--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I became White House press…" description: "\"When I became White House press secretary, there were other limitations that were thrust upon me. Bill Clinton was under pressure to appoint women to v..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/dee-dee-myers-7880_bills_when-i-became-white-house-press-secretar_893947.png" --- # When I became White House press secretary, there were… ![“When I became White House press secretary, there were other limitations that were thrust upon me. Bill Clinton was under pressure to appoint women to visible positions. I was 31, I'd never worked in Washington. Was I ready for this large and visible job? Still he wanted the credit. So he gave me…” quote by Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/dee-dee-myers-7880_bills_when-i-became-white-house-press-secretar_893947.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/dee-dee-myers-7880_bills_when-i-became-white-house-press-secretar_893947.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/dee-dee-myers-7880_bills_when-i-became-white-house-press-secretar_893947.png) > “When I became White House press secretary, there were other limitations that were thrust upon me. Bill Clinton was under pressure to appoint women to visible positions. I was 31, I'd never worked in Washington. Was I ready for this large and visible job? Still he wanted the credit. So he gave me the job but diminished the job.” [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She faced gender and experience bias, being appointed despite limited background, highlighting systemic pressures and tokenism. **In simple terms:** She was appointed despite limited experience, facing gender bias. Key Takeaway Recognize and address tokenism in leadership roles. Themes gender bias political pressure tokenism leadership career advancement Mood frustrated determined reflective Type political inspirational When to use this quote - government hiring - young professionals - women in politics - media relations Key Concepts institutional sexism political patronage visibility challenges Questions to Reflect On - How can organizations ensure genuine inclusion? - What support helps newcomers succeed? A Different Perspective Tokenism can undermine authority and effectiveness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bills/) [Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton/) [Clinton Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton-pressure-1176633/) [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [Gave Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gave-job-436885/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Limitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limitation/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Secretary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secretary/) [Secretary Limitations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secretary-limitations-1176631/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Thrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrust/) [Under pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/under-pressure/) [Visible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visible/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) [Worked Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worked-washington-1176632/) ## Related quotes > [Dear haters... thank you, you gave me a job. Yours sincerely, middle finger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dear-haters-thank-you-you-gave-me-a-job-yours-sincerely-middle-finger/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [College education gave me a job but my life experience taught me to hold it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dollynick/college-education-gave-me-a-job-but-my-life-experience-taught-me-to/) [Dollynick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dollynick/) > [A guy gave me a job at an information booth - no questions asked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-london/a-guy-gave-me-a-job-at-an-information-booth-no-questions-asked/) [Jay London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-london/) > [I think I jumped the gun a bit on head coaching. I got named a head coach at 23, and I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nurse/i-think-i-jumped-the-gun-a-bit-on-head-coaching-i-got-named-a-head/) [Nick Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nurse/) > [I didn't make a deal with God, because you can't make a deal with God. He put me here to talk to kids and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-trejo/i-didn-t-make-a-deal-with-god-because-you-can-t-make-a-deal-with-god/) [Danny Trejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-trejo/) > [“Ultimately the only answer God gave to job was a revelation of Himself. It was as if God said to him, "Job, I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/ultimately-the-only-answer-god-gave-to-job-was-a-revelation-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Lord?” “You’re done.” Bree’s dark eyes flew wide. “Done? You mean done for the day?” “Done. For good. Get your shit and get out.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-march/lord-you-re-done-bree-s-dark-eyes-flew-wide-done-you-mean-done-for/) [Meghan March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-march/) > [I only got to be able to act, because I gave myself a job as a producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/griffin-dunne/i-only-got-to-be-able-to-act-because-i-gave-myself-a-job-as-a-producer/) [Griffin Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/griffin-dunne/) > [I can count on one hand the number of people who wrote me a thank you letter after having an interview, and I gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-reardon/i-can-count-on-one-hand-the-number-of-people-who-wrote-me-a-thank-you/) [Kate Reardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-reardon/) > [In 2008, after holding down a day job for all of six weeks, I gave up on the whole job thing to pursue an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/in-2008-after-holding-down-a-day-job-for-all-of-six-weeks-i-gave-up/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [Del Toro absolutely treated me like anyone else - he came to England and hired me, I didnt have to go out there. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-john-jules/del-toro-absolutely-treated-me-like-anyone-else-he-came-to-england/) [Danny John-Jules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-john-jules/) > [“And the fact that MacDonald-Webber gave every job a cutesy name didn’t help. Her executive position over “all things Christmas” had been tagged Red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-naigle/and-the-fact-that-macdonald-webber-gave-every-job-a-cutesy-name-didn/) [Nancy Naigle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-naigle/) > [My father was a director, and he used to always tell me, "You should be an actress." When I was 17, he gave me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katey-sagal/my-father-was-a-director-and-he-used-to-always-tell-me-you-should-be/) [Katey Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katey-sagal/) > [My dad gave up his job; he stopped working - for me. Without that, I definitely wouldn't be as successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-kim/my-dad-gave-up-his-job-he-stopped-working-for-me-without-that-i/) [Chloe Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-kim/) > [I don't suppose that she gave you the job based on looks alone?" Adrian had been staring off but now flashed me a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-don-t-suppose-that-she-gave-you-the-job-based-on-looks-alone-adrian/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## More by Dee Dee Myers > [It isn't fate but fecklessness that