 'Nothing would make Rahm happier than if I said no to the 30,000.' There was some subdued laughter. 'Rahm would tell me it'd be much easier to do what I want to do by saying no,' the president said. He could then focus on the domestic agenda that he wanted to be the heart of his presidency. The military did not understand. 'Politically, what these guys don't get is it'd be a lot easier for me to go out and give a speech saying, 'You know what? The American people are sick of this war, and we're going to get out of there.” WarPresidentMilitaryAfghanistanChief Of StaffBob WoodwardSecretary Of DefenseObama S WarRahm EmmanuelRobert Gates Book:Obama's Wars Source: Obama's Wars
“It was nearly midnight when the conversation finally stopped on its own weight. The question was unresolved, at least in any explicit way.” PresidentDecisionConversationConstitution Book:The Final Days Source: The Final Days
“Nixon had some large achievements in foreign affairs. They will be remembered. But a president probably gets remembered for one thing, and Watergate will head the Nixon list, I suspect.” LiteraturePresidentOne ThingAchievementAffairListsRememberedSuspectsWatergateForeign Affairs Author:Bob Woodward
“He (former President Gerald Ford) made it very clear that he did not agree with the reasons President Bush laid out for the war, namely the belief that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq or that there was some obligation that the United States or the president had to expand democracy.” MadeWarStatesReasonBeliefPresidentUnitedUnited StatesDemocracyClearWeaponsMassDestructionAgreeIraqObligationMade ItFormerPresident BushWeapons Of Mass DestructionMass DestructionGerald Ford Author:Bob Woodward
“When you see how the President makes political or policy decisions, you see who he is. The essence of the Presidency is decision-making.” PoliticalLiteraturePresidentDecisionPolicyEssenceDecision MakingPresidency Author:Bob Woodward
“Finally, the president added, 'The American people are idealists, but they also want their leaders to be realistic...'” PeopleWantPresidentLeaderRealisticIdealist Book:Obama's Wars Source: Obama's Wars
