“Stepping back from running [Donald Trump] positions is meaningless from a conflict of interests perspective. The presidency is a full-time job and he would have had to step back anyway.” RunningJobsInterestStepsPositionPerspectiveTrumpConflictMeaninglessPresidencyFull Time JobsConflict Of InterestStepping Back Author:Reince Priebus
“I think that most of the candidates [for presidency] can't run the railroad, and I still worry that whoever gets elected will have policies designed for political rather than practical reasons.” ThinkingStillsReasonRunningPoliticalWorryPolicyPracticalsCandidatesPresidencyRailroads Author:Michael Bloomberg
“One of the things that you come pretty early on to understand in this job, and you start figuring out even during the course of the campaign, is that there's Barack Obama the person and there's Barack Obama the symbol, or the office holder, or what people are seeing on television, or just a representative of power. And so when people criticize or respond negatively to me, usually they're responding to this character that they're seeing on TV called Barack Obama, or to the office of the presidency and the White House and what that represents.” PeoplePersonsCharacterJobsCoursesHouseWhiteSeeingTelevisionTvsOfficeCampaignsSymbolsBarackCriticizeWhite HouseRepresentativesPresidencyResponding Author:Barack Obama
“I think that where I've gotten frustrated during the course of my presidency has never been because I was getting pushed too hard by activists to see the justness of a cause or the essence of an issue.” ThinkingHardCoursesCausesIssuesEssenceActivistFrustratedPresidency Author:Barack Obama
“I was pretty realistic to people about what we could get done, and the situation we were in, and trying to tamp down expectations. If you listen to my stump speeches, if you listen to what I said at Grant Park, I kept on saying, "Look, this is not just about me, this is not going to happen in one year, or one term, or even one presidency." And we tried to layer into everything we were saying a sense of hope, but also realism.” PeopleIfsTryingYearsLooksSaidDoneHappensTermSituationSpeechExpectationsParksGrantsRealisticLayersRealismPresidencyStumps Author:Barack Obama
“Those are the ladies sitting in church. And in the same way that they might feel a joy and release on Sunday, they are still going to work on Monday. And that's who I was listening to during this process. And if at the end of my presidency they feel like I did a pretty good job, then I'll feel pretty good.” IfsWayFeelsStillsEndsMightJobsJoyProcessChurchListeningSittingReleaseSundayPresidencyMondayGood JobGoing To Work Author:Barack Obama
“The power of the presidency is important, but it is not determinative.” ImportantPresidency Author:Edward Snowden
“I know that given great responsibility men sometimes change, but Mr. Nixon's Presidency would worry me.” KnowsMenSometimesGivenResponsibilityWorryPresidencyGreat Responsibility Author:Eleanor Roosevelt
“If we didn't have the Electoral College there would have been no George W. Bush presidency. Algore would have been elected. The Democrats have not gotten over that, and they never will get over the recount, the aftermath of that election in 2000. They are still animated by it today. It is a significant portion of the rage and anger they carry around with them every day, so they want to get rid of it.” IfsWantHas BeensStillsTodayCollegeElectionDemocratRageSignificantPortionsPresidencyGet OverAnimatedAftermathElectoral CollegeRage And Anger Author:Rush Limbaugh
“There isn't a Democrat in politics alive who does not know what the Obama presidency has meant for the Democrat Party around the country. They've lost 1,500 seats. The Democrats only have five states, ladies and gentlemen, where they control the governorship and the state legislature, only five!” KnowsDoeCountryStatesLostPartyFiveAliveDemocratGentlemanSeatsPresidencyLegislatureLadies And GentlemenState Legislatures Author:Rush Limbaugh
“You can disagree, but it`s a personal belittling attack which is beneath the dignity of the presidency.” DignityDisagreePresidencyBelittle Author:Bill Press
“The White House, as Warren Harding said, and I think accurately, is an alchemist. We find out the strengths, the weaknesses and the smarts and the dumbs of whoever those occupants are under the pressure of the presidency.” ThinkingSaidHouseWhiteSmartWeaknessPressureWhite HousePresidencyAlchemistHardingWarren Harding Author:Mark Shields
“I believe in a free and open press; people have to cover the presidency, respect the office and its current occupant. And we need it to be a two-way street.” PeopleWayNeedsBelieveTwoI BelieveStreetsOfficePressesCurrentsI Believe InPresidencyTwo WaysTwo Way Street Author:Kellyanne Conway
“During the [Barack] Obama presidency, the Dow doubled in real terms. What's more, its growth has been remarkably steady.” Has BeensRealGrowthTermBarackSteadyPresidency Author:Kevin Drum
