--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When an issue is important to Washington…" description: "\"When an issue is important to Washington, U.S. officials figure out what leverage they have and use it as assertively and creatively as they can. They ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/924/tom-malinowski-5887_excuses_when-an-issue-is-important-to-washington_1581708.jpg" --- # When an issue is important to Washington, U.S. officials… ![“When an issue is important to Washington, U.S. officials figure out what leverage they have and use it as assertively and creatively as they can. They don't make excuses.” quote by Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/924/tom-malinowski-5887_excuses_when-an-issue-is-important-to-washington_1581708.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/924/tom-malinowski-5887_excuses_when-an-issue-is-important-to-washington_1581708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/924/tom-malinowski-5887_excuses_when-an-issue-is-important-to-washington_1581708.jpg) > “When an issue is important to Washington, U.S. officials figure out what leverage they have and use it as assertively and creatively as they can. They don't make excuses.” [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. U.S. officials aggressively leverage any important issue without making excuses. **In simple terms:** Officials use all leverage on important matters. Key Takeaway Identify and use all available leverage in negotiations. Themes politics strategy assertiveness Mood strategic analytical Type political pragmatic When to use this quote - international negotiations - legislative battles - crisis management Key Concepts Power dynamics policy implementation Questions to Reflect On - What leverage do you have in your current challenge? - When might restraint be wiser? A Different Perspective Over‑assertiveness can damage relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assertively Creatively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assertively-creatively-5976722/) [Excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) [Figure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figure/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-washington-1018539/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Officials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officials/) [Officials Figure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officials-figure-5976723/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Washington Officials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/washington-officials-4374800/) ## Related quotes > [In Washington, officials from the National Rifle Association met with a group of high school students. There were no survivors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/in-washington-officials-from-the-national-rifle-association-met-with/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [I'll go anywhere and I'll do whatever it takes to get this done. It's too important for Washington to screw this up. Now's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-ll-go-anywhere-and-i-ll-do-whatever-it-takes-to-get-this-done-it-s/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Your explanation is good, but your herring doesn't fry, as we say in Ramaldah," he exploded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ashling/your-explanation-is-good-but-your-herring-doesn-t-fry-as-we-say-in/) [Andrew Ashling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ashling/) > [“If they want to be in your life, they'll find a way to be in your life. Otherwise they'll find excuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hale/if-they-want-to-be-in-your-life-they-ll-find-a-way-to-be-in-your-life/) [Mandy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hale/) > [I will never attempt to even begin to make excuses for what I did in football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-storey/i-will-never-attempt-to-even-begin-to-make-excuses-for-what-i-did-in/) [Peter Storey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-storey/) > [Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/excuses-are-the-nails-used-to-build-a-house-of-failure/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [Excuses cost a dime and that's why the poor could afford a lot of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/excuses-cost-a-dime-and-that-s-why-the-poor-could-afford-a-lot-of-it/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [It is impossible to need excuses when the focus of your life shifts from 'What's in it for me?' to 'How can I serve?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-is-impossible-to-need-excuses-when-the-focus-of-your-life-shifts/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [I'm not a sympathetic guy when I see people throwing their lives away and using their life's obstacles as excuses to fail. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabo-swinney/i-m-not-a-sympathetic-guy-when-i-see-people-throwing-their-lives-away/) [Dabo Swinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabo-swinney/) > [The only thing stopping you from getting it done is your excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/the-only-thing-stopping-you-from-getting-it-done-is-your-excuses/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Existence of emotions also are nothing without excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/existence-of-emotions-also-are-nothing-without-excuses/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Most people don't reach their goals because reaching their goals requires them to do things that they don't want to do. You might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-don-t-reach-their-goals-because-reaching-their-goals/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Sometimes you don't need to hear their excuses or what they have to say for themselves because their actions already spoke the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany/sometimes-you-don-t-need-to-hear-their-excuses-or-what-they-have-to/) [Brittany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany/) > [I wasn't a bad kid. My dad left when I was young, so I didn't have much discipline, not that I'm making excuses. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-dyer/i-wasn-t-a-bad-kid-my-dad-left-when-i-was-young-so-i-didn-t-have-much/) [Danny Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-dyer/) > [You will find that the more successful the individual, the less inclined he is to make excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-joseph-schwartz/you-will-find-that-the-more-successful-the-individual-the-less/) [David Joseph Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-joseph-schwartz/) ## More by Tom Malinowski > [Ever since the end of the Cold War, it has been our paramount interest in Europe to strengthen NATO and to extend it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/ever-since-the-end-of-the-cold-war-it-has-been-our-paramount-interest/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Arresting opposition leaders and restricting civil society will not stop people from protesting, but it can create leaderless movements that leave no one with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/arresting-opposition-leaders-and-restricting-civil-society-will-not/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Let's face it: much of what we truly value in life is rooted in our experience of repression and conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/let-s-face-it-much-of-what-we-truly-value-in-life-is-rooted-in-our/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Kim Jong Un, like all totalitarian leaders, wants above all to ensure his survival. He is convinced that a nuclear strike capability is necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/kim-jong-un-like-all-totalitarian-leaders-wants-above-all-to-ensure/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [I haven't met a single person, Republican or Democrat, who thinks it's just fine for members of Congress to sit on the boards of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/i-haven-t-met-a-single-person-republican-or-democrat-who-thinks-it-s/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Words matter. Words can be a fire to the gasoline of disturbed minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/words-matter-words-can-be-a-fire-to-the-gasoline-of-disturbed-minds/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [The rule of law that China's dissidents ask for is important to U.S. businesses investing in China as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/the-rule-of-law-that-china-s-dissidents-ask-for-is-important-to-u-s/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [We already ban foreign donations to political candidates, and we should strengthen that ban with closer scrutiny of credit card donations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/we-already-ban-foreign-donations-to-political-candidates-and-we/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Protecting those with pre-existing conditions was one of the greatest health care reforms in our country's history and must be protected at all costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/protecting-those-with-pre-existing-conditions-was-one-of-the-greatest/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [As a former Assistant Secretary of State, Senior Director on the National Security Council, and Washington Director for Human Rights Watch, I hope to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/as-a-former-assistant-secretary-of-state-senior-director-on-the/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Putin interfered in our election because he wanted an American president who sees the world as he does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/putin-interfered-in-our-election-because-he-wanted-an-american/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [The House Foreign Affairs Committee can and should become the principal institution in Washington exercising foreign policy oversight and serving as an alternative voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/the-house-foreign-affairs-committee-can-and-should-become-the/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [In a totalitarian state like North Korea, a group of neighbors gathering once a week to watch the latest episode of a forbidden soap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/in-a-totalitarian-state-like-north-korea-a-group-of-neighbors/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [In America, we have holidays and monuments that celebrate heroes from our past, most of whom have legacies that are settled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/in-america-we-have-holidays-and-monuments-that-celebrate-heroes-from/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [By the time I joined the Obama administration in 2014, it was widely expected that the president of the United States would raise human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/by-the-time-i-joined-the-obama-administration-in-2014-it-was-widely/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) [Explore all 100 Tom Malinowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) ## More Excuses quotes > [You will find that the more successful the individual, the less inclined he is to make excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-joseph-schwartz/you-will-find-that-the-more-successful-the-individual-the-less/) [David Joseph Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-joseph-schwartz/) > [I wasn't a bad kid. My dad left when I was young, so I didn't have much discipline, not that I'm making excuses. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-dyer/i-wasn-t-a-bad-kid-my-dad-left-when-i-was-young-so-i-didn-t-have-much/) [Danny Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-dyer/) > [Sometimes you don't need to hear their excuses or what they have to say for themselves because their actions already spoke the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany/sometimes-you-don-t-need-to-hear-their-excuses-or-what-they-have-to/) [Brittany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany/) > [Most people don't reach their goals because reaching their goals requires them to do things that they don't want to do. You might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/most-people-don-t-reach-their-goals-because-reaching-their-goals/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Existence of emotions also are nothing without excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/existence-of-emotions-also-are-nothing-without-excuses/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [The only thing stopping you from getting it done is your excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/the-only-thing-stopping-you-from-getting-it-done-is-your-excuses/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I'm not a sympathetic guy when I see people throwing their lives away and using their life's obstacles as excuses to fail. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabo-swinney/i-m-not-a-sympathetic-guy-when-i-see-people-throwing-their-lives-away/) [Dabo Swinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabo-swinney/) > [It is impossible to need excuses when the focus of your life shifts from 'What's in it for me?' to 'How can I serve?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-is-impossible-to-need-excuses-when-the-focus-of-your-life-shifts/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Excuses cost a dime and that's why the poor could afford a lot of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/excuses-cost-a-dime-and-that-s-why-the-poor-could-afford-a-lot-of-it/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/excuses-are-the-nails-used-to-build-a-house-of-failure/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [I will never attempt to even begin to make excuses for what I did in football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-storey/i-will-never-attempt-to-even-begin-to-make-excuses-for-what-i-did-in/) [Peter Storey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-storey/) > [“If they want to be in your life, they'll find a way to be in your life. Otherwise they'll find excuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hale/if-they-want-to-be-in-your-life-they-ll-find-a-way-to-be-in-your-life/) [Mandy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hale/) > [“Your explanation is good, but your herring doesn't fry, as we say in Ramaldah," he exploded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ashling/your-explanation-is-good-but-your-herring-doesn-t-fry-as-we-say-in/) [Andrew Ashling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ashling/) > [“To recklessly excuse a failure is to believe that I’ve effectively erased it from the story of my life, when I’ve actually imprinted it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-recklessly-excuse-a-failure-is-to-believe-that-i-ve-effectively/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“I’ve got to stop this. Stop worrying about the why. Stop forcing what was happening into the realm of impossible. Stop hiding behind excuses.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deatri-king-bey/i-ve-got-to-stop-this-stop-worrying-about-the-why-stop-forcing-what/) [Deatri King-Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deatri-king-bey/) [Browse all 1,069 Excuses quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When an issue is important to Washington, U.S. officials figure out what leverage they have and use it as assertively and creatively as they can. 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