Transfer of Executive Power

Report Outline
Eisenhower-Nixon-Kennedy Cooperation
Major Problems in Transfer of Power
Evolution of New Policies on Transition
The Vice President and the Succession

Never before in an election-to-inauguration period have the outgoing and incoming administrations made so wholehearted an effort to work together for an orderly transfer of the federal executive power. Innovations introduced eight years ago when President-elect Eisenhower made ready to take over the duties of President Truman, appear to be evolving into a tradition of mutual effort above the level of partisan politics, to assure effective continuity of government.

The United States position of leadership in the world has made the two-and-a-half month “interregnum” between election and inauguration of a new Chief Executive a period of some anxiety. Attention at home and abroad inevitably turns toward the new source of American power in the figure of a President-elect who has not yet received the seals of office. The greatest hazard to the nation in this situation is eruption of a crisis somewhere on the globe that may require prompt executive action at a time when the incumbent President's power to take a bold course is diminished by his imminent departure from office. In the present case, however, there is considerably less dilution of the “lame-duck” President's authority than is usual, due to Eisenhower's continuing personal popularity and the almost even division of the popular vote in the Nov. 8 election.

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Eisenhower-Nixon-Kennedy Cooperation

President Eisenhower on the day after the 1960 election promised the full cooperation of himself and his official family to his elected successor in order to facilitate the transfer of authority. In a telegram to President-elect John F. Kennedy, he said: “I stand ready to meet with you at any mutually convenient time to consider problems of continuity of government and orderly transfer of executive responsibility on Jan. 20.”