---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would say it's more important who the…"
description: "\"I would say it's more important who the treasury secretary is than who the vice president is. If you want to have a debate here, I'd like a debate betw..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/warren-buffett-183_debate_i-would-say-it-s-more-important-who-the_3236530.jpg"
---

#  I would say it's more important who the treasury secretary…

![“I would say it's more important who the treasury secretary is than who the vice president is. If you want to have a debate here, I'd like a debate between potential treasury secretaries than the vice presidential debate.” quote by Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/warren-buffett-183_debate_i-would-say-it-s-more-important-who-the_3236530.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/warren-buffett-183_debate_i-would-say-it-s-more-important-who-the_3236530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/warren-buffett-183_debate_i-would-say-it-s-more-important-who-the_3236530.jpg)

> “I would say it's more important who the treasury secretary is than who the vice president is. If you want to have a debate here, I'd like a debate between potential treasury secretaries than the vice presidential debate.”

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The influence of the Treasury Secretary outweighs that of the Vice President in economic policy decisions.

**In simple terms:** Treasury matters more than VP.

Key Takeaway

Focus on fiscal leadership.

Themes

economics politics leadership

Mood

analytical serious

Type

political economic

When to use this quote

- budget planning
- investment strategy
- legislative negotiations

Key Concepts

policy impact financial markets government hierarchy

Questions to Reflect On

- How does fiscal policy shape daily life?
- What role should the VP play in economic crises?

A Different Perspective

Vice President still holds symbolic power.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Presidential debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential-debate/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/)

## Related quotes

> [If I were the treasury secretary or head of the Fed, you know, I would try to scare the hell the out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/if-i-were-the-treasury-secretary-or-head-of-the-fed-you-know-i-would/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [It makes a difference who the treasury secretary is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/it-makes-a-difference-who-the-treasury-secretary-is/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro made history by participating in the first male-on-female vice presidential debate against George H. W. Bush. What should have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/in-1984-geraldine-ferraro-made-history-by-participating-in-the-first/)

[Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/)

> [Traditionally vice presidential debates don't move the needle one way or the other. They have largely been irrelevant and inconsequential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/traditionally-vice-presidential-debates-don-t-move-the-needle-one-way/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [As treasury secretary, I don't see it as my role commenting on the dollar in short-term movements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mnuchin/as-treasury-secretary-i-don-t-see-it-as-my-role-commenting-on-the/)

[Steve Mnuchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mnuchin/)

> [Hank Paulson, the happy capitalist warrior who spent his life pursuing and defending free markets, is now the biggest interventionist Treasury secretary we've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/hank-paulson-the-happy-capitalist-warrior-who-spent-his-life-pursuing/)

[Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/)

> [I'm not just equality minister I am also a Treasury secretary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemi-badenoch/i-m-not-just-equality-minister-i-am-also-a-treasury-secretary/)

[Kemi Badenoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemi-badenoch/)

> [The president-elect Donald Trump moved a bit closer to getting his Cabinet in place with another round of confirmation hearings. The most contentious was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/the-president-elect-donald-trump-moved-a-bit-closer-to-getting-his/)

[Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/)

> [Since I was first nominated to serve as Treasury Secretary, I have been maligned as taking advantage of others' hardships in order to earn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mnuchin/since-i-was-first-nominated-to-serve-as-treasury-secretary-i-have/)

[Steve Mnuchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mnuchin/)

> [The idea of being Treasury secretary in the abstract appealed to me, but my initial inclination was that it wasn't right for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/the-idea-of-being-treasury-secretary-in-the-abstract-appealed-to-me/)

[Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/)

> [A Treasury Secretary or a President should be out here not fighting S&amp;P, not grabbing the other coach and slapping him around, taking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santelli/a-treasury-secretary-or-a-president-should-be-out-here-not-fighting-s/)

[Rick Santelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santelli/)

> [The 'Women on 20s' movement hopes to put pressure on President Obama to change U.S. currency, though it's ultimately up to the Treasury Secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hallie-jackson/the-women-on-20s-movement-hopes-to-put-pressure-on-president-obama-to/)

[Hallie Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hallie-jackson/)

> [It doesn't surprise me at all that a Treasury secretary would find a decentralized potential currency... to be hostile to a currency that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/it-doesn-t-surprise-me-at-all-that-a-treasury-secretary-would-find-a/)

[Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/)

> [It is about something personal and specific, because when the John McCain campaign in 2008 decided to elevate Sarah Palin from total obscurity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/it-is-about-something-personal-and-specific-because-when-the-john/)

[Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/)

> [I am the first to admit that were I not a woman, I would not have been the vice-presidential nominee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/i-am-the-first-to-admit-that-were-i-not-a-woman-i-would-not-have-been/)

[Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/)

