"CHRIS WALLACE:" "There is a tradition in this country-- in fact, one of the prides of this country is the peaceful transition of power." "Do you make the same commitment that you will absolutely accept the result of this election?" "I will tell you at the time." "I'll keep you in suspense." "NARRATOR:" "For the first time in modern presidential history, acandidate in a national debate challengesthepeaceful transfer of power, apillarof democracy that's sustained formorethan200 years." "So help me God." "NARRATOR:" "Through crisis..." "(gunshot)" "MAN (over radio):" "The president is dead." "...scandal..." "What's the matter with these clowns?" "...peace,andwar, whatdoesit taketohand off themostpowerfuloffice in the world?" "Thisisthesecrethistory of the transition of power." "FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT:" "I do solemnly swear..." "JOHN F. KENNEDY: ...that I will faithfully execute the office ofPresident of the United States..." "RONALD REAGAN: ...preserve, protect, and defend..." "BILL CLINTON:" "So help me God." "(cheers and applause)" "The United States created the very notion ofthepeaceful transition of power." "Thisisaconcept that was nonexistent ontheplanetEarth before Washington transferred power to John Adams inthelatterpart of the 18th century." "Before that, the world was made up, principally, ofmonarchies, where kings and queens onlyrelinquishedpower through death ormoresinisterforces." "The idea that someone would voluntarily relinquish power and hand it off to another person was actually a really radical experiment in governance." "But here we are doing it systemically." "Thereareno daggers to the hearts, notanksin thestreets." "It's an incredible thing even today we take for granted." "(trumpet fanfare)" "ANNOUNCER:" "The President of the United States." "NARRATOR:" "The American presidency begins with an oath topreserve,protect, and defend the Constitution." "I, Franklin Delano Roosevelt..." "...do solemnly swear..." "NARRATOR:" "35 words that make you themostpowerfulexecutive in the world." "...that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States." "No other job has the danger, the influence, the power, the potential for a terrible tragedy that the presidency has, which makes the transition of power such a critical process." "NARRATOR:" "So critical that the transition gets underway longbeforeAmericachooses its next leader." "(bell tolling)" "(triumphant music playing, cheers and applause)" "I accept your nomination." "...for the presidency of the United States." "NARRATOR:" "The political conventions signaltheopening of the general election season." "Thepresidentialtransition begins justastherealbattle for the White House kicks off." "You're not up to doing the job." "She should not be allowed to run." "NARRATOR:" "While the campaign rhetoric intensifies..." "He'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States." "No puppet." "No puppet." "NARRATOR:" "The rival candidates must each prepare forwhatwillhappen if they win." "KEITH HUGHES:" "One might think that the presidential transition teams and the actual transfer of power is kind of being put together after the election." "Itactuallyoccursassoon as thenominationconventions are over." "H.W. BRANDS:" "When Lincoln became president, itwasLincoln and a couple of secretaries, andthatwasit." "Nowadays, transitions involve thousandsofpeople." "Andsoit 'salmostlike the creation ofa governmentanew." "And it's a huge job." "ALLAN LICHTMAN:" "The government of the United States is a $4 trillion business." "No private business even remotely approaches it." "Soimaginehaving to take over a$ 4trillionbusiness in just a few months." "NARRATOR:" "Each candidate assembles a transition team tolayourthe plansfortheir  future administration." "Congressappropriates a total of $13.3 million tosupportthisprocess." "LICHTMAN:" "Hundreds of people, in the middle of the campaign, are involved in planning this transition." "Ineffect,eachcampaign is assembling ashadowgovernment." "MAX STIER:" "If you wait till after the election, there's no way in the world that you're going to be ready toactuallyrunthe government on day one." "What a great job." "(siren blares, stops)" "NARRATOR:" "A few weeks after the candidates are chosen, thereisacrucialmoment in the transition-- thefirsttopsecret national security briefing." "MICHAEL CHERTOFF:" "The nominees get a certain level ofsecuritybriefing." "It's not the crown jewels, but it's at least some kind of general overview ofwhat'sgoingon in the world." "NARRATOR:" "Classified briefings ensure continuity in matters of national security butarenotmandatedbylaw." "They'rea tradition linked to a pivotal wartimetransition andanincomingpresident caught completely unprepared." "♪ ♪" "LICHTMAN:" "Harry Truman, of course, became president instantlyuponthedeath of Franklin Roosevelt, acoupleof monthsinto" "FranklinRoosevelt's fourth term." "Hehadn'tbeenvicepresident during any of FDR's other three terms, so he was a brand-new vice president whohadgotten no intelligence briefings inthemiddleofWorldWarII ." "GAGE:" "The number of things that he did not know in that moment really are quite astonishing." "Hehadn'tbeenprivytomost of the diplomatic negotiations thatweregoingon,  oreventhekind of war planning thathadbeenhappening inside the White House." "Hehadno idea that the United States hadbeendeveloping an atomic bomb." "LICHTMAN:" "Which left Truman with maybe one of the most monumental decisions a president ever had to make-- washegoingtousethebomb totryto force the Japanese to surrender?" "NARRATOR:" "Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb comesjustfourmonths into his presidency." "Intwostrategicattacks, the most destructive weapon everunleashedannihilates two cities andkillsmorethan 200,000 people." "DOYLE:" "Because Franklin Roosevelt had neglected to brief him on the most important issue facing the presidency at that time," "Trumanhadto learn on the job, andTrumanknew how dangerous that was, sogoingforwardhesaid ," ""I'mgonnamakedarnsure  that all my successors have" ""knowledge of what's going on before they're elected president."" "NARRATOR:" "Seven years later, Truman takes action toensurethat future presidents aremoreprepared to take office." "DOYLE:" "Truman had the idea:" "let'shave the Democratic candidate," "AdlaiStevenson, and the Republican candidate," "DwightEisenhower, receive intelligence briefings many weeks ahead of the election." "Intelligencebriefings are now tradition, andit'saverygood one." "NARRATOR:" "Candidates who receive theseclassified intelligence briefings arerequired to keep them private asa matter of national security." "Butwhatif acandidate exploits the nation's secrets forpoliticalgain?" "DOYLE:" "At virtually the last minute of the 1968 campaign, something happened that was so bizarre andsoshockingthatthe details of it remained secret forthenext50years." "NARRATOR:" "In the late 1960s," "Americaisonceagainatwar." "Theconflictin Vietnam is tearing the country apart andistheleadingissue in the 1968 election." "We shall begin with Vietnam." "Never has so much military power been used so ineffectively." "UPDEGROVE:" "Outgoing president Lyndon Johnson opted to brief all of the viable presidential candidates:" "HubertHumphrey, his vice president-- theDemocraticcandidate" "RichardNixon, the Republican