--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The country cannot afford amateur hour in…" description: "\"The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.\" — Donald Rumsfeld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcf/donald-rumsfeld-1507_best-house_the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-i_1859129.png" --- # The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House. ![“The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.” quote by Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcf/donald-rumsfeld-1507_best-house_the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-i_1859129.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcf/donald-rumsfeld-1507_best-house_the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-i_1859129.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcf/donald-rumsfeld-1507_best-house_the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-i_1859129.png) > “The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.” [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. Professional competence is essential for effective governance; inexperience harms policy execution. **In simple terms:** Amateurism hurts government. Key Takeaway Demand expertise in leadership. Themes governance competence leadership Mood serious urgent Type political advisory When to use this quote - elections - cabinet appointments - crisis management Key Concepts policy expertise accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions ensure expertise? - What safeguards prevent amateur mistakes? A Different Perspective Experience alone does not guarantee success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-house/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Guidance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guidance/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) ## Related quotes > [In the mid-1970s, there was this huge boom of stand-up comedy throughout North America. I went to see a show at a club called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/in-the-mid-1970s-there-was-this-huge-boom-of-stand-up-comedy/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [No one wants to be on an impostor, fly by night, wanna-be, cheap ass, half assed, 2nd rate, poser, amateur hour talk show like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/no-one-wants-to-be-on-an-impostor-fly-by-night-wanna-be-cheap-ass/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [Never refer to your wedding night as the original amateur hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/never-refer-to-your-wedding-night-as-the-original-amateur-hour/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I have a million ideas. The country can't afford them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-a-million-ideas-the-country-can-t-afford-them-all/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I want to bring wealth back to our country so we can afford them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-want-to-bring-wealth-back-to-our-country-so-we-can-afford-them/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [No country can afford to lose a generation to unemployment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharan-burrow/no-country-can-afford-to-lose-a-generation-to-unemployment/) [Sharan Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharan-burrow/) > [Spending only what the country can afford, rewarding savings, encouraging independence, supporting marriage: people know that these things are common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hague/spending-only-what-the-country-can-afford-rewarding-savings/) [William Hague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hague/) > [America has spent as of one month ago $6 trillion in the Middle East. And in our country we can't afford to build a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/america-has-spent-as-of-one-month-ago-6-trillion-in-the-middle-east/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [This country cannot afford to be materially rich and spiritually poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/this-country-cannot-afford-to-be-materially-rich-and-spiritually-poor/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Drive inexpensive cars, but own the best house you can afford.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/drive-inexpensive-cars-but-own-the-best-house-you-can-afford/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Observe that noses were made to wear spectacles; and so we have spectacles. 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Within 6 weeks of arrival we won Best House Band in Beijing!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-goldin/as-soon-as-our-band-opened-the-show-everyone-hit-the-dancefloor/) [Lisa Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-goldin/) > [Once you can fake sincerity, you can fake anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-putney/once-you-can-fake-sincerity-you-can-fake-anything/) [Mary Jo Putney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-putney/) ## 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/) > [From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as the inside of a stomach. As is said of the legislative process,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/from-where-you-sit-the-white-house-may-look-as-untidy-as-the-inside/) [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/) [Explore all 234 Donald Rumsfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## More Best house quotes > [Once you can fake sincerity, you can fake anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-putney/once-you-can-fake-sincerity-you-can-fake-anything/) [Mary Jo Putney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-putney/) > [“As soon as our band opened the show everyone hit the dancefloor. Within 6 weeks of arrival we won Best House Band in Beijing!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-goldin/as-soon-as-our-band-opened-the-show-everyone-hit-the-dancefloor/) [Lisa Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-goldin/) > [Observe that noses were made to wear spectacles; and so we have spectacles. Legs were visibly instituted to be breeched, and we have breeches.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spectacles-and-so-we-have/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Drive inexpensive cars, but own the best house you can afford.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/drive-inexpensive-cars-but-own-the-best-house-you-can-afford/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [The best verse hasn't been rhymed yet, The best house hasn't been planned, The highest peak hasn't been climbed yet, The mightiest rivers aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berton-braley/the-best-verse-hasn-t-been-rhymed-yet-the-best-house-hasn-t-been/) [Berton Braley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berton-braley/) > [Like I always say, there's no 'I' in team. There is a 'me', though, if you jumble it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shore/like-i-always-say-there-s-no-i-in-team-there-is-a-me-though-if-you/) [David Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shore/) > [It's a basic truth of the human condition that everybody lies. The only variable is about what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/it-s-a-basic-truth-of-the-human-condition-that-everybody-lies-the/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [Growing up we never had the best house on the block, the best car, or the most money, but one thing I had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/growing-up-we-never-had-the-best-house-on-the-block-the-best-car-or/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The top 1 percent have the best houses, the best educations, the best doctors, and the best lifestyles, but there is one thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-top-1-percent-have-the-best-houses-the-best-educations-the-best/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [I think I have the best house in the world. I thank God to have it. I thank God that I finished it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-azria/i-think-i-have-the-best-house-in-the-world-i-thank-god-to-have-it-i/) [Max Azria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-azria/) [Browse all 11 Best house quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-house/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald Rumsfeld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-in-the-white-house/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best house" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-in-the-white-house/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcf/donald-rumsfeld-1507_best-house_the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-i_1859129.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcf/donald-rumsfeld-1507_best-house_the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-i_1859129.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcf/donald-rumsfeld-1507_best-house_the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-i_1859129.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.” — Donald Rumsfeld", "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": "Donald Rumsfeld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The country cannot afford amateur hour...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-in-the-white-house/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-in-the-white-house/#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 } } ] } ```