## More by Warren Buffett

> [To invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. What's needed is a sound intellectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/to-invest-successfully-over-a-lifetime-does-not-require-a/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [“Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/be-fearful-when-others-are-greedy-and-be-greedy-when-others-are/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [Making money isn't the backbone of our guiding purpose; it is the by-product of our guiding purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/making-money-isn-t-the-backbone-of-our-guiding-purpose-it-is-the-by/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [We set no volume goals in our insurance business generally-and certainly not in reinsurance-as virtually any volume can be achieved if profitability standards are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-set-no-volume-goals-in-our-insurance-business-generally-and/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [Everybody's got a different circle of competence. The important thing is not how big the circle is. The important thing is staying inside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/everybody-s-got-a-different-circle-of-competence-the-important-thing/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [It is better to point out your own mistakes than have somebody else do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/it-is-better-to-point-out-your-own-mistakes-than-have-somebody-else/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [I've read about all the sales today. If you're an auto dealer, you're feeling it. If you're a furniture retailer like we are, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-ve-read-about-all-the-sales-today-if-you-re-an-auto-dealer-you-re/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [I was lucky enough to be born in a time and place where society values my talent, and gave me a good education to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-was-lucky-enough-to-be-born-in-a-time-and-place-where-society/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [The most common cause of low prices is pessimism - some times pervasive, some times specific to a company or industry. We want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-common-cause-of-low-prices-is-pessimism-some-times-pervasive/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [The reaction of weak management to weak operations is often weak accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-reaction-of-weak-management-to-weak-operations-is-often-weak/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [What you really want to do in investments is figure out what's important and knowable. If it's unimportant or unknowable you forget about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/what-you-really-want-to-do-in-investments-is-figure-out-what-s/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [I don't measure my life by the money I've made. Other people might, but certainly don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-don-t-measure-my-life-by-the-money-i-ve-made-other-people-might-but/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [I mean the truth is, I've never had it so good in terms of taxes. I am paying the lowest tax rate that I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-mean-the-truth-is-i-ve-never-had-it-so-good-in-terms-of-taxes-i-am/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-important-quality-for-an-investor-is-temperament-not/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [Investors, of course, can, by their own behavior make stock ownership highly risky. And many do. Active trading, attempts to "time" market movements, inadequate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/investors-of-course-can-by-their-own-behavior-make-stock-ownership/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

[Explore all 984 Warren Buffett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

## More Debate quotes

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [One of the undervalued contributors to Trump's stunning 2016 victory was the masterful performance Pence had in his debate against Hillary Clinton running mate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mollie-hemingway/one-of-the-undervalued-contributors-to-trump-s-stunning-2016-victory/)

[Mollie Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mollie-hemingway/)

> [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/)

[Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/)

> [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/)

[George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/)

> [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/)

[Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/)

> [There can be a debate on the Citizenship Amendment Act, but why should we shelter someone who has come to India illegally from outside?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-thackeray/there-can-be-a-debate-on-the-citizenship-amendment-act-but-why-should/)

[Raj Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-thackeray/)

> [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/)

Joe Pitts

> [Grace is ours. Let's live it! Deny it or debate it and we kill it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/grace-is-ours-let-s-live-it-deny-it-or-debate-it-and-we-kill-it/)

[Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/)

> [As far as I know, the question of whether and how it could be strategically or morally justified was never the subject of open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-far-as-i-know-the-question-of-whether-and-how-it-could-be/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/)

Sheila Kamerman

> [The premise of any discussion I have is not to debate my humanity. I refuse to engage on that level. It makes for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torrey-peters/the-premise-of-any-discussion-i-have-is-not-to-debate-my-humanity-i/)

[Torrey Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torrey-peters/)

> [It is important to allow a broad debate on energy and climate. We must urgently explore realistic ways to address the different scientific, technical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennart-bengtsson/it-is-important-to-allow-a-broad-debate-on-energy-and-climate-we-must/)

Lennart Bengtsson

> [“I know quite well why I became a historian… It was because dissension was frowned upon when I was a child: 'Don't argue, Claudia,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/i-know-quite-well-why-i-became-a-historian-it-was-because-dissension/)

[Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/)

> [A little tough talk in the midst of a campaign or as part of a presidential debate cannot obscure a record of 30 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/a-little-tough-talk-in-the-midst-of-a-campaign-or-as-part-of-a/)

[Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/)

> [ \[James\] Madison pointed out in the discussion of the constitutional debates - the constitutional convention - that democracy would be a danger. He used… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/james-madison-pointed-out-in-the-discussion-of-the-constitutional/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

[Browse all 2,322 Debate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I would say it's more important who the treasury secretary is than who the vice president is. If you want to have a debate here, I'd like a debate between potential treasury secretaries than the vice presidential debate.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Warren Buffett"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-would-say-it-s-more-important-who-the-treasury-secretary-is-than/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Debate"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-would-say-it-s-more-important-who-the-treasury-secretary-is-than/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/warren-buffett-183_debate_i-would-say-it-s-more-important-who-the_3236530.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/warren-buffett-183_debate_i-would-say-it-s-more-important-who-the_3236530.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/warren-buffett-183_debate_i-would-say-it-s-more-important-who-the_3236530.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I would say it's more important who the treasury secretary is than who the vice president is. If you want to…” — Warren Buffett",
                "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": "Warren Buffett",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I would say it's more important...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-would-say-it-s-more-important-who-the-treasury-secretary-is-than/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-would-say-it-s-more-important-who-the-treasury-secretary-is-than/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
