--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being a press secretary is like learning…" description: "\"Being a press secretary is like learning to type: You're hunting and pecking for a while and then you find yourself doing the touch system and don't re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/larry-speakes-47727_finding-yourself_being-a-press-secretary-is-like-learning_792765.jpg" --- # Being a press secretary is like learning to type: You're… ![“Being a press secretary is like learning to type: You're hunting and pecking for a while and then you find yourself doing the touch system and don't realize it. You're speaking for the president without ever having to go to him.” quote by Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/larry-speakes-47727_finding-yourself_being-a-press-secretary-is-like-learning_792765.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/larry-speakes-47727_finding-yourself_being-a-press-secretary-is-like-learning_792765.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/larry-speakes-47727_finding-yourself_being-a-press-secretary-is-like-learning_792765.jpg) > “Being a press secretary is like learning to type: You're hunting and pecking for a while and then you find yourself doing the touch system and don't realize it. You're speaking for the president without ever having to go to him.” [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The role evolves from basic tasks to complex representation, often without direct oversight. **In simple terms:** Press work grows from simple to sophisticated. Key Takeaway Adapt and learn continuously. Themes communication politics career growth Mood reflective analytical Type advice observational When to use this quote - government briefings - media training - career advancement - policy communication Key Concepts media dynamics delegated authority Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain authenticity? - When does delegation become overreliance? A Different Perspective Risk of losing personal voice when speaking for others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Finding yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-yourself/) [Hunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunting/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) ## Related quotes > [Roughly speaking, the President of the United States knows what his job is. Constitution and custom spell it out, for him as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-alexander/roughly-speaking-the-president-of-the-united-states-knows-what-his/) [Shana Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-alexander/) > [As press secretary, I spent countless hours defending the administration from the podium in the White House briefing room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/as-press-secretary-i-spent-countless-hours-defending-the/) [Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/) > [It is completely irresponsible, if not worse, for members of the media to be calling our press secretary a liar and worse. On Twitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/it-is-completely-irresponsible-if-not-worse-for-members-of-the-media/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [Every press secretary faces an enormous amount of information. Events move really fast. You're responsible for a tremendous amount of information, and again, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/every-press-secretary-faces-an-enormous-amount-of-information-events/) [Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/) > [Wow, the entire network of anchors has been hired to be the press secretary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/wow-the-entire-network-of-anchors-has-been-hired-to-be-the-press/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [The day I became press secretary to the President of the United States, I was in an entirely different world from the one I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-salinger/the-day-i-became-press-secretary-to-the-president-of-the-united/) [Pierre Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-salinger/) > [The press secretary who starts to narrow down or close the president's options because he answers delicate negotiating questions no longer serves the president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-fleischer/the-press-secretary-who-starts-to-narrow-down-or-close-the-president/) [Ari Fleischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-fleischer/) > [The biggest challenge of being the press secretary is trying to be aware of all of the things that are happening, both around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-earnest/the-biggest-challenge-of-being-the-press-secretary-is-trying-to-be/) [Josh Earnest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-earnest/) > [I don't look to a man to get pride in myself. It's not about having a black president, it's about having a good president,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-west/i-don-t-look-to-a-man-to-get-pride-in-myself-it-s-not-about-having-a/) [Allen West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-west/) > [“it's been a long time since i've thought about that night, that wonderful raucous night. I can still see the president s surprise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-hill/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-ve-thought-about-that-night-that/) [Clint Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-hill/) > [I'm going to be so much better a president for having been at the CIA that you're not going to believe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-m-going-to-be-so-much-better-a-president-for-having-been-at-the-cia/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [The president is now having to deal with a Congress. He's never had to do that before. The president in the past, he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/the-president-is-now-having-to-deal-with-a-congress-he-s-never-had-to/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [I think I will be a great president having to do with the military and also having to do with taking care of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-think-i-will-be-a-great-president-having-to-do-with-the-military/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I spent almost eight years working for the Obama administration, in the White House as the deputy press secretary, deputy communications director, communications director,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-psaki/i-spent-almost-eight-years-working-for-the-obama-administration-in/) [Jen Psaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-psaki/) > [“I wouldn’t expect a press secretary to be part of