The subject of White House staffing has never been the centerpiece of presidency liter-
ature. However, among the times when staffing should be the primary focus is the transition
period when the president-elect prepares to become the next president. This article was pre-
pared as part of a larger project designed to assist incoming White House staff by providing
them with an “institutional memory” of sorts, describing and explaining the responsibilities,
activities, and structuring of key White House offices.
When one thinks of the White House, one may well envision numerous components—
virtually all essential to the sitting president and most competing for the president’s atten-
tion. A study of the Office of the Staff Secretary reveals that this little known entity
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is indeed