Unlike the Reagan and Bush Administrations, with but one exception, the Clinton administration failed to reach out to Republicans in creating a new team, and eventually paid a political price. Richard V. Allen Read Quote
The Leader will be a person with the management skills to coordinate the activities of the Team, and to assure that the Team remains faithful to the objectives of the incoming President. Richard V. Allen Read Quote
The choice of personnel, perhaps the most important choice (because ‘people are policy’), never proceeds according to plan, but there have been some successful transitions that upheld high standards. Richard V. Allen Read Quote
Temporary teams of trusted people are generally sent to all Departments and to major agencies of government to assist in planning and to acquaint the incoming administration with the civil servants and bureaucracy that will remain in place in the new Administration. Richard V. Allen Read Quote
Naming a transition team varies with the intentions of the candidate; some candidates have been careful to name a transition team as much as a year in advance. Richard V. Allen Read Quote
Jimmy Carter began his planning in the early summer of 1976, Ronald Reagan a year prior. The Clinton Administration, elected in 1992, lingered in naming its team, and as a result, took almost a year to staff its ranks. Richard V. Allen Read Quote
In this context, I believe it is an imperative for the new President to select and install his team as quickly as possible, and this does not imply that he must or should appoint members of the ‘other’ party to his Cabinet, which could contribute to inaction and inefficiency. Richard V. Allen Read Quote
In general, any incoming administration must carefully examine (‘vet’) its nominees for high public office. Richard V. Allen Read Quote
A Bush Administration will, I believe, enjoy a better relationship with the new Congress, although President-elect Bush will be faced with real challenges in getting along with the Congress. Richard V. Allen Read Quote
I would argue that the next President, either Bush or Gore, should strike a ‘national’ posture, exhibiting generosity toward the defeated opponent, but proceeding with determination to implement an agenda. Richard V. Allen Read Quote
