--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Obama had campaigned against Bush's ideas…" description: "\"“Obama had campaigned against Bush's ideas and approaches. But, Donilon, for one, thought that Obama had perhaps underestimated the extent to which he ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/bob-woodward-5424_barack-obama_obama-had-campaigned-against-bush-s-idea_2015491.jpg" --- # Obama had campaigned against Bush's ideas and approaches… ![“Obama had campaigned against Bush's ideas and approaches. But, Donilon, for one, thought that Obama had perhaps underestimated the extent to which he had inherited George W. Bush's presidency - the apparatus, personnel and mind-set of war making.” quote by Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/bob-woodward-5424_barack-obama_obama-had-campaigned-against-bush-s-idea_2015491.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/bob-woodward-5424_barack-obama_obama-had-campaigned-against-bush-s-idea_2015491.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/bob-woodward-5424_barack-obama_obama-had-campaigned-against-bush-s-idea_2015491.jpg) > ““Obama had campaigned against Bush's ideas and approaches. But, Donilon, for one, thought that Obama had perhaps underestimated the extent to which he had inherited George W. Bush's presidency - the apparatus, personnel and mind-set of war making.”” [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author notes that a new president inherits entrenched bureaucratic structures, limiting ability to change policy quickly. **In simple terms:** Presidential power is constrained by existing institutions. Key Takeaway Recognize institutional inertia when planning reforms. Themes politics power institutional inertia Mood analytical cautious Type historical political When to use this quote - government transition - military strategy - legislative reform Key Concepts bureaucracy policy continuity Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders reshape inherited systems? - What reforms are realistic early in a term? A Different Perspective Assumes all administrations face identical constraints, ignoring individual agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Maybe that would be less crucial under Obama, Podesta thought, because Obama's approach was so intellectual. 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As Obama was giving intense focus on the war, Mullen was feeling more personal responsibility. Afghanistan had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/almost-everything-about-afghanistan-was-troubling-mullen-as-obama-was/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“For Carter, it was as if the ghosts of Watergate stalked the halls of the White House. As with most ghosts, he wasn't sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/for-carter-it-was-as-if-the-ghosts-of-watergate-stalked-the-halls-of/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“I'm done doing this!' Obama said, finally erupting. 'We've all agreed on a plan. And we're all going to stick to that plan. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/i-m-done-doing-this-obama-said-finally-erupting-we-ve-all-agreed-on-a/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [I voted for McCain. But I thought Obama ran the best campaign I have ever known - disciplined, well organized, very, very good. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-voted-for-mccain-but-i-thought-obama-ran-the-best-campaign-i-have/) [Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/) > [People thought once Obama got into office that racism was over with. But, what we ended up learning was that it just came more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/people-thought-once-obama-got-into-office-that-racism-was-over-with/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [I thought Obama was brilliant. He's so informed. He's circumspect. He's articulate. He's thoughtful. Well, I think in my lifetime, there's never been anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shuster/i-thought-obama-was-brilliant-he-s-so-informed-he-s-circumspect-he-s/) [David Shuster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shuster/) > [My old boss, former British prime minister David Cameron, thought Obama was one of the most narcissistic, self-absorbed people he'd ever dealt with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hilton/my-old-boss-former-british-prime-minister-david-cameron-thought-obama/) [Steve Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hilton/) > [I thought Obama ran the best campaign I have ever known - disciplined, well organised, very, very good. I was very impressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-thought-obama-ran-the-best-campaign-i-have-ever-known-disciplined/) [Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/) ## More by Bob Woodward > [Certain political figures think when you call them and ask them for a comment; that you are somehow doing something that you shouldn't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/certain-political-figures-think-when-you-call-them-and-ask-them-for-a/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“Maybe that would be less crucial under Obama, Podesta thought, because Obama's approach was so intellectual. 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If you get into a position where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/getting-up-in-the-morning-and-having-work-you-love-is-what-makes-life/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The number of illegal activities were so large that one was bound to come out and lead to the uncovering of the others. Nixon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-number-of-illegal-activities-were-so-large-that-one-was-bound-to/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The failure of the system to deal quickly was attributable to Nixon's lying, stonewalling and refusal to come clean. So it took 26 months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-failure-of-the-system-to-deal-quickly-was-attributable-to-nixon-s/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The biggest rap on me is that I don't find a Watergate every couple of years. Well, Watergate was unique. It's not something Carl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/the-biggest-rap-on-me-is-that-i-don-t-find-a-watergate-every-couple/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [There are people who take rumors and embellish them in a way that can be devastating. And this pollution has to be eradicated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/there-are-people-who-take-rumors-and-embellish-them-in-a-way-that-can/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“I'm done doing this!' Obama said, finally erupting. 