“We didn't make much progress on the country's agenda. And in my view it's because the Senate basically hadn't done much of anything, with a couple of exceptions, for the last four years [of Barack Obama's presidency]. And that's going to change.” YearsCountryDoneLastsViewsFourProgressCoupleBarackExceptionAgendasFour YearsSenatePresidency Author:Mitch McConnell
“I think that the presidency really brings out the best in a lot of people.” PeopleThinkingPresidency Author:Caroline Kennedy
“That particular story ["The Pyramid and the Ass"] was written during the dark days of the Bush years. George W. Bush had just been "re-elected" (or elected for the first time, depending on how you count the stolen election) and it seemed like the horror of his presidency would last forever.” YearsFirstsStoriesLastsDarkForeverWrittenParticularHorrorFirst TimeElectionAssPresidencyStolenPyramidsDark Days Author:Alexander Weinstein
“[George W.] Bush's presidency was one of the great nightmares of my life to date.” NightmarePresidency Author:Alexander Weinstein
“If Donald Trump is just tweeting about a union guy, then he's just being the bully we have seen. But if he uses the power of the presidency to back up some of those tweets and he's really, really coming down with a hammer on people he doesn't like using the power of the presidency, then we're seeing something very new and very different.” PeopleIfsDifferentUseGuySeeingTrumpUnionsJust BeingPresidencyBullyHammersTweet Author:David Brooks
“Donald Trump's big goal is to become the richest man in the world, abusing the powers of the presidency.” MenWorldBigsGoalTrumpPresidency Author:David Frum
“When we look at the Trump candidacy or we look at any Republican candidacy for the presidency that's been successful, they tend to win by the margin of black and brown and poor people and immigrants who do not vote.” PeopleLooksWinningBlackPoorSuccessfulTrumpRepublicanVoteBrownImmigrantsPresidencyPoor PeopleMarginsCandidacy Author:Marc Lamont Hill
“Coolidge liked the dignity of the presidency. He didn't get on the phone easily. It's possible that he banished the phone from his desk. He was known to use it from time to time. The person who was hilarious with the phone was Hoover. He was a real engineer. He made a closed circuit phone where he could call the important people and they could call him, a government hotline, but it was closed. He shut out the possibility of input from people he didn't expect to get input from.” PeoplePersonsMadeImportantRealUseGovernmentKnownPossibilityDignityPhonesEngineersDesksPresidencyInputCircuitsHoover Author:Amity Shlaes
“Israel is a true friend. It is our greatest ally in the region. And if Israel is attacked, America will stand with Israel. I've made that clear throughout my presidency.” IfsMadeAmericaClearIsraelRegionsAlliesPresidencyTrue Friend Author:Barack Obama
“A political candidacy built around hope and change and compromise would eventually become a presidency of crisis and confrontation.” PoliticalBuiltCrisisCompromisePresidencyConfrontationCandidacyHope And Change Author:Barack Obama
“We were very effective, and I was very effective, in shaping public opinion around my campaigns. But there were big stretches, while governing, where even though we were doing the right thing, we weren't able to mobilize public opinion firmly enough behind us to weaken the resolve of the Republicans to stop opposing us or to cooperate with us. And there were times during my presidency where I lost the PR battle.” EnoughBigsAbleLostBehindsOpinionRepublicanBattleCampaignsRight ThingResolvePresidencyPublic OpinionGoverningOpposingDoing The Right Thing Author:Barack Obama
“I think that [Donald Trump] clearly was able to tap into a lot of grievances. And he has a talent for making a connection with his supporters that overrode some of the traditional benchmarks of how you'd run a campaign or conduct yourself as a presidential candidate. What will be interesting to see is how that plays out during the course of his presidency.” ThinkingPlayRunningAbleCoursesInterestingTalentTrumpConnectionsCampaignsTraditionalPresidentialCandidatesSupporterPresidencyGrievancePresidential Candidate Author:Barack Obama
“If you're saying that Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu got fired up, he's been fired up repeatedly during the course of my presidency, around the Iran deal and around our consistent objection to settlements.” IfsCoursesDealsMinistersConsistentIranPrimePresidencyPrime MinisterObjectionsSettlementFired Up Author:Barack Obama
