--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [On George W. Bush:] How is it possible…" description: "\"[On George W. Bush:] How is it possible that the president is off on vacation and the vice president is, too? Not that it matters that much if the pres..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/nora-ephron-1217_george-w_on-george-w-bush-how-is-it-possible-that_2290262.jpg" --- # \[On George W. Bush:\] How is it possible that the president… ![“[On George W. Bush:] How is it possible that the president is off on vacation and the vice president is, too? Not that it matters that much if the president is on vacation; on some level, the president is always on vacation.” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/nora-ephron-1217_george-w_on-george-w-bush-how-is-it-possible-that_2290262.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/nora-ephron-1217_george-w_on-george-w-bush-how-is-it-possible-that_2290262.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/nora-ephron-1217_george-w_on-george-w-bush-how-is-it-possible-that_2290262.jpg) > “\[On George W. Bush:\] How is it possible that the president is off on vacation and the vice president is, too? Not that it matters that much if the president is on vacation; on some level, the president is always on vacation.” [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote satirizes the perpetual availability of leaders, suggesting political roles are always on “vacation.” **In simple terms:** Leaders are never truly off duty. Key Takeaway Recognize constant political scrutiny. Themes politics satire leadership Mood witty critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - campaign analysis - media monitoring - civic education - public speaking Key Concepts Political theory media criticism public perception Questions to Reflect On - What does “vacation” symbolize for leaders? - How does constant visibility affect decision making? A Different Perspective Satire may oversimplify complex governance realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bush Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bush-possible-5378099/) [George w](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george-w/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Possible President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible-president-4141043/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-matters-4319894/) [President Vacation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-vacation-5378098/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Vacation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacation/) [Vice president](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vice-president/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) ## Related quotes > [Egypt has a presidential system. The president runs the state. Who the president is matters profoundly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/egypt-has-a-presidential-system-the-president-runs-the-state-who-the/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [“sectional peace had made it possible for the President and his lady to join the elite and “roll in the most stylish equipage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-rayback/sectional-peace-had-made-it-possible-for-the-president-and-his-lady/) [Robert J. Rayback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-rayback/) > [My life since the White House has been much more all-encompassing, much more enjoyable. The main thing that I've acquired has been access to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/my-life-since-the-white-house-has-been-much-more-all-encompassing/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Peter Hart, the pollster, has a question when he asks about presidential or vice presidential candidates, what kind of a neighbor would they be?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/peter-hart-the-pollster-has-a-question-when-he-asks-about/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [If Vice President Albert Arnold Gore, Jr. had won his home state of Tennessee on November 7, 2000, he would have become president of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/if-vice-president-albert-arnold-gore-jr-had-won-his-home-state-of/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [Women are being considered as candidates for vice-president of the United States because it is the worst job in America. It's amazing that men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/women-are-being-considered-as-candidates-for-vice-president-of-the/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [We also need to make sure women can be in charge of their reproductive health. We can't defund places like Planned Parenthood, where women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-teigen/we-also-need-to-make-sure-women-can-be-in-charge-of-their/) [Chrissy Teigen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-teigen/) > [Hollis thought he looked like William Burroughs, minus the bohemian substrate (or perhaps the methadone). Like someone who'd be invited quail shooting with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/hollis-thought-he-looked-like-william-burroughs-minus-the-bohemian/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the supreme court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/a-year-ago-my-approval-rating-was-in-the-30s-my-nominee-for-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I was at the vice president's Christmas party. I thought that his speech was spectacular, and I knew that it was a very emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-whitford/i-was-at-the-vice-president-s-christmas-party-i-thought-that-his/) [Bradley Whitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-whitford/) > [ Ladies, \[motherhood\] is a full-time job. Do not kid yourself that you can be a dental receptionist and a mother; that you can be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/ladies-motherhood-is-a-full-time-job-do-not-kid-yourself-that-you-can/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [“Humphrey had even visited the CASPER facility on multiple occasions under the cover of darkness during vacations at the Greenbrier. In 1970, after his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-m-graff/humphrey-had-even-visited-the-casper-facility-on-multiple-occasions/) [Garrett M. Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [ “In all, the future secretary of defense and wartime vice president\[, Dick Cheney,\] would receive five deferments during the Vietnam War, protecting him from… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-savage/in-all-the-future-secretary-of-defense-and-wartime-vice-president/) [Charlie Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-savage/) > [“Military life and culture seem to be foreign territory for many of the people who write for national magazines and newspapers today. Every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-luttrell/military-life-and-culture-seem-to-be-foreign-territory-for-many-of/) [Marcus Luttrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-luttrell/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) ## More by Nora Ephron > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“That's the catch about betrayal, of course: that it feels good, that there's something immensely pleasurable about moving from a complicated relationship which involves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/that-s-the-catch-about-betrayal-of-course-that-it-feels-good-that/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/the-whole-purpose-of-places-like-starbucks-is-for-people-with-no/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [Death is a sniper. It strikes people you love, people you like, people you know - it's everywhere. You could be next. But then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/death-is-a-sniper-it-strikes-people-you-love-people-you-like-people/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > ['When you slip on a banana peel, people laugh at you. When you tell people you slipped on a banana peel, it's your laugh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/when-you-slip-on-a-banana-peel-people-laugh-at-you-when-you-tell/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“I wish he were