[inaudible] americans across the country have already started voting in the most important president ial election in a generation. President elect joe biden or reelected President Donald Trump will face a double digit unemployment situation, a global pandemic, a reckoning on racial inequality, and a divided nation. One institution that could help address these problems is the federal government. The federal government needs to be effective if its going to deliver to the American People. Thats why preparation and fighting today is critical for effectiveness on january 20. Regardless of who wins, a smooth transition this year is not enough. This year, we need the best transition ever in american history. Should Vice President biden when, the challenges are truly daunting. In normal times, a new president faces many tasks. A 78 daytime form a government. Select more than 4000 political appointees. Manage a five through 5 trillion budget. Roll out ambitious policy agenda. Thats in normal times. Today is not normal. Normaltion to the challenges i just mentioned, the next president will have to get 13 Million People back to work, distribute 330 million vaccines, and bring our country back together again. Win, theesident trump transition will also be incredibly challenging. Last three tothe turn presidencies suggests that half of top officials across the government leave within six months of the second inauguration. Thats a normal turn rate. Unfortunately, 100 and 33 senior positions that are currently vacant without an incumbent or without a nominee. A huge challenge for a reelected President Trump will be attracting competent and qualified people to serve. Preparation, as weve learned on essential podcast, is for year five. If theres a change in administration, the outgoing president will also have a solemn responsibility under law to facilitate a smooth transition. Much as president george w. Bush did for incoming president barack obama. Transitions are always hard. They are chaotic. The time is short, 78 days. If the election is not decided on november 3, there will be even less time to get ready for day one. It will become more difficult because every day will matter. Comes aty this event such an important time. We are pleased to be hosting this first event of its kind, a nonpartisan event in association with the truly amazing president ial libraries from the past for president s. The george and barbara bush foundation, the clinton president ial center, the george w. Bush president ial center, the obama foundation, and also the uvas center, the leading Research Center in the country on the american presidency. Thank you all for your incredible support, partnership, and collaboration. Our work at the partnership for Public Service has never been more important. For for president ial cycles, weve worked to make transitions better, smoother, and faster because the success of the presidency is directly correlated with the success of their transitions. Throughout this cycle, weve worked with the three most important actors. The Trump White House, the career officials across the government who are preparing for it either eventuality, as well as the biden team. We have thousands of people watching this event. The Largest Group represents dedicated Career Agency officials tasked with transition planning under the law. They must prepare for either eventuality. We realize how hard and delicate the work is every day. We will support you and we salute you. I want to thank a few people before handing it over to penny pritzker. [inaudible] advocate for more effective transition planning before anybody else focused on it. The center has a truly worldclass advisory board, one that ive benefited from. President e friend , clintons first use of chief of staff. President bushs chief of staff who i called the godfather of smooth transitions. Governor mike leavitt led the romney transition planning effort. Romney didnt win. Mike created a new Gold Standard for transition planning. Penny is one of the few people i know whos been equally successful in business, government, and with her philanthropy. Let me also thank the amazing libraries who have pulled this event together. With that, let me turn it over to penny. Thank you very much for that very gracious welcome. Let me begin by wishing the president and the first lady a speedy recovery. You have been a tremendous leader of this vital project. We are so grateful that you have dedicated your time and your energy to this important effort for the benefit of our nation. We are also so very grateful to your dedicated team at the center, for their long hours to support us all. The timing of todays conversation could not come at a more critical point for our nation. Given the weight of issues we face, both candidates will not only have to campaign vigorously , they also need to prepare to run the country for the next four years. Diverse and sizable audience we have today reflects the interests people have in a president ial transition, even if the process is not well understood. We have people from capitol hill , private industry, Good Government organizations, transition subject matter experts, political appointees, those who served on campaigns and Transition Teams, and the media. We also welcome the many federal career professional staff joining us this morning. Your expertise, institutional knowledge, and willingness to support administrations from both parties during a president ial transition and over the life of each administration is to be commended. Gratefulncerely very for your Public Service. Person who say as a came from business and the government service, and who has been given the honor of a lifetime serving in president obamas cabinet. I was blown away by the incredible talent, expertise, and innovative spirit of the career professionals. Not only in the department of commerce, but across