this.” Andrea nodded slightly. “I can see how the title might give that impression,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-kay/i-wouldn-t-expect-a-press-secretary-to-be-part-of-this-andrea-nodded/) [Elliott Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-kay/) ## More by Larry Speakes > [Ol' Shoot from the Lip," we call him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/ol-shoot-from-the-lip-we-call-him/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [Rules for a White House Spokesman: No. 1 is always tell the truth. I've got only one currency, that's the truth. There are 10,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/rules-for-a-white-house-spokesman-no-1-is-always-tell-the-truth-i-ve/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [I would dodge, not lie, in the national interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/i-would-dodge-not-lie-in-the-national-interest/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [You don't tell us how to stage the news and we don't tell you how to cover it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/you-don-t-tell-us-how-to-stage-the-news-and-we-don-t-tell-you-how-to/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [If you tell the same story five times, it's true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/if-you-tell-the-same-story-five-times-it-s-true/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [Those who talk don't know what is going on and those who know what is going on won't talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going-on-and-those-who-know-what-is/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [When, at the age of seven, he blew up the family truck by dropping a match down the gas tank, we should have known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/when-at-the-age-of-seven-he-blew-up-the-family-truck-by-dropping-a/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) [Explore all 8 Larry Speakes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) ## More Finding yourself quotes > [Forgetting your Self is the greatest injury; all the calamities flow from it. Take care of the most important, the lesser will take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/forgetting-your-self-is-the-greatest-injury-all-the-calamities-flow/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Your Starbucks order is directly proportional to how complicated your personality is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin/your-starbucks-order-is-directly-proportional-to-how-complicated-your/) [Kevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin/) > [I work with a lot of music programs and there's a steep learning curve to a lot of them. You can really find yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe/i-work-with-a-lot-of-music-programs-and-there-s-a-steep-learning/) [Joe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe/) > [I was going to say 'my friend Stuart', but I suppose he's not a friend any more. I seem to have lost a number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-coe/i-was-going-to-say-my-friend-stuart-but-i-suppose-he-s-not-a-friend/) [Jonathan Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-coe/) > [To be the best you can be, is to know the person in the mirror better than you think you know everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-lopez/to-be-the-best-you-can-be-is-to-know-the-person-in-the-mirror-better/) Wendy Lopez > [Sometimes, the most important thing you'll need to know, is how to be your own best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-the-most-important-thing-you-ll-need-to-know-is-how-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [An order given in battle, an instruction issued by the master of a sailing ship, a cry for help, are as powerful in modifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bronislaw-malinowski/an-order-given-in-battle-an-instruction-issued-by-the-master-of-a/) [Bronislaw Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bronislaw-malinowski/) > [“The act of consciousness is central; otherwise we are overrun by the complexes. The hero in each of us is required to answer the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hollis/the-act-of-consciousness-is-central-otherwise-we-are-overrun-by-the/) [James Hollis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hollis/) > [What you discover on your own is always more exciting than what someone else discovers for you - it's like the marriage between romantic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-rafferty/what-you-discover-on-your-own-is-always-more-exciting-than-what/) Terrence Rafferty > [I am to the point where I don't know if I'm getting better, or I'm just used to the pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-morton/i-am-to-the-point-where-i-don-t-know-if-i-m-getting-better-or-i-m/) [Cori Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-morton/) > [I noticed that once you realize someone's watching you it's pretty hard not to find yourself watching them back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-rosoff/i-noticed-that-once-you-realize-someone-s-watching-you-it-s-pretty/) [Meg Rosoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-rosoff/) > [If you find yourself in a relationship or even a friendship with someone who's conflicted with their gender identity, just be kind. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-d-thompson/if-you-find-yourself-in-a-relationship-or-even-a-friendship-with/) [Linda D. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-d-thompson/) > [Theres an awkward silence when Eric clears his throat and speaks up. So Jade, tell us about yourself. Its slightly strange but I'm glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/theres-an-awkward-silence-when-eric-clears-his-throat-and-speaks-up/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [If I am being alone does not mean I am a loner rather I am healing me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nidhi-saini/if-i-am-being-alone-does-not-mean-i-am-a-loner-rather-i-am-healing-me/) [Nidhi Saini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nidhi-saini/) > [There is strength inside of you that you have yet to discover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-santiago/there-is-strength-inside-of-you-that-you-have-yet-to-discover/) Cynthia Santiago [Browse all 1,252 Finding yourself quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-yourself/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being a press secretary is like learning to type: You're hunting and pecking for a while and then you find yourself doing the touch system and don't realize it. 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