The White House Staff: Inside the West Wing and Beyond

by Bradley H. Patterson

Book Overview

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Shrouded in anonymity, protected by executive privilege, but with no legal or constitutional authority of their own, the 5,900 people in 125 offices collectively known as the ""White House staff"" assist the chief executive by shaping, focusing, and amplifying presidential policy. Why is the staff so large? How is it organized and what do those 125 offices actually do? In this sequel to his critically appraised 1988 book, Ring of Power, Bradley...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0815769512
• ISBN13: 9780815769514
• Release Date: November 2001
• Publisher: Rlpg/Galleys
• Length: 508 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The White House Staff

profiles the different positions and the impact they have not only in the White House but in the wider community. Very in depth but readable. A must for any political junkie

A great book for the politically minded

I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to find out what its really like to serve as a member of the White House staff as opposed to what may be portrayed on television. This book reveals that most staffers are hardly the fast-quipping, terminally righteous characters from The West Wing but are instead human beings attempting, like all of us, to do the best job possible and all the more admirable for it.Anyway, this is one of the most detailed examinations of the Presidential staff that I've ever read. Each chapter is dedicated to a different part of the White House staff and basically gives a detailed job description which makes clear their sometimes murky duties. Even such often-ignored folks like the White House kitchen staff get notice of their own. Overall, one comes away with a real appreciation for the hundreds of individuals who contribute to keeping this country moving forward. Also filled with anecdotes (many of which I hadn't come across before), this book should definitely be of interest to anyone who follows politics.

A User's Manual for the 21st Century White House

Bradley Patterson has done our democracy a great service. In this captivating book, Patterson offers a comprehensive but fluid explanation of the responsibilities of all the White House offices -- and illuminates the web of interactions between these offices that make the modern White House run like clockwork (most of the time, at least). This book would be useful for anyone entering government service, and it offers valuable insights on the do's and don'ts of White House staff work. After reading this surprisingly insightful book, I was definitely left with a stronger understanding of the presidency. If only we could convince Patterson to write a similar book on all the major departments and agencies of our government, his collected work would probably constitute the most cogent and accessible guide to the Federal government available today.

How the white house works

This book gives a detailed but still readable account of the mechanics of White House (as opposed the the entire executive branch) operations. The author presents an organization chart (not produced by the WH) and what he claims to be the first WH budget. The text is nicely peppered with insider anecdotes.The text starts with the meaty, policy offices and goes all the down to the residence staff.I skipped the seemingly extensive information on the offices of first lady, the VP and the VP's Spouse (the 2nd lady? The vice first lady?). Yes, I am a huge West Wing fan. And Charlie should be be carrying a 6-inch thick three ring binder with the schedules of all four principals with the relevant briefing books.

Encyclopedic yet Engaging

An excellent, encyclopedic account of the modern White House. Patterson manages to give a lively description of how the White House works, while consciously avoiding all but the most serious and relevant topics concerning the White House. A must-read for anyone interested in the administration of the modern White House