--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are institutional obligations I…" description: "\"There are institutional obligations I have to carry out that are important for a president of the United States to carry out, but may not always align ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/barack-obama-17_balls_there-are-institutional-obligations-i-ha_1883332.jpg" --- # There are institutional obligations I have to carry out… ![“There are institutional obligations I have to carry out that are important for a president of the United States to carry out, but may not always align with what I think would move the ball down the field on the issues that I care most deeply about.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/barack-obama-17_balls_there-are-institutional-obligations-i-ha_1883332.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/barack-obama-17_balls_there-are-institutional-obligations-i-ha_1883332.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/barack-obama-17_balls_there-are-institutional-obligations-i-ha_1883332.jpg) > “There are institutional obligations I have to carry out that are important for a president of the United States to carry out, but may not always align with what I think would move the ball down the field on the issues that I care most deeply about.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing official duties with personal policy priorities can create tension between responsibility and ambition. **In simple terms:** Presidents must juggle duty and personal goals. Key Takeaway Align actions with core values where possible. Themes leadership policy integrity Mood reflective serious Type political inspirational When to use this quote - executive decision making - legislative negotiation - public communication Key Concepts public service political compromise Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile duty with belief? - When should you compromise? A Different Perspective Personal convictions may clash with institutional constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Obligations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligations/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes you have to drop some things in order for you to carry more important things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-you-have-to-drop-some-things-in-order-for-you-to-carry-more/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Carry your most important goal in your wallet".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/carry-your-most-important-goal-in-your-wallet/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [It's very important that we have a president who is mindful of the cruelty that is perpetrated on animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-very-important-that-we-have-a-president-who-is-mindful-of-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I think it is important first of all that the president of the United States underscores our commitment to partnering with countries around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-it-is-important-first-of-all-that-the-president-of-the-united/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If you don't have good people, and you don't have a good process and you don't have, at some level, the basic reverence for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-you-don-t-have-good-people-and-you-don-t-have-a-good-process-and/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Taxes are important. President Bush's tax proposals leave no rich person behind. Voters approve of President Bush helping the kind of people they wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/taxes-are-important-president-bush-s-tax-proposals-leave-no-rich/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I think it's important for the president of the United States to be aware of the intelligence information that we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-think-it-s-important-for-the-president-of-the-united-states-to-be/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I think it's important that the President of the United States consult as widely as possible with those who have different views so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-think-it-s-important-that-the-president-of-the-united-states/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Given the daunting challenges that we face, it's important that president elect Obama is prepared to really take power and begin to rule day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/given-the-daunting-challenges-that-we-face-it-s-important-that/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [I do not begrudge Bill Clinton's working for his wife, but the one thing I would say is really important to President Clinton to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-do-not-begrudge-bill-clinton-s-working-for-his-wife-but-the-one/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I believe that transatlantic relations are very important and that President Bush's visit to Brussels, in a few days, will have a major impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-raffarin/i-believe-that-transatlantic-relations-are-very-important-and-that/) [Jean-Pierre Raffarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-raffarin/) > [It is very important that the president thematically shows where we're going in terms of the vision and an agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-frist/it-is-very-important-that-the-president-thematically-shows-where-we/) [Bill Frist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-frist/) > [What's important to have is a president that's focused on jobs, the economy, giving our children a better future and keeping our nation strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-fallin/what-s-important-to-have-is-a-president-that-s-focused-on-jobs-the/) [Mary Fallin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-fallin/) > [Very important, the President must be seen not as a figurehead but as somebody the people can look to for support for some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/very-important-the-president-must-be-seen-not-as-a-figurehead-but-as/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [It's very important who the president of the United States is. America is a great idea, so that's why it's a great country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/it-s-very-important-who-the-president-of-the-united-states-is-america/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) ## 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/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Balls quotes > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. 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And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Maybe bring in sponge balls to learn the technique and gain that experience of actually challenging for a header.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/maybe-bring-in-sponge-balls-to-learn-the-technique-and-gain-that/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [I like René Descartes' theory about a ball of wax. You can change its form from solid to liquid, but it's still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-like-ren-descartes-theory-about-a-ball-of-wax-you-can-change-its/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Throwing a ball is not natural, whether it's overhand or underhand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/throwing-a-ball-is-not-natural-whether-it-s-overhand-or-underhand/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [I don't feel like I have to live up to anything because I've proven that I can play. 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But you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-glanville/you-run-the-football-for-toughness-you-run-the-ball-to-tell-your/) Jerry Glanville Browse all 3,005 Balls quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are institutional obligations I have to carry out that are important for a president of the United States to carry out, but may not always align with what I think would move the ball down the field on the issues that I care most deeply about.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-are-institutional-obligations-i-have-to-carry-out-that-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balls" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-are-institutional-obligations-i-have-to-carry-out-that-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/barack-obama-17_balls_there-are-institutional-obligations-i-ha_1883332.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/barack-obama-17_balls_there-are-institutional-obligations-i-ha_1883332.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/barack-obama-17_balls_there-are-institutional-obligations-i-ha_1883332.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are institutional obligations I have to carry out that are important for a president of the United…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are institutional obligations I have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-are-institutional-obligations-i-have-to-carry-out-that-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-are-institutional-obligations-i-have-to-carry-out-that-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```