The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency

  The office of the American presidency has become something of a deity making force, with those who occupy it consuming much of the political and cultural energy that powers American society. While a single president themselves is only a temporary figure, the grandeur of the office itself commands more of our national attention than ever before, and it comes with an equally imposing amount of power. My professional life has induced me to become more than simply familiar with the founding period, and while I am by no means an expert like some of the incredible historians I have had the good fortune to rub elbows with over the years, I know with relative certainty that I can back up the claim many historians and political scientists have made: the modern president is far more powerful than the founding fathers intended. With this increase in power has come the enlargement of the team that surrounds a president and allows a given White House the opportunity to operate smoothly. I say opportunity, because if you have been conscious in this country in the last twenty years, you will recognize that simply having a large team of assistants does not inherently create a functional administration. Creating an air of competency and power within an office that often is faced with near impossible circumstances to manage tends to fall on the shoulders of one person: the White House Chief of Staff. In his book, The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency, journalist Chris Whipple provides historical background and a pundit’s analysis on what makes for a successful right hand man (at least up until this point, an exclusively male position) to the President of the United States. While the President may have the ultimate power and receive all of the glory, the Chief of Staff is the engine behind any successful, or failing, administration. 

The Chief of Staff has existed in some form going all the way back to George Washington, but for much of American history the Chief of Staff was not an official title, but one that historians could posthumously subscribe to important presidential advisors. The middle of the twentieth century brought us our first true Chief, when Sherman Adams took on the role of president Dwight Eisenhower. Ike was used to the structure of the army, in which information and decision making flowed upward to general, being interpreted and shaped by subordinates before landing in the lap of the “big guy”. President Eisenhower famously snapped at a white house usher to “never bring him a sealed envelope”, thus establishing the official need for an intermediary. However, the position did not immediately become a permanent fixture of the west wing. President Kennedy preferred the advice of the Attorney General during his short tenure in office, who also happened to be his brother Bobby. Lyndon Johnson was too big of a personality to tolerate someone else getting his attention, acting as his own chief instead. Jimmy Carter’s first two years featured unlimited access to the Oval Office, until it was clear that the policy was having a negative impact on his performance. Reagan’s routing of Carter in the 1980 election not only ushered in a new era of American politics but also solidified the position as an integral part of presidential administrations moving forward. Whomever the president chooses to fulfill this role knows exactly what the position entails: little thanks, long nights, and the weight of running a country on your shoulders. Chiefs of staff control the flow of information and personnel into the Oval Office, deciding what the president sees and who is in the room when important decisions are made. They are arguably more sought after than the president themselves, because getting an audience with the commander-in-chief starts with the chief of staff. 

Whipple does an excellent job using the chapters of The Gatekeepers to provide vignettes covering various administrations and the particular president’s relationship with their chiefs of staff. I use the plural here, because the reality of the demands of the job causes chiefs of staff to turn over frequently, about once every twenty-two months. The job is not conducive to having a family or any time on your own, leading to burnout. In the West Wing, the job dramatically cost President Bartlett's right hand man Leo McGarry his marriage. While that is an example of television drama, I am sure after reading this book one can appreciate the toll the job must take on personal lives. The author’s breeze through this niche subject of American political history is full of anecdotes and intrigue, giving keen insight into one of the most demanding jobs on the planet. The read is a breeze, and I think you will enjoy it!