If President Obama is re-elected, one can expect to see substantial re-tooling of his Administration.  If voters elect a new president, he or she must make effective use of the time between Election Day and Inauguration Day so as to "hit the ground running."

Transition Version One: Re-tooling

After the excitement of Election Night, it is time to turn attention to governing.  If President Obama runs again and is re-elected, one can look to President George W. Bush's 2004-05 transition and President Bill Clinton's 1996-97 transition for clues as to what.might happen in this period.  Both examples point to substantial re-tooling.

Following the 2004 election President Bush moved quickly and decisively to re-shape his Cabinet, accepting resignations from nine department secretaries in little more than one month.  Bush nominated people already serving in the administration to fill most of these positions.  However there was one botched nomination; Bush's first choice to replace Tom Ridge at Homeland Security, Bernard Kerik, pulled his name from consideration amid controversy.  Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld retained the President's support despite statements from some Senators expressing a lack of confidence.

During the transition, Bush made it clear that he intended to tackle big issues in his second term.  On December 15 and 16 he convened an economic summit in Washington, DC where he emphasized his determination to address the nation's economic challenges.  The conference included six panels: State of Our Economy, Tax and Regulatory Burdens, The High Costs of Lawsuit Abuse, Making Healthcare More Affordable, Financial Challenges for Today and Tomorrow, and Preparing for the Jobs of the 21st Century.

Following the 1996 election, President Clinton accepted resignations of seven department secretaries as well as White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta and Senior Policy Advisor George Stephanopoulos.

Transition Version Two: Hit the Ground Running

Major party candidates for president begin transition planning during the latter part of the campaign (in 2008 John Podesta started working on Obama's efforts in early August).  If Obama is defeated, the new president-elect and his transition team must make effective use of the time between Election Day and the Inauguration so as to "hit the ground running."  Amid euphoria and exhaustion, responsibility looms.  Expectations are high.  The one-time candidate must assume a "presidential aura."  

Charles Jones, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, has an interesting way of describing the process.  He notes that the campaign is centered around one person, the candidate.  After the campaign, the challenge is "attaching that person to the government."  The transition requires skilled management.  A certain amount of tension in this period is inevitable.  People who have worked hard on the campaign now see others being brought in to manage the transition.  There is much jockeying for position, various constituencies make their cases, and resumes proliferate.

The transition is not only the beginning of a new administration, but the end of an old one.  Handing over the reins of power requires considerable preparation on the side of the outgoing administration.  The new team must be briefed; records must be boxed and filed.  During its waning days, the outgoing administration will also endeavor to get as much done as possible, attempting to produce some last accomplishments to add to its legacy and making a final round of appointments, executive orders, regulations, and pardons.

With assistance from the General Services Administration, the transition sets up in an office in downtown DC.  Obama-Biden Transition Project, which was organized as a 501(c)(4), ultimately had a staff of over 300.  In the transition office the focus is on the nitty gritty of building a new administration.  Careful attention is given to selecting sub-cabinet personnel, learning about the pending issues in various agencies, and figuring out what policy initiatives to advance.  On the Obama-Biden Transition agency review teams worked with designated officials in federal government departments and agencies "to make strategic policy, budgetary, and personnel decisions prior to the inauguration" while policy working groups developed policies and plans in seven broad areas: economy, education, energy and environment, health care, immigration, national security, and technology, innovation and government reform.  Myriad sub-Cabinet posts must be filled, including deputy secretaries and agency heads.  The White House staff also takes shape.  There is no shortage of aspirants for positions in the administration; the transition office will receive tens of thousands of resumes.  Every manner of interest group and a large number of interested individuals weigh in on policies and priorities for the new administration.

Meanwhile, there is much speculation in the media about possible Cabinet picks, and it is the president-elect's Cabinet selections that make headlines.  Typically Secretary of State or Secretary of Treasury nominees are the first named.  Care must be taken to avoid early flaps which can undercut the fledgling administration's effectiveness and support.  Although vetting is intense, there are often a few miscues, meaning there may be a nominee or two who ends up withdrawing from consideration.  In due time Senate confirmation hearings of Cabinet nominees begin in relevant committees.  Each nominee will have a team to guide him or her through the confirmation process; there are policy, legal, press and congressional affairs aspects to consider.  Traditionally the Senate will not block a nominee unless he or she has ethical problems or is not qualified.  

The First 100 Days

Much attention is given to the first 100 days. One hundred is a nice round mumber, but arbitrary. The original first 100 days refers to the start of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's tenure in 1933 during the Great Depression. (+), and the 100 days continues to be used as a convenient marker to measure a president's early progress.  Just as one cannot judge how a runner will perform in a marathon from the first two miles, one should not draw too many conclusions about a term of 1,461 days from the first 100 days.  Six months provides a better marker.  Nonetheless the early actions of a new adminstration are fraught with symbolism and can give a sense of how it will operate. 

The beginning of any administration is a time of many firsts.  There is the President's first official act, his or her first full day in office,  his first formal interview as President, his first trip to Capitol Hill, his first trip to the Pentagon as commander-in-chief, his first piece of legislation signed, his first news conference as President, his first trip overseas as President, his first meeting with a foreign leader at the White House, his first Cabinet meeting, his first State Dinner and so forth.  [2008 | 2000]

The Parties Recalibrate

Typically the leadership of both national party committees changes after a presidential election.  The president or president-elect will select the chairman of his or her party.  For the losing side, a number of hopefuls compete to rebuild the party and move it beyond its recent defeat.

Note.
1. In April 2010 several Senators introduced Pre-Election Presidential Transition Act of 2010 (S.3196).  Press Release