Presidential Transitions in the United States

From George Washington to Barack Obama

Nov 11, 2008 David J. Shestokas

The transfer of executive authority from George Washington to John Adams in 1797 amazed the world. The peaceful revolution continues with George Bush and Barack Obama.

The American marvel that is the Constitution provides no guidance on the way the reins of government are handed from one President to the next. The only real statement in the Constitution is the term of office from noon on January 20th to noon four years later. As the United States has grown in complexity, so has the transition process.

The Early Transitions: Washington to Adams to Jefferson

The first transition from Washington to Adams, while peaceful, had its practical problems. Washington had left his servants in charge of the transition. Washington left the president’s house two weeks before Adams moved in. The Washington servants had a number of parties before Adams arrived. Furnishings were wrecked and most silverware and china were gone. Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, on March 22: "There is not a chair to sit in. The beds and bedding are in a woeful pickle. This house has been a scene of the most scandalous drinking and disorder among the servants that I ever heard of.”

The second transition, from John Adams to Thomas Jefferson was the first after political parties had truly developed in America. Though Adams handed over power, he exercised his presidential authority until the very last day. He made a series of judicial appointments so that the judiciary would be filled with judges sharing his views. Jefferson attempted to undo the appointments resulting in a court case that defined the role of the Supreme Court to the current time, Marbury v. Madison.

Transition Cooperation Hampered by Politics

While transitions have been peaceful, some have been less than cooperative, sometimes for personal or political reasons. Franklin Roosevelt rebuffed Herbert Hoover’s efforts to present a joint effort regarding stabilizing the country in the midst of the Depression. Roosevelt wanted no association at all with Hoover. Ronald Reagan had campaigned vigorously regarding the failures of the Jimmy Carter administration, and Carter had been hampered by the American hostages in Iran, who were released 20 minutes after Reagan took the oath of office. Politics affects transitions.

A Large Federal Government, a Big Transition Job

An incoming president must form a government and be ready to work on January 20th. There are the important staff appointments beginning with the Chief of Staff. There are the Cabinet posts and sub-cabinet posts. There are nearly 7,000 jobs to fill. More than 1,000 require approval by the United States Senate. These newcomers need FBI background checks and various levels of security clearance.

The outgoing staff needs to meet with the incoming staff. Incoming office holders need to be briefed on matters of state by the outgoing office holders. America benefits when the work is cooperative.

The Presidential Transition Acts of 1963 and 2000 established the responsibilities of the General Services Administration (GSA) in the process. The GSA arranges temporary office space and supplies for both the incoming and outgoing administrations. Prior to those acts, transitions were primarily funded by political parties and private donations. By 1976 the authorization for transition expenses was $3,000,000. The budget request for the transition between Bush and Obama was $8,500.000.

First Meeting of Obama and Bush

Despite the fact that Senator Obama ran a campaign targeting the failed policies of the Bush Administration, President Bush has pledged his full cooperation and that of his staff in the transition. The first substantive meeting at the White House on November 10, 2008 would appear to bode well for the American people in setting the tone for the peaceful exchange of executive authority that has become a hallmark of American democracy.

The copyright of the article Presidential Transitions in the United States in American Affairs is owned by David J. Shestokas. Permission to republish Presidential Transitions in the United States in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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