{"id":16341,"date":"2020-04-16T20:31:52","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T00:31:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opsweb.wpengine.com\/?p=16341"},"modified":"2021-07-01T16:04:09","modified_gmt":"2021-07-01T20:04:09","slug":"a-framework-for-presidential-candidates-during-the-covid-19-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourpublicservice.org\/blog\/a-framework-for-presidential-candidates-during-the-covid-19-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"A framework for presidential candidates during the COVID-19 pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Photo above: Stephanie Cutter, left, and Center for Presidential Transition Director David Marchick, right, recording an episode for the Transition Lab podcast.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the country deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, federal leaders can look to those who have previously led the public through times of crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Transition Lab\u2019s Managing a Presidential Transition During a National Crisis <\/a><\/em>podcast, Stephanie Cutter, former spokeswoman for the Obama-Biden transition team and nationally recognized communications strategist, explains the strategic steps her team took to position then President-elect Barack Obama as a leader during the 2008 global financial crisis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communicating Priorities<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The\nincoming Obama administration, thrust into global\nleadership during the greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression, had to\nprioritize the financial crisis immediately\nupon winning the election. The public wanted to\nknow who would be on his economic team, and his timeline\nfor releasing a financial\nstability plan and economic stimulus package. In this time of uncertainty,\nObama and his team needed to show the public that they were working\nquickly and competently to stand up an effective government.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Demonstrat<\/strong>ing Leadership<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cutter\nmentions how critical it was to position Obama as a\nleader. \u201cThere were\nlots of moments to show leadership and control over the situation to give\npeople confidence,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd we took\nfull advantage of that for good reason. We needed to calm the markets down and\ncalm the American people down [and let the people\nknow] that their government could protect them.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reaching Across the Aisle<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cutter also\nemphasized Obama\u2019s commitment to bipartisan governance to resolve the\neconomic challenges facing people across the country. Despite having a different\nagenda from the outgoing administration, Obama worked\nwith the Bush White House to show the public that his team was cooperative\nand prepared to take office.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomebody\nneeded to reassure people that we collectively\u2014the Bush White House, the Bush\nadministration, the transition team and the president-elect\u2014had this\nunder control,\u201d Cutter said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obama also met with politicians from across the aisle, including former political adversaries such as Sen. John McCain, which was vital to portraying a message of national unity to the public.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A <\/strong>Framework for the Future<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although the economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic are different in size and scope and present unique challenges, the tactics Cutter outlines in the podcast <\/a>present a framework for how the country and 2020 presidential candidates can show leadership as unemployment numbers reach historic highs and much of the public is staying at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out more blog posts on Transition Lab below: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n