Podcast
Transition Lab is a must-listen for anyone interested in developing a better understanding of what needs to happen before a president takes office or starts a second term.
The second season of Transition Lab explores the connections between transition and democracy and provide analysis of the 2024 transition.
Listen to the podcast’s first season for interviews with former presidential chiefs of staff, transition team leads and other presidential transition experts.
Don’t miss the release of the second season
Sign up for email updates on the forthcoming season on Transition Lab.
Season Two
Too many cooks in the kitchen? With Lanhee Chen
Assigning one job to two people can be a recipe for disaster. Yet, presidential candidates typically have two policy teams—one for the campaign operation and one for the transition operation. Campaigns already do policy work, so why does a transition need a policy team, too? Today on “Transition Lab,” we’re joined by Lanhee Chen, the…
How do we build a better government? With Jenny Mattingley
Political pundits wax on about government waste, red tape and inefficiency, but the truth is that while the federal government can learn plenty from the private sector, no magic wand would make government operate exactly like a business—and for good reasons. This week on “Transition Lab,” we speak with our resident expert on government management,…
How do you become a political appointee? With Kathryn Dunn Tenpas
Getting a job can be really hard—but getting a job as a Senate-confirmed, presidential appointee can be even harder. Today on “Transition Lab,” we welcome Kathryn Dunn Tenpas for a conversation about the role of political appointees in the federal government and the pathway to these jobs. Tenpas is director of the Katzmann Initiative and…
Ever heard of an agency review team? With Melody Barnes
During every presidential transition, flocks of people parachute into agencies across the federal government. From November to January, these agency review teams serve as the bridge between the president-elect and the mammoth organization they will soon oversee, relaying information back and forth to prepare for a smooth handoff of power. Organizing these teams is no…
What if the Constitution had the solutions all along? With Yuval Levin
The federal government seems broken, but it might not be for the reasons you think. In this episode of “Transition Lab,” Yuval Levin talks with us about the surprising ways in which a the U.S. Constitution—despite being centuries old—could help us address our most pressing modern social and political problems. Yuval Levin is the director…