Anne Wexler

Oral History detailed view.

Speakers: Anne Wexler, Michael Chanin, Richard Neustadt, Jr, John Ryor

Date: February 12, 1981

Description:

Anne Wexler joins three of her White House colleagues for a discussion on coalition building and selling legislation during the Carter presidency. Wexler begins with an overview of her service with the Carter administration, covering her work on the 1976 Cabinet selection team, her tenure as Deputy Undersecretary of Commerce, how she came to join the Office of Public Liaison in May 1978, and a brief overview of her responsibilities. The majority of the interview is spent on Wexler's time in the White House, beginning with the legislative process and the creation of coalitions. The group discusses their interactions with a variety of groups, including Congress, interest groups, state and local party officials, constituent groups, PACs, and the Washington establishment. They examine the division labor between the Office of Public Liaison and other Cabinet and White House offices, particularly the Office of Congressional Liaison. They also share their perceptions of the Carter White House, how it was organized and developed over time, working relationships between staffers, and some of the key personalities (Powell, Jordan, Caddell, Rafshoon). Wexler discusses her observations of Carter's role in the legislative process, his operating style, and his interactions with Congress and the media. She concludes by asserting that the Carter administration compiled an impressive record of legislative achievements, but a poor communications strategy failed to convince the nation that Carter was moving the country forward.

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