--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From where you sit, the White House may…" description: "\"From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as the inside of a stomach. As is said of the legislative process, sausage-making and policy-mak..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/donald-rumsfeld-1507_house_from-where-you-sit-the-white-house-may-l_130375.jpg" --- # From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as… ![“From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as the inside of a stomach. As is said of the legislative process, sausage-making and policy-making shouldn't be seen close-up. Don't let that panic you. Things may be going better than they look from the inside.” quote by Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/donald-rumsfeld-1507_house_from-where-you-sit-the-white-house-may-l_130375.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/donald-rumsfeld-1507_house_from-where-you-sit-the-white-house-may-l_130375.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/donald-rumsfeld-1507_house_from-where-you-sit-the-white-house-may-l_130375.jpg) > “From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as the inside of a stomach. As is said of the legislative process, sausage-making and policy-making shouldn't be seen close-up. Don't let that panic you. Things may be going better than they look from the inside.” [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political processes are messy and opaque, but the public should not panic; outcomes may be better than they appear. **In simple terms:** Policy making is messy and hidden, but don’t panic; results may be better. Key Takeaway Trust that complex processes can yield positive results. Themes politics transparency trust processes Mood cautious reassuring Type political advisory When to use this quote - legislative sessions - media reports - public debates - government briefings Key Concepts policy making public perception Questions to Reflect On - How do we gauge true effectiveness? - When is secrecy justified? A Different Perspective Complexity can still lead to hidden failures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inside/) [Inside Stomach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inside-stomach-882791/) [Legislative process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislative-process/) [Look Inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-inside/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Panic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/panic/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Policy making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy-making/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Sausage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sausage/) [Stomach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stomach/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Untidy Inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/untidy-inside-1496339/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) ## Related quotes > [Sausage making and policy-making shouldn't be seen close-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/sausage-making-and-policy-making-shouldn-t-be-seen-close-up/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [“Penguins can shut down digestion by lowering the temperature inside their stomach to the point where the gastric juices are no longer active. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/penguins-can-shut-down-digestion-by-lowering-the-temperature-inside/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [“Fox Jung...I dunno why I get so hungry whenever I see you. Just once...if I could swallow you up in one bite, just once...I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hajin-yoo/fox-jung-i-dunno-why-i-get-so-hungry-whenever-i-see-you-just-once-if/) [Hajin Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hajin-yoo/) > [“Plenty of foods inside my stomach.Soul is empty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munia-khan/plenty-of-foods-inside-my-stomach-soul-is-empty/) [Munia Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munia-khan/) > [“He felt like someone was using steel-toed boots to stomp grapes inside his stomach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-a-miller/he-felt-like-someone-was-using-steel-toed-boots-to-stomp-grapes/) [Maureen A. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-a-miller/) > [Inside my stomach, the butterflies start to flutter, And when I try to talk, my words have a little st-stutter. You're on the opposite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-hope/inside-my-stomach-the-butterflies-start-to-flutter-and-when-i-try-to/) [Amber Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-hope/) > [I think people everywhere have a very dismaying feeling that politics are going over their heads, are being decided by wealthy interests that don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-stille/i-think-people-everywhere-have-a-very-dismaying-feeling-that-politics/) [Alexander Stille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-stille/) > [Lobbyists are in many cases expert technicians and capable of explaining complex and difficult subjects in a clear, understandable fashion. They engage in personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/lobbyists-are-in-many-cases-expert-technicians-and-capable-of/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [What will happen is the bills will start out the way we like them; in order to move them - we'll probably have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/what-will-happen-is-the-bills-will-start-out-the-way-we-like-them-in/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [If we can't get where we need to go to protect people through our regulatory channels, through our legislative process, then unfortunately what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/if-we-can-t-get-where-we-need-to-go-to-protect-people-through-our/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [That will change over time the entire flow of information and the entire quality of knowledge in the country and it will change the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/that-will-change-over-time-the-entire-flow-of-information-and-the/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [Social media is such a key organizing and communication tool, and I've made a major commitment to use it as a way to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/social-media-is-such-a-key-organizing-and-communication-tool-and-i-ve/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [It typically takes bipartisan work to build enough consensus to get things through our legislative process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-young/it-typically-takes-bipartisan-work-to-build-enough-consensus-to-get/) [Todd Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-young/) > [I am specifically concerned about the idea that the legislative process is one that gets characterized the way it is as the 'fiscal cliff.