--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What a president does communicates a…" description: "\"What a president does communicates a message to the American people, and, sometimes, what he does not do communicates a message as well. It can inform ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3e/neera-tanden-4361_american_what-a-president-does-communicates-a-mes_1497202.jpg" --- # What a president does communicates a message to the… ![“What a president does communicates a message to the American people, and, sometimes, what he does not do communicates a message as well. It can inform the public's opinion about what he thinks is wrong and what he thinks is right; what needs fixing and what is working.” quote by Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3e/neera-tanden-4361_american_what-a-president-does-communicates-a-mes_1497202.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3e/neera-tanden-4361_american_what-a-president-does-communicates-a-mes_1497202.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3e/neera-tanden-4361_american_what-a-president-does-communicates-a-mes_1497202.jpg) > “What a president does communicates a message to the American people, and, sometimes, what he does not do communicates a message as well. It can inform the public's opinion about what he thinks is wrong and what he thinks is right; what needs fixing and what is working.” [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) ## 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 actions and inactions both send messages that shape public perception of priorities and values. **In simple terms:** Both deeds and omissions signal intent. Key Takeaway Consider the impact of what is left undone. Themes leadership communication perception Mood analytical critical Type political observational When to use this quote - government decisions - media analysis - public opinion - civic engagement Key Concepts political signaling policy priorities Questions to Reflect On - What messages are conveyed by what is not done? - How do citizens interpret silence? A Different Perspective Inaction can be as powerful as action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-people/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) ## Related quotes > [The message for the American youth is that this is a great country and we need to make sure that we pass on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-west/the-message-for-the-american-youth-is-that-this-is-a-great-country/) [Allen West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-west/) > [ \[The American President\] has to take all sorts of abuse from liars and demagogues.… The people can never understand why the President does not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/the-american-president-has-to-take-all-sorts-of-abuse-from-liars-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [I decided that I was ready to assume this position when I discovered that the chance to save the country was very meager. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdel-fattah-el-sisi/i-decided-that-i-was-ready-to-assume-this-position-when-i-discovered/) [Abdel Fattah el-Sisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdel-fattah-el-sisi/) > [The president does not have the option of choosing which laws he will follow and which he will ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/the-president-does-not-have-the-option-of-choosing-which-laws-he-will/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [There's a sense of urgency that the president does not possess, that there is a 9/11 in the making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/there-s-a-sense-of-urgency-that-the-president-does-not-possess-that/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Sometimes it's important to watch what the president does rather than what he says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/sometimes-it-s-important-to-watch-what-the-president-does-rather-than/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [No man should be allowed to be the President who does not understand hogs, or hasn't been around a manure pile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/no-man-should-be-allowed-to-be-the-president-who-does-not-understand/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [The president is the president. And every American, regardless of who you voted for, if you voted for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Donald Duck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/the-president-is-the-president-and-every-american-regardless-of-who/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [I don't get into conversations or information about anything that the president does with his personal attorney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-grisham/i-don-t-get-into-conversations-or-information-about-anything-that-the/) [Stephanie Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-grisham/) > [Being president does seem a lot more stressful than being vice president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/being-president-does-seem-a-lot-more-stressful-than-being-vice/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [Legacy is what a president does that affects later generations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beschloss/legacy-is-what-a-president-does-that-affects-later-generations/) [Michael Beschloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beschloss/) > [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/) > [When you cover the White House, which I've done on and off, it's relatively straightforward - everything the president does is news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-hunt/when-you-cover-the-white-house-which-i-ve-done-on-and-off-it-s/) [Kasie Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-hunt/) > [“People complain the president does nothing. I say stop complaining! Think how destructive he’d be if he actually tried to do something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/people-complain-the-president-does-nothing-i-say-stop-complaining/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Abraham Lincoln did not contend that his actions were immune from Congressional correction; on the contrary, he specifically said he was acting beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lee-miller/abraham-lincoln-did-not-contend-that-his-actions-were-immune-from/) [William Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lee-miller/) ## More by Neera Tanden > [Between 2009 and 2012, 95% of the country's income gains went to the top 1% of earners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/between-2009-and-2012-95-of-the-country-s-income-gains-went-to-the/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [The Democratic Party, the policies that the Clintons and Hillary believe in, I feel like a living example of someone who benefited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/the-democratic-party-the-policies-that-the-clintons-and-hillary/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [So far Trump has done everything he could possibly do to pit Americans against each other, to sow division, to fuel distrust of American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/so-far-trump-has-done-everything-he-could-possibly-do-to-pit/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [I concede that, in the first 18 months of his presidency, Obama has not accomplished all that he campaigned on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/i-concede-that-in-the-first-18-months-of-his-presidency-obama-has-not/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [Would Americans really feel better with insurance companies deciding whether they or their parents get the care they need? Probably not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/would-americans-really-feel-better-with-insurance-companies-deciding/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [I think a core principle of the Democratic Party has to be a defense of equal rights for every American. At the same time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/i-think-a-core-principle-of-the-democratic-party-has-to-be-a-defense/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [How exactly was Johnson able to pass the Great Society legislation and the Voting Rights Act? Of course, he was a savvy deal-maker. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/how-exactly-was-johnson-able-to-pass-the-great-society-legislation/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [I never worked in the private sector for very long, I worked on childcare, afterschool, health care for people, increasing the minimum wage, increasing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/i-never-worked-in-the-private-sector-for-very-long-i-worked-on/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [Making smart investments in early childhood education could not only generate more than $7 of economic benefits over a child's lifetime for every dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/making-smart-investments-in-early-childhood-education-could-not-only/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [One really basic thing is to establish women's property and inheritance rights, so women can be their own agents within society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/one-really-basic-thing-is-to-establish-women-s-property-and/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [We don't have great answers to what jobs will look like in 10, 20, 30 years. And I think it's right for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/we-don-t-have-great-answers-to-what-jobs-will-look-like-in-10-20-30/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act dramatically expanded child care provisions and Head Start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/the-american-reinvestment-and-recovery-act-dramatically-expanded/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [I think that Democrats have to think through answers we haven't in the past: How we are going to create those jobs? How should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/i-think-that-democrats-have-to-think-through-answers-we-haven-t-in/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [No doubt, there are plenty of men who have been fierce and laudable advocates for women's issues. But I know from my many years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/no-doubt-there-are-plenty-of-men-who-have-been-fierce-and-laudable/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) > [What can defeat health care reform? Polls - or more specifically, Democratic politicians misreading them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/what-can-defeat-health-care-reform-polls-or-more-specifically/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) [Explore all 112 Neera Tanden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What a president does communicates a message to the American people, and, sometimes, what he does not do communicates a message as well. It can inform the public's opinion about what he thinks is wrong and what he thinks is right; what needs fixing and what is working.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neera Tanden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/what-a-president-does-communicates-a-message-to-the-american-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/what-a-president-does-communicates-a-message-to-the-american-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3e/neera-tanden-4361_american_what-a-president-does-communicates-a-mes_1497202.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3e/neera-tanden-4361_american_what-a-president-does-communicates-a-mes_1497202.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3e/neera-tanden-4361_american_what-a-president-does-communicates-a-mes_1497202.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What a president does communicates a message to the American people, and, sometimes, what he does not do…” — Neera Tanden", "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": "Neera Tanden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What a president does communicates a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/what-a-president-does-communicates-a-message-to-the-american-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/what-a-president-does-communicates-a-message-to-the-american-people/#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 } } ] } ```