--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What are you doing here?” He wasn’t…" description: "\"“What are you doing here?” He wasn’t annoyed, exactly. He just seemed to find my presence unexpected, the way you might be surprised to discover your d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/david-litt-23158_air-force_what-are-you-doing-here-he-wasn-t-annoye_3176280.jpg" --- # What are you doing here?” He wasn’t annoyed, exactly. He… ![“What are you doing here?” He wasn’t annoyed, exactly. He just seemed to find my presence unexpected, the way you might be surprised to discover your dog in the living room instead of in its crate. A different young staffer would have handled the situation gracefully. Perhaps they might have tried…” quote by David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/david-litt-23158_air-force_what-are-you-doing-here-he-wasn-t-annoye_3176280.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/david-litt-23158_air-force_what-are-you-doing-here-he-wasn-t-annoye_3176280.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a7/david-litt-23158_air-force_what-are-you-doing-here-he-wasn-t-annoye_3176280.jpg) > ““What are you doing here?” He wasn’t annoyed, exactly. He just seemed to find my presence unexpected, the way you might be surprised to discover your dog in the living room instead of in its crate. A different young staffer would have handled the situation gracefully. Perhaps they might have tried a high-minded approach: “I’m here to serve my country.” Or they might have kept things simple: “I’m hoping to catch typos.” Here is what I did instead. First, in a misguided effort to appear casual, I gave the leader of the free world a smile reminiscent of a serial killer who knows the jig is up. Then I said the following: “Oh, I’m just watching.” POTUS took a shallow breath through his nose. He raised his eyebrows, looked at our cameraman, and sighed. “It always makes me nervous when Litt’s around.” I’m 90 percent sure President Obama was half joking. Still, two months later, on my final POTUS trip, my stomach full of arugula and Brie, I was careful to avoid his eyes. Backstage in Detroit, POTUS went through his usual prespeech routine, shaking hands with the prompter operators and joking with personal aides. Then he stepped onstage to remind a roomful of autoworkers about the time he saved their industry seven years before. I had written plenty of auto speeches for President Obama. There was nothing especially new in this one. But as POTUS reached his closing paragraph, my eyes filled with tears. I had tried to prepare myself for each milestone: my last set of remarks for the president, my last ride in the motorcade, my last flight on Air Force One. Still, the nostalgia left me reeling. I fled the staff viewing area and found a men’s room. With my left hand, I steadied myself against the sink. With my right, I held all but the first page of my speech. You’re supposed to be an adult, I reminded myself. And adults don’t cry in front of their boss’s boss.”” [David Litt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-litt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes a tense, personal encounter with the President, highlighting vulnerability, performance anxiety, and the human side of political events. **In simple terms:** A nervous moment with the President reveals personal vulnerability. Key Takeaway Acknowledge fear, stay authentic. Themes politics vulnerability performance nostalgia Mood reflective empathetic Type narrative personal When to use this quote - press conference - speech writing - personal reflection - high‑stakes meetings Key Concepts public speaking emotional intelligence power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage anxiety before a crucial public moment? - What does this reveal about the humanity of leaders? A Different Perspective Even seasoned professionals can feel overwhelmed in high‑profile settings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Air force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-force/) [Free world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-world/) [Living room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-room/) [Serial killer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serial-killer/) ## Related quotes > [“What I hadn’t realized was that, above all else, Favs was a prodigy. 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Perhaps they might have tried a high-minded approach: “I’m here to serve my country.” Or they might have kept things simple: “I’m hoping to catch typos.” Here is what I did instead. First, in a misguided effort to appear casual, I gave the leader of the free world a smile reminiscent of a serial killer who knows the jig is up. Then I said the following: “Oh, I’m just watching.” POTUS took a shallow breath through his nose. He raised his eyebrows, looked at our cameraman, and sighed. “It always makes me nervous when Litt’s around.” I’m 90 percent sure President Obama was half joking. Still, two months later, on my final POTUS trip, my stomach full of arugula and Brie, I was careful to avoid his eyes. Backstage in Detroit, POTUS went through his usual prespeech routine, shaking hands with the prompter operators and joking with personal aides. Then he stepped onstage to remind a roomful of autoworkers about the time he saved their industry seven years before. I had written plenty of auto speeches for President Obama. There was nothing especially new in this one. But as POTUS reached his closing paragraph, my eyes filled with tears. I had tried to prepare myself for each milestone: my last set of remarks for the president, my last ride in the motorcade, my last flight on Air Force One. Still, the nostalgia left me reeling. I fled the staff viewing area and found a men’s room. With my left hand, I steadied myself against the sink. With my right, I held all but the first page of my speech. You’re supposed to be an adult, I reminded myself. 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