“We are reaching a tipping where the pace of settlements, during the course of my presidency has gotten so substantial that it's getting harder and harder to imagine an effective, contiguous Palestinian state. And I think it would have long-term consequences for peace and security in the region, and the United States, because of our investment in the region, and because we care so deeply about Israel, I think has a legitimate interest in saying to a friend, "This is a problem."” ThinkingLongStatesProblemCareCoursesTermInterestUnitedUnited StatesImagineSecurityConsequenceHarderInvestmentIsraelLong TermReachingRegionsPacePalestinianPresidencySettlementTippingPeace And Security Author:Barack Obama
“I'm not going to Wall Street [after the presidency]. The amount of time that I'll be investing in issues is going to be high. But it'll be necessarily in a different capacity.” DifferentIssuesStreetsWallAmountCapacityInvestingPresidency Author:Barack Obama
“I'll remember the view out this window [from Oval Cabinet], because this is where we had our - the playground that we put in when Malia and Sasha came in. Being able every once in awhile to look out the window and see your daughters during the summer, swinging on that swing set, that made the presidency a little bit sweeter.” LooksLittlesMadeAbleRememberBitsViewsSummerLittle BitDaughterWindowSwingsPresidencyCabinetsPlaygroundsOur DaughterYour DaughterOvalSwing Sets Author:Barack Obama
“The first thing that I've got to think about is: What does a Donald Trump presidency mean for the people of my state and for the people of this country? And for the people of the world? I think it would be an absolute disaster. It would be beyond a disaster.” PeopleThinkingWorldFirstsMeanDoeCountryStatesWould BeTrumpAbsolutesDisasterPresidency Author:Bernie Sanders
“Trump will have to take up juggling if he goes ahead and scraps the agreement with Iran and at the same time, seeks to avoid alienating Russia, and quite possibly France and Germany. These European countries are already nervous about what the Trump presidency means with respect to the future of the post-World War II international order that has essentially kept the peace on the continent since 1945. This order is far from perfect, of course, and under pressure from other sources, especially due to the rise of chauvinism and European Trumpism.” IfsWorldMeanWarCountryOrderCoursesPerfectSourceTrumpPressureInternationalDuesRussiaNervousFrancePostsWar Of The WorldsGermanyAgreementIranWorld War IiWorld War IContinentsPresidencyScrapUnder PressureEuropean CountriesJugglingChauvinism Author:Richard A. Falk
“I also read a lot of nonfiction. I just got "Nixonland" by Rick Perlstein. I felt like what with everything that is going on with the president [Donald trump] and the parallels with [Richard] Nixon's presidency, I needed to know more about the man.” KnowsMenFeltPresidentHe ManTrumpNeededNonfictionPresidencyParallels Author:Laila Lalami
“[Former chief executives] come away thinking that America needs a strong, functioning presidency to succeed, and they become very protective of that office. Democrats and Republicans alike are willing to put aside their own party's self-interest to preserve the presidency. That's been true over the decades.” ThinkingNeedsSelfAmericaStrongInterestPartyWillingRepublicanSucceedOfficeDemocratDecadesChiefsFormerPreservesExecutivesPresidencySelf InterestProtectiveChief Executives Author:Nancy Gibbs
“My evaluation of President George W. Bush is nothing personal. He's a lovely person. Sadly, I believe he will be remembered for taking us into war unnecessarily at the cost of thousands of American lives, injuries to tens of thousands of our troops, and trillions of dollars to our economy - enormous costs to our reputation, and undermining the capability of our military to protect us. That, I think, will be the overwhelming issue for which his presidency will be remembered: extensive damage to our country.” ThinkingBelievePersonsWarCountryI BelievePresidentEconomyIssuesMilitaryCostProtectDollarsLovelyEnormousReputationOur CountryRememberedDamageInjuryOverwhelmingCapabilityTroopsPresidencyAmerican LifeEvaluationOur TroopsUnderminingPresident George W BushLovely Person Author:Nancy Pelosi
“One day Barack Obama targets one group or business, the next day he targets another. Never, ever does he take responsibility for any of this mayhem. Oh, no! He's just an innocent bystander. He's a spectator. After running up debt heretofore unseen in this country, he tells us we have to get control of our spending. Now, he is desperately trying to save his pathetic and destructive presidency, and to get reelected he does not give a damn who he hurts in the process or what he damages.” GivingTryingDoeCountryRunningNextProcessHurtResponsibilityGroupsOne DayDebtSpendingInnocentBarackDamnDamageDestructiveTargetPresidencyUnseenNext DayTaking ResponsibilitySpectatorsPatheticBystandersMayhem Author:Rush Limbaugh
“As much as we may have to battle against a Trump presidency, there's still good relationships within the Senate, bipartisan relationships where we can work together.” MayStillsTogetherTrumpBattleWorking TogetherSenatePresidencyBipartisanGood Relationship Author:Tim Kaine
