--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I worked in the Obama White House…" description: "\"When I worked in the Obama White House, people in national security positions had been uneasy making broad public arguments, particularly about politic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/jennifer-palmieri-19167_cybersecurity_when-i-worked-in-the-obama-white-house-p_3192625.jpg" --- # When I worked in the Obama White House, people in national… ![“When I worked in the Obama White House, people in national security positions had been uneasy making broad public arguments, particularly about political matters.” quote by Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/jennifer-palmieri-19167_cybersecurity_when-i-worked-in-the-obama-white-house-p_3192625.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/jennifer-palmieri-19167_cybersecurity_when-i-worked-in-the-obama-white-house-p_3192625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/jennifer-palmieri-19167_cybersecurity_when-i-worked-in-the-obama-white-house-p_3192625.jpg) > “When I worked in the Obama White House, people in national security positions had been uneasy making broad public arguments, particularly about political matters.” [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. National security staff avoid public political statements to preserve credibility and avoid politicization. **In simple terms:** Staff stay silent on politics to stay credible. Key Takeaway Maintain nonpartisan communication in sensitive roles. Themes politics credibility communication security ethics Mood cautious professional Type ethical pragmatic When to use this quote - government briefings - media interviews - policy advocacy - crisis management Key Concepts public policy media relations ethical standards Questions to Reflect On - When should officials speak out on political issues? - How to balance transparency with security? A Different Perspective Silence can limit transparency and public trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [National security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national-security/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) ## Related quotes > [I felt uneasy about making the rapid decisions I have always made, and wondered whether every decision should be formally ratified and minuted at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-felt-uneasy-about-making-the-rapid-decisions-i-have-always-made-and/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“Clinton got out there and created a new narrative on the economy, which took some of the needles out of Obama,” says Republican strategist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-halper/clinton-got-out-there-and-created-a-new-narrative-on-the-economy/) Daniel Halper > [Political institutions are fair game in political debates in a democracy. Nothing is more fair game, in fact, than political matters of public concern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-ammori/political-institutions-are-fair-game-in-political-debates-in-a/) [Marvin Ammori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-ammori/) > [In political matters feeling often decides more correctly than reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/in-political-matters-feeling-often-decides-more-correctly-than-reason/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I don't talk about political matters. That's not my department.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-don-t-talk-about-political-matters-that-s-not-my-department/) [Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/) > [Political matters are developing so fast that we must not let a single thing slip without use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-woodhull/political-matters-are-developing-so-fast-that-we-must-not-let-a/) [Victoria Woodhull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-woodhull/) > [I end up liking politicians, both left and right, who talk about political matters as if they are addressing a bunch of adults, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/i-end-up-liking-politicians-both-left-and-right-who-talk-about/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [In highly charged political matters, one person's ambiguity may be another person's truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mottram/in-highly-charged-political-matters-one-person-s-ambiguity-may-be/) Richard Mottram > [ I believe you \[Samuel Alito\] and others would look and say that the role of the courts is limited and it's not to decide… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-brownback/i-believe-you-samuel-alito-and-others-would-look-and-say-that-the/) [Sam Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-brownback/) > [Modern candidates seem to have to live with political matters all the time. In my father's time, a politician's home was still his castle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-kennedy/modern-candidates-seem-to-have-to-live-with-political-matters-all-the/) [Rose Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-kennedy/) > [“As is the way in political matters, all were convinced that the interests of the community and their own personal interests were one and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-is-the-way-in-political-matters-all-were-convinced-that-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People said that he was very nice, but I confess that his utter grotesqueness made me uneasy; perhaps in the same way that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-said-that-he-was-very-nice-but-i-confess-that-his-utter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I felt uneasy, but sometimes, like I said before, I believed in Col. North and there was a very solid and very valid reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawn-hall/i-felt-uneasy-but-sometimes-like-i-said-before-i-believed-in-col/) [Fawn Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawn-hall/) > [California is a place in which a boom mentality and a sense of Chekhovian loss meet in uneasy suspension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/california-is-a-place-in-which-a-boom-mentality-and-a-sense-of/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More by Jennifer Palmieri > [America is not going to side with the people that think our best days are behind us. It's not going to side with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/america-is-not-going-to-side-with-the-people-that-think-our-best-days/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [I am more proud of Hillary Clinton's alt-right speech than any other moment on the campaign because she had the courage to stand up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/i-am-more-proud-of-hillary-clinton-s-alt-right-speech-than-any-other/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [I think that crying is a way women and men express frustration, anger, or passion. And we should not feel compelled to mute those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/i-think-that-crying-is-a-way-women-and-men-express-frustration-anger/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [If you're a minority party that doesn't control any branch of government, you're more likely to be ignored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/if-you-re-a-minority-party-that-doesn-t-control-any-branch-of/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [The Democratic Party is always going to be a diverse group of people who are yelling at each other and fighting over what's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/the-democratic-party-is-always-going-to-be-a-diverse-group-of-people/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [Just as somebody who lived through that campaign, I do believe that there was probably collusion. At