--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Trying to make the presidency work these…" description: "\"Trying to make the presidency work these days is like trying to sew buttons on a custard pie.\" — James David Barber" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/james-david-barber-66990_buttons_trying-to-make-the-presidency-work-these_2323449.png" --- # Trying to make the presidency work these days is like… ![“Trying to make the presidency work these days is like trying to sew buttons on a custard pie.” quote by James David Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/james-david-barber-66990_buttons_trying-to-make-the-presidency-work-these_2323449.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/james-david-barber-66990_buttons_trying-to-make-the-presidency-work-these_2323449.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/james-david-barber-66990_buttons_trying-to-make-the-presidency-work-these_2323449.png) > “Trying to make the presidency work these days is like trying to sew buttons on a custard pie.” James David Barber ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Presidential leadership is as ineffective as trying to attach buttons to a fluid, unstable medium. **In simple terms:** Presidency is fragile and hard to control. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of political power. Themes politics leadership institutional fragility governance Mood analytical skeptical Type political critical When to use this quote - policy making - crisis management - legislative negotiations - public administration Key Concepts systems theory organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - What structural reforms could stabilize governance? - How can leaders adapt to institutional constraints? A Different Perspective Presidential power is constrained by structural realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Custard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/custard/) [Pie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pie/) [Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidency/) ## Related quotes > [I certainly don't think that it's the job of any journalist to make the presidency work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-it-s-the-job-of-any-journalist-to-make/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [Trying to make things work in government is sometimes like trying to sew a button on a custard pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyman-rickover/trying-to-make-things-work-in-government-is-sometimes-like-trying-to/) [Hyman Rickover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyman-rickover/) > [Certainly there are worse sins than doing everything possible to make your presidency matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-alterman/certainly-there-are-worse-sins-than-doing-everything-possible-to-make/) [Eric Alterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-alterman/) > [During the Vietnam War, which lasted longer than any war we've ever been in - and which we lost - every respectable artist in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/during-the-vietnam-war-which-lasted-longer-than-any-war-we-ve-ever/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I think it's acceptable to eat custard on Sundays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-collins/i-think-it-s-acceptable-to-eat-custard-on-sundays/) [Gemma Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-collins/) > [I've got such a sweet tooth. I do miss the U.K. where you get sticky toffee pudding or custard, all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/i-ve-got-such-a-sweet-tooth-i-do-miss-the-u-k-where-you-get-sticky/) [Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/) > [You eat, in dreams, the custard of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/you-eat-in-dreams-the-custard-of-the-day/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [“I have Cheerios," I said, as if I'd been saying "dark chocolate Caramel almond fudge custard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-cheerios-i-said-as-if-i-d-been-saying-dark-chocolate-caramel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A dressing is not a compote A dressing is not a custard It consists of pepper and salt, Vinegar, oil and mustard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/a-dressing-is-not-a-compote-a-dressing-is-not-a-custard-it-consists/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [It’s a trifle. It’s got all of these layers. First there’s a layer of ladyfingers, then a layer of jam, then custard, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel/it-s-a-trifle-it-s-got-all-of-these-layers-first-there-s-a-layer-of/) [Rachel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel/) > [God always has another custard pie up his sleeve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-redgrave/god-always-has-another-custard-pie-up-his-sleeve/) [Lynn Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-redgrave/) > [“Master Custard, you must rise and be hanged”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/master-custard-you-must-rise-and-be-hanged/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Martin, at my age, eroticism is reduced to enjoying caramel custard and looking at widows' necks.' - Senor Sempere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/martin-at-my-age-eroticism-is-reduced-to-enjoying-caramel-custard-and/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [And the bigger the fall, the bigger the joke. It would be better fun to throw a custard pie at a bishop than at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/and-the-bigger-the-fall-the-bigger-the-joke-it-would-be-better-fun-to/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [When you're three, you're into custard, and jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/when-you-re-three-you-re-into-custard-and-jumping/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) ## More by James David Barber > [ \[The American public demands\] a sense of legitimacy from and in the presidency. There is more to this than dignity, more than propriety. The… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-barber/the-american-public-demands-a-sense-of-legitimacy-from-and-in-the/) James David Barber > [Ronald Reagan is the first modern President whose contempt for the facts is treated as a charming idiosyncrasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-barber/ronald-reagan-is-the-first-modern-president-whose-contempt-for-the/) James David Barber > [The Kennedy home was a place of much action and laughter, a lively, brawling mob of children overseen by a mother who knew when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-barber/the-kennedy-home-was-a-place-of-much-action-and-laughter-a-lively/) James David Barber Explore all 4 James David Barber quotes ## More Buttons quotes > [J.D. cleared his throat and pushed the button on the intercom. “Uh, Payton, hi. It’s J.D.” Dead silence. Then another crackle. “Sorry. Not interested.