Author Archive
Oversight
Senate confirms seven Cabinet-level nominees
Those approved after inauguration ceremony include heads of Energy, Education, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, Interior and Agriculture.
Oversight
Agency heads get guidance on top hires
Secretaries must get candidates pre-approved or choose someone from White House list.
Oversight
Obama expected to name Peter Orszag OMB director
The Congressional Budget Office chief was an economic adviser in the Clinton administration.
Oversight
Transition team wastes no time
Obama is moving quickly to show he has learned from Clinton’s mistake of fumbling the baton.
News
Election results will influence the regulatory climate
Both presidential candidates have promised tough ethics and transparency rules, but in general McCain is likely to have a lighter regulatory touch than Democratic rival Obama.
Defense
For GOP, a second chance at disaster management
In New Orleans in April, John McCain vowed that the "terrible and disgraceful" response to Katrina "will never, ever again happen."
Oversight
Bill would give National Archives greater reach in electronic records management
Archivists however worry about becoming pariahs if presidents see them as internal-affairs investigators.
News
Wall between political operatives, agencies crumbling
Critics say White House staffers have crossed the line in pushing Republican interests at agencies.
Management
Executive branch courts Hill staffers left jobless after elections
White House officials have told GOP lawmakers and their staffs that the administration froze many political slots to absorb furloughed Republicans.
Management
White House chief's notebook raises question: What's a 'record'?
Former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card sought to circumvent Presidential Records Act by keeping key personnel information in blue spiral notebook he bought himself.
Management
Treasury secretary’s vulnerabilities fall into the spotlight
White House said to be looking for a new Treasury chief capable of better persuading the public that the economy is strong.
Management
OMB deputy unlikely to move up to top slot
Deputy Director for Management Clay Johnson will stay at the "M" part of the enterprise, says outgoing OMB chief Joshua Bolten.
Defense
Disaster response threatens to swamp Bush administration
For U.S. presidents, there is an unwritten rule book for disaster recovery, and the first rule is, "Act fast." The second rule is, "Send it all."
Pay & Benefits
Top Bush aides get small pay boost
Senior White House officials received raises to $161,000 per year at the beginning of July.
Management
Cabinet secretaries get White House office space
Chief of Staff Andrew Card has invited Cabinet members to each spend at least two hours a week working just a stone's throw from the Oval Office.
Pay & Benefits
Bush's A-list: Who gets the top salaries?
A rundown on the senior White House aides who get the much-coveted title of "assistant to the president" and the top West Wing pay.
Management
Bush likely to promote from within if reelected
The president is unlikely to order a clean sweep of his appointees, but may move up junior officials as Cabinet chiefs opt for a graceful exit.
Management
First outlines of potential Kerry Cabinet begin to take shape
At this point, the list of potential top appointees is heavy with Clinton administration veterans.
Management
President pulls the levers of power and privilege
For more than three years, President Bush has flexed his legislative muscle. But executive privilege has its limits.
