Every Press Secretary Faces An Enormous Amount

While Eschewing Emotion - And Its Companion, Vulnerability - Obama Should Be Careful Not To Sacrifice Empathy, The 'i Feel Your Pain' Connection That Sustained Clinton. This Connection Is The Shorthand People Use To Measure Their Leaders' Intentions. If People Believe You're On Their Side, They Will Trust Your Decisions.

When I Became White House Press Secretary, There Were Other Limitations That Were Thrust Upon Me. Bill Clinton Was Under Pressure To Appoint Women To Visible Positions. I Was 31, I'd Never Worked In Washington. Was I Ready For This Large And Visible Job? Still He Wanted The Credit. So He Gave Me The Job But Diminished The Job.

I Think A Lot Of Presidents Learn To Be President By Being President.

The Press Never Accepts At Face Value That The President Is Taking A Certain Action Because He Wants To Create Jobs Or Because He Believes That It Is In The Best Interests Of The American People Or That He Is Genuinely Committed To Making Life Better For People.

During My Years As A Press Secretary, I Developed A Powerful Internal Filter, Which Worked To Strip All Things 'off Message' From My Thoughts Before They Came Out Of My Mouth. It Didn't Always Work, Of Course, And I Said More Than A Few Things I Regretted.