RELATED August 16, 2023 Presidential Transitions are a Perilous Moment for National Security May 31, 2023 The State of Public Trust in Government 2023 May 17, 2023 The Good Government Connection: Linking the Employee and Customer Experiences Back to Reports Ready to Govern: Improving the Presidential Transition January 13, 2010 To provide a framework for the future, the Partnership for Public Service examined the 2008-2009 presidential transition, including the pre-election period, the phase between the election and the inauguration, and President Barack Obama’s first year in office. We interviewed a number of key players from the George W. Bush White House and the transition teams of Obama and Republican presidential candidate John McCain. We studied the public record, talked to outside experts and interviewed officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the General Services Administration (GSA), which handles office space and logistics for the president-elect. This report recounts many of the 2008-2009 presidential transition activities, includes observations from the participants, and identifies notable successes and shortcomings. Based on our study, we propose a series of legislative changes to the Presidential Transition Act, and we highlight some best practices that could be employed in future transitions by the White House and presidential campaigns. Download (2m)