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/j-d-cleared-his-throat-and-pushed-the-button-on-the-intercom-uh/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [Or I could see Fish, Just a button up, Like a Mayor, Like a President, Just demands so much from his teammates, Has played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/or-i-could-see-fish-just-a-button-up-like-a-mayor-like-a-president/) [Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/) > [We are going to die, as is everyone we adore - I hate this! But the question is, how do we live as women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/we-are-going-to-die-as-is-everyone-we-adore-i-hate-this-but-the/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [One thing I like about the United States, and I kind of miss about the United States, is there's an election coming up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/one-thing-i-like-about-the-united-states-and-i-kind-of-miss-about-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I feel a little more tired than usual, ... Ive had to recover from everything, my illnesses and things this summer. Its not perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/i-feel-a-little-more-tired-than-usual-ive-had-to-recover-from/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [I can't really deal with buttons. And that's what I keep saying, "Okay, I can't push buttons, because that means I have to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/i-can-t-really-deal-with-buttons-and-that-s-what-i-keep-saying-okay-i/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [Today at school I will learn to read at once; then tomorrow I will begin to write, and the day after tomorrow to cipher.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-collodi/today-at-school-i-will-learn-to-read-at-once-then-tomorrow-i-will/) [Carlo Collodi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-collodi/) > [“Some things are governed by common sense. Putting buttons on the front of a shirt is a matter of logic, since it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/some-things-are-governed-by-common-sense-putting-buttons-on-the-front/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Burn a Bush cause for peace he no push no button. Killing over oil and grease, no weapons of destruction, How can we follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/burn-a-bush-cause-for-peace-he-no-push-no-button-killing-over-oil-and/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [I pray not to be such a whiny, self-obsessed baby, and give thanks that I am not quite as bad as I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-pray-not-to-be-such-a-whiny-self-obsessed-baby-and-give-thanks-that/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [ \[The web\] is going to end up being a tremendous advantage, providing we can work out the financial structure. I think we’ll see newspapers… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-evans/the-web-is-going-to-end-up-being-a-tremendous-advantage-providing-we/) [Harold Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-evans/) > [Any situation that pushes our buttons is a situation where we don't yet have the capacity to be unconditionally loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/any-situation-that-pushes-our-buttons-is-a-situation-where-we-don-t/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [American views today are weak, confused, and divided. On one side, many progressive liberals still think that we humans are essentially good and getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/american-views-today-are-weak-confused-and-divided-on-one-side-many/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [Nowadays, people shoot digitally and it's all in color, but you press a button and it all goes to black and white. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/nowadays-people-shoot-digitally-and-it-s-all-in-color-but-you-press-a/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [The best thing to ever happen to marriage is the pause-live-TV button.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/the-best-thing-to-ever-happen-to-marriage-is-the-pause-live-tv-button/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) Browse all 708 Buttons quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Trying to make the presidency work these days is like trying to sew buttons on a custard pie.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James David Barber" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-barber/trying-to-make-the-presidency-work-these-days-is-like-trying-to-sew/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Buttons" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-barber/trying-to-make-the-presidency-work-these-days-is-like-trying-to-sew/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/james-david-barber-66990_buttons_trying-to-make-the-presidency-work-these_2323449.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/james-david-barber-66990_buttons_trying-to-make-the-presidency-work-these_2323449.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/james-david-barber-66990_buttons_trying-to-make-the-presidency-work-these_2323449.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Trying to make the presidency work these days is like trying to sew buttons on a custard pie.” — James David Barber", "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": "James David Barber", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-barber/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Trying to make the presidency work...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-barber/trying-to-make-the-presidency-work-these-days-is-like-trying-to-sew/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-barber/trying-to-make-the-presidency-work-these-days-is-like-trying-to-sew/#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 } } ] } ```