Eleventh Hour: The Politics of Policy Initiatives in Presidential Transitions

Acknowledgments

acknowledgments This book would not have been possible without the help of a number of people. Lori Cox Han showed her enthusiasm for this project when it was just the seed of an idea and continued to be an instrumental source of support as it developed. I also wish to thank my research assistants in the Henley Social Science Research Lab at Chapman University: Cassidy Gayner, Sara Juarez, Lauren Pont, and Nicole Tellier. The librarians and staff of the National Archives at the Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and William Clinton presidential libraries helped me locate documentary materials and provided other valuable assistance. Portions of this research were supported by a Peter and Edith O’Donnell Grant from the Brent Scowcroft Foundation at Texas A&M University and a pair of institutional grants from Chapman University. I wish to thank Mary Lenn Dixon, Katie Cowart, Sally Antrobus, and the staff of TAMU Press as well as series editor James Pfiffner for guiding me through the process. I am also grateful for the contributions of anonymous reviewers who provided so much constructive feedback on the draft. I would like to thank the current and former officials of various federal agencies who took interest in my research and were kind enough to take the time to share their insights and experiences with me. Ann and Sarah Gordon have my sincere gratitude for reading versions of this manuscript and for their invaluable criticism. Finally, I want to thank Tara for accepting and understanding why her dad was preoccupied for so many months. You’re a great kid! ElEvEnth hour ...