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Presidential transition of Ronald Reagan

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Presidential transition of Ronald Reagan
Date of electionNovember 4, 1980
Inauguration dateJanuary 20, 1981
President-electRonald Reagan(Republican)
Vice president-electGeorge H. W. Bush(Republican)
Outgoing presidentJimmy Carter(Democrat)
Outgoing vice presidentWalter Mondale(Democrat)
Headquarters1726 M Street,Washington, D.C.[1]
Director
Edwin Meese
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Thepresidential transitionofRonald Reaganbegan when he won the1980 United States presidential election,becoming thepresident-elect,and ended when Reagan wasinauguratedon January 20, 1981.

The transition was led byEdwin Meeseand was headquartered inWashington, D.C.It was a particularly large operation, with between more than 1,000 or 1,500 people involved, including both volunteers and paid staff.

Pre-election developments[edit]

Early discussions of plans for a presidential transition for Reagan were begun in late 1979.[2]

More substantive planning for a potential presidential transition by Reagan began in the Spring of 1980, substantially beforethe Republican National Conventionwas held.[2][3]Reagan's transition planning began even earlier than the one of the previous Carter transition.[4]The transition planning started with task forces to shape Reagan's potential administration's foreign policy and budget policies.[4]This pre-election transition effort began with 70 staffers, but would grow to 132 staffers.[4]Outsidethink tankssuch asThe Heritage Foundationcontributed to the policy efforts.[4]

The pre-election transition planning effort was overseen by Pendleton James.[3]In this role, James kept a generally low public profile, and avoided media.[3]He also kept positive relations with Reagan's campaign team.[3]He had been approached by Reagan campaign figureEdwin Meesein the fall of 1979 about planning for how to assemble a potential presidential administration for Reagan.[5]Meese himself had previously done some research into the logistics of a presidential transition during Reagan's previous1976 presidential campaign,having even had conversations about it with people who had previously worked forRichard NixonandGerald Ford.[5]Helene von Dammacted as James' deputy in overseeing the pre-election transition planning effort.[6]

By September 1980, Reagan associates had formed a Presidential Transition Trust to collect contributions to finance a transition effort that would search for candidates to fill key positions in a Reagan administration.[7]Lawyers of theFederal Election Commission,in September, drafted an advisory opinion that stated that, so long as the transition trust was "completely separate" from Reagan's campaign committee and funds raised by the trust did not go towards assisting in Reagan's election, such a trust would be allowed to operate outside of campaign finance laws that limited individual contributions to $1,000 (andPolitical Action Committeecontributions to $5,0000).[7][8]The trust opted to voluntarily limit contributions to a maximum of $5,000 per individual.[7]

It was in September that the existence of this planning effort became public knowledge, with theNew York Timesreporting on it in mid-September.[6]

In 1987, historian Carl M. Brauer described Reagan's pre-election transition planning effort as "modest in scope, and clandestine in style".[6]The effort rented office space inAlexandria,Virginia,which had coincidentally been previously rented by theRepublican presidential primarycampaign of Reagan's running mateGeorge H. W. Bush.[6]It focused on identifying positions which the president had the authority to appoint individuals to, and created lists of prospective candidates for positions.[6]

Official transition[edit]

Reagan's transition was headed by Edwin Meese, who was named its director on the day of the election.[3][9][5][10]The role of the administration of outgoing presidentJimmy Carterin the transition was overseen by hisWhite House Chief of StaffJack Watson,who had overseen Carter's own transition four years prior.[1][9]

Three senior advisors were appointed.Richard V. Allenwas the senior advisor for foreign policy and defense matters,Martin Andersonwas the senior advisor for domestic and economic matters, andCaspar Weinbergerwas the senior advisor for budget matters.[11]

