The Executive - Executive Office Flashcards

1
Q

White House Office:

  • Part of the Executive Office
  • Includes the President’s most trusted aides and advisers
  • Consists of over ____ offices
  • Members of White House Office meant to act as ‘honest brokers’, not policy makers
A

30

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2
Q

What are the roles of the White House Office

A
  • Liaison between the White House and the federal bureaucracy
  • Liaison between the White House and Congress
  • Administrator to the President
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3
Q

Which office is liaison between the White House and Congress is the sole responsibility of

A

Office of Legislative Affairs

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4
Q

What roles need to be fulfilled as administrator to the President

A
Senior members of White House:
Draw up president's daily schedule
Ensure decisions made at an orderly fashion
Screen phone calls to President
Filter paperwork for President
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5
Q

What does the White House Chief of Staff do

A
  • In charge of running White House Office
  • Provide advice and administrative support for President on daily basis
  • Never far from President
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6
Q

What makes a bad chief of staff + example

A

John Sununu (G. H. W. Bush)

  • Fired after criticism he was pursuing own conservative policy agenda
  • Overwhelmed due to lack of Washington experience
  • Thomas McLarty
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7
Q

What makes a good Chief of Staff

A

Seeks President’s best interests

Protects president from political harm (Cheney, ‘He takes the credit, I take the blame’(about Ford))

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8
Q

Pros of Obama’s chief of staff

A
Denis McDonough
Strengths
- 12 yrs experience as Staff member in Congress
- Well prepared for role of Liaison
- Reached out to Republican Senators
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9
Q

Cons of Obama’s chief of staff

A

Denis McDonough
Weaknesses
- Known as a ‘control freak’ - spent hours on tasks that previous chiefs of staff has delegated
- Tightly controlled access to Obama

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10
Q

Summary of Trump’s chief of staff

A

Priebus - Lacked experience

Kelly - Imposed more discipline, better relationship with Trump

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11
Q

Administrations tend to hold _______ cabinet meetings the longer President remains in office

A

Fewer

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12
Q

No. of cabinet meetings under Obama

A

16 in first term
12 in second term
Average of 3.5 a year

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13
Q

Who attends Cabinet meetings

A

Sec of State
All heads of exec. offices
Vice President
Administration officials granted Cabinet rank

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14
Q

Functions of Cabinet Meetings for the President

A

Collegiality
Personal Contact
Prompting action
Team spirit

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15
Q

Functions of Cabinet meetings for members of the Cabinet

A

Speaking to Cabinet colleagues
Speaking to the President
Increased status for Cabinet officers

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16
Q

Functions of Cabinet meetings for everyone

A

Getting to know each other
Exchanging information
Policy debate

17
Q

Example of collegiality as a function of cabinet meetings

A

Important for presidents to appear collegial - Nixon administration notorious for lack of openness

18
Q

Example of personal contact as a function of cabinet meetings

A

‘Second-tier’ cabinet officers e.g. secretary of veterans’ will not meet with President regularly

19
Q

Example of prompting action as a function of cabinet meetings

A

2014, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel delayed release of prisoners from Guantánamo Bay; after Cabinet meeting in July, Obama ordered his Chief of Staff to make him fix this

20
Q

Example of Exchanging information as a function of cabinet meetings

A

Carter went around the table - each member giving brief report on department

21
Q

Example of Policy Debate as a function of cabinet meetings

A

Affirmative action for African-Americans debated under Ford meetings

22
Q

Example of increased status for cabinet officers as a function of cabinet meetings

A

More authority in their departments
- George H. W. Bush’s agriculture secretary,
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