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WHITE HOUSE OFFICE Rick Dearborn

From popular culture to academia, the American presidency has long been a

prominent fixture of the national imagination—naturally so since it is the

beating heart of our nation’s power and prestige. It has played, for instance, a feature role in innumerable movies and television shows and has been prodded, analyzed, and critiqued by countless books, essays, and studies. But like nearly everything else in life, there is no substitute for firsthand experience, which this manual has compiled from the experience of presidential appointees and provides in accessible form for future use.

With respect to the presidency, it is best to begin with our Republic’s foundational document. The Constitution gives the “executive Power” to the President." It designates him as “Commander in Chief”* and gives him the responsibility to

“take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.”? It further prescribes that the President might seek the assistance of “the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments.”* Beginning with George Washington, every President has been supported by some form of White House office consisting of direct staff officers as well as a Cabinet comprised of department and agency heads.

Since the inaugural Administration of the late 18th century, citizens have chosen to devote both their time and their talent to defending and strengthening our nation by serving at the pleasure of the President. Their shared patriotic endeavor has proven to be a noble one, not least because the jobs in what is now known as the White House Office (WHO) are among the most demanding in all of government.

The President must rely on the men and women appointed to the WHO. There simply are not enough hours in the day to manage the affairs of state single-handedly,