James Bakerwas named the deputy director of the transition, and was put in charge of White House planning (overseeing the planning of the structure and management of the Reagan administration's White House staff).[12]Six additional deputy directors were named,Michael Deaver,Drew Lewis,Lyn Nofziger,Verne Orr,andWilliam Timmons.[11]Deaver acted as a liaison to Reagan and his family.[11]Lewis acted as a liaison to theRepublican National Committee,women's groups, the business community, and state and local government, and also worked to develop a program for providing policy briefings to cabinet-designees and senior staff.[11]Nofziger, initially, was in charge a press relations, a role he had held in the campaign.[11]Orr was in charge of administrative and budgetary matters,[8]and also acted as a key administrator within the transition.[11]Timmons oversaw the Reagan transition team's assessment of existing programs and policies,[13]and collected information on departments and agencies.[11]

Pendleton James served as the personnel recruiter in the post-election transition operation,[3][11]William J. Caseyoversaw a senior advisory committee during the transition.[14]Richard Wirthlinutilized his polling skills to inform planned strategy for Reagan's administration.[11]M. Peter McPhersonacted as legal counsel to the transition.[11]Edwin J. Grayand Darrell Trent participated in policy planning.[11]Fred F. Fieldingheaded the transition's vetting and clearance process for prospective appointees.[15]Other key members of the transition wereTom C. KorologosandWilliam French Smith.[14][16]

A number of key staffers of the transition, had previously worked for former presidentRichard Nixon.These included Martin Anderson, and Richard V. Allen, and Pendleton James.[3]

Reagan's transition was particularly large.[1]It was unprecedented by any presidential transition in size.[17]The transition involved more than 1,000 or 1,500 people, including both volunteers and paid staff.[4][8][3][18][19]The transition involved a hundred individual transition teams for federal agencies, which, for organizational purposes, were divided into five clusters. The five clusters were economic affairs, national security, human services, resources and development, and legal-administrative.[1]In 1987, historian Carl M. Brauer described the Reagan transition as having had the "most elaborate transition machinery" of any United States presidential transition up to that point.[6]

The transition team worked in close partnership with conservativethink tankslike theAmerican Enterprise Institute,The Heritage Foundation, andHoover Institution.[3]Among the plans given to them by such organizations was the Heritage Foundation'sMandate for Leadership,a 1,000-page plan for restructuring the executive branch.[3]The Heritage Foundation also ran a job bank providing the transition team with lists of personnel aligned with conservative ideology, and also ran a number of orientation sessions for top appointees of the incoming administration.[3]

The transition was headquartered inWashington, D.C.,in a federal office building only blocks away from theWhite House.[6]In the early weeks of the transition, Reagan remained on theWest Coast,meeting with a "kitchen cabinet" of advisors.[1]However, within weeks of his election, Reagan moved into arow housein Washington, D.C., which would serve temporary quarters for him until he was sworn-in as president.[20]

On November 20, President Carter hosted President-elect Reagan at the White House.[21]The relationship between the outgoing and incoming president was somewhat difficult, with Carter being dismayed by what he saw as Reagan's disinterest in the important topics they discussed, as well as Reagan's lack of note-taking on the complex matters they went over.[4]Despite this somewhat troubled relationship between Carter and Reagan, the relationship between their staffs was friendly.[4]During that same day, incoming First LadyNancy Reaganreceived a tour of the White House from outgoing First LadyRosalynn Carter.[22]

Reagan began announcing key appointments to his administration two week after his election victory.[23]By the seventh week of the transition, most appointments had been announced.[16]He had finished announcing key appointees by the tenth week of his transition.[23]

Reagan had originally favored choosing Meese for his White House chief of staff, but some of his advisors convinced him to instead pick James Baker.[3]During the transition, along with Meese and Michael Deaver, Baker would be part of a "troika" of top deputies to Reagan, a dynamic that would continue into the presidency. This dynamic was established shortly after the election.[24]

Reagan waited until December 11 before beginning to name designees for hisCabinet.[19]The first Cabinet member designees Reagan designated were largely uncontroversial, and even received praise from both the business community and themoderate wing of the Republican Party.[13]However, several later choices he named, such asAlexander Haigforsecretary of stateandJames G. Wattforsecretary of the interior,promised to be controversial.[13]Reagan finished naming designees for Cabinet positions on January 8, when he namedTerrel Bellas his selection forsecretary of education.[13]

