--- title: "10 Decided Quotes By Barack Obama" description: "10 Decided quotes by Barack Obama. Plus more from Barack Obama and more Decided sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/barack-obama-17_belief_when-michelle-and-i-decided-that-i-would_1635345.jpg" --- > [When Michelle and I decided that I would run for President, it was because of a shared belief in the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-michelle-and-i-decided-that-i-would-run-for-president-it-was/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/barack-obama-17_belief_when-michelle-and-i-decided-that-i-would_1635345.jpg) > [As president, I decided that a strong, confident America could advance our national security by engaging directly with the Iranian government. We've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-president-i-decided-that-a-strong-confident-america-could-advance/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/barack-obama-17_america_as-president-i-decided-that-a-strong-con_2844318.jpg) > [There was no such thing as Al Qaeda in Iraq, until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-was-no-such-thing-as-al-qaeda-in-iraq-until-george-bush-and/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0f/barack-obama-17_al-qaeda_there-was-no-such-thing-as-al-qaeda-in-i_1000594.jpg) > [I decided to become a community organizer ... Change won't come from the top, I would say. Change will come from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-decided-to-become-a-community-organizer-change-won-t-come-from-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/904/barack-obama-17_change_i-decided-to-become-a-community-organize_1071152.jpg) > [There are places and moments in America where this nation’s destiny has been decided...Selma is such a place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-are-places-and-moments-in-america-where-this-nation-s-destiny/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/barack-obama-17_america_there-are-places-and-moments-in-america_2709145.jpg) > [Nobody's cooler than my two girls. They just seem to take whatever comes with, you know - happiness and - steadiness. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-s-cooler-than-my-two-girls-they-just-seem-to-take-whatever/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/barack-obama-17_basketball_nobody-s-cooler-than-my-two-girls-they-j_534588.jpg) > [I know what the counterterrorism feels like because I was there. But I also operated within limits. And within the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-know-what-the-counterterrorism-feels-like-because-i-was-there-but-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/barack-obama-17_counterterrorism_i-know-what-the-counterterrorism-feels-l_172381.jpg) > [One very difficult decision was deciding to vote against the appropriations bill for the war. I had consistently said that I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-very-difficult-decision-was-deciding-to-vote-against-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/barack-obama-17_adequate_one-very-difficult-decision-was-deciding_2640789.jpg) > [The fear among economists across the political spectrum that was - was that we were rapidly plummeting towards a second Great Depression.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-fear-among-economists-across-the-political-spectrum-that-was-was/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbd/barack-obama-17_crisis_the-fear-among-economists-across-the-pol_1345977.jpg) > [Look, first of all, the climate is changing. I don't think the science is clear what percentage is man-made and what percentage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/look-first-of-all-the-climate-is-changing-i-don-t-think-the-science/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/barack-obama-17_arrogance_look-first-of-all-the-climate-is-changin_2018801.jpg) ## Other authors on Decided ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/barack-obama/#itemlist", "name": "10 Decided Quotes By Barack Obama", "numberOfItems": 10, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When Michelle and I decided that I would run for President, it was because of a shared belief in the power of community and connection, a commitment to the idea that we are our brothers' keepers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-michelle-and-i-decided-that-i-would-run-for-president-it-was/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/barack-obama-17_belief_when-michelle-and-i-decided-that-i-would_1635345.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/barack-obama-17_belief_when-michelle-and-i-decided-that-i-would_1635345.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/barack-obama-17_belief_when-michelle-and-i-decided-that-i-would_1635345.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When Michelle and I decided that I would run for President, it was because of a shared belief in the power…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As president, I decided that a strong, confident America could advance our national security by engaging directly with the Iranian government. 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They just seem to take whatever comes with, you know - happiness and - steadiness. And they're loving school. They're making friends... and - they've already joined some clubs. And Sasha, you know - I think maybe to endear - myself to her, she - she decided she wanted to join a basketball team. So - what more could I want?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-s-cooler-than-my-two-girls-they-just-seem-to-take-whatever/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/barack-obama-17_basketball_nobody-s-cooler-than-my-two-girls-they-j_534588.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/barack-obama-17_basketball_nobody-s-cooler-than-my-two-girls-they-j_534588.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/barack-obama-17_basketball_nobody-s-cooler-than-my-two-girls-they-j_534588.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nobody's cooler than my two girls. 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And within the United States government, we've decided long ago that there are limits on what we're going to do in the war against terrorism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-know-what-the-counterterrorism-feels-like-because-i-was-there-but-i/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/barack-obama-17_counterterrorism_i-know-what-the-counterterrorism-feels-l_172381.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/barack-obama-17_counterterrorism_i-know-what-the-counterterrorism-feels-l_172381.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cb/barack-obama-17_counterterrorism_i-know-what-the-counterterrorism-feels-l_172381.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know what the counterterrorism feels like because I was there. But I also operated within limits. 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That was a difficult decision for me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-very-difficult-decision-was-deciding-to-vote-against-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/barack-obama-17_adequate_one-very-difficult-decision-was-deciding_2640789.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/barack-obama-17_adequate_one-very-difficult-decision-was-deciding_2640789.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/barack-obama-17_adequate_one-very-difficult-decision-was-deciding_2640789.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One very difficult decision was deciding to vote against the appropriations bill for the war. I had…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fear among economists across the political spectrum that was - was that we were rapidly plummeting towards a second Great Depression. So, in the weeks and months that followed, we undertook a series of difficult steps to prevent that outcome. And we were forced to take those steps largely without the help of an opposition party, which, unfortunately, after having presided over the decision-making that had led to the crisis, decided to hand it over to others to solve.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-fear-among-economists-across-the-political-spectrum-that-was-was/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbd/barack-obama-17_crisis_the-fear-among-economists-across-the-pol_1345977.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbd/barack-obama-17_crisis_the-fear-among-economists-across-the-pol_1345977.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbd/barack-obama-17_crisis_the-fear-among-economists-across-the-pol_1345977.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fear among economists across the political spectrum that was - was that we were rapidly plummeting…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Look, first of all, the climate is changing. I don't think the science is clear what percentage is man-made and what percentage is natural. It's convoluted. And for the people to say the science is decided on, this is just really arrogant, to be honest with you, it's this intellectual arrogance that now you can't even have a conversation about it. The climate is changing, and we need to adapt to that reality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/look-first-of-all-the-climate-is-changing-i-don-t-think-the-science/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/barack-obama-17_arrogance_look-first-of-all-the-climate-is-changin_2018801.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/barack-obama-17_arrogance_look-first-of-all-the-climate-is-changin_2018801.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/barack-obama-17_arrogance_look-first-of-all-the-climate-is-changin_2018801.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Look, first of all, the climate is changing. I don't think the science is clear what percentage is man-made…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/barack-obama/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/barack-obama/", "name": "Decided Quotes by Barack Obama", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/barack-obama/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/barack-obama-17_belief_when-michelle-and-i-decided-that-i-would_1635345.jpg" }, "description": "10 Decided quotes by Barack Obama. 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