candidate, andGeorgeWallace, the Independent candidate." "And he briefed them on what was happening in the war in Vietnam." "NARRATOR:" "In that briefing, President Johnson reveals abombshell." "Hisadministrationis  in secret talks to end the war." "Afteryears of careful persuasion, topdiplomatsare nearing an agreement tobringbothNorth and South Vietnam tothenegotiatingtable." "IfJohnsonsuccessfully negotiates peace, itcouldhelpsecure the election forhisvicepresident, Hubert Humphrey." "DOYLE:" "Richard Nixon was desperate." "He saw a very, very close election." "HubertHumphrey and he were polling justabouteven in all the polls." "This time we're gonna win!" "(cheers and applause)" "DOYLE:" "To checkmate Humphrey, whattheNixoncampaigndid in secret was an act of political sabotage." "LICHTMAN:" "Candidate Nixon acted totryto scuttle the peace talks." "Hesenthisrepresentative to the South Vietnamese to say, "Don't cooperate." "Wait till I'm elected and you will get a better deal."" "NARRATOR:" "Audio recordings, declassified in 2008, revealthatjustdays before the election," "PresidentJohnsonlearns about Nixon's scheme toderailthepeaceprocess." "DOYLE:" "In a desperate attempt to get the Nixon campaign to stop these secret backdoor negotiations with South Vietnam," "President Johnson calls up Republican leader" "EverettDirksen, andaccusesRepublican Richard Nixon oftheultimatecrime." "DIRKSEN:" "Uh-huh." "Yeah." "Yeah." "That's a mistake." "Oh, it is." "Yeah." "JOHNSON:" "All right." "(phone hangs up)" "(telephone ringing)" "NARRATOR:" "Less than 24 hours later, acallis patchedthrough to President Johnson." "JOHNSON:" "Yes." "NARRATOR:" "The peaceful transfer of power fromonepresidenttothenext isa complexprocess that begins longbeforeAmericachooses its next leader." "Topreparethecandidates to govern ondayone,theyreceive intelligence briefings thataresupposed to remain top secret." "Butin1968, attheheight of the Vietnam War, candidateRichardNixon secretly uses intelligence from those briefings tointerferewith President Johnson's efforts tosetup peacetalks." "DOYLE:" "Nixon campaign operatives told the South Vietnamese government to pull out of the negotiations." "Don'tnegotiatenow, through the Johnson-Humphrey administration,hangon , you'll get a better deal with us." "NARRATOR:" "In recently declassified recordings, anadamantNixoncan beheard assuring President Lyndon Johnson thathehasmade no attempts to interfere withthepeaceprocess." "JOHNSON:" "Yes." "Yes, Dick." "Dick..." "Well, that's good, Dick, I..." "And if we can get it done now, fine." "NARRATOR:" "Nixon is lying, and President Johnson knows it." "Butthereis nothing he can do about it, becausehisproofthat the Nixon campaign is tampering withthepeaceprocesscomes froma secret government wiretap of the South Vietnamese embassy in Washington, D.C." "In the political game of chess, it's a stalemate ofkingversusking." "LICHTMAN:" "And as a result, theSouthVietnamese did not cooperate in the peace talks, a ceasefire wasnotbrokered," "RichardNixonwaselected, and the war dragged on andonformanyyears." "(chanting indistinctly)" "You would think that the transition from Johnson to Nixon would be a bitter and chaotic one." "Ironically,itturnsout  tobeoneofthesmoothest in history." "Idon'tthinkJohnsonwanted to see the transition becomea pointof contention." "Andyou'redealingwithtwo incredibly astute politicians." "You know, probably the most astute politicians ofthelasthundredyears, one could argue." "NARRATOR:" "Before you can transfer power toa newpresident, thecountryfirsthas  to choose one." "(bell tolling)" "The2016election betweenHillaryClinton and Donald Trump marksonlythefifthtime  that the winner ofthepopularvote loses the presidency, aresult that has renewed debate abouttheElectoralCollege." "Thepeacefultransition of power depends on a free andfairelectoralsystem, aprocessthatcan bethrown into a tailspin whenthemarginistooslim." "In1800, theelection is as close as it gets." "Four men, including the sitting president, John Adams, arebattling to claim a majority oftheelectoralvotes." "LICHTMAN:" "Two candidates tied." "ThomasJefferson and Aaron Burr." "And so the House had to pick the president." "NARRATOR:" "The Constitution mandates thatintheeventofatie intheElectoralCollege, theHouseof Representatives must break the tie by a vote." "TheHouseis deadlocked for a week." "Finally,onthe36thround of voting," "Vice President Thomas Jefferson is elected thethirdpresident of the United States just15days before the inauguration." "BRANDS:" "That transition could have gone badly." "If there had been resistance, thentheAmericanexperiment itself wouldhavetaken a different route." "When that one went peacefully, it set the model for everything that followed." "NARRATOR: 200 years later, another divided election result anda closelycontestedrace endswiththemost controversial transfer of power inrecenthistory." "ANCHOR:" "It's been a nerve-racking night forbothcandidates." "NARRATOR:" "November 7, 2000." "Asthereturns begin to roll in," "Americalearnsanew  Election Night catch phrase:" ""Toocloseto call."" "VicePresidentAl Gore isnarrowlyahead of George W. Bush inthepopularvote, but the two are tied intheElectoralCollege." "Itallcomesdown toFlorida,where25electoral votes will decide the election." "ANCHOR:" "We are now projecting..." "After 2:00 a.m., networkprojections call Florida awinforGeorgeW.Bush." "SECRETARY ANDREW CARD:" "Bush won Florida, and then Al Gore conceded, and then Al Gore didn't concede becausemaybeBush didn't win Florida." "NARRATOR:" "Bush's margin is just 1,784 votes, lessthan1/ 2of onepercent, which,underFloridalaw , triggersanautomaticrecount." "After24hours of recounting ballots," "Bush'sleaddrops toonly362votes." "TheGorecampaignpetitions for a manual recount infourFloridacounties." "It is even more important that every vote is counted." "NARRATOR:" "But the process takes time, putting the transition of power into a state of limbo." "We're tracking, looking at the ballots, notingwhere the hanging chads are." "NARRATOR:" "In late November, nearlythreeweeks after Election Day," "GeorgeW.Bushisahead by 537 votes andisofficiallycertified as the winner in Florida." "Gorestillrefusestoconcede andcontinueshisfight for a recount in the courts." "ANITA McBRIDE:" "The decision on who was going to be president oftheUnitedStateswasmade over five weeks after Election Day and had to be decided by the Supreme Court in December." "NARRATOR:" "On December 12, just39days before the inauguration, theSupremeCourtmakes its ruling against Al Gore." "Florida'sdecisionstands." "While I strongly disagree with the court's decision," "I accept it." "And tonight, for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy," "I offer my concession." "NARRATOR:" "Bush wins the election, but at a price." "Histransitiontime is cut in half." "McBRIDE:" "We lost a lot of time in 2000 because it was unclear who the president was going to be." "Soitwasverydifficult,made it much harder to get started." "NARRATOR:" "Even as he takes office," "PresidentBush still has thousands of appointed positions to fill." "Then,justeightmonths into his first term, theunthinkablehappens." "TEACHER:" "Get ready." "STUDENTS:" "More!" "TEACHER:" "Yes." "More." "Get ready." "STUDENTS:" "Life!" "TEACHER:" "Yes." "Life." "Get ready." "STUDENTS:" "Light!" "NARRATOR:" "On