The transition saw Mark Anderson andDavid Stockman,Reagan's choice for Director of theOffice of Management and Budget,shape the incoming administration's economic policy agenda.[3]

Reagan pledged not to speak publicly on policy matters until his inauguration. However, many of his advisers spoke publicly about issues, often creating problems where the transition'spress secretaryJames Bradywould have to disavow their statements.[13]There were unofficial statements and news leaks made by members of Reagan's administration that attracted criticism from the Carter administration'sState Department.[13]

While many aspects of the transition period operated smoothly, there were hiccups.[13]There was controversy surrounding involvement ofJackie Presserin the transition.[13]The Carter administration alleged that some staffers of the transition had possibleconflicts of interest.[13]There was also public speculation over the degree to which Reagan was involved in his own transition.[13]Many scholars have, retrospectively, considered the Reagan transition as to have been a successfully managed presidential transition.[3]

Finances[edit]

As per legislation passed in 1976, the federal government gave $3 million to fund the transition, with $2 million going to the president-elect and $1 million going to the outgoing president.[25][26]The outgoing administration of Jimmy Carter spent $861,526 of the $1 million it was allotted by the federal government, with the team of the outgoing president utilizing $672,659 and the team of the outgoing vice president,Walter Mondale,utilizing $188,867.[26]The Reagan team spent $1.75 million of the federal money granted to it.[26]Of this amount, $63,378 went toVice President-electGeorge H. W. Bushfor personal compensation and benefits.[26]

TheGovernment Accountability Officewould find that, in their use of government funds, the Reagan transition team did not always follow correct procedures. For instance, they gave salary to employees of federal agencies who had been assigned to the transition effort on a non-reimbursable basis.[26]

The Reagan transition team also raised private contributions to further fund the transition, soliciting contributions through the private corporation Presidential Transition Foundation, Inc.[26]They raised approximately $1.25 million.[26]The foundation would later deny requests by the Government Accountability Office to audit these funds.[26]Neither the funding sources nor the expenditures made with these funds have ever been disclosed to the public.[26]

Congressional testimony would later reveal that some of the Reagan transition spending had gone tohotelbills, payments toNancy Reagan's decorator,tuxedorental, parties, andparking tickets.[27]

Reagan's transition was, ultimately, more expensive than any previous transition.[28]

Iran hostage crisis[edit]

During the transition, the Carter administration continued work on resolving theIran hostage crisis.Negotiationswere completed with the signing of theAlgiers Accordson January 19, 1981, and the hostages were released on January 20, 1981, minutes after Reagan completed his 20‑minute inaugural address after being sworn-in.[29][30]

Retrospective analysis of transition[edit]

Laurin L. Henry,an expert onUnited States presidential transitions,gave retrospective high regard to the transition.[31]In his bookPresidential Transitions: From Politics to Practice,political scientist John P. Burke described the Reagan transition as having been highly organized.[17]

