And they said that the Obama administration, mindful of political minefields, tended to tread lightly in situations that called for challenging the status quo, frustrating supporters and inflaming critics in almost equal measure.
The Obama administration, mindful of tight federal budgets, has yet to give the green light on the lander missions, scheduled for 2016 and 2018, and is considering canceling them.
The Clinton administration, mindful of Silicon Valley's political contributions and organized labor's political muscle, has signaled that it favors increasing the number of high-technology visas, but not those for unskilled workers.
But it has cheered environmental groups that have been contending that the Bush administration, mindful of three critical electoral votes Republicans won here in the close 2000 presidential election, has rewarded the coal industry with job appointments and policy accommodations.
The Obama administration, mindful of borrowers' difficulty in repaying their federal student loans, has been promoting repayment plans that cap monthly payments relative to income.
He's been mindful since the Johnson administration, for five decades, long before mindfulness was a movement, a mantra, a mayonnaise.
A Labor Department spokesman, David James, said the administration was mindful of the farmers' concerns.
But Fabrizio Pagani, economic adviser to both Mr Letta's and Mr Renzi's governments, says the administration is mindful of past mistakes.Before any sales go ahead, nominations are due for hundreds of management posts in state-controlled firms.
In deciding to urge Mr. Wagoner to step down, the Obama administration seemed mindful of the public's growing outrage over bailouts of private companies, as well as the bonuses paid to employees of A.I.G.
The administration is mindful that a neighboring former Soviet republic, Uzbekistan, closed an American military facility there after American officials condemned an attack by the security forces in 2005 that killed hundreds of people.
Several society leaders said they were mindful that the Bush administration had gotten into trouble by considering applicants' affiliations with ideological groups like the Federalist Society when hiring for nonpartisan positions.
