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Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Book by Donald Rumsfeld · 19 quotes · President, Ifs, People

The volume includes a collection of speeches, interviews, and press conferences delivered by Donald H. Rumsfeld, offering insights into his perspectives and policies as the Secretary of Defense during a significant period in American history.

Book detail: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001 is presented as a focused source page for quotations connected with this book, collection, transcript, or source record.

The volume includes a collection of speeches, interviews, and press conferences delivered by Donald H. Rumsfeld, offering insights into his perspectives and policies as the Secretary of Defense during a significant period in American history.

The quotes below use the same card format as the rest of the site, including topics, source notes, copy actions, image creation, and sharing controls.

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All President Ifs People Decision May Knows Staff Helping House Thinking Trying Wells White White House World Firsts Guidance Jobs Moving Policy

Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001 Quotes

“Being Vice President is difficult. Don't make it tougher.”

Difficult President Vices Vice President

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Control your time. If you're working off your in-box, you're working off the priorities of others. Be sure the staff is working on what you move to them from the President, or the President will be reacting, not leading.”

Ifs Moving President Boxes Priorities Staff Reacting

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Don't accept the post or stay unless you have an understanding with the President that you're free to tell him what you think "with the bark off" and you have the courage to do it.”

Thinking Understanding President Accepting Posts Bark

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Know that the immediate staff and others in the Administration will assume that your manner, tone and tempo reflect the President's.”

Knows President Assuming Administration Tone Staff Tempo

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Walk around. If you are invisible, the mystique of the President's office may perpetuate inaccurate impressions about you or the President, to his detriment. After all, you may not be as bad as they're saying.”

Ifs May President Walks Office Invisible Impression Mystique

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“When asked for your views, by the press or others, remember that what they really want to know is the President's views.”

Knows Want Remember President Views Presses Euthanasia

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“In our system leadership is by consent, not command. To lead a President must persuade. Personal contacts and experiences help shape his thinking. They can be critical to his persuasiveness and thus to his leadership.”

Thinking Helping President Leadership Shapes Critical Command Contact Consent

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance.”

Able Values President Wonder Performances

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“If you foul up, tell the President and correct it fast. Delay only compounds mistakes.”

Ifs President Mistake Delay Foul Compounds

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Make decisions about the President's personal security. He can overrule you, but don't ask him to be the one to counsel caution.”

Asks President Decision Security Caution Personal Security

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“One of your tasks is to separate the 'personal' from the 'substantive.' The two can become confused, especially if someone rubs the President wrong.”

Ifs Two President Tasks Confused

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Preserve the President's options. He may need them.”

Needs May President Preserves Hype

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find problem areas, add structure and delegate. The pressure is to do the reverse. Resist it.”

Ifs Matter Problem Force President Decision Responsibility Areas Pressure Down And Structure Add Reverse Delegates Delegation Bottlenecks

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Look for what's missing. Many advisors can tell a President how to improve what's proposed or what's gone amiss. Few are able to see what isn't there.”

Looks Able President Gone Missing Observation Advisors

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Leave the President's family business to him. You will have plenty to do without trying to manage the First Family. They are likely to do fine without your help.”

Trying Firsts Helping President Fine Manage Plenty

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Many people around the President have sizeable egos before entering government, some with good reason. Their new positions will do little to moderate their egos.”

People Littles Reason Government President Position Ego Entering Moderates New Position

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“See that the President, the Cabinet and staff are informed. If cut out of the information flow, their decisions may be poor, not made, or not confidently or persuasively implemented.”

Ifs May Made President Decision Poor Cutting Information Flow Staff Cabinets Information Flow

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“When you raise issues with the President, try to come away with both that decision and also a precedent. Pose issues so as to evoke broader policy guidance. This can help to answer a range of similar issues likely to arise later.”

Trying Helping President Decision Answers Issues Policy Raises Arise Range Guidance Evoke Precedent

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“If in doubt, move decisions up to the President.”

Ifs Moving President Decision Doubt

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

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