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-blankfein/i-am-specifically-concerned-about-the-idea-that-the-legislative/) [Lloyd Blankfein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-blankfein/) > [Americans need to be engaged and invested in the legislative process that affects their daily lives, otherwise we are just democracy in name only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harris-faulkner/americans-need-to-be-engaged-and-invested-in-the-legislative-process/) [Harris Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harris-faulkner/) ## More by Donald Rumsfeld > [Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/five-days-or-five-months-but-it-certainly-isn-t-going-to-last-longer/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-believe-anyone-that-i-know-in-the-administration-ever-said/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't think we'll discover anything, myself. I think what will happen is we'll discover people who will tell us where to go find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-think-we-ll-discover-anything-myself-i-think-what-will-happen/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each managed to get there for some reason. Learn what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/members-of-the-u-s-house-and-the-u-s-senate-are-not-there-by-accident/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential program is truly a federal responsibility or whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-federal-government-should-be-the-last-resort-not-the-first-ask-if/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-price-of-being-close-to-the-president-is-delivering-bad-news-you/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-speak-ill-of-your-predecessors-or-successors-you-didn-t-walk-in/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [If you can't solve a problem, make it bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/if-you-can-t-solve-a-problem-make-it-bigger/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/enjoy-your-time-in-public-service-it-may-well-be-one-of-the-most/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [There will be good moments, and there will be less good moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/there-will-be-good-moments-and-there-will-be-less-good-moments/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think, plan, develop, launch and tap good people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/you-will-launch-many-projects-but-have-time-to-finish-only-a-few-so/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [What is the value of having millions of people in Iraq not having a repressive regime? What is the value of having the Iraqi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/what-is-the-value-of-having-millions-of-people-in-iraq-not-having-a/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-be-a-bottleneck-if-a-matter-is-not-a-decision-for-the-president/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [When you're skiing, if you're not falling you're not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/when-you-re-skiing-if-you-re-not-falling-you-re-not-trying/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [No. That's someone else's business. Quagmire is - I don't do quagmires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/no-that-s-someone-else-s-business-quagmire-is-i-don-t-do-quagmires/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) [Explore all 234 Donald Rumsfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## More House quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) > [Then all this earth shines like one house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/then-all-this-earth-shines-like-one-house/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [She'd read once that if you ran into a bear in the woods you should avoid eye contact and you shouldn't run away, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ursu/she-d-read-once-that-if-you-ran-into-a-bear-in-the-woods-you-should/) [Anne Ursu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ursu/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [Perhaps the most important reason to be skeptical of government inflation numbers is that the government, like a fox campaigning to guard a hen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/perhaps-the-most-important-reason-to-be-skeptical-of-government/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [I didn't expect to be so comfortable handing my child off to a nanny without getting any of her information. As soon as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-wong/i-didn-t-expect-to-be-so-comfortable-handing-my-child-off-to-a-nanny/) [Ali Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-wong/) > [I think of novels as houses. You live in them over the course of a long period, both as a reader and as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/i-think-of-novels-as-houses-you-live-in-them-over-the-course-of-a/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [Well this is aptly called a junket, for both of us. I have never been to a house of prostitution, but I understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/well-this-is-aptly-called-a-junket-for-both-of-us-i-have-never-been/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) [Browse all 14,318 House quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as the inside of a stomach. As is said of the legislative process, sausage-making and policy-making shouldn't be seen close-up. Don't let that panic you. 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