Bush Gets Props—for Exit Planning

These days, not even "Brownie" would say "Heckuva job, Bushie," but President Bush is getting lauded by both sides of the aisle over his perhaps unparalleled efforts to ensure a smooth handover of power, Bloomberg reports. Bush began delegating tasks and deadlines this spring. “The White House and agencies are doing a good job, learning from mistakes of the past,” says a former White House aide who’s handled transitions since the Carter presidency.

“Poorly planned transitions can hurt the president-elect, reduce his mandate,” says the aide, particularly during a crisis. But the Bush administration has worked for “religiously equal” amounts of time with Barack Obama and John McCain’s campaigns amid the financial crisis. The next president will be “better prepared than any prior administration,” says a planning supervisor.
(More George W. Bush stories.)