Further reading[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdePfiffner, James P. (1983)."The Carter-Reagan Transition: Hitting the Ground Running".Presidential Studies Quarterly.13(4): 623–645.JSTOR27547983.Retrieved4 February2021.
  2. ^abBurke, John P. (2009)."The Contemporary Presidency: The Obama Presidential Transition: An Early Assessment".Presidential Studies Quarterly.39(3): 574–604.doi:10.1111/j.1741-5705.2009.03691.x.ISSN0360-4918.JSTOR41427379.Retrieved21 May2021.
  3. ^abcdefghijklmnSkinner, Richard (5 October 2016)."Jimmy Carter changed presidential transitions forever".Vox.Retrieved4 February2021.
  4. ^abcdefgEksterowicz, Anthony J.; Hastedt, Glenn (1998)."Modern Presidential Transitions: Problems, Pitfalls, and Lessons for Success".Presidential Studies Quarterly.28(2): 299–319.ISSN0360-4918.JSTOR27551861.Retrieved18 May2021.
  5. ^abcBrauer, p. 224
  6. ^abcdefgBrauer, p. 225
  7. ^abcEpstein, Aaron (11 Sep 1980)."Reagan aides plan for transition".Newspapers.com.Detroit Free Press.Retrieved4 February2021.
  8. ^abcRosenbaum, David E. (9 Dec 1980)."Reagan Transition Costs Will Exceed $2 Million".Newspapers.com.The Times Argus. Times News Service.Retrieved4 February2021.
  9. ^abHanchette, John (12 Nov 1980)."Presidential transition: It doesn't always happen smoothly".Newspapers.com.The Ithaca Journal. Gannett News Service.Retrieved4 February2021.
  10. ^Burke (2000), p. 97
  11. ^abcdefghijkBurke (2000), p. 98
  12. ^Burke (2000), pp. 97–98
  13. ^abcdefghijWehr, Elizabeth (4 Jan 1981)."U.S. presidential transition results continue to vary".Newspapers.com.Asbury Park Press. Congressional Quarterly.Retrieved4 February2021.
  14. ^abBreauer, p. 226
  15. ^Burke, John P. (2004).Becoming President: The Bush Transition, 2000-2003.Boulder, Colo.: Lynne Rienner Publishers. p. 27.ISBN1-58826-292-8.
  16. ^abHess, Stephen (1 March 2001)."First Impressions: A Look Back at Five Presidential Transitions".Brookings.Retrieved4 February2021.
  17. ^abBurke (2000), p. 99
  18. ^Gellman, Barton; Balz, Dan (29 October 1992)."CLINTON TRANSITION TEAM READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING".Washington Post.Retrieved5 February2021.
  19. ^ab"Bush transition team already setting course for the first 100 days".Newspapers.com.The Pittsburgh Press. Associated Press. 13 Nov 1988.Retrieved19 May2021.
  20. ^"The transition of the U.S. presidency from Jimmy Carter to Ronald Reagan | CBC Archives".CBC.19 November 2020.Retrieved4 February2021.
  21. ^"Photos: Presidents in Post-Election Transition".WSJ.Retrieved6 February2021.
  22. ^Lescaze, Lee (November 21, 1980)."President Welcomes Reagan for a Visit To His New Address".The Washington Post.Archivedfrom the original on March 6, 2023.RetrievedMarch 5,2023.
  23. ^abSchrader, Esther; Shogren, Elizabeth (14 Dec 2000)."Bush team must scurry to name top appointees".Newspapers.com.South Florida Sun Sentinel. Los Angeles Times.
  24. ^Brauer, pp. 223–224
  25. ^"JUST ASK Where does the money come from to pay Bill Clinton's transition team expenses?".Newspapers.com.Democrat and Chronicle. 13 Nov 1992.Retrieved2 February2021.
  26. ^abcdefghiSmith, Stephanie (11 February 2008)."CRS Report for Congress Presidential Transitions"(PDF).Congressional Research Service.Retrieved29 January2021.
  27. ^McClendon, Sarah (24 Apr 1988)."Planning Presidential Transition".Newspapers.com.The Tyler Courier-Times.Retrieved5 February2021.
  28. ^"Private parties, public presidency".Newspapers.com.The News. 12 Jun 1981.Retrieved4 February2021.
  29. ^Weisman, Steven R. (January 21, 1981)."Reagan Takes Oath as 40th President; Promises an 'Era of National Renewal'—Minutes Later, 52 U.S. Hostages in Iran Fly to Freedom After 444-Day Ordeal".The New York Times.p. A1.ISSN0362-4331.Archivedfrom the original on August 29, 2019.RetrievedAugust 25,2020.
  30. ^"Iranian Hostages Released – 1981 Year in Review – Audio".UPI.com.RetrievedMay 5,2016.
  31. ^"His career shaped the government".The Daily Journal.2 March 2019.Retrieved8 June2021.

Sources cited[edit]

  • Brauer, Carl M. (1986).Presidential Transitions: Eisenhower Through Reagan.New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN0195040511.
  • Burke, John P. (2000).Presidential Transitions: From Politics To Practice.Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers.ISBN1555879160.
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