--- title: "9 Engaging Quotes By Barack Obama" description: "9 Engaging quotes by Barack Obama. Plus more from Barack Obama and more Engaging sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/barack-obama-17_america_as-president-i-decided-that-a-strong-con_2844318.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) > [Yes to trade, but trade that ensures that these other countries that trade with us aren't engaging in child labor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/yes-to-trade-but-trade-that-ensures-that-these-other-countries-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bff/barack-obama-17_child-labor_yes-to-trade-but-trade-that-ensures-that_145548.jpg) > [As I've said many times, the nuclear deal was never intended to resolve all of our differences with Iran. But still, engaging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-i-ve-said-many-times-the-nuclear-deal-was-never-intended-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/404/barack-obama-17_bases_as-i-ve-said-many-times-the-nuclear-deal_741688.jpg) > [We are engaging in the diplomatic efforts that are required within Iraq among the Shia, the Sunni and the Kurd, among friends,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-are-engaging-in-the-diplomatic-efforts-that-are-required-within/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/barack-obama-17_arabia_we-are-engaging-in-the-diplomatic-effort_2900293.jpg) > [It's the reason why I am always interested in engaging in people who are pushing us and pushing against the status quo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interested-in-engaging-in-people-who/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/barack-obama-17_activist_it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interest_960988.jpg) > [Both President Kennedy and President Reagan were roundly criticized by parts of the foreign policy establishment that felt they were being weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/both-president-kennedy-and-president-reagan-were-roundly-criticized/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/barack-obama-17_adversaries_both-president-kennedy-and-president-rea_2339195.jpg) > [Our priority is to go after ISIL. And so what we have said is that we are not engaging in a military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/our-priority-is-to-go-after-isil-and-so-what-we-have-said-is-that-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/527/barack-obama-17_action_our-priority-is-to-go-after-isil-and-so_347011.jpg) > [With Singapore's partnership, the United States in engaging more deeply across South-east Asia and Asean, which is central to the region's peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/with-singapore-s-partnership-the-united-states-in-engaging-more/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/barack-obama-17_anchors_with-singapore-s-partnership-the-united_2793878.jpg) > [We have not always been in sync on every issue in terms of our core values, in terms of her integrity, her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-not-always-been-in-sync-on-every-issue-in-terms-of-our-core/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce3/barack-obama-17_angela_we-have-not-always-been-in-sync-on-every_613865.jpg) ## Other authors on Engaging ## 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/engaging/barack-obama/#itemlist", "name": "9 Engaging Quotes By Barack Obama", "numberOfItems": 9, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "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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But still, engaging directly with the Iranian government on a sustained basis for the first time in decades has created a unique opportunity, a window, to try to resolve important issues.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-i-ve-said-many-times-the-nuclear-deal-was-never-intended-to/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/404/barack-obama-17_bases_as-i-ve-said-many-times-the-nuclear-deal_741688.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/404/barack-obama-17_bases_as-i-ve-said-many-times-the-nuclear-deal_741688.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/404/barack-obama-17_bases_as-i-ve-said-many-times-the-nuclear-deal_741688.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As I've said many times, the nuclear deal was never intended to resolve all of our differences with Iran…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are engaging in the diplomatic efforts that are required within Iraq among the Shia, the Sunni and the Kurd, among friends, like Egypt, and Turkey and Saudi Arabia, but also enemies like Iran and Syria. They have to have buy-in into that process.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-are-engaging-in-the-diplomatic-efforts-that-are-required-within/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/barack-obama-17_arabia_we-are-engaging-in-the-diplomatic-effort_2900293.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/barack-obama-17_arabia_we-are-engaging-in-the-diplomatic-effort_2900293.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/barack-obama-17_arabia_we-are-engaging-in-the-diplomatic-effort_2900293.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are engaging in the diplomatic efforts that are required within Iraq among the Shia, the Sunni and the…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's the reason why I am always interested in engaging in people who are pushing us and pushing against the status quo. But having been an activist, the only thing that I'm always encouraging activists to do is, once you have raised the issue, and even through controversial means, you have to come behind it with an agenda and the possibility of reconciliation if power meets your demands.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interested-in-engaging-in-people-who/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/barack-obama-17_activist_it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interest_960988.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/barack-obama-17_activist_it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interest_960988.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/barack-obama-17_activist_it-s-the-reason-why-i-am-always-interest_960988.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's the reason why I am always interested in engaging in people who are pushing us and pushing against the…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Both President Kennedy and President Reagan were roundly criticized by parts of the foreign policy establishment that felt they were being weak by engaging our adversaries. So some of it is built into a political lexicon that makes you sound tougher if you don't talk to somebody, and rather, very loudly, wield a big stick.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/both-president-kennedy-and-president-reagan-were-roundly-criticized/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/barack-obama-17_adversaries_both-president-kennedy-and-president-rea_2339195.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/barack-obama-17_adversaries_both-president-kennedy-and-president-rea_2339195.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/barack-obama-17_adversaries_both-president-kennedy-and-president-rea_2339195.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Both President Kennedy and President Reagan were roundly criticized by parts of the foreign policy…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our priority is to go after ISIL. And so what we have said is that we are not engaging in a military action against the Syrian regime. We are going after ISIL facilities and personnel who are using Syria as a safe haven, in service of our strategy in Iraq.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/our-priority-is-to-go-after-isil-and-so-what-we-have-said-is-that-we/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/527/barack-obama-17_action_our-priority-is-to-go-after-isil-and-so_347011.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/527/barack-obama-17_action_our-priority-is-to-go-after-isil-and-so_347011.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/527/barack-obama-17_action_our-priority-is-to-go-after-isil-and-so_347011.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our priority is to go after ISIL. And so what we have said is that we are not engaging in a military action…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "With Singapore's partnership, the United States in engaging more deeply across South-east Asia and Asean, which is central to the region's peace and prosperity. Singapore is an anchor for the US presence in the region, which is a foundation of stability and peace.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/with-singapore-s-partnership-the-united-states-in-engaging-more/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/barack-obama-17_anchors_with-singapore-s-partnership-the-united_2793878.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/barack-obama-17_anchors_with-singapore-s-partnership-the-united_2793878.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/barack-obama-17_anchors_with-singapore-s-partnership-the-united_2793878.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“With Singapore's partnership, the United States in engaging more deeply across South-east Asia and Asean…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have not always been in sync on every issue in terms of our core values, in terms of her integrity, her truthfulness, her thoughtfulness, [Angela Merkel] doing her homework, knowing her facts, her commitment to looking out for the interests of the German people first, but recognizing that part of good leadership on behalf of the nation requires engaging the world as a whole, and participating effectively in multilaterally institutions, I think she's been outstanding.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-not-always-been-in-sync-on-every-issue-in-terms-of-our-core/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce3/barack-obama-17_angela_we-have-not-always-been-in-sync-on-every_613865.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce3/barack-obama-17_angela_we-have-not-always-been-in-sync-on-every_613865.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce3/barack-obama-17_angela_we-have-not-always-been-in-sync-on-every_613865.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have not always been in sync on every issue in terms of our core values, in terms of her integrity, her…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaging/barack-obama/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaging/barack-obama/", "name": "Engaging Quotes by Barack Obama", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaging/barack-obama/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/310/barack-obama-17_america_as-president-i-decided-that-a-strong-con_2844318.jpg" }, "description": "9 Engaging quotes by Barack Obama. 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