the morning of September 11, 2001, thepresidentis at  a Florida elementary school promotinghiseducation initiative." "CARD:" "He was sitting in front of these second graders." "Iwalkedup to thepresident and I leaned over and whispered into his right ear," ""Americaisunderattack."" "NARRATOR:" "During the modern transition ofpresidentialpower, a new administration must fill 4,000jobs to run the government, aprocessthatusuallytakes several months." "Butinthecloseelection of 2000, one president's transition time is cut in half, leaving many security positions unfilled." "CARD:" "President George W. Bush didnothave a very long transition, because his transition really didn't start until after the Supreme Court haddecided a very contentious election." "NARRATOR:" "After eight months on the job," "Bush'sadministration is just getting up to speed, whenhe'sforcedtoconfront thedeadliestterroristattack on U.S. soil." "CARD:" "I walked up to the president and I leaned over and whispered into his right ear," ""Asecondplane hit the second tower." "Americaisunderattack."" "McBRIDE:" "And George W. Bush, now the 43rd president of the United States, became a wartime president ina matterof seconds." "♪ ♪" "CARD:" "Presidents have to be nimble anddealwiththe world as it is." "Not the world that they want it to be." "AndPresidentBush clearly was given that inspades on September 11, 2001." "I can hear you, and the people who knocked these buildings down" "will hear all of us soon!" "(cheering)" "CHERTOFF: 9/11, although it occurred months after the inauguration, still occurred early in an administration." "Thereweremanypositions that were unfilled, hadnotbeenconfirmed." "TheFBIdirectorhad been on the job for ten days." "NARRATOR:" "The crisis is a wake-up call fora newadministration." "CARD:" "September 11, 2001 played a role inPresidentBushwanting to make sure that his successor wouldhavebettertools available to help him do the job." "CROWD (chanting):" "U.S.A.!" "U.S.A.!" "ANNOUNCER:" "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States." "NARRATOR:" "Seven years later, as Bush prepares tohandoverpower to Barack Obama, hegivesamandate to his entire staff." "This peaceful transfer of power is one of the hallmarks of a true democracy, and ensuring that this transition is as smooth as possible is a priority for the rest of my presidency." "NARRATOR:" "For the first time ever, nationalsecuritystaff from two administrations cometogetherforajoint crisis training drill." "CHERTOFF:" "So we put together a scenario designedtomakesure everybody understood whatwouldhappenifthere was a terrorist attack." "Whowouldhave what responsibilities, whatkindsof tools would be available?" "SECRETARY JANET NAPOLITANO:" "We're literally seated nexttotheperson we were replacing." "The role I was taking on was a very heavy role witha heavyresponsibility." "Itwasahumblingmoment." "9/11 really changed things." "We'reinmuchtoo serious a state of affairs intheworldthesedays  toplaygames with a transition." "(bell tolls)" "I love this country." "(crowd cheering)" "Thank you." "Thank you very much." "NARRATOR:" "Once the election is over, thetransitionof power gains momentum, aspoliticalrivals put country first." "Donald Trump is going to be our president." "We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead." "NARRATOR:" "Within days, thepresident-electis invited to the White House, a symbol of a peaceful transfer of power." "I very much look forward to dealing with the president in the future, including counsel." "GAGE:" "One of the questions that usually comes up in this critical period between November and January is:" "whatisgonnabe the relationship between the outgoing administration andtheincoming administration?" "NARRATOR:" "The president-elect may be eager to begin, buthisauthorityislimited while the sitting president isstillin charge." "Hello, everybody." "Some of the harsh words..." "DOYLE:" "Technically, heorshehas greatpower." "But an outgoing president has almost no political capital remaining;" "he or she is a lame duck." "Michelle!" "Lame duck." "That's really good." "This is one of the better ones." "HUGHES:" "The term "lame duck" actually originates from London andthestockmarket." "Inthe18thcentury, the term was meant to refer to an investor who had defaulted on their funds." "So,thattermcarriedover , in the 19th century, whenpoliticalreporters started referring to politicians who had lost an election but were still holding power." "NARRATOR:" "Today, the lame duck period lastsabouttenweeks." "Butitusedtobeevenlonger ." "The Founding Fathers originally set the inauguration onMarch4, afullfour months after the election." "HUGHES:" "You have to remember that whentheConstitution was written, it took a long time for people to get from point "A" to point "B,"" "so therefore, March 4 seemed like the perfect date." "NARRATOR:" "The time lag is supposed to ensure a smooth andorderlytransition." "Butitcanalsocreate a power vacuum, aperiodof uncertaintythat, in one election year, threatenstheverysurvival of the nation." "November6 ,1860." "RepublicanAbrahamLincoln wins a contentious election, promisingtostop the spread of slavery." "Hisvictorycreatesarevolt in the Southern states." "Six weeks later, South Carolina secedes from the Union andsixotherstatesfollow." "Outgoingpresident James Buchanan does nothing." "HUGHES:" "He's a lame duck, he's not accountable, he doesn't really know what to do when we're in this kind of long waiting period, waitingforAbrahamLincoln to come into the White House todosomething." "NARRATOR:" "On the brink of civil war, thenationis unraveling, as the clock ticks toward themostdangerous transition of power inpresidentialhistory." "NARRATOR:" "In America's 230-year history, thepresidency has changed hands 43 times." "Butneverhasthe transition period been as dangerous asitwasin1861 ." "AfterAbrahamLincoln wins the election, outgoingpresident James Buchanan is a lame duck." "Hedoesnothingtostop  the wave of secession that'stearing the country apart." "LICHTMAN:" "During that transition," "Buchananhadallthe power, Lincoln had none." "Andoneafteranother after another" "Southern state seceded from the Union." "NARRATOR:" "The damage is irreversible." "Inthefourmonths between the election andLincoln'sinauguration on March 4, sevenstatesleavethe Union." "TheCivilWarbreaksout just 39 days later andthenewpresidentinherits what will become thebloodiestconflict in U.S. history." "BRANDS:" "There's this odd paradox in this transition stuff, that smooth transitions are most necessary when they are least possible." "NARRATOR:" "Six decades later, the nation is tested once again, as the presidency changes hands during the Great Depression." "Whenthestockmarketcrashes on October 24, 1929," "PresidentHerbertHoover has been in office onlysevenmonths and now finds himself presiding over an economy in free-fall." "And therefore, I would say to the American public, be patient..." "NARRATOR:" "Three years later, he loses his bid for reelection totheDemocrat, Franklin Delano Roosevelt." "It looks, my friends, like a real landslide this time." "LICHTMAN:" "That was the worst point of the Great Depression." "You're talking about up to 25% ofpeopleunemployed in America." "GAGE:" "Banks across the country are closing." "Peoplearelosingtheirmoney." "Herbert Hoover kind of wants to do something as a lame duck president." "He reaches out to Franklin Roosevelt and says," ""Canwefigureout whattodo  about all of this?"" "AndRoosevelt, more or less, says," ""Thanks,I thinkI'llwait until I'm president."" "NARRATOR:" "By the end of the four-month period betweentheelection and Inauguration Day, theU.S.economy grinds to a halt, with11,000bankfailures andunemployment approaching an all-time high." "Theurgentcrisis sparks Congress tomakean historicchange to the U.S. Constitution andthetransfer of presidential power." "LICHTMAN:" "Prior to 1936, the inauguration of a president took place, actually, on March 4." "HUGHES:" "It was just too long of a period to have a lame duck presidency." "So, in 1933, the 20th Amendment was ratified, andthatmovedthe date from March 4 tothedateweknow now,  January 20, shorteningtheperiod." "NARRATOR:" "But what happens ifthere'sno time for a transition andthepresidency must change hands inthemiddle of a national crisis?" "REPORTER:" "The president's jet lands at the Dallas airport," "LoveField." "NARRATOR:" "November 22, 1963." "PresidentJohnF. