--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: According to CNN, Donald Rumsfeld said…" description: "\"According to CNN, Donald Rumsfeld said the war in Iraq did not go according to plan. And President Bush said, 'What? We had a plan?'\" — Jay Leno" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/078/jay-leno-210_according-to-plan_according-to-cnn-donald-rumsfeld-said-th_754612.png" --- # According to CNN, Donald Rumsfeld said the war in Iraq did… ![“According to CNN, Donald Rumsfeld said the war in Iraq did not go according to plan. And President Bush said, 'What? We had a plan?'” quote by Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/078/jay-leno-210_according-to-plan_according-to-cnn-donald-rumsfeld-said-th_754612.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/078/jay-leno-210_according-to-plan_according-to-cnn-donald-rumsfeld-said-th_754612.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/078/jay-leno-210_according-to-plan_according-to-cnn-donald-rumsfeld-said-th_754612.png) > “According to CNN, Donald Rumsfeld said the war in Iraq did not go according to plan. And President Bush said, 'What? We had a plan?'” [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Plans often fail; leaders may claim they had a plan despite evidence. **In simple terms:** Plans can be unreliable; claims may be false. Key Takeaway Question narratives and verify facts. Themes politics skepticism accountability Mood critical skeptical Type satirical political When to use this quote - election campaigns - corporate strategy - public statements Key Concepts leadership policy analysis Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate a leader’s claims? - What evidence would change your view? A Different Perspective Blind trust can be dangerous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [According to plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/according-to-plan/) [CNN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cnn/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said this week there's a good chance we never get bin Laden. bin Laden! 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A little oil rig!' ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/when-president-chirac-gave-president-bush-a-souvenir-statue-of-the/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Bush said today he is being stalked. He said wherever he goes, people are following him. Finally, someone told him, 'Psst. That's the Secret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-said-today-he-is-being-stalked-he-said-wherever-he-goes-people/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [President Bush said that our kids must be taught how to read. He said if his aides never learned to read, they'd never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/president-bush-said-that-our-kids-must-be-taught-how-to-read-he-said/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [President Bush said this Iraq situation looks like 'the rerun of a bad movie.' 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Hey, it worked in Florida.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/president-bush-said-the-other-day-the-war-is-not-about-timetables-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [President Bush said global warming is happening much quicker than he thought, and then his staff pulled him aside and said 'It's just springtime.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/president-bush-said-global-warming-is-happening-much-quicker-than-he/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Had Rumsfeld said at any time 'get me a report on what's going on', he could have had it. You're right, it depends on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/had-rumsfeld-said-at-any-time-get-me-a-report-on-what-s-going-on-he/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“Fuck it, I thought. As Don Rumsfeld once said, "You go to war with the army you have, not the army you wish you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi-steinberg/fuck-it-i-thought-as-don-rumsfeld-once-said-you-go-to-war-with-the/) [Avi Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi-steinberg/) ## More by Jay Leno > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Michael Jackson has a new baby boy; no word yet who the father is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/michael-jackson-has-a-new-baby-boy-no-word-yet-who-the-father-is/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [There is a nationwide shortage of drugs for Attention Deficit Disorder. The FDA says they're not sure how it happened. I guess somebody wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/there-is-a-nationwide-shortage-of-drugs-for-attention-deficit/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“Leno said the rainy weather in California "couldn't have come at a worse possible time. 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I'm only six feet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/i-wanted-to-have-a-career-in-sports-when-i-was-young-but-i-had-to/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Texas Gov. Rick Perry referred to the Mexican city of Juarez as the most dangerous city in America. In his defense, he probably just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/texas-gov-rick-perry-referred-to-the-mexican-city-of-juarez-as-the/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [You can tell you ate too much for Thanksgiving when you have to let your bathrobe out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/you-can-tell-you-ate-too-much-for-thanksgiving-when-you-have-to-let/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [The Mayans have predicted the world is supposed to end on December 21. If the world doesn't end on December 21, you can bet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-mayans-have-predicted-the-world-is-supposed-to-end-on-december-21/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [The Globe reports that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il raises money by selling fake Viagra pills. What it is about this guy? None of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-globe-reports-that-north-korean-dictator-kim-jong-il-raises-money/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Here is your government at work. A congressman from Colorado said he wants to draft a rule that would make it unethical to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/here-is-your-government-at-work-a-congressman-from-colorado-said-he/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Jack Abramoff is going to testify against some of the other weasels in Congress. A lobbyist testifying against congressmen? How many Bibles are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/jack-abramoff-is-going-to-testify-against-some-of-the-other-weasels/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Tomorrow, America's most famous hockey mom, Sarah Palin, will drop the ceremonial first puck at the Philadelphia Flyers game. Right afterwards, she'll get out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/tomorrow-america-s-most-famous-hockey-mom-sarah-palin-will-drop-the/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) [Explore all 900 Jay Leno quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) ## More According to plan quotes > [Covert Operations Report At approximately 0900 hours on Saturday, October 14, Operative Morgan was given a stern lecture by Agent Townsend, a tracking device…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/covert-operations-report-at-approximately-0900-hours-on-saturday/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [I'm sure lots of actors and creative people go through this, where you have some weeks where it's all going according to plan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-m-sure-lots-of-actors-and-creative-people-go-through-this-where-you/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Do I really look like a guy with a plan?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-ledger/do-i-really-look-like-a-guy-with-a-plan/) [Heath Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-ledger/) > [Nobody panics when things go “according to plan”. Even if the plan is horrifying!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-ledger/nobody-panics-when-things-go-according-to-plan-even-if-the-plan-is/) [Heath Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-ledger/) > [Any president's second term ends up being quite messy. It never goes quite according to plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armando-iannucci/any-president-s-second-term-ends-up-being-quite-messy-it-never-goes/) [Armando Iannucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armando-iannucci/) > [Watching the Dallas Cowboys perform, it is not difficult to believe that coach Tom Landry flew fourengines bombers during World War II. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-morgan/watching-the-dallas-cowboys-perform-it-is-not-difficult-to-believe/) Len Morgan > [One possible reason why things aren't going according to plan is that there never was a plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/one-possible-reason-why-things-aren-t-going-according-to-plan-is-that/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) > [I'm very structured. I like planning things out. I get frustrated when they don't go according to plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tia-mowry/i-m-very-structured-i-like-planning-things-out-i-get-frustrated-when/) [Tia Mowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tia-mowry/) > [Well clearly Graeme it all went according to plan, what was the plan exactly ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-welsby/well-clearly-graeme-it-all-went-according-to-plan-what-was-the-plan/) Elton Welsby > [The Tao is unpredictable to those that live according to plans. Only those who have no agenda are in harmony with the Tao.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-unpredictable-to-those-that-live-according-to-plans-only/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Your life can't go according to plan if you have no plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/your-life-can-t-go-according-to-plan-if-you-have-no-plan/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Arthur felt happy. He was terribly pleased that the day was for once working out so much according to plan. Only twenty minutes ago…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/arthur-felt-happy-he-was-terribly-pleased-that-the-day-was-for-once/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [No battle was ever won according to plan, but no battle was ever won without one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/no-battle-was-ever-won-according-to-plan-but-no-battle-was-ever-won/) [Dwight D. 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