John Dickerson has covered Washington politics for more than two decades as a reporter for Time, Slate Magazine and CBS News. He previously hosted Face the Nation, currently works as a correspondent for 60 Minutes and is the recent author of “The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency,” which examines the complex challenges faced by our nation’s chief executives throughout history. In this episode of Transition Lab, host David Marchick spoke with Dickerson about his experience coverin...
Sep 28, 2020•29 min
Agency review – the process of informing new administrations about the work of the federal government’s various departments – is a critical aspect of presidential transition planning. In this episode of Transition Lab, host David Marchick speaks to Lisa Brown, co-chair of agency review for the 2008 Obama-Biden transition team. Marchick and Brown discuss how this process works, why it is so important and the critical role played by career staff. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and...
Sep 21, 2020•34 min
Since launching in January 2020, Transition Lab has offered a close look at the world of presidential transition planning, featuring in-depth interviews with those who have organized, led and written about some of the most notable transfers of power in U.S. history. In this episode, host David Marchick shares the most important takeaways, poignant stories and surprising moments from these interviews. Utilizing episode highlights, presidential recordings and historical news clips, Marchick takes ...
Sep 14, 2020•53 min
Marchick asks Meier and Bagger about how they prepare to lead their respective transition teams.
Sep 07, 2020•31 min
Nancy Cook and Andrew Restuccia know all about presidential transitions. They currently write about transition planning and presidential politics for Politico and the Wall Street Journal, respectively, and previously collaborated on several transition stories during the 2016 election. In this Transition Lab episode, host David Marchick asked Cook and Restuccia about their experiences covering presidential transitions, the 2020 candidates’ current plans, the big transition storylines to expect in...
Aug 30, 2020•35 min
Josh Bolten and Denis McDonough discuss how they helped orchestrate successful transfers of power, fostered bipartisanship during those difficult times and helped set the standard for successful transitions today.
Aug 24, 2020•42 min
David Marchick joined former Acting CIA Director Michael Morell for a wide-ranging discussion about intelligence-sharing during presidential elections and transitions, foreign interference during presidential elections, and how the 2020 candidates can build strong relationships with the intelligence community.
Aug 17, 2020•38 min
Mary Gibert has one of the most important jobs in Washington today, preparing the federal government for a possible presidential transition. As the federal transition coordinator at the General Services Administration, Gibert and her team are working closely with the White House, the campaign of Democrat Joseph Biden and the federal agencies. In this Transition Lab episode, host David Marchick speaks to Gibert about GSA’s responsibilities in the transition process, the support it will provide to...
Aug 10, 2020•24 min
Rev. Leah Daughtry and Maria Cino discuss the role of conventions in political campaigns, whether they give a boost to the candidates, and how the COVID-19 pandemic will change conventions this year and in the future.
Aug 03, 2020•35 min
Jamie Jones Miller and Nina Hachigian talk with host David Marchick about their careers in government, how they handled uncomfortable situations and the importance of bringing more women into leadership positions.
Jul 27, 2020•40 min
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie explains how he planned the Trump transition and where it went wrong.
Jul 19, 2020•40 min
Jonathan McBride and Liza Wright, former directors of the PPO under Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush share their advice on how to land a political appointment.
Jul 13, 2020•45 min
Clay Johnson, the executive director of Bush’s transition, tells host Dave Marchick how Bush brought many of his personnel practices as Texas governor to Washington during the shortest official transition in history at just 39 days.
Jul 06, 2020•25 min
Former White House Chief of Staff and Cabinet Secretary James Baker joins host David Marchick on Transition Lab to discuss his long and distinguished career on the national stage.
Jun 29, 2020•42 min
Powerhouse attorneys Leslie Kiernan and Robert Rizzi explain how political appointees navigate the vetting process when seeking a political appointment.
Jun 21, 2020•35 min
Historian Ted Widmer tells host David Marchick about Lincoln's two-week train ride from Illinois to Washington, D.C. in February 1861 that helped him find his voice, build public support, and set the tone for his presidency.
Jun 15, 2020•33 min
President Herbert Hoover and President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt failed to cooperate in any matter during the four-month transition that occurred in the midst of the Great Depression.
Jun 08, 2020•34 min
Mack McLarty, former White House chief of staff, shared insights on the Clinton transition as well as President Clinton’s first year in office, as well as the privilege of serving alongside the president, a friend from childhood. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jun 01, 2020•33 min
Filmmaker Ken Burns and historian Geoffrey Ward share stories with Transition Lab about the biggest crises in our nation’s history and how our past informs the present.
May 24, 2020•38 min
Professor Michael Nelson, an expert on the American presidency, joins Transition Lab to discuss the political dynamics that define a president’s first and second term. Nelson explains how new presidents can maximize their impact during their first year in office and outlines the challenges two-term presidents face during their fifth year. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 18, 2020•28 min
Director of the White House Transition Project, Martha Kumar discusses the history of presidential transitions. Kumar outlines how the Presidential Transition Act changed transition planning, the importance of White House design for a successful first year in office and talks about the best—and worst—presidential transitions. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 11, 2020•23 min
Andrew Card shares his perspective on the surprisingly challenging “friendly” transition from President Reagan to President George H. W. Bush.
Apr 27, 2020•34 min
Four-star Admiral James Stavridis and former General Motors CEO Dan Akerson discuss how public and private sector leaders can navigate the challenges posed by the coronavirus.
Apr 20, 2020•31 min
Stephanie Cutter shares her perspective on managing the Obama-Biden transition during the global financial crisis.
Apr 13, 2020•24 min
Author Michael Lewis shares insights on the coronavirus pandemic and stories from “The Fifth Risk.”
Mar 30, 2020•26 min
Admiral Thad Allen, talks about his experience leading the U.S. response to some of the most challenging modern crises.
Mar 27, 2020•17 min
Admiral Thad Allen discusses how he kept morale high when communicating with troops, media and the country during times of panic.
Mar 26, 2020•11 min
Former governor of Utah and Romney Transition chairman, Mike Leavitt, shares how he planned the 2012 presidential transition had Mitt Romney won the election.
Mar 16, 2020•26 min
Anita McBride, Laura Bush’s chief of staff, shares insights on the evolution of the first lady’s role throughout history.
Mar 02, 2020•32 min
Stuart Eizenstat and David Rubenstein discuss their experience working on the Carter campaign, the transition and their own work in the Carter administration.
Feb 24, 2020•37 min