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, areonan earlycampaignswing through Texas." "RADIO ANNOUNCER:" "The president's car is now turning onto Elm Street, and it will be only a matter of minutes beforehearrives at the Trade Mart." "NARRATOR:" "On a downtown Dallas street, thetraditionof an orderly transfer of power isputto theultimatetest ." "(gunshots)" "RADIO ANNOUNCER:" "It appears as though somethinghashappened in the motorcade route!" "Something,I repeat, hashappened in the motorcade route." "NARRATOR:" "President Kennedy is hit by an assassin's bullet." "RADIO ANNOUNCER:" "Several police officers arerushingup thehill at this time." "Standbyjustamomentplease." "NARRATOR:" "The transition of power begins in an instant, asSecretServiceagents dive to protect the man ridingjusttwocarsbehind:" "VicePresident Lyndon Baines Johnson." "RADIO ANNOUNCER:" "There has been a shooting." "ParklandHospital has been advised to stand by fora severegunshotwound." "UPDEGROVE:" "Johnson finds himself at Parkland Hospital awaiting the news onKennedyandhefindsout that he's dead." "DOYLE:" "The moment that President John Kennedy's heart stoppedbeating," "Lyndon Johnson became the president of the United States." "Thatiswhat the Constitution defines, andthat'sbefore any swearing in;" "it happens in that second." "RADIO ANNOUNCER:" "The president's wife," "JackieKennedy,wasnot hurt." "Shewalkedintothe hospital atherhusband's stretcher's side." "NARRATOR:" "Looming over it all is the fear thatLyndonJohnson could be the next target." "DOYLE:" "His boss has just been killed in public, afewhundredyardsinfront  of him, in the motorcade." "For all he knew, this could have been a massive conspiracy." "NARRATOR:" "At Dallas Love Field," "AirForceOne powers up its engines." "Recentlydiscoveredrecordings betweenAirForceOne  andtheWhiteHouse documenttheunfoldingcrisis in real time." "UPDEGROVE:" "For security reasons," "Johnson chooses to go to Air Force One immediately, uh, and is forced below the window inthelimousinethatspeeds, inlessthanten minutes, to Love Field." "And he decides that that's when, uh," "Kennedy's assassination should be announced." "NARRATOR:" "At 1:30 p.m., thehistoricnews goes out to the world." "RADIO ANNOUNCER:" "Just a moment, just a moment, wehaveabulletincomingin." "We'renowswitchingdirectly toParklandHospitaland KBOX news director, Phil Hampton." "PHIL HAMPTON:" "The president of the United States is dead." "There'sonlyoneword to describe thepicturehere,and that's "grief," and much of it." "It'sofficial as of just a few moments ago." "NARRATOR:" "An assassin's bullet throwstheentire U.S. government intouncertainty." "Holdingthecountrytogether now falls on Lyndon Johnson." "You, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, do solemnly swear..." "NARRATOR:" "When a new president is sworn in, thetransitionof oneleader to the next istheculminationofmonths of detailed preparation." "So help you God?" "So help me God." "(cheering)" "RADIO ANNOUNCER:" "Something has happened inthemotorcaderoute." "Stand by, please." "NARRATOR:" "But on November 22, 1963, thetransferof presidential power happens in an instant." "RADIO ANNOUNCER:" "President Kennedy hasbeenassassinated." "It's official now." "Thepresidentis dead." "NARRATOR:" "Lyndon Johnson becomes president ina momentof crisis." "Nooneknowsfor sure ifthecountry and its new leader arestillunderthreat." "DOYLE:" "You're now the president." "Youhaveto take the reins of power, youhaveto somehowmanage all these pieces of pure chaos, for which there is no precedent." "This had not happened in the modern era." "NARRATOR:" "Johnson insists on taking the oath of office beforeAirForceOne  leaves Dallas." "Thechiefjustice of the Supreme Court traditionallypresides over the oath of office ataninauguration, butunderthelaw ,any federal judge can administer the oath." "Johnsoncalls an old Dallas friend," "FederalJudgeSarahHughes, to swear him in." "Outsidetheplane, thehearsecarrying Kennedy's body arrives." "SecretServiceagents have purchased a casket froma localfuneralhome, butit'stoowidetofit through the cabin door, so ultimately, the ornate metal handles are ripped off." "Theslainpresidentisbrought on board Air Force One, accompaniedbyhiswidow, Jackie." "Johnson asks that Jacqueline Kennedy accompany him while he's taking the oath of office, outofrespect for the now former first lady, andtoshowthe nation and the world thatthereis  this transition of power" "from Kennedy to Johnson." "It's very symbolic." "NARRATOR:" "President Kennedy's photographer," "CecilStoughton, chronicles the moment." "Thephotorevealsdetails ofa quicklyimprovised inauguration ceremony." "Thereisno Bibleonboard, buta Catholicprayerbookis found in the plane's bedroom." "ADictaphoneis grabbed off Kennedy's desk torecordthehistoricmoment." "Althoughhehadcolorfilm , thephotographercaptures the moment in black and white." "It'sfasterto process, andthenewpresidentwantsto share this image of stability withtheworld as quickly as possible." "2:47p.m.,justtwo hours after the assassination," "AirForceOne takes off from Dallas." "AtAndrewsAirForceBase  in Washington, D.C.," "Johnsonwaits until the casket is removed beforemakinghisfirstspeech as the nation's leader." "JOHNSON:" "This is a sad time for all people." "Wehavesufferedaloss  that cannot be weighed." "For me, it is a deep, personal tragedy." "Iknowthatthe world shares the sorrow thatMrs.Kennedy and her family bears." "Iwilldo my best." "ThatisallIcando." "I ask for your help and God's." "DOYLE:" "In this moment, Lyndon Johnson was trying toshowthepublicthat ,yes,  ourpresidentwasjustkilled, butthereis  a transition of power." "Iamnowthe president and it will now be orderly." "He was able to switch people's perceptions from John F. Kennedy to Lyndon Johnson, evengiven such horrific circumstances." "That'sa presidential transition we'veneverseenthe likesof before or since." "(bell tolls)" "We are going to appoint" ""Mad Dog" Mattis as our secretary of defense." "NARRATOR:" "The transition of power depends on more thanjustthechiefexecutive." "Tobesuccessful, thepresidentmustbuild aneffectiveadministration ofexpertsandleaders whowilldirect and implement his policies." "GAGE:" "The new president begins to pick those who are really