--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why would anyone want to be President…" description: "\"Why would anyone want to be President today? The answer is not one of glory, or fame; today the burdens of the office outweigh its privileges. Its not ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e51/richard-m-nixon-727_answers_why-would-anyone-want-to-be-president-to_753399.jpg" --- # Why would anyone want to be President today? The answer is… ![“Why would anyone want to be President today? The answer is not one of glory, or fame; today the burdens of the office outweigh its privileges. Its not because the Presidency offers a chance to be somebody, but because it offers a chance to do something.” quote by Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e51/richard-m-nixon-727_answers_why-would-anyone-want-to-be-president-to_753399.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e51/richard-m-nixon-727_answers_why-would-anyone-want-to-be-president-to_753399.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e51/richard-m-nixon-727_answers_why-would-anyone-want-to-be-president-to_753399.jpg) > “Why would anyone want to be President today? The answer is not one of glory, or fame; today the burdens of the office outweigh its privileges. Its not because the Presidency offers a chance to be somebody, but because it offers a chance to do something.” [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The presidency is less about fame and more about responsibility to act for the public good. **In simple terms:** Being President is about duty, not glory. Key Takeaway Focus on service, not prestige. Themes responsibility leadership public service Mood reflective serious Type political inspirational When to use this quote - government policy - crisis management - community outreach Key Concepts political duty ethical decision‑making Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to serve others? - How do you balance personal ambition with public duty? A Different Perspective The role can be constrained by political opposition and limited power. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Offers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offers/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidency/) [Presidency Offers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidency-offers-5856312/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-today-1899345/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Privileges Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privileges-presidency-5856313/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-president/) ## Related quotes > [Only a madman or an actor would want to be President of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-jagger/only-a-madman-or-an-actor-would-want-to-be-president-of-the-united/) [Mick Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-jagger/) > [ \[On President Kennedy's assassination Nov. 22, 1963:\] Something dreadful is going to happen to the president today. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeane-dixon/on-president-kennedy-s-assassination-nov-22-1963-something-dreadful/) [Jeane Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeane-dixon/) > [If you look at the themes that he struck from the minute he started running for president through today, there is a very high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/if-you-look-at-the-themes-that-he-struck-from-the-minute-he-started/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [The President of today is just the postage stamp of tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-allen/the-president-of-today-is-just-the-postage-stamp-of-tomorrow/) [Gracie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-allen/) > [The president is out there today trying to talk about health care, and the reality is nobody cares about what he's saying on health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-president-is-out-there-today-trying-to-talk-about-health-care-and/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The path I lay out is not one paved with ever increasing government checks and cradle to grave assurance that government will always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/the-path-i-lay-out-is-not-one-paved-with-ever-increasing-government/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Now, let me be clear. The path I lay out is not one paved with ever increasing government checks and cradle to grave assurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/now-let-me-be-clear-the-path-i-lay-out-is-not-one-paved-with-ever/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The President today once again took the opportunity to reiterate his old, failed national security strategies and present them to the American people as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-tauscher/the-president-today-once-again-took-the-opportunity-to-reiterate-his/) [Ellen Tauscher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-tauscher/) > [And I think most people in this country want to see a president that's got the courage to say we're going to cut the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/and-i-think-most-people-in-this-country-want-to-see-a-president-that/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [Scrubbing floors and emptying bedpans has as much dignity as the Presidency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/scrubbing-floors-and-emptying-bedpans-has-as-much-dignity-as-the/) [Richard M. 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To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-never-been-a-quitter-to-leave-office-before-my-term-is/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [There has been a lot of talk lately about the burdens of the Presidency. Decisions that the President has to make often affect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/there-has-been-a-lot-of-talk-lately-about-the-burdens-of-the/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) ## More by Richard M. Nixon > [I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-never-been-a-quitter-to-leave-office-before-my-term-is/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I have earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life I have never obstructed justice,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-earned-every-cent-and-in-all-of-my-years-of-public-life-i-have/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions. It has become a common cause of all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/restoring-nature-to-its-natural-state-is-a-cause-beyond-party-and/) [Richard M. 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Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [History is a pathetic junkyard of broken treaties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/history-is-a-pathetic-junkyard-of-broken-treaties/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I refuse to make a decision that somebody else can make. The first rule of leadership is to save yourself for the big decision.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-refuse-to-make-a-decision-that-somebody-else-can-make-the-first/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/those-who-hate-you-don-t-win-unless-you-hate-them-and-then-you/) [Richard M. 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I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. 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