--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think any president that I worked…" description: "\"I don't think any president that I worked with has ever said 'pretty please.\" — Robert M. Gates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3d/robert-m-gates-2972_please_i-don-t-think-any-president-that-i-worke_1248778.png" --- # I don't think any president that I worked with has ever… ![“I don't think any president that I worked with has ever said 'pretty please.” quote by Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3d/robert-m-gates-2972_please_i-don-t-think-any-president-that-i-worke_1248778.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3d/robert-m-gates-2972_please_i-don-t-think-any-president-that-i-worke_1248778.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3d/robert-m-gates-2972_please_i-don-t-think-any-president-that-i-worke_1248778.png) > “I don't think any president that I worked with has ever said 'pretty please.” [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He feels no president he worked with ever used the phrase “pretty please,” implying formality over pleading. **In simple terms:** Presidents rarely say “pretty please.” Key Takeaway Recognize the formality in high‑level communication. Themes politics communication formality Mood neutral thoughtful Type observational political When to use this quote - diplomatic meetings - policy negotiations - public speaking Key Concepts political etiquette language norms Questions to Reflect On - Why might leaders avoid pleading language? - How does formality affect perception? A Different Perspective Some leaders may use softer language in private. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-worked-1026642/) [Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-pretty-1184526/) [Think President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-president-251231/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“virtually the entire senior staff and cabinet of the Trump presidency, past and present, had traveled through the stages of adventure, challenge, frustration, battle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/virtually-the-entire-senior-staff-and-cabinet-of-the-trump-presidency/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [When I was president, I worked hard to give you more peace and shared prosperity, to give you an America where nobody is invisible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-i-was-president-i-worked-hard-to-give-you-more-peace-and-shared/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“Every time people said I was pretty, I thought of everything ugly swarming beneath my clothes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/every-time-people-said-i-was-pretty-i-thought-of-everything-ugly/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [My name is immaterial,' she said. That's a pretty name,' said Rincewind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/my-name-is-immaterial-she-said-that-s-a-pretty-name-said-rincewind/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Mama said, you're a pretty girl What's in your head it doesn't matter Brush your hair, fix your teeth What you wear is all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce/mama-said-you-re-a-pretty-girl-what-s-in-your-head-it-doesn-t-matter/) [Beyonce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce/) > [“How did you meet him?" I asked her. She smiled. "Here, actually. During a dinner rush. He was sitting at the counter and Isabel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/how-did-you-meet-him-i-asked-her-she-smiled-here-actually-during-a/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Someone said to me, 'you're too pretty to be single'. I said, 'no, I'm too pretty to be lied to, cheated on, and played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-said-to-me-you-re-too-pretty-to-be-single-i-said-no-i-m-too/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everytime people said I was pretty, I thought of everything ugly swarming beneath my clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/everytime-people-said-i-was-pretty-i-thought-of-everything-ugly/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [Calla readjusted, wrapping the silk around her other thigh instead. "Which one's he again? The pretty one?" Blue and Gansey exchanged a look. Blue's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/calla-readjusted-wrapping-the-silk-around-her-other-thigh-instead/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“We found a table. Nora said: "She's pretty." "If you like them like that." She grinned at me. "You got types?" "Only you, darling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/we-found-a-table-nora-said-she-s-pretty-if-you-like-them-like-that/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [I asked you if was pretty, you said no. I asked you if I was fat, you said yes of course. I asked if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-asked-you-if-was-pretty-you-said-no-i-asked-you-if-i-was-fat-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You said I was pretty, before." "Did I?" A new laugh escaped him, mirthless. "How unoriginal. I must be the master of understatement. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-abe/you-said-i-was-pretty-before-did-i-a-new-laugh-escaped-him-mirthless/) [Shana Abé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-abe/) > [A girl asked a boy if she was pretty .he said no .then she asked if he liked her .he said no .she asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mzz-precious/a-girl-asked-a-boy-if-she-was-pretty-he-said-no-then-she-asked-if-he/) [Mzz\_precious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mzz-precious/) > [“ 'A man can only take so much pretty walking back and forth in front of him.' He said pretty like he meant something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-hoffman/a-man-can-only-take-so-much-pretty-walking-back-and-forth-in-front-of/) [Cara Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-hoffman/) > [Someone said to me 'your too pretty to be single'.. and I said 'no I'm just a girl who hates being lied to, cheated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily/someone-said-to-me-your-too-pretty-to-be-single-and-i-said-no-i-m/) [Lily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily/) ## More by Robert M. Gates > [And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/and-so-the-greatest-of-american-triumphs-became-a-peculiarly-joyless/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [“Obama answered, “Yes. I’m no peacenik.