part of his or her inner circle." "So,you'relooking at the White House staff." "You'relookingat theCabinet, thepeoplethat the new president isreallygoingtorely on." "NARRATOR:" "The first presidential Cabinet underGeorgeWashington hadonlyfourmembers." "Today,thereare 15 Cabinet positions whoallserveatthepleasure of the president." "Cabinetmembersare part of the hierarchy ofpresidentialsuccession, intheeventofdeath, resignation, orimpeachment." "Thecurrentlineofsuccession is 17 positions deep, beginning with the vice president, followedby the speaker of the House andthepresidentpro tem  of the Senate." "After that, we hit the Cabinet list, going in order of Cabinet positions created." "So,thatwouldstart with secretary of state, andwe'dgo allthe way  down the list todirector of homeland security." "NARRATOR:" "The line of succession is clearly spelled out bytheConstitution and Congress toensurecontinuity in times of crisis." "Butintherealworld, thingsdon'talways go according to plan." "(gunshots)" "(people screaming)" "Ronald Reagan was shot by John Hinckley outside of the Washington Hilton, amileor so  from the White House." "NARRATOR: "Rawhide" is President Reagan's code name, andintheserarelyheard Secret Service radio calls, thechaos of the assassination attempt iscapturedin realtime." "Asthemotorcadespeeds toward the White House," "Reaganappearsto be fine, untilSecretServiceAgent Jerry Parr notices bloodcoming from the president's mouth." "He is rushed to George Washington University Hospital." "Hewalksin thefrontdoor , and he collapses, andhegoes into emergency surgery." "NARRATOR:" "At the White House, members of Reagan's Cabinet gatherintheSituationRoom ." "Thekeypeopleintheroomare" "NationalSecurityAdvisor Richard Allen," "SecretaryofTreasury Donald Regan," "SecretaryofDefense Caspar Weinberger," "SecretaryofState Alexander Haig," "JamesBaker,ChiefofStaff," "PressSecretaryLarrySpeakes." "ConversationsintheSituation Room are usually not recorded, butRichardAllendecides to make an exception." "George Bush, Reagan's vice president, was in Fort Worth, Texas, uh,whenhe findsout  that Reagan has been shot andthathe needstoreturnto Washington as soon as possible." "NARRATOR:" "The vice president is on board Air Force Two, nowreturningto thecapital, buttheplane'scommunications are outdated." "Withouta directsecureline," "Bushcannoteffectively take control." "Neitherthepresident nor the vice president are able to run the government." "Thetransitionof power is up in the air." "HUGHES:" "So, when Ronald Reagan went under the knife, hewasout, and the way it should've worked isGeorgeBushshouldhave  gotten power becausethepresident was obviously incapacitated." "But of course, George Bush was in an airplane, so that didn't occur." "What did occur wasa verykindofweirdscene  at the White House." "WEINBERGER:" "Until the vice president actuallyarriveshere, the command authority is what?" "HAIG:" "Constitutional." "Hmm?" "Well,I ..." "DOYLE:" "Ronald Reagan is in the operating room." "Nobodyknowsif he 'sgoing to live or die." "You have the senior officials of the United States arguing over who is in charge of the American government at this moment andwhohasthe ability to command the military." "SecretaryofStateAlexander Haig has one point of view;" "he'sincharge." "SecretaryofDefense Cap Weinberger says," ""No,that'snotright,"" "and they are in a state of total confusion." "NARRATOR:" "In the middle of the unfolding crisis, thePentagonreports anincreasein thenumber of Soviet submarines offAmerica'sEastCoast." "DOYLE:" "And at this point in time, nobodyknewif this assassination attempt was an attack by the Russians on a new president." "Itcouldhavebeenthefirst  wave in a bigger attack." "So, if decisions need to be made right now aboutnuclearweapons andaboutordering military forces on alert, who'sgonnamake these decisions?" "Who's going to be the president?" "NARRATOR:" "The orderly transition and succession of power isthehallmark of American democracy..." "Are you up for one more term?" "...whetherithappens every four years, eightyears,or in an instant." "(gunshots)" "(people screaming)" "Inthehoursafter an attempted assassination," "PresidentRonaldReagan is in emergency surgery witha bulletlodged just one inch from his heart." "VicePresidentGeorgeBush is flying back to Washington, buthasno secure communication link, andtheCabinetcan 'tagree on who's in charge." "WOMAN:" "You guys, sit down here." "WhiteHouseSpokespersonLarry Speakes faces the press corps." "Theywantto knowwho is in control at the White House." "If the president goes into surgery and goes under anesthesia..." "REPORTER:" "What about crisis management?" "I-I cannot answer that question, which is, which is technical and legal." "BRANDS:" "Al Haig, Reagan's secretary of state, who'swatchingthis from the Situation Room, thought that the president's spokesman was not doing a good job, and so he literally ran from the Situation Room to the briefing room and grabbed the microphone and said..." "First, uh, as you know, we are in close touch with the vice president, who is returning to Washington." "REPORTER:" "Who's making the decisions for the government right now?" "Who's making the decisions?" "Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the president, the vice president and the secretary of state in that order." "And should the president decide he wants to transfer the helm to the vice president, he will do so." "(reporters clamor)" "As of now I am in control here in the White House." "NARRATOR:" "The trouble is," "SecretaryHaig has made a mistake." "BRANDS:" "And his point was to reassure theAmericanpeople, to reassure the world." "Theeffect,in fact, was just the opposite." "Becausehere'sthisguy who 's flushed and out of breath, and saying "I'm in charge," and in fact he's wrong." "It made very clear that, well, nobody was in charge." "He misstated the line of presidential succession." "You have the president, the vice president, and the secretary of state in that order." "He was not next in line after the vice president." "Aheadofhimwas  the speaker of the House andthepresidentpro tem  of the Senate." "NARRATOR:" "At 6:30 p.m., thevicepresidentfinally arrives in Washington, takescommand of the Situation Room, andtriesto restoreorder." "(indistinct talking, camera shutters clicking)" "NARRATOR:" "President Reagan survives thenearfatalgunshotwound." "BUSH:" "The president's emerged with the most optimistic prospects for a complete recovery." "I can reassure this nation and a watching world that the American government is functioning fully and effectively." "NARRATOR:" "The next day, 70-year-old Ronald Reagan isbackat work, signinga pieceof legislation in his hospital room." "Reagan was amazing in the way he was able to rebound from, youknow,beingnearlykilled when he was shot." "NARRATOR:" "During the entire incident," "Reaganneverofficially transfers power, butthe25thAmendment does provide a way totemporarilyhandoff power witha simpleletter to Congress." "HUGHES:" "So if we have a president who's going to be temporarilyincapacitated, the president would voluntarily give up power, and then once they're in their right mind, they're back on their feet, they again give written permission" "to have that power back." "NARRATOR:" "The clause was most recently invoked byGeorgeW. Bush." "I'm gonna be sedated for a period