The Executive - Executive Office Flashcards
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
30
What are the roles of the White House Office
- Liaison between the White House and the federal bureaucracy
- Liaison between the White House and Congress
- Administrator to the President
Which office is liaison between the White House and Congress is the sole responsibility of
Office of Legislative Affairs
What roles need to be fulfilled as administrator to the President
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
What does the White House Chief of Staff do
- In charge of running White House Office
- Provide advice and administrative support for President on daily basis
- Never far from President
What makes a bad chief of staff + example
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
What makes a good Chief of Staff
Seeks President’s best interests
Protects president from political harm (Cheney, ‘He takes the credit, I take the blame’(about Ford))
Pros of Obama’s chief of staff
Denis McDonough Strengths - 12 yrs experience as Staff member in Congress - Well prepared for role of Liaison - Reached out to Republican Senators
Cons of Obama’s chief of staff
Denis McDonough
Weaknesses
- Known as a ‘control freak’ - spent hours on tasks that previous chiefs of staff has delegated
- Tightly controlled access to Obama
Summary of Trump’s chief of staff
Priebus - Lacked experience
Kelly - Imposed more discipline, better relationship with Trump
Administrations tend to hold _______ cabinet meetings the longer President remains in office
Fewer
No. of cabinet meetings under Obama
16 in first term
12 in second term
Average of 3.5 a year
Who attends Cabinet meetings
Sec of State
All heads of exec. offices
Vice President
Administration officials granted Cabinet rank
Functions of Cabinet Meetings for the President
Collegiality
Personal Contact
Prompting action
Team spirit
Functions of Cabinet meetings for members of the Cabinet
Speaking to Cabinet colleagues
Speaking to the President
Increased status for Cabinet officers
Functions of Cabinet meetings for everyone
Getting to know each other
Exchanging information
Policy debate
Example of collegiality as a function of cabinet meetings
Important for presidents to appear collegial - Nixon administration notorious for lack of openness
Example of personal contact as a function of cabinet meetings
‘Second-tier’ cabinet officers e.g. secretary of veterans’ will not meet with President regularly
Example of prompting action as a function of cabinet meetings
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
Example of Exchanging information as a function of cabinet meetings
Carter went around the table - each member giving brief report on department
Example of Policy Debate as a function of cabinet meetings
Affirmative action for African-Americans debated under Ford meetings
Example of increased status for cabinet officers as a function of cabinet meetings
More authority in their departments
- George H. W. Bush’s agriculture secretary,
“You got an insight on the top stories”