the entire government. Quite honestly, some of the most capable people ive ever worked with were the career professionals in the National Institute of standards and technology, the National Oceanic and atmospheric administration, the bureau of industry and security, the census bureau, the National Weather service, and so many more important offices within our government. Out, they doay this significantly important work on behalf of all of us. Frankly, they get too little credit or respect for it. So i want to thank them all. Today, the our event caliber of our speakers is a testament to the nonpartisan convening power of the partnership for Public Service. And their vital work to make our federal government work better. It demonstrates the impact of the centers ability to provide support, expertise, and resources to a wide variety of transition are stakeholders, including federal agencies, cut clinical appointees, and the president ial Transition Teams. The Center Brings unparalleled capacity to support president ial transition planning and execution. Andr work has gone deeper. Roader than any other [inaudible] honored to serve as cochair of this critical effort along with josh bolted and mike leavitt. Three simply extraordinary policies Public Service who i am blessed to come my friends. Program said, todays is a oneofakind event. It draws together a highly respected group of senior officials from every administration from bush 40 12 obama. President ial scholars and respected journalists. Importantf the most parts of our democracy. [inaudible] commitment to the peaceful transition of power. The purpose of this event is to inform the public about how president ial candidates Transition Teams and the federal government is critical to the success of a new or a president s second term. Havesign, we do not representatives from the current administration. We want each discussion to remaining remain nonpartisan, practical, and nonpolitical. In our first panel, margaret will moderate a conversation with josh bolton, andy card, denis mcdonough, and matt mccarty. For outstanding former white house chief of staff. They will talk about their experiences preparing to take office, transitioning to a second term, planning to leave office, and what to expect in 2020 and 2021. Former director of the domestic policy council, will then lead a discussion with stephen hadley, lisa monaco, barbara perry, about transitions and crises. And why this transition time could be the most important and consequential since 1932. Let me say one thing about sean. He has more senior transition experience than probably any other living person and could have been on the first panel. We asked him to be on the panel with chiefs of staff. On reflection, we thought given his experience as a 2008 transition where he led the obama transition during the ,inancial crisis and two wars he would be hugely valuable on the second panel entitled, transitions in crisis. That perhaps is the most relevant topic for today. Walter final panel, amy will talk with four incredible public servants. The complexities involved with the shift from campaigning for the presidency to governing when elected. In either a first or second term. Thank you soce, much for joining us today and for your many excellent questions. We hope to get to them as fast as we can throughout the mornings program. You can also be part of todays conversation on twitter by hashwing and using our tag. Now, i would like to hand the program over to Margaret Brennan for our first panel. Thank you. Thank you very much. All the work you do to explain to the public how the institutions that support our democracy function or are supposed to function. This is an extra ordinary morning. All of us have woken up to this news with a little bit of shock. The one certainty of 20 seems to be that nothing is certain and to expect the unexpected. I think this is a really fitting conversation today to have this powerhouse. Who have been inside the west wing at the highest levels. The help talk us through what planning needs to look like, what it should look like, what it is like in the moment of crisis. We are battling multiple crises as a country right now. Economic, health, racial, election uncertainty. Now the news this morning. By digging into this conversation with the chiefs. It will be a question for all of you. We are four years into the Trump Administration. Are they ready . Is mike pence ready for what is happening right now . Could you start us off. If you were chief of staff, what would you be doing on a morning like this . First of all, im glad to be here. Inc. You for your engagement. Im delighted to be with my fellow chiefs. Thank you for your leadership. You set the table perfectly. Agreek all of us would that Vice President ial picks are important during a campaign. When you shift from that campaign to governing, the criteria for a Vice President is that they need to be ready to required andat is be able to just charge the response abilities as commander of chief and president of the united states. Isarly, from day one, that an absolute essential of any effective administration. This morning, he will be focusing on that. He will be fully engaged with the president , his family. Always, you have a number of other issues that will be thattable, even in times were not quite as unprecedented as these. You know what its like to be chief, to be in that job in a moment of extreme National Crisis. What do you do on a morning like this . Pray for the president and the first lady. I dont care what your political stripe is or what your philosophy is. We all pray that the president and the first lady will recover quickly and be able to meet their response believe. I point out that the white house has to keep everything working no matter whats going on. The first responsys build for a chief of staff is to make sure that people