of time and will, uh, transfer power to the vice president during that time." "NARRATOR:" "Twice while in office," "Bushsignsoverpower to his VP," "DickCheney." "Bothtimeswerebecause of a colonoscopy." "Asa result, Cheney now holds the record forwhatis ,in effect, theshortestpresidency in history, atotalof fourhours." "He'll realize he's not gonna be president that long." "(reporters laughing)" "Anyway, I'm glad to be able to share that with you." "Thank you all very much." "(laughter)" "(bell tolls)" "♪ ♪" "NARRATOR:" "With the official transition of power nowjusttwoweeksaway , inside the White House, plansareunderway topreparetheOvalOffice." "Everypresident can personalize the space fromtheartwork to the furniture." "It'salsobecomeatradition forpresidentsto design their own Oval Office rug." "Eachonefeatures the presidential coat of arms, whichincludestheimage of an eagle holdingboththearrowsofwar andtheolivebranchofpeace ." "GARY WALTERS:" "One of the things that's important tothepresident is the selection of the desk that he's going to use and sit behind." "Somehaveused the HMS Resolute desk, theonethatJohnJohn Kennedy crawled through, thatmanypeoplehaveseen  that photograph." "NARRATOR:" "The Resolute desk was a gift toPresident Rutherford B. Hayes fromEngland'sQueenVictoria." "It'sbeenusedbyseven presidents in the Oval Office since1880." "WALTERS:" "But other presidents use other desks." "PresidentNixonused a different desk intheOvalOffice." "(indistinct talking)" "Lyndon Johnson brought his desk fromwhenhe wasdown on Capitol Hill." "It'sthepresident'soffice, andwhateverhe wantsinthere is what should be there." "NARRATOR:" "Presidents can also choose howtodocumenttheirtime  in office." "Somehaveinstalledhidden microphones in their desks tosecretlyrecord conversations." "DOYLE:" "The first president to bug the Oval Office was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whohadabig old-fashioned sound-on-film recorder." "Therewasamicrophonein a lamp on the Oval Office desk, thewirerandown to the basement, andherecordedrandom press conferences andOvalOfficebusiness." "JohnKennedy installed a James Bond kind of system where there'd be apenandpencilset on the Oval Office desk, and he'd say, "Oh, hello, how are you?" "Come on in."" "And he would just push the pencil forward." "Thatwould..." "(snaps) kickonthetaperecorders underneath the, uh, Oval Office andhewouldthenberecording everything you said to him andyouwouldnot knowit." "Johnsoninstalled his own system, whichwasmuchmorefocused on the telephone 'causeJohnsondidall  his important business onthetelephone." "♪ ♪" "NARRATOR:" "But for one president, thedecisionto setup a secret recording system wouldbethefatalblow in the strangest transfer of power inAmericanhistory." "(cheering)" "REPORTER:" "The Nixon-Agnew team received an overwhelming mandate from the American voters." "NARRATOR:" "Six months after a landslide victory earnshimasecondterm  in office," "RichardNixon'spresidency is in virtual collapse." "♪ ♪" "Histopaidesare implicated in the cover-up ofa burglaryat the Democratic Party headquarters intheWatergate office complex." "Nixongoeson livetelevision toassurethenation hehasno involvement in the scandal." "Whatever improper activities may yet be discovered in connection with this whole sordid affair, justice will be pursued fairly, fully and impartially, no matter who is involved." "NARRATOR:" "Although Nixon swears heknewnothingabout the Watergate cover-up," "Senatehearings probe for evidence linkingthepresident to the conspiracy." "January 21, 1969..." "NARRATOR:" "Then White House aide Alexander Butterfield shockseveryone as he testifies under oath." "I don't have the technical knowledge but I will tell you what I know about..." "NARRATOR:" "In the best-case scenario, thetransition of presidential power takesplace after a fair election witha definitiveresult." "ButtheConstitutionalso covers the unexpected." "InJulyof 1973, aftermorethanayear  of investigations and hearings intotheWatergatescandal," "RichardNixon'sadministration is in shambles." "Buthestillmanages to cling to power... untilthetestimony of a White House aide sealsthepresident'sfate." "THOMPSON:" "Mr. Butterfield, are you aware of the installation of any listening devices in the Oval Office of the president?" "I was aware of listening devices." "Yes, sir." "NARRATOR:" "The revelation that Nixon hasbeensecretlyrecording his Oval Office conversations ignitesa politicalfirestorm." "TheSenatewantsNixon to turn over his tapes." "Herefuses, claiming executive privilege." "BRANDS:" "Presidents can basically stonewall demandsbyCongress to show them stuff." "Executive privilege is very powerful." "And this is... this worked for Richard Nixon." "CROWD (chanting):" "We love Nixon!" "We love Nixon!" "BRANDS:" "Presidents don't think of themselves explicitlyasabovethe law , buttheyoftenact  as though they are, and, in practice, they often are." "NARRATOR:" "As Nixon stalls Congress, anothermajorscandalerupts inside his administration." "Thistime,involvinghis  vice president, Spiro Agnew, whopleadsno contest to federal tax evasion andresignsfromoffice." "Now, previously, when there was a vacancy in the vice presidency, it stayed vacant." "WhenJ.F.Kennedywas killed andJohnsonbecamepresident, there was no vice president, but under the new 25th Amendment, a president now appoints a vice president withtheapproval of both houses of Congress." "AndRichardNixon appoints Gerald Ford, amemberof theHouse." "Hehadbeen House minority leader." "So,GeraldFordbecomes thefirstappointed vice president in U.S. history." "NARRATOR:" "Agnew's resignation is yet another blow toNixon's crumbling presidency." "DOYLE:" "Nixon was almost not a president anymore." "His support was collapsing in Congress and among the American people sodramatically that he was in effect alameduckpresident." "NARRATOR:" "In July of 1974, theSupremeCourtorders President Nixon toreleaseallthe tapes recorded in the Oval Office." "NIXON (on tape):" "I'm never gonna discuss this son-of-a-bitch..." "NARRATOR:" "The more than 3,000 hours of recordings surrenderedtoCongress are the direct product ofa seeminglysmalltechnical decision Nixon made threeyearsearlier." "DOYLE:" "Nixon had the tremendous bad judgment to install anoise-activatedsystem that kicked on every time somebodybumpedintoatable or started talking." "Soasaresult,heforgotthat the tapes were even running." "What's the matter with these clowns?" "As soon as they were released in detail, the American people were horrified." "You can hear the president of the United States ordering break-ins, obstructingjustice, masterminding a conspiracy of payoffs." "It was something completely new to the American people, theideathatthe president of the United States wouldbemasterminding acriminalconspiracyfrom behind the Oval Office desk." "NARRATOR:" "Within days, the House begins impeachment proceedings, andthetransitionofpower takesyetanother historic turn." "LICHTMAN:" "On the one hand," "Nixondidn'twanttobe impeached and convicted, tobecomethefirstpresident to be so disgraced." "On the other hand he didn't really want to resign either, but he had to." "Resignation was a less awful alternativetobeingimpeached andthrownoutofoffice." "I shall leave this office with regret at not completing my term but with gratitude for the privilege of serving as