Presidential Transition

“Since outgoing President George Washington first relinquished his office to incoming President John Adams in 1797, this peaceful transition, symbolizing both continuity and change, has demonstrated the stability of our system of government. Aside from the symbolic transfer of power, an orderly transition from the outgoing Administration to the incoming Administration is essential to ensure continuity in the working affairs of government.”

Presidential Transitions by the Congressional Research Service

Barack Obama

• Blueprint for change: Obama and Biden's plan for America
• Office of the President-Elect
• Obama Biden campaign
• Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States
• Biographical info from America.gov
• Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress entry

U.S. Government information

White House

• Transition: in focus
• Fact Sheet: Ensuring a Smooth and Effective Presidential Transition (28 Oct. 2008)
• Executive order: facilitation of a presidential transition (9 Oct. 2008)

Websites

• U.S. General Services Administration and U.S. National Archives & Records Administration: 2008-2009 Presidential transition resources [online directory]
• U.S. General Services Administration: Presidential transition
• U.S. General Services Administration: Presidential transition
• U.S. Government Accountability Office: 2009 Congressional and presidential transition

Documents

• Fact sheet: Justice Department transition activities (6 Nov. 2008)
• Fact sheet: the Department of Energy and transition 2008: press release (6 Nov. 2008)
• Foreign policy and the next president: FPC briefing by Stephen Flanagan (4 Nov. 2008)
• Keeping the nation safe through the presidential transition: hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs(18 Sept. 2008)
• The plum book (United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions) (Nov. 2008 Edition)
• Presidential transition guide to federal human resources management by U.S. Office of Personnel Management (June 2008)
• Presidential transitions: issues involving outgoing and incoming administrations by the Congressional Research Service (23 Oct. 2008)
• Report of the Administration Transition Task Force by the Homeland Security Council, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security (Jan. 2008)
• A resource for the presidential transition by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (Nov. 2008)
• Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on the Department’s transition efforts (6 Nov. 2008)
• Statement by HUD Secretary Steve Preston on transition efforts (6 Nov. 2008)
• Submission of the president's budget in transition years by the Congressional Research Service (15 Sept. 2008)
• The upcoming transition: GAO's efforts to assist the 111th Congress and the next administration (10 Sept. 2008)
• 2008-2009 Presidential transitions: national security considerations and options by the Congressional Research Service (21 April 2008)

Other information

Websites

Brookings Institution: The presidential transition

This think tank has identified 12 big issues the new administration will face and, between now and Inauguration Day, will examine these challenges with public discussions, memos to the president-elect, and a weekly podcast.

Council for Excellence in Government: Presidential transition

The council, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that works to improve the performance of government at all levels, offers its views on the transition.

IBM Center for the Business of Government: The presidential transition: a weblog

The IBM Center launched this blog in April 2007 to spark a dialogue on the 2008-2009 presidential transition and to identify the toughest management challenges facing future government leaders.

Partnership for Public Service: Presidential management initiative

The non-partisan Partnership for Public Service offers recommendations for the transition and establishes a framework for effective management in the next administration.

White House Transition Project

This transition initiative attempts to bridge the gap between the partisan forces engaged in settling elections and the decision processes essential to governing by providing non-partisan information about the challenges of the transition and strategies for overcoming them.

Documents

• Addressing the 2009 presidential transition at the Department of Homeland Security by the National Academy of Public Administration (June 2008)
• [Links to] Presidential transition studies
• Presidential transitions and foreign policy by Toni Johnson, Council on Foreign Relations (4 Nov. 2008)