has shoved Sarah Palin to the sidelines of national politics. The real tragedy is that she's taken a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/it-isn-t-fate-but-fecklessness-that-has-shoved-sarah-palin-to-the/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [I was supposed to be authoritative, but at the same time had to be likeable, a quality that is a bonus, not a requirement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/i-was-supposed-to-be-authoritative-but-at-the-same-time-had-to-be/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [It was what became something of a pattern in the first couple of years of the Clinton White House and maybe even longer, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/it-was-what-became-something-of-a-pattern-in-the-first-couple-of/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Throughout his presidency, Clinton made a point of getting close - physically and emotionally - to the people whose problems his administration was working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/throughout-his-presidency-clinton-made-a-point-of-getting-close/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [The fight is always the same within the Democratic Party, isn't it? The more things change, the more they stay the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/the-fight-is-always-the-same-within-the-democratic-party-isn-t-it-the/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Women have to be the biggest champions in the world of other women's choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/women-have-to-be-the-biggest-champions-in-the-world-of-other-women-s/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [And Clinton was like that - he saw the whole playing field. He didn't just see the event that he was at or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/and-clinton-was-like-that-he-saw-the-whole-playing-field-he-didn-t/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Even tax breaks that are supposed to help the middle class too often skew toward the wealthy. Consider the mortgage interest deduction. While political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/even-tax-breaks-that-are-supposed-to-help-the-middle-class-too-often/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Almost all first ladies have had tremendous power on personnel issues, whether the public realized it or not, whether it was Barbara Bush or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/almost-all-first-ladies-have-had-tremendous-power-on-personnel-issues/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Part of Obama's persona is self-reliance. He's calm; he's cool; he's self-possessed. In many ways, he has tried to define himself in opposition to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/part-of-obama-s-persona-is-self-reliance-he-s-calm-he-s-cool-he-s/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Obama has become too dependent on formal speeches and set town halls. His idea of mixing it up is taking off his jacket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/obama-has-become-too-dependent-on-formal-speeches-and-set-town-halls/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [President Barack Obama would do well to take a page or two from Clinton's playbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/president-barack-obama-would-do-well-to-take-a-page-or-two-from/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [In a way I think Bill Clinton is more likely to forgive and move on or at least try to woo people who don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/in-a-way-i-think-bill-clinton-is-more-likely-to-forgive-and-move-on/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [No doubt, the White House thinks the American people know Obama's story. But since the Inauguration, we've seen only the president's present: his perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/no-doubt-the-white-house-thinks-the-american-people-know-obama-s/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Many differences are rooted in biology and reinforced through culture, so it's important to acknowledge that. Because if you say men and women are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/many-differences-are-rooted-in-biology-and-reinforced-through-culture/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) [Explore all 86 Dee Dee Myers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) ## More Bills quotes > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Some of the folks on both sides might be sincere, but it does seem as if it is only the opposition that cares about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/some-of-the-folks-on-both-sides-might-be-sincere-but-it-does-seem-as/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [ \[Sport officials\] blocked their support of us. But those individuals \[ Muhammad Ali, the Jim Browns, the Bill Russells, Kareem Abdul Jabbar \] were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/sport-officials-blocked-their-support-of-us-but-those-individuals/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [This is not really currency that circulates. It's like the old joke about expensive vintage wine. Wine prices will go up and once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/this-is-not-really-currency-that-circulates-it-s-like-the-old-joke/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [If Bill Gates left Microsoft we wouldn't allow Donald Trump to run it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/if-bill-gates-left-microsoft-we-wouldn-t-allow-donald-trump-to-run-it/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [Your goal should be to pay off your credit card bills in full at the end of each month and set aside money toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/your-goal-should-be-to-pay-off-your-credit-card-bills-in-full-at-the/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [He's fat and a clown, Bill, a fat clown for all to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon-dunphy/he-s-fat-and-a-clown-bill-a-fat-clown-for-all-to-see/) [Eamon Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon-dunphy/) > [There's nothing nice about Steve Jobs and there's nothing evil about Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-peddle/there-s-nothing-nice-about-steve-jobs-and-there-s-nothing-evil-about/) [Chuck Peddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-peddle/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Whether it's people walking off 'The View' when Bill O'Reilly makes a statement about radical Islam or Juan Williams being fired for expressing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantor/whether-it-s-people-walking-off-the-view-when-bill-o-reilly-makes-a/) [Eric Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantor/) > [The one thing the police cannot protect us from is a politician like Bill de Blasio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/the-one-thing-the-police-cannot-protect-us-from-is-a-politician-like/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [Bill Hicks - blowtorch, excavator, truthsayer, and brain specialist. He will correct your vision. Others will drive on the road he built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/bill-hicks-blowtorch-excavator-truthsayer-and-brain-specialist-he/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) [Browse all 2,663 Bills quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bills/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I became White House press secretary, there were other limitations that were thrust upon me. Bill Clinton was under pressure to appoint women to visible positions. I was 31, I'd never worked in Washington. Was I ready for this large and visible job? Still he wanted the credit. 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