your president for the past five and a half years." "UPDEGROVE:" "August 9, 1974 is an incredibly dramatic day in American history." "It's the first time apresident of the United States hasresignedtheoffice." "AndNixon,thatday , goes in the East Room andsaysgood-byetohisstaff  inoneof themostrevealing speeches Nixon ever makes duringthecourse of his political life." "You are here to say good-bye to us." "And we don't have a good... word for it in English." "The best is au revoir." "We'll see you again." "(applause)" "UPDEGROVE:" "He then goes out to the South Lawn, boardsMarineOne, incongruouslyflashes the victory sign andthenis whirledaway to political obscurity." "Soonthereafter, Gerald Ford goes into that same room, the East Room, where the chairs have been rearranged tosymbolizeanew direction." "If you will raise your right hand and repeat after me:" "I, Gerald R. Ford," "do solemnly swear..." "I, Gerald R. Ford, do solemnly swear..." "UPDEGROVE:" "And Gerald Ford becomes the first president not elected by a national electorate." "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States." "(applause)" "My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over." "Our Constitution works." "Our great republic is a government of laws and not of men." "UPDEGROVE:" "It's a remarkable moment, which shows the presidency does not begin and end with one man." "FORD:" "I will not let you down." "Thank you." "♪ ♪" "NARRATOR:" "It's less than a week untiltheofficialtransition of power, andforan outgoingpresident, it's a time for reflection, humilityandsometimes a little fun." "Let's light this candle." "I want to see eBay." "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "Just like that." "You're riding the wave of the future, my man." "Now, what do you feel like buying?" "NARRATOR:" "This White House gag reel showsBillClintonattheend of his eight-year term." "Amanwithnothingtodo ." "B-9." "♪ ♪" "You sunk my battleship." "Yes!" "NARRATOR:" "But not every president's last days" "aresocarefree." "(phone rings)" "Hello." "NARRATOR:" "At the end of his term," "JimmyCarter still needs more time." "In12hours,he'llhand over  the keys to Ronald Reagan." "Buthe'sin themiddle of an urgent negotiation that he's determined to finish." "(shouting)" "52Americans have been held hostage byIranianmilitants for444days." "UPDEGROVE:" "Carter desperately wants to resolve thehostageissueinIran  that has crippled his presidency and has resulted in his being overwhelmingly defeated by Ronald Reagan, andhewantstoleave the presidency havingputthatissuetorest." "(phone rings)" "NARRATOR:" "Early on the morning of Carter's last day in office, afterworkingaround the clock for two days to negotiate with the Iranians, thedealis stillnot done." "Does the Bank of England know the figure we're supposed to reach?" "NARRATOR:" "To secure the release of the hostages, Carter agrees topayaformofransom, the return of nearly $8 billion in Iranian cash and gold, frozeninAmericanbanks sincethebeginning of the crisis." "CARTER:" "Okay." "I just don't want him to certify something" "$12 million short." "NARRATOR:" "For Carter, the stakes couldn't be higher." "Atnoon,he loseshis job  and all of his power." "Finally,at6: 18a.m., there'sa breakthrough." "Hello." "Yeah..." "Right on, man!" "That's great, that's great." "NARRATOR:" "The money is in place, and everything seemstobe going according to plan." "Thehostagesboard a plane in Iran." "So that'll go to Algiers, and Algiers, when they notify Iran, will notify us back, right?" "NARRATOR:" "But suddenly, there's a problem." "Nothing concerning the airport?" "DOYLE:" "Jimmy Carter is on the phone tryingtogetconfirmation that the hostages have left Iranian airspace." "NARRATOR:" "At the Tehran airport, the Iranians are holding the52hostagesonboard two jets." "Theyweresuppose to have taken off once the money was transferred, butat7: 00a.m.,the planes are still on the ground." "Carter'slastchance at redemption is slipping away, andthere'sno telling what will happen whena newpresident takes power." "NARRATOR:" "On Inauguration Day, thesittingpresident holds power untiltheexactmoment of transition, 12:00 noon." "OnJanuary20 ,1981, as he prepares to leave office, President Jimmy Carter isfightingtheclock." "Hello, I just wondered if you had any report to give me." "NARRATOR:" "He's been working for 48 straight hours tosecuretherelease of 52 American citizens beingheldhostageinIran ." "He'sdesperateto getitdone  beforehetransferspower to Ronald Reagan." "DOYLE:" "All they want to hear is," ""The plane has left the runway." "The hostages are on their way home," and the Iranians will not give him that satisfaction, becausetothemilitants in Iran, Jimmy Carter representedthedevil, America, for years." "Carter was seen as the principal opponent of the Iranian Islamic revolution." "Sohewasabadguy, he was the original greatSatanof theWest." "NARRATOR:" "With just hours to go," "Carterdresses for the inauguration." "Hisaidescontinue to work the phones." "Mm-hmm." "What about statements by Tehran radio?" "NARRATOR:" "At 8:30 a.m.," "Carterupdates President-elect Reagan." "Governor." "Good morning, how you doing?" "Um, I placed a call for you earlier." "I just want to let you know that the planes are at the end of the runway." "NARRATOR:" "The soon-to-be ex-president takesa brieftime-out." "Twohourslater, asCarterwelcomes the incoming First Family, there'sstillno word on the hostages." "DOYLE:" "President Carter has to get in a limousine togethissuccessorswornin." "He can't delay this, he can't delay the transition of power." "The transition of power happens on the clock." "When he goes to the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, relinquishingpower, he hasn't slept in 50 hours." "NARRATOR:" "Carter continues to manage thecrisisfromaphoneinside the presidential limousine, ashetravelsthe short distance to the Capitol." "DOYLE:" "The clock keeps ticking, theIraniansdon'trelease the hostages." "They'rebeingheld in airplanes ontherunwayinTehran." "Jimmy Carter walks down tothepodium of the inauguration." "Theyhavenotbeenreleased." "The Iranians are teasing and tormenting Jimmy Carter and the American people untilthelastsecond, andthey'reholdingit into the new presidency just to give one last poke in the eye to Jimmy Carter." "I, Ronald Reagan, do solemnly swear..." "REAGAN:" "I, Ronald Reagan, do solemnly swear..." "That I will faithfully execute..." "DOYLE:" "Ronald Reagan is sworn in." "So help me God." "May I congratulate you, sir." "DOYLE:" "The planes take off from Tehran airport withthehostagesaboard." "The planes bearing our prisoners left Iranian airspace" "and are now free of Iran." "(applause)" "What is one of the first decisions that Ronald Reagan makes?" "He decides to send Jimmy Carter togreetthefreedhostages inGermany, as a symbol to the world thathemaynolonger be president, butwe'representing a united front." "Thisgestureby RonaldReagan really showed thestrengthof ourdemocracy." "NARRATOR:" "On inauguration morning, the outgoing president preparesforadifferent kind of transition." "Ina matterof hours,the most powerful person on Earth will become an average citizen." "CARD:" "I had the privilege of watching" "George H.W. Bush's last day in office." "Andhedidn'tchoosethat  to be his last day in office." "Helostreelection, andsoit was a bit