'We've all agreed on a plan. And we're all going to stick to that plan. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/i-m-done-doing-this-obama-said-finally-erupting-we-ve-all-agreed-on-a/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“He never really voice pure, raw outrage to me about Watergate or what it represented. The crimes and abuses were background music. Nixon was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/he-never-really-voice-pure-raw-outrage-to-me-about-watergate-or-what/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [It was accountability that Nixon feared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/it-was-accountability-that-nixon-feared/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [Lawyers didn't seriously get involved in the Watergate stories until quite late, when we realized we were on to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/lawyers-didn-t-seriously-get-involved-in-the-watergate-stories-until/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) [Explore all 100 Bob Woodward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) ## More Barack obama quotes > [In 2008, Barack Obama did a phenomenal job of reaching out to minority groups, to younger people, and a lot of newer voters, Hispanics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/in-2008-barack-obama-did-a-phenomenal-job-of-reaching-out-to-minority/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [There has certainly been ugly, right-wing hatred targeting Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/there-has-certainly-been-ugly-right-wing-hatred-targeting-barack-obama/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [As a Democrat following the 2012 presidential election closely, I was happy to see that South Carolina voted overwhelmingly for Newt Gingrich, a candidate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schlossberg/as-a-democrat-following-the-2012-presidential-election-closely-i-was/) [Jack Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schlossberg/) > [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [It has been my honor to support and work with President Barack Obama, a man who has brought courage and character to the presidency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/it-has-been-my-honor-to-support-and-work-with-president-barack-obama/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [When the 2008 victory of Barack Obama and the defeat of grumpy old John McCain began looking, um, inevitable, I started fielding inquiries about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/when-the-2008-victory-of-barack-obama-and-the-defeat-of-grumpy-old/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [President Barack Obama is a doer. And we in America will do big things with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hunt/president-barack-obama-is-a-doer-and-we-in-america-will-do-big-things/) [Jim Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hunt/) > [“Been living on this earth for so long now and still don't know what a happy life feels like. I'm ready for a change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anthony-burkett/been-living-on-this-earth-for-so-long-now-and-still-don-t-know-what-a/) [Jonathan Anthony Burkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anthony-burkett/) > [“Attacking a lightning rod doesn't make you lightning..." Regarding Barack Obama”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-rafael-cimino/attacking-a-lightning-rod-doesn-t-make-you-lightning-regarding-barack/) [T. Rafael Cimino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-rafael-cimino/) > [Tell me why the limousine fleet has increased by 42 percent since Barack Obama took office. Why are we spending taxpayers' money on that?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-neumann/tell-me-why-the-limousine-fleet-has-increased-by-42-percent-since/) [Mark Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-neumann/) > [Trudeau, like President Barack Obama, is a champion of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-klobuchar/trudeau-like-president-barack-obama-is-a-champion-of-change/) [Amy Klobuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-klobuchar/) > [There is the bipartisan pretense that the FBI is the only government agency in Washington that is above reproach. Yet, this is the agency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fitton/there-is-the-bipartisan-pretense-that-the-fbi-is-the-only-government/) [Tom Fitton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fitton/) > [Income inequality has gotten worse under President Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/income-inequality-has-gotten-worse-under-president-barack-obama/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [For even the most seasoned observers of American politics, Barack Obama is a phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/for-even-the-most-seasoned-observers-of-american-politics-barack/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [When Caroline Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 as her father's rightful heir, she laid upon him the mantle of Camelot and the enduring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-kelley/when-caroline-kennedy-endorsed-barack-obama-in-2008-as-her-father-s/) [Kitty Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-kelley/) Browse all 363 Barack obama quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Obama had campaigned against Bush's ideas and approaches. 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