--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a president makes a reasoned decision…" description: "\"If a president makes a reasoned decision about what best serves the nation's interests, even if he turns out to be wrong, he has committed no impeachab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/george-t-conway-iii-10537_best_if-a-president-makes-a-reasoned-decision_1826043.jpg" --- # If a president makes a reasoned decision about what best… ![“If a president makes a reasoned decision about what best serves the nation's interests, even if he turns out to be wrong, he has committed no impeachable offense. The Framers didn't intend, through impeachment, to transform such policy disputes or mistakes into high crimes.” quote by George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/george-t-conway-iii-10537_best_if-a-president-makes-a-reasoned-decision_1826043.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/george-t-conway-iii-10537_best_if-a-president-makes-a-reasoned-decision_1826043.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/george-t-conway-iii-10537_best_if-a-president-makes-a-reasoned-decision_1826043.jpg) > “If a president makes a reasoned decision about what best serves the nation's interests, even if he turns out to be wrong, he has committed no impeachable offense. The Framers didn't intend, through impeachment, to transform such policy disputes or mistakes into high crimes.” [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A president’s policy errors, if made in good faith, are not impeachable crimes; impeachment should target intentional wrongdoing. **In simple terms:** Policy mistakes aren’t impeachable crimes. Key Takeaway Distinguish policy errors from misconduct. Themes politics law accountability Mood critical analytical Type legal political When to use this quote - legislative debates - public policy analysis - civic education - media commentary Key Concepts constitutional law ethics Questions to Reflect On - When should impeachment be considered? - How can we ensure fair accountability? A Different Perspective Political polarization may blur this distinction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Committed Impeachable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committed-impeachable-2233969/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high/) [Impeachable Offense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impeachable-offense-1103549/) [Impeachment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impeachment/) [Impeachment Transform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impeachment-transform-2233971/) [Intend Impeachment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intend-impeachment-2233970/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [Representatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/representatives/) [Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong/) ## Related quotes > [An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/an-impeachable-offense-is-whatever-a-majority-of-the-house-of/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [You go out and obtain from your political allies and friends in the academic world to sign a letter saying that the offenses as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ruff/you-go-out-and-obtain-from-your-political-allies-and-friends-in-the/) [Charles Ruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ruff/) > [I think the country could be spared a lot of agony and the government could worry about inflation and a lot of other problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-think-the-country-could-be-spared-a-lot-of-agony-and-the-government/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [It's also not true that 'abuse of power' is not impeachable, or that a statutory crime is necessary for impeachment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/it-s-also-not-true-that-abuse-of-power-is-not-impeachable-or-that-a/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [If a politician takes a bribe to do what he thinks would have been best for the public anyway, he still goes to jail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/if-a-politician-takes-a-bribe-to-do-what-he-thinks-would-have-been/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [I personally think that he did violate the law, that he committed impeachable offenses. But I don't think that he thinks he did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/i-personally-think-that-he-did-violate-the-law-that-he-committed/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“George W. Bush committed impeachable offenses in waging war in Iraq.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-goff/george-w-bush-committed-impeachable-offenses-in-waging-war-in-iraq/) [Stan Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-goff/) > [“The delegates to the Constitutional Convention were adamant that impeachment not reach to errors of judgment, or what Edmund Randolph described as “a willful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/the-delegates-to-the-constitutional-convention-were-adamant-that/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [I have said it before and I will say it again: Impeachment is off the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/i-have-said-it-before-and-i-will-say-it-again-impeachment-is-off-the/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [“We must not fear the word, Rosenkranz aptly insisted. “A check on executive lawlessness is impeachment,” he said. “And if you find the president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/we-must-not-fear-the-word-rosenkranz-aptly-insisted-a-check-on/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [Impeachment did not have to be for criminal offenses - but only for a course of conduct' that suggested an abuse of power or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/impeachment-did-not-have-to-be-for-criminal-offenses-but-only-for-a/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“Passing articles of impeachment against President Obama in the House at this premature point would have the same effect. There is no public will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/passing-articles-of-impeachment-against-president-obama-in-the-house/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [If the president does something dastardly, the impeachment process is available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-kavanaugh/if-the-president-does-something-dastardly-the-impeachment-process-is/) [Brett Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-kavanaugh/) > [Impeachment is one of the most significant and arduous authorities of the United States Congress, a power I do not take lightly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-donalds/impeachment-is-one-of-the-most-significant-and-arduous-authorities-of/) [Byron Donalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-donalds/) > [The genius of impeachment lay in the fact that it could punish the man without punishing the office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-genius-of-impeachment-lay-in-the-fact-that-it-could-punish-the/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) ## More by George T. Conway III > [I have contrarian tendencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/i-have-contrarian-tendencies/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [Trump is not some random, embittered person in a parking lot - he's the president of the United States. By virtue of his office,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/trump-is-not-some-random-embittered-person-in-a-parking-lot-he-s-the/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [The underlying crime in Watergate was a clumsy, third-rate burglary in an election campaign that turned out to be a landslide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/the-underlying-crime-in-watergate-was-a-clumsy-third-rate-burglary-in/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [Sometimes when you're defending people, you have to admit there was something that's not quite right, and that preserves some credibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/sometimes-when-you-re-defending-people-you-have-to-admit-there-was/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [The president's duty to faithfully execute his office includes not only a duty of loyalty to the nation but also a duty of care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/the-president-s-duty-to-faithfully-execute-his-office-includes-not/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [America promised equality. Its constitution said so. My schoolbooks said so. The country wasn't perfect, to be sure. But its ideals were. And every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/america-promised-equality-its-constitution-said-so-my-schoolbooks/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [For Trump, success always has a single father - himself. Failure has a hundred - everyone and anyone else. The media. The Democrats. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/for-trump-success-always-has-a-single-father-himself-failure-has-a/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [Confronted by a skilled examiner, Trump would melt down in minutes. He'd be humiliated, and he knows it - which is why he's too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/confronted-by-a-skilled-examiner-trump-would-melt-down-in-minutes-he/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [In a case involving his private conduct, a President should be treated like any private citizen. The rule of law requires no more -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/in-a-case-involving-his-private-conduct-a-president-should-be-treated/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [Trump simply can't dial down the lying, or turn it off - even, his own attorneys suggest, when false statements may be punished as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/trump-simply-can-t-dial-down-the-lying-or-turn-it-off-even-his-own/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [The public has no interest in whether the President acts boldly or timidly in his personal affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/the-public-has-no-interest-in-whether-the-president-acts-boldly-or/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [In civil or criminal litigation in a jury case, the only way for a defendant to avoid a trial is for a judge to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/in-civil-or-criminal-litigation-in-a-jury-case-the-only-way-for-a/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [If a politician takes a bribe to do what he thinks would have been best for the public anyway, he still goes to jail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/if-a-politician-takes-a-bribe-to-do-what-he-thinks-would-have-been/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [Trump's erratic behavior has long been the subject of political criticism, late-night-television jokes, and even speculation about whether it's part of some incomprehensible, multidimensional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/trump-s-erratic-behavior-has-long-been-the-subject-of-political/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [Just as crises can provide a test of anyone's character, they do so especially with presidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/just-as-crises-can-provide-a-test-of-anyone-s-character-they-do-so/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) [Explore all 65 George T. Conway III quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) ## More Best quotes > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/) [Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/) [Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) [Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/) > [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/) [Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/) > [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) [Browse all 21,674 Best quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If a president makes a reasoned decision about what best serves the nation's interests, even if he turns out to be wrong, he has committed no impeachable offense. The Framers didn't intend, through impeachment, to transform such policy disputes or mistakes into high crimes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George T. Conway III" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/if-a-president-makes-a-reasoned-decision-about-what-best-serves-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/if-a-president-makes-a-reasoned-decision-about-what-best-serves-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/george-t-conway-iii-10537_best_if-a-president-makes-a-reasoned-decision_1826043.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/george-t-conway-iii-10537_best_if-a-president-makes-a-reasoned-decision_1826043.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c37/george-t-conway-iii-10537_best_if-a-president-makes-a-reasoned-decision_1826043.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a president makes a reasoned decision about what best serves the nation's interests, even if he turns out…” — George T. Conway III", "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": "George T. Conway III", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If a president makes a reasoned...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/if-a-president-makes-a-reasoned-decision-about-what-best-serves-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/if-a-president-makes-a-reasoned-decision-about-what-best-serves-the/#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 } } ] } ```