in the white house have confidence to be able to do their job. Give them permission to do their job. Not to try to [inaudible] or distracted by the president s inability to attend meetings that he normally would attend. Just having discipline and confidence and a steady hand makes a big difference. Its important for the chief of staff to maintain the momentum that every cabinet member has been asked to maintain. With regard to the policies and objectives. Workld leave the campaign to the campaign people. As chief of staff, i would say my job would be to help the government meet its responsibilities and let the campaign worry about campaign responsibilities. Its not an easy time. Time whenis, its a you have to be prepared for more unexpected things to happen. Challenges ared likely to show up. We want people to have confidence in our government, confidence in our democracy. Its the white house or fonts ability to may be set the expectation up so that people will have confidence in their government during these times of trouble. Public thateing a is riddled with anxiety right now and questioning our institutions. Now this. What would you be doing if you were chief . Do we need to see the president come out today . What do you need to signal to the public today . To theneed a signal public that the government is operating officially, normally, naturally. If the president is available, sure. Put him on camera as well. Let me add my own best wishes thanks first family and to the partnership for Public Service and you for bringing us together on this important topic. I think the topic just gets more important when we face a disruption, a potential crisis like we are having right now. Run forse, its a dry what we may be facing around election day. I want to get into some of those specifics around election day in a moment. Give your take on what we need to hear from the president today, from joe biden perhaps even. What needs to be signaled . If you were a chief, what would you be doing . Thanks a lot. I want to thank my fellow chiefs for the chance to be with them. I always enjoy that. I want to thank david and penny for all their work at the partnership, especially the event today. Whatost important thing is Vice President biden has said today and what each of us have said. You started with it. Our wishes, our thoughts, our prayers for a speedy recovery for the first family. Our ongoing appreciation for that medical staff inside the white house which has obviously been working overtime since last january when news first broke. Look, demonstrating that the government is at work is really important. Hopefully, reassuring to the American People. Written communication from the white house chief physician overnight. It does sound to me like the white house is talking about trying to get some very clear evidence of the president at work today. That would make sense to me. I just would like to add one thing to the point that my colleagues have made. All around theps world right now. We have allies all around the world. I would expect to see communication, not only with the cabinet, but also communication from the white house to our allies. Continues, official business continues. Carefull be prudent and about the developments with the first family. Focusedntinuing to be on the official business of government. That includes our allies. Iswe know the president symptomatic. It is mildly symptomatic at this point. That question of, how ill he becomes, it is something we frankly hope to learn more about. As you point out, potentially a national secured crisis because of this question of confidence. Let me go back to you on something that you raised in your first answer. Because of this high anxiety, are asking 70 civics ofabout basic how transitions work, how the election will work. The details are so important because of this unprecedented circumstance in which the next election will be happening with this global pandemic. The transition planning is happening behind the scenes. How confident are you . What concerns do you have about a transition, either to a second trump term or into a Biden Administration . The good news is that i think everybody should be comforted at the kind of work that is going on in both places to prepare for a transition. Obviously, that work is much more substantial and intense with respect to a potential biden presidency. , like othere campaigns before them, not all, most campaigns in recent times have taken the transition very seriously. They have an Excellent Team in place. I think they are likely to be well positioned to take over, withte the difficulty multiple crises that they will be inheriting. In 2008 andirsthand nine 2009 with the obama transition which was run by one of your next guests. Very professional. Very well organized. A good partner. I think we are seeing the same thing from the biden team. On that size, its good. We also know that the Trump White House is taking their responsibilities seriously. Planning toing and remain in power. I hope they are also treating it as an opportunity to refresh and reset as needed. About the talking mechanics of the process behind the scenes, led by others on the team. We know that the president s remarks have brought this into the public space, what a transition might look like. Point, can you pick up on that . Expect a bolivia did outcome to this election. We wont have clarity for days, maybe weeks after november 3. We know that based on the amount of time it will take to tally up the Record Number of mailin votes that are expected. How concerned are you about the circumstances . What influence they could have on a transition. Yeah. Thanks for the question. Everybody should take this time of transition very seriously. Is, the institutions, the Transition Team at the Biden Campaign, the Transition Team, that there has been some reporting on inside the white house ov