“I worry that a Trump presidency doesn't show the true face of America to the world, but I think that peaceful protest all around this country, it showed to the world who we really are.” ThinkingWorldCountryShowsAmericaFacesWorryTrumpPeacefulProtestPresidencyPeaceful Protest Author:Tim Kaine
“Normally what happens in a new presidency is the president has a big agenda, and Congress is full of people with human weaknesses. And so the president indulges the human weaknesses of members of Congress in order to pass his agenda. This time it's the other way around. Donald Trump does not have much of an agenda. Congress burns with this intense Republican agenda and so does Congress that has to put up with the human weaknesses of the president in order to get a signature on the things it desperately wants to pass.” PeopleWayWantHumansDoeBigsHappensOrderPresidentTrumpRepublicanMembersWeaknessCongressIntenseAgendasPresidencyIndulgeSignatures Author:David Frum
“We need people to fight back. So many people are depressed, and they've become preoccupied with the negatives of this [Donald Trump] presidency. That can cripple people mentally.” PeopleNeedsFightingTrumpPresidencyCripples Author:Nina Turner
“I think we're in store for a presidency [of Donald Trump] even more unlike any that people have been imagining. I think it's gonna be tough to predict this and to analyze it, certainly in contemporary, traditional terms.” PeopleThinkingHas BeensTermTrumpToughStoresContemporaryTraditionalPresidency Author:Rush Limbaugh
“Donald Trump may undermine some of the traditional checks on the presidency: the press in particular, but also the various government and Congressional ethics bodies, as well as the career civil service.” WellsMayBodyGovernmentCareersParticularTrumpEthicsPressesVariousChecksTraditionalPresidencyCivil Service Author:Anne Applebaum
“Being out of the mainstream is entirely consistent with the way Donald Trump is approaching his presidency.” WayTrumpConsistentMainstreamPresidency Author:Tom Gjelten
“If you go back and you look at the presidency over the course of history, presidents tend to do what they campaigned on. In the 20th century, presidents between Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter accomplished 73 percent of the things that they said they would do as candidates. Part of that is because once they get into office, their credibility, their ability to do anything depends on doing the things that they said they would.” IfsLooksSaidCoursesPresidentAbilityCenturyDependsOfficePercentCandidatesAccomplishedThey SaidPresidency20th CenturyCredibilityJimmyCarterWilson Author:Evan Osnos
“While there are several challenges, I do believe that over the transition and into the Trump presidency, the media as a whole has done pretty good work, as opposed to a spottier record during the campaign. There has been a lot of shoe-leather reporting going on, and the great story thus far of the Trump White House is the willingness of people who work there to leak to the media.” PeopleBelieveHas BeensDoneWholeStoriesHouseChallengesWhiteRecordsMediaTrumpShoesCampaignsWillingnessWhite HouseTransitionGood WorkPresidencyLeatherLeaks Author:Erik Wemple
“I think anybody currently running for the presidency on the Republican side by default would be a huge improvement over Obama in every area, including foreign policy and the use of the military.” ThinkingUseWould BeRunningSidesMilitaryPolicyHugeRepublicanAreasIncludingImprovementForeign PolicyPresidencyDefault Author:Rush Limbaugh
“Barack Obama's devastating. His policies and his presidency are devastating. But I have this confidence that he's not gonna succeed in total transforming this country into a Western European socialist democracy where the vast majority of the population just lays down and accepts it.” CountryAcceptingDemocracyPolicySucceedDown AndMajorityLaysWesternPopulationBarackSocialistPresidencyTransforming Author:Rush Limbaugh
“It's not by coincidence that a lot of protesters against the new presidency in America and in front of the Trump Tower, even in London... the protesters were 90 percent women. The image of the woman and the problem of the woman still exists. Not exactly in the same terms as 200 hundred years ago, but we still have the problem here.” YearsStillsProblemAmericaTermFrontsTrumpPercentHundredYears AgoLondonTowersCoincidencePresidency Author:Claude-Michel Schonberg
“Clearly, I think that there have been racial problems in America for a long time. I still think that, particularly during the second half of the Obama presidency, there has been a lot of emotion, a lot of feeling stirred up.” ThinkingLongHas BeensStillsFeelingsProblemAmericaEmotionHalfLong TimePresidency Author:Marty Walsh
“I have great respect for the office of the presidency and I really do believe that Donald Trump wants to do a good job.” WantBelieveJobsTrumpOfficePresidencyGood JobGreat Respect Author:Gayle King