least between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/just-as-somebody-who-lived-through-that-campaign-i-do-believe-that/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [A lot of Democrats like to play the 'If we were Republicans' game. I usually hate it; I don't want to behave like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/a-lot-of-democrats-like-to-play-the-if-we-were-republicans-game-i/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [I think that all men and women both, particularly women, hold back on parts of ourselves because they don't fit into the traditional workplace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/i-think-that-all-men-and-women-both-particularly-women-hold-back-on/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [A good chaos theory means you have a disciplined strategy behind the scenes of how you're going to roll out policy. And then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/a-good-chaos-theory-means-you-have-a-disciplined-strategy-behind-the/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [ That's very clear today. No, you wouldn't, respectfully. How exactly did \[Republicans\] win? How exactly did we win? I'd like to know. Because I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/that-s-very-clear-today-no-you-wouldn-t-respectfully-how-exactly-did/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [If Trump expects the Americans who did not vote for him to accept him as president, he needs to show that he accepts all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/if-trump-expects-the-americans-who-did-not-vote-for-him-to-accept-him/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [I think that there should be an assault weapons ban.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/i-think-that-there-should-be-an-assault-weapons-ban/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [I am more proud of Hillary Clinton's alt-right speech than any other moment on the campaign .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/i-am-more-proud-of-hillary-clinton-s-alt-right-speech-than-any-other-2/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [I am more proud of Hillary Clinton's alt-right speech than any other moment on the campaign trail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/i-am-more-proud-of-hillary-clinton-s-alt-right-speech-than-any-other-3/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) > [If providing a platform for white supremacists makes me a brilliant tactician I am glad to have laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/if-providing-a-platform-for-white-supremacists-makes-me-a-brilliant/) [Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) [Explore all 33 Jennifer Palmieri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/) ## More Cybersecurity quotes > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Our engagement through international economics, trade, these trade agreements, is vital and is linked to our national security. This is a lesson we learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/our-engagement-through-international-economics-trade-these-trade/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [“Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you...it means that you do not treat your body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/responsibility-to-yourself-means-refusing-to-let-others-do-your/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [I'm OK with guns in schools, if it's a security, trained security personnel. But every teacher having a gun, I don't know if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/i-m-ok-with-guns-in-schools-if-it-s-a-security-trained-security/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [I'm also the chairman of the board of Symantec, which is the world's largest cybersecurity - software cybersecurity company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/i-m-also-the-chairman-of-the-board-of-symantec-which-is-the-world-s/) [Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/) > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Fraud will always exist. Enforcement of anti-fraud laws is a useful deterrent, but in the end there's no substitute for investor vigilance. Government regulations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/fraud-will-always-exist-enforcement-of-anti-fraud-laws-is-a-useful/) [John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/) > [As president, things that you're supposed to focus on, things like the economy, like energy policy, which is completely tied to national security, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/as-president-things-that-you-re-supposed-to-focus-on-things-like-the/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [The U.S. cannot impose freedom, security, and unity in Iraq by force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-defazio/the-u-s-cannot-impose-freedom-security-and-unity-in-iraq-by-force/) [Peter DeFazio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-defazio/) > [Men who have lived significant lives are men who never waited: not for money, security, ease, or women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deida/men-who-have-lived-significant-lives-are-men-who-never-waited-not-for/) [David Deida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deida/) > [I've always said that I benefit, as an actor, from not having the illusion of security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-ve-always-said-that-i-benefit-as-an-actor-from-not-having-the/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [I don't want to have anything to do with that: just the fame without personal respect for your privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-don-t-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-that-just-the-fame-without/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [The purpose of the military is to close with and destroy the enemy on behalf of our national security priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/the-purpose-of-the-military-is-to-close-with-and-destroy-the-enemy-on/) [Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/) [Browse all 6,947 Cybersecurity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I worked in the Obama White House, people in national security positions had been uneasy making broad public arguments, particularly about political matters.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jennifer Palmieri" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/when-i-worked-in-the-obama-white-house-people-in-national-security/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cybersecurity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/when-i-worked-in-the-obama-white-house-people-in-national-security/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/jennifer-palmieri-19167_cybersecurity_when-i-worked-in-the-obama-white-house-p_3192625.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/jennifer-palmieri-19167_cybersecurity_when-i-worked-in-the-obama-white-house-p_3192625.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/jennifer-palmieri-19167_cybersecurity_when-i-worked-in-the-obama-white-house-p_3192625.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I worked in the Obama White House, people in national security positions had been uneasy making broad…” — Jennifer Palmieri", "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": "Jennifer Palmieri", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I worked in the Obama...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/when-i-worked-in-the-obama-white-house-people-in-national-security/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/when-i-worked-in-the-obama-white-house-people-in-national-security/#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 } } ] } ```