better at hailing taxis than I am; on the other hand, I realize that expectation is culturally conditioned, utterly foolish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-wish-he-were-better-at-hailing-taxis-than-i-am-on-the-other-hand-i/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [You enter into a certain amount of madness when you marry a person with pets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/you-enter-into-a-certain-amount-of-madness-when-you-marry-a-person/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [I never went near the Wellesley College chapel in my four years there, but I am still amazed at the amount of Christian charity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-never-went-near-the-wellesley-college-chapel-in-my-four-years-there/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [You can't call yourself a feminist if you don't believe in the right to abortion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/you-can-t-call-yourself-a-feminist-if-you-don-t-believe-in-the-right/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“I always read the last page of a book first so that if I die before I finish I'll know how it turned out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-always-read-the-last-page-of-a-book-first-so-that-if-i-die-before-i/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“If I was home alone at night, I cooked myself an entire meal from one of these cookbooks. Then I sat down in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/if-i-was-home-alone-at-night-i-cooked-myself-an-entire-meal-from-one/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“The next man I was involved with lived in Boston. He taught me to cook mushrooms. He taught me that if you heat the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/the-next-man-i-was-involved-with-lived-in-boston-he-taught-me-to-cook/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/whatever-you-choose-however-many-roads-you-travel-i-hope-that-you/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [A man who finishes a book is always alone when he finishes it...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/a-man-who-finishes-a-book-is-always-alone-when-he-finishes-it/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“I hear myself saying these words: What this movement is about is options. I say it to friends who are frustrated, or housebound, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-hear-myself-saying-these-words-what-this-movement-is-about-is/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) [Explore all 272 Nora Ephron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) ## More George w quotes > [“Does it work with sandwiches? he asked. I didn't move. He handed it over. George was watching with a kind of neutral curiosity, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-bender/does-it-work-with-sandwiches-he-asked-i-didn-t-move-he-handed-it-over/) [Aimee Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-bender/) > [The GOP is broken. They need a Bill Clinton moment with someone to figure things out. Let me just say - and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/the-gop-is-broken-they-need-a-bill-clinton-moment-with-someone-to/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [George Winston piano albums have been my go-to since junior high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/george-winston-piano-albums-have-been-my-go-to-since-junior-high/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [“Doctor Parcival began to plead with George Willard. 'You must pay attention to me,' he urged. 'If something happens you will be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/doctor-parcival-began-to-plead-with-george-willard-you-must-pay/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [We're half an hour from Toronto, which offers everything you could want from a city, and a couple of hours from beautiful vacation country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linwood-barclay/we-re-half-an-hour-from-toronto-which-offers-everything-you-could/) [Linwood Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linwood-barclay/) > [The president of the United States of North America, George W. Bush, the little gentleman of the North, the political cadaver that is visiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-chavez/the-president-of-the-united-states-of-north-america-george-w-bush-the/) [Hugo Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-chavez/) > [I remember when President Bush, George W. Bush, came into office, he focused on No Child Left Behind, and with - and before very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/i-remember-when-president-bush-george-w-bush-came-into-office-he/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [“Distinctively gentle he was, and trustworthy, and of special courtesy. His great physical strength was never used in combat, men remembered, except when needed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-byrd-turner/distinctively-gentle-he-was-and-trustworthy-and-of-special-courtesy/) [Nancy Byrd Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-byrd-turner/) > [ “You can't really move forward until you look back. \[From Remaking America panel discussion at George Washington University\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/you-can-t-really-move-forward-until-you-look-back-from-remaking/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [I was one of the hardest-hitting conservatives on George W. Bush. Republicans didn't like me on George W. Bush. Republicans still don't like me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/i-was-one-of-the-hardest-hitting-conservatives-on-george-w-bush/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [President Obama gave a speech about healthcare tonight, and yesterday he gave a pep talk to students. He told them that in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/president-obama-gave-a-speech-about-healthcare-tonight-and-yesterday/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [George W. Bush did an incredible job in the presidency, defending us from freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/george-w-bush-did-an-incredible-job-in-the-presidency-defending-us/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [I'm not tempted to write a song about George W. Bush. I couldn't figure out what sort of song I would write. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-m-not-tempted-to-write-a-song-about-george-w-bush-i-couldn-t-figure/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) [Browse all 1,139 George w quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george-w/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[On George W. Bush:] How is it possible that the president is off on vacation and the vice president is, too? Not that it matters that much if the president is on vacation; on some level, the president is always on vacation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nora Ephron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/on-george-w-bush-how-is-it-possible-that-the-president-is-off-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "George w" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/on-george-w-bush-how-is-it-possible-that-the-president-is-off-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/nora-ephron-1217_george-w_on-george-w-bush-how-is-it-possible-that_2290262.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/nora-ephron-1217_george-w_on-george-w-bush-how-is-it-possible-that_2290262.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/nora-ephron-1217_george-w_on-george-w-bush-how-is-it-possible-that_2290262.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[On George W. Bush:] How is it possible that the president is off on vacation and the vice president is…” — Nora Ephron", "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": "Nora Ephron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "[On George W. Bush:] How is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/on-george-w-bush-how-is-it-possible-that-the-president-is-off-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/on-george-w-bush-how-is-it-possible-that-the-president-is-off-on/#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 } } ] } ```