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/obama-answered-yes-i-m-no-peacenik/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [“I was seething. I told him that “the clock is ticking” and that our patience with their lack of political progress was running out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-was-seething-i-told-him-that-the-clock-is-ticking-and-that-our/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [Some people have said, in so many words, that I'm kind of wooly-headed in believing that the Iranians would see not having nuclear weapons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/some-people-have-said-in-so-many-words-that-i-m-kind-of-wooly-headed/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [“Obama was the fourth president I had worked for who said outright that he wanted to eliminate all nuclear weapons (Carter, Reagan, and Bush…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/obama-was-the-fourth-president-i-had-worked-for-who-said-outright/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [I had no concerns - I had no reason to have concerns based on what was available to me about North's contacts with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-had-no-concerns-i-had-no-reason-to-have-concerns-based-on-what-was/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [Health care costs are eating the Defense Department alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/health-care-costs-are-eating-the-defense-department-alive/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [“The passage of fourteen years had led to another significant change in the international environment. As I told Bush 43 and Condi Rice on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/the-passage-of-fourteen-years-had-led-to-another-significant-change/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [I've been very sensitive for a long time to the repeated pattern, during economic hard times or after a war, of the United States'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-ve-been-very-sensitive-for-a-long-time-to-the-repeated-pattern/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [I don't know General Michael Flynn well, but it's hard for me to believe anybody would allow themselves to be blackmailed by the Russians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-don-t-know-general-michael-flynn-well-but-it-s-hard-for-me-to/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [I had no difficulty as Secretary of Defense moving from the Bush administration to the Obama administration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-had-no-difficulty-as-secretary-of-defense-moving-from-the-bush/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [The United States has been a global power since late in the 19th century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/the-united-states-has-been-a-global-power-since-late-in-the-19th/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [My one concern is that Hu Jintao may overestimate how much power China has in Pyongyang. They have - they do have influence, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/my-one-concern-is-that-hu-jintao-may-overestimate-how-much-power/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [“I thought you were my friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/i-thought-you-were-my-friend/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [“Soon after the raid was over, the White House released the now-famous photo of all of us watching the video in that small conference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/soon-after-the-raid-was-over-the-white-house-released-the-now-famous/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) [Explore all 143 Robert M. Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) ## More Please quotes > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I have often wondered how they manage to get return envelopes which miss, by one-quarter of an inch, fitting the blank you are supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/i-have-often-wondered-how-they-manage-to-get-return-envelopes-which/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [I just can’t, Nick, okay? Now, please give me a second to lie here in silence and bleed.” – Caleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-just-can-t-nick-okay-now-please-give-me-a-second-to-lie-here-in/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Good girls don't hurt other people's feelings. Good girls are not overly aggressive, competitive, or boastful. Good girls please others. But what good girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jane-gilman/good-girls-don-t-hurt-other-people-s-feelings-good-girls-are-not/) [Susan Jane Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jane-gilman/) > [The less we show our love to a woman, Or please her less, and neglect our duty, The more we trap and ruin her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/the-less-we-show-our-love-to-a-woman-or-please-her-less-and-neglect/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [Please don't allow anyone to make you feel less than what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/please-don-t-allow-anyone-to-make-you-feel-less-than-what-you-are/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [... even the most sublimely accomplished non-stop talker can't consistently please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/even-the-most-sublimely-accomplished-non-stop-talker-can-t/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [Don't smoke. Don't kill yourselves. Don't maim yourselves. Tell your friends. Please don't smoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-eszterhas/don-t-smoke-don-t-kill-yourselves-don-t-maim-yourselves-tell-your/) [Joe Eszterhas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-eszterhas/) > [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [Many people expect, just as they did then, "those at the top" to make all their decisions for them: Please get us work, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wladyslaw-bartoszewski/many-people-expect-just-as-they-did-then-those-at-the-top-to-make-all/) [Wladyslaw Bartoszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wladyslaw-bartoszewski/) > [ I walked all around it \[the Guggenheim Bilbao\] and couldn't find one clear, clean shot. To make things worse, the weather was lousy. Nothing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-polidori/i-walked-all-around-it-the-guggenheim-bilbao-and-couldn-t-find-one/) [Robert Polidori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-polidori/) > [Say to yourself: 'Living essentially to please others is a monumental mistake.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-robinson/say-to-yourself-living-essentially-to-please-others-is-a-monumental/) [George Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-robinson/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) [Browse all 4,029 Please quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think any president that I worked with has ever said 'pretty please.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert M. 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