President-elect Obama lifts daughter Sasha, out of his vehicle as daughter Malia, looks on, as he dropped them off at school in Chicago, Monday, Nov. 10, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
by Frank James
In his fun little paperback book, "What Do We Do Now?" written as a workbook for presidential transitions, Stephen Hess, one of Washington's top experts on the presidency, has some advice for a president-elect like Barack Obama since these get-togethers tend to take a certain shape.
Obama, known for his smarts and deliberateness, probably has already worked through in his mind what he wants to ask Bush and how he plans to ask it. But Hess's advice is really meant to give the rest of us a better sense for how these meetings work.
-- Have your staff "game-play" what the president will want from you and possible responses.
-- Compile a list of questions to ask the president. Do you want his assessment of world leaders, friends, and foes? Of areas of government that work well, need improvement, should be scrapped? Best use of the cabinet? Lessons from National Security arrangements? While you may view these as courtesy questions, his answers may surprise you!
-- After you have had your one-on-one session, what others should be invited in? National Security team? The economics team?
-- Are there matters for which you may wish to request the president's future involvement?
-- The White House press corps will expect a statement of how useful the meeting has been.
It's a safe guess that the economy and national security will take up a lot of today's session and that there may even be a meeting of the two economic and national security teams after Bush and Obama meet privately.
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Comments
The best part of the above picture?
The White Sox cap!!!!!!
Posted by: BobinATL | November 10, 2008 3:29 PM
Da Sox.
How about it Cubbie fans. Hillary once faked a little affection for the Cubs, but when she re-located to NY, she sported the gothic NY font of da Mets. Cubbie fans, should have been your year, too.
Posted by: Django - N Exile somewhere in/around the 30th Parallel | November 10, 2008 6:32 PM