What Do We Do Now?: A Workbook for the President-Elect

by Stephen Hess

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The period from Election Day to Inauguration Day in America seems impossibly short. Newly elected U.S. presidents have less than eleven weeks to construct a new government composed of supporters and strangers, hailing from all parts of the nation. This unique and daunting process always involves at least some mistakes--in hiring, perhaps, or in policy priorities, or organizational design. Early blunders can carry serious consequences well into a president's term; minimizing them from the outset is critical. In What Do We Do Now? Stephen Hess draws from his long experience as a White House staffer and presidential adviser to show what can be done to make presidential transitions go smoothly. Here is a workbook to guide future chief executives, decision by decision, through the minefield of transition. You'll have to start at the beginning, settling on a management style and knowing how to ""arrange all the boxes."" Something as seemingly mundane as parceling office space can be consequential--hence the inclusion of a proposed White House organizational chart and floor plans of the West Wing. What qualities are needed for each job, and where are the best candidates for those positions most likely to be found? How can you construct a cabinet that ""looks like America""? What Do We Do Now? is your indispensable guide through the thicket of these decisions. There are small decisions, too. You'll have to pick a desk--photos of the choices are included. Which presidential portraits should hang in the Oval Office? Which ones have previous presidents chosen? And when it comes time to write an inaugural address, what should be the content, theme, and tone? It's all here in the presidential transition workbook--don't leave for Washington without it. This concise volume is sure to be a valuable resource for the president and team of advisers as they attempt to herd cats into an effective government. o W e Do Now? is alsis also a delightful read for anyone int"

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 081573655X
• ISBN13: 9780815736554
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Globe Pequot Publishing Group Inc/Bloomsbury
• Length: 186 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.9" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

A very timely book on the American Presidency

This is an excellent book for this time in American history. Stephen Hess is one of the leading experts on American government. This book is a worthy successor to his book, Organizing the Presidency A lot of people don't realize the massive nature of the process of the Presidential transition in America. There is far more a change, for example, than in most other world governments. The end result, sadly is that some agencies may not get fully staffed for a long time. Contrary to what you might have heard, experience matters. People who are clueless about the ways of Washington are not likely to be very effective although there are certainly roles for them. "Not from Washington" may be a great campaign slogan but it can be a major liability in the real world of politics. It is interesting that President Obama has probably picked more Washington insiders for his cabinet than any other President in spite of running against the Washington establishment. For more on the subject of government management check out my Listmania List on my profile, Public Service and Government Management. This book will help you monitor how well America's new President gets started. You may not agree with everything in the book but in my view this is one of the best if not the best book on the subject it covers.