Experts in the News

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TIME

The 7 ways to lose a presidential debate

The four second-tier candidates “just looked like also-rans,” says Barbara Perry, the director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. And Reagan’s stunt “also made Bush 41 look that way, even though Bush had just scored an upset victory in the Iowa caucuses.” The former CIA director was “left just sitting there, stunned and looking like a deer caught in the headlights.”
Barbara Perry
Axios

Behind the scenes: How Trump's team staffed the U.S. government

Chris Lu, the executive director of Obama’s transition team, said he worked closely with the Democratic Party veterans to fill top jobs. And the Obama campaign leadership trusted Lu and his colleagues; meanwhile, the Trump team fired Christie right after the election. Senior campaign leadership — most importantly Jared Kushner — distrusted Christie, a senior transition source said, and therefore distrusted his work.
Chris Lu
Roll Call

The Pentagon has a leadership vacuum at the top as tensions with Iran rise

The departure of acting Defense Department Secretary Patrick Shanahan raises questions about who is advising President Donald Trump, who pulled back a planned military strike on Iran this week, says CQ defense reporter Andrew Clevenger in this episode of the CQ on Congress podcast. And Chris Lu, who served as Barack Obama's liaison to his Cabinet, says Trump's apparent preference for churn among his agency heads gives him more power to direct policy on his own.
Chris Lu