PresidentialelectionsmeanbigchangesformanyworkersintheexecutivebranchoftheU.S.government.
In1992,GeorgeBushwasnotre-elected.So,DorranceSmithhadtodecidewhattodowhenhelefttheWhiteHouseinJanuary.
Thesameyear,DemocraticCongressionalofficialJohnAngellwasmovingtotheWhiteHouse.Hisboss,LeonPanetta,hadbeennamedheadoftheWhiteHousebudgetoffice.
Angellexplains,afterthepresident’sinaugurationspeechandparadeareover,hewalksintotheOvalOfficeoftheWhiteHouse.Thenheisinchargeofoneoftheworld’slargestorganizations.
“Youdon'tknowwhat'sgoingtohappenthatafternoon.Thenextmorningtherecouldbeafinancialcrisis.Therecouldbeaforeignpolicycrisis.So,youreallyhavetobeupandrunningisthephrase.OnJanuary21st.”
ForAngell,gettingreadyforthatdaymeantmanymeetingsinWashingtontoprepareanewbudgetfortheClintonpresidency.ItalsomeantflyingdowntoArkansasinaprivatejettomeetwiththenPresident-ElectBillClinton.
Itisa“verystressfulprocess”hesays.Asagovernmentofficialwithmanyyearsofexperience,bothinCongressandtheWhiteHouse,AngellsayshethinksTrumpisfacingaverydifficulttransition.Thatisbecauseofhislacktogovernmentexperience.
AngellsayspreparingabudgetatthebeginningoftheClintonpresidencywasaverydifficultexperience.
“Andwewereworking18hoursaday,andthrowingtogethertwoorthreemeetingsadayforthepresidentandtheteam.Andithadtobedoneveryquicklyandintheendtheworstthingwasyoudidn'twanttofail.Becauseyou'dbefailingatalevelyou'veneverfailedatbefore.”
AsaformertopCongressionalofficial,AngellsaysTrumpfaceshardchoicesaboutcuttinggovernmentandcuttingprogramsthatarepopularwithAmericans.TrumpwillbeworkingwithaRepublicanCongress.Somememberswillhavetheirownideasofwhattocut,andwhattokeep.
DorranceSmithgivesafunnyexampleofhowthesethingscanwork.
Afterlosingthe1992election,PresidentBush’sadministrationwantedtocuttheyearly“pardoning”ofaliveturkeyatThanksgivingtimeinNovember.Intheceremony,thepresidentappearswitharealturkeyattheWhiteHouseandsaystheturkeywillbepardoned—notkilledforameal.
Butwhentheytooktheeventoffthepresident’sschedule,theywereinforasurprise.SmithsaysTheWhiteHousewas“swamped”byturkeyindustrysupportersdemandingthatthepardonceremonycontinue.
“Iguesstherearealotofturkeysinalotofcongressionaldistrictswithaverystronglobbybecausewehadtoputitbackon.Andthelameduckpresidenthadtogopardontheturkeyonemoretime.”
Whatwillhappennextinthecurrentpresidentialtransitionishardtopredict.SmithsaysTrump’scampaignandelection“blewupallofthemodels.”
TheTrumptransitionteamwillworkonfillingthose4,000jobs.TheirnewadministrationwillneedtobereadyforwhateverhappensonJanuary21,thefirstfulldayoftheTrumppresidency.
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