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.

Quote by Donald Rumsfeld

Topics: Business Quotes, Family Quotes, Presidency Quotes

Move decisions out to the Cabinet and agencies. Strengthen them by moving responsibility, authority, and...

Move decisions out to the Cabinet and agencies. Strengthen them by moving responsibility, authority, and...

Don't divide the world into hem and us. Avoid infatuation with or resentment of the...

Don't divide the world into hem and us. Avoid infatuation with or resentment of the...

When someone with a rural accent says, I don't know much about politics, zip up...

When someone with a rural accent says, I don't know much about politics, zip up...

The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him...

The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him...

Presidential leadership needn't always cost money. Look for low- and no-cost options. They can be...

Presidential leadership needn't always cost money. Look for low- and no-cost options. They can be...

Strive to make proposed solutions as self-executing as possible. As the degree of discretion increases,...

Strive to make proposed solutions as self-executing as possible. As the degree of discretion increases,...

Politics is human beings; it's addition rather than subtraction.

Politics is human beings; it's addition rather than subtraction.

Think ahead. Don't let day-to-day operations drive out planning.

Think ahead. Don't let day-to-day operations drive out planning.

Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries...

Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries...

The most underestimated risk for a politician is overexposure.

The most underestimated risk for a politician is overexposure.

If a prospective Presidential approach can't be explained clearly enough to be understood well, it...

If a prospective Presidential approach can't be explained clearly enough to be understood well, it...

The Secretary of Defense is not a super General or Admiral. His task is to...

The Secretary of Defense is not a super General or Admiral. His task is to...

Know that the amount of criticism you receive may correlate somewhat to the amount of...

Know that the amount of criticism you receive may correlate somewhat to the amount of...

First rule of politics: you can't win unless you're on the ballot. Second rule: If...

First rule of politics: you can't win unless you're on the ballot. Second rule: If...

Don't blame the boss. He has enough problems.

Don't blame the boss. He has enough problems.

Many people around the President have sizeable egos before entering government, some with good reason....

Many people around the President have sizeable egos before entering government, some with good reason....

Our task, your task... is to try to connect the dots before something happens. People...

Our task, your task... is to try to connect the dots before something happens. People...

Don't say he White House wants. Buildings can't want.

Don't say he White House wants. Buildings can't want.

If the staff lacks policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be...

If the staff lacks policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be...

If you develop rules, never have more than ten.

If you develop rules, never have more than ten.