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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.
Donald Rumsfeld
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Donald Rumsfeld
Age: 88 †
Born: 1932
Born: July 9
Died: 2021
Died: June 29
Author
Businessperson
Diplomat
Former U.S. Secretary Of Defense
Military Officer
Politician
Chicago
Illinois
Donald Henry Rumsfeld
Good
Position
People
President
Sizeable
Around
Egos
Littles
Moderate
Government
Moderates
Reason
Positions
Little
Entering
Many
Ego
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The worst mistake is to have the best ladder and the wrong wall.
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It is easier to get into something than to get out of it.
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There are things that we know, and there are things that we don't know. Then there are the things that we don't even know that we don't know. Those are the things that are the hardest.
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If you foul up, tell the President and correct it fast. Delay only compounds mistakes.
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[on Osama bin Laden] He is either alive and well or alive and not too well or not alive.
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Do you have any regrets? Of course I do.
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I didn't advocate invasion...I wasn't asked.
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If you can't solve a problem, make it bigger.
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Freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things.
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Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership.
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I think it's very useful for you folks (reporters) to try your damndest to be precise. And don't repeat things that are inaccurate if you can possibly avoid it. And when you see things that are inaccurate, knock them down -- because there's a bucket of it floating around.
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Plan backwards as well as forward. Set objectives and trace back to see how to achieve them. You may find that no path can get you there. Plan forward to see where your steps will take you, which may not be clear or intuitive.
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When cutting staff at the Pentagon, don't eliminate the thin layer that assures civilian control.
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I stand for 8-10 hours a day. Why is standing limited to four hours?
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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.
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If I know the answer I'll tell you the answer, and if I don't I'll just respond cleverly.
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I tend over the years to have developed a certain hesitancy about believing that headlines tell the whole story.
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Keep your sense of humor. As General Joe Stillwell said, 'The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind'.
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Our task, your task... is to try to connect the dots before something happens. People say, 'Well, where's the smoking gun?' Well, we don't want to see a smoking gun from a weapon of mass destruction.
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Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the goals set. Put your head down, do the best job possible, let the flak pass, and work towards those goals.
Donald Rumsfeld
