The Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, the Center for American Progress Action Fund, and the Kennedy Political Union will host a conference on the upcoming presidential transition. This conference will bring together academics and practitioners to discuss success and failures in past presidential transitions. There will be a special focus on the promise made by both 2008 presidential candidates to "change the way Washington works." Can it be changed? Should it be changed? What advice can be given to improve the way the next president will work with Congress? Please join us for a discussion with the experts.
8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Registration and light breakfast
9:00 – 9:15 a.m. Welcome
Scott Lilly, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress Action Fund and former Staff Director of the House Appropriations Committee
Dr. James A. Thurber, Distinguished Professor and Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University and editor of Rivals for Power: Presidential-Congressional Relations
9:15 – 10:30 a.m. Structuring a White House Legislative Affairs Office
Chair: Dr. James A. Thurber
Patrick Griffin, Former Assistant to President Clinton for Legislative Affairs and Academic Director of the Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute at American University
Gary Andres, Former Assistant for Legislative Affairs to President George H. W. Bush and Vice Chairman of Public Policy and Research at Dutko Worldwide
10:30 – 10:40 a.m. Break
10:40 – 12:00 p.m. Lessons Learned From the White House Transition Project
Dr. Martha Kumar, Professor of Political Science at Towson University and co-founder of the White House Transition Project
Dr. Terry Sullivan, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Executive Director of the White House Transition Project
12:00 – 12:45 p.m. Buffet lunch
12:45 – 1:30 p.m. Clay Johnson III, Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management Budget and former Executive Director of the Bush-Cheney Presidential Transition
1:30 – 1:45 p.m. Break
1:45 – 3:30 p.m. Working with a Polarized Congress
Chair: Scott Lilly
Thomas J. O’Donnell, Executive Vice President at the Gephardt Group and former Chief of Staff to House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt
Dr. Jim Pfiffner, Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University and author of The Strategic Presidency: Hitting the Ground Running
Dr. Stephen Wayne, Professor of Government at Georgetown University and author of The Road to the White House and The Legislative Presidency
3:30 – 3:45 p.m. Closing Remarks
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 Program: 9:00am to 3:45pm
Admission is free.
Breakfast and lunch will be served.
Center for American Progress Action Fund 1333 H St. NW, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20005
Map & Directions
Nearest Metro: Blue/Orange Line to McPherson Square or Red Line to Metro Center
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