melancholy." "NARRATOR:" "Bush slips a letter into the Oval Office desk." "It'saddressedto hisrival and successor, Bill Clinton." "Ahandwrittennoteofsupport from one president to another." "Everyoutgoingpresidentsince has done the same, althoughmostof theletters remain private." "McBRIDE:" "One of the other great traditions..." "There are several great traditions that happen on the morning of January 20, is, first of all, the farewell to the executive residence staff." "Thestaffgathers for one last good-bye to the First Family." "We,allof us , get very close to the families." "ButourConstitutionsays the president changes at noon." "And that's when we have to go to work for a new president." "NARRATOR:" "With less than two hours to go before the transfer of power theoutgoing and incoming First Families meetformorningcoffee." "UPDEGROVE:" "The incoming president arrives attheWhiteHouse, is greeted by the president and first lady." "It'scivilized, and it's a symbol ofthepeacefultransition of power that we take for granted very often in our country." "NARRATOR:" "In 2009, as George and Laura Bush welcomeBarackandMichelle Obama to the White House, arecordof nearly two million spectators aregathering in front of the Capitol towitnesshistory." "Butfewpeopleare aware that Homeland Security istrackingaviablethreat at the National Mall." "CHERTOFF:" "Information came in about a number ofpotentialterrorists planning to carry out an attack that would be occurring actually on Inauguration Day." "NARRATOR:" "Outgoing Homeland Security Secretary" "MichaelChertoff relays the threat tohissuccessor, Janet Napolitano." "There are threats that happen a lot, unfortunately." "Andthelingousedis"Areyou able to clear the threat?"" "Iwasinformedthattherewas a credible threat againsttheinauguration that they had not been able to clear." "NARRATOR:" "According to intelligence reports," "Somaliterroristshave entered the country via Canada andareallegedlyplanning to detonate several bombs inthecrowd during the ceremony." "Thepossibility of a terror strike attheexactmoment of presidential transition posesa uniqueproblem:" "who'sincharge of managing the threat?" "CHERTOFF:" "Normally, as the outgoing secretary," "I would be resigning, effective noon, when the oath is taken." "NARRATOR:" "In a departure from politics and protocol," "ChertoffandNapolitano changed the rules forHomelandSecurity." "CHERTOFF:" "I said, you know, if you're interested," "I'mpreparedto spend the rest of the day in office, instead of leaving noon, sothatif somethingoccurred, you'renotpulledaway all of a sudden anddroppedintoa,youknow,  kind of boiling water." "Thiswaywe canhave some continuity, then,attheend oftheday, midnight," "I will tender my resignation." "NAPOLITANO:" "Michael and I just decided thatthelogicalthingtodo  would be for him to be in the command center, andhewouldkeepmeposted." "(crowd cheering)" "♪ ♪" "NARRATOR:" "As he takes his place on the Capitol steps," "President-electObamahasbeen briefed about the threat." "Hehastwopreparedspeeches:" "hisinauguraladdress, and a statement to be delivered incasetheSecretService needs to order amassevacuation of the Mall." "I, Barack Hussein Obama..." "I, Barack..." "...do solemnly swear..." "I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear..." "Of course, I, in the back of my head, know Chertoff is working a threat." "Veryfewpeopleknow that there was actually allthisworkbeingdone  in the background." "So help you God?" "So help me God." "Congratulations, Mr. President." "Thank you, sir." "(cheers and applause)" "All the best wishes." "(fanfare playing)" "CHERTOFF:" "As I was at the command center," "Iwasinformedthat they'd thoroughly investigated, they'dtrackeddown whatever the information was thatledpeopletoworry about a threat, andithadwashedout." "And, in fact, the inauguration went off without any particular problem." "NARRATOR:" "It goes without saying that security isparamount at every inauguration." "Butwhentheentireline  of succession is present, there'sa special contingency plan." "CHERTOFF:" "When you have everybody from the government collectedinonevenue, ingoing and outgoing... ♪ ♪ ...youneedto have one Cabinet secretary inthelineofsuccession thatisnotonpremises, so if, God forbid, something happens" "and everybody gets killed, there is a continuity of government." "NARRATOR:" "That Cabinet member is chosen by the president asthedesignatedsurvivor." "...of these United States..." "Duringtheinauguration, andwheneverthepresident addresses ajointsessionofCongress, thereisnotjustone,  but three designated survivors." "HUGHES:" "There is a member of the Cabinet who sits out." "There's also someone from Congress, so we have a Congressional designated survivor." "Andthere'seven a designated aide survivor." "SoonInaugurationDay , the three designated survivors areflownoutoftown  toanundisclosed government location." "Theylockthedoorandthey guard 'em just in case there's some type of catastrophe, the country can still go forward." "My fellow citizens..." "NARRATOR:" "As a new president addresses the country forthefirsttime, anotherprofound transfer of power takes place justa fewfeetbehindhim." "LICHTMAN:" "The inauguration is entirely for show." "The real transition is the handing over ofthenuclearfootball." "Itisthemechanismbywhich  apresidentcanlaunch a nuclear attack." "All the power of the presidency canbenarroweddown to that moment andthatobject." "WARREN E. BURGE:" "Governor, are you prepared to take" "...the constitutional oath?" "I am." "NARRATOR:" "In the presidential transition of power, the mantle is officially passed at exactly 12:00 noon." "I, William Jefferson Clinton, do solemnly swear..." "NARRATOR:" "But discreetly, just a few feet away, there'sa differentkind of transfer happening." "Onethat'snotmeant to be seen by the public." "I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear..." "LICHTMAN:" "The real transition isthehandingover of the power to control America's incredible nuclear arsenal." "NARRATOR:" "That power is contained ina 45-pound aluminum briefcase coveredinblackleather-- thepresident's emergency satchel, betterknownas  the "nuclear football."" "Everythingaboutit  is top secret." "The nuclear football dates back to the time of President Eisenhower." "Itisthemechanismbywhich  apresidentcanlaunch a nuclear attack." "NARRATOR:" "Retired Marine Colonel Pete Metzger isoneof thefew who knows exactly what's in theZeroHalliburton briefcase." "Hewasthemilitaryaide  assigned to carry the football forPresidentReagan." "METZGER:" "So the nuclear football, orthepresidential emergency satchel, contains the information and equipment the president, as commander in chief, needs togiveclear,directorders tothenation's military forces-- inthiscase, the nuclear forces." "NARRATOR:" "There is no actual launch button insidethebriefcase, butthereis asecure communication package, sothepresidentcan reach anyone he needs fromanywherein theworld." "Reportedly,thereis also a75-pagepresidential decision handbook thatdetailsviabletargets and the casualty estimates whichcouldtotal into the millions." "LICHTMAN:" "The nuclear football alone isnotenoughtolaunch a nuclear strike." "You need something else, and that's called the biscuit, a little card thathasthepresident's unique authentic code." "(cheering and applause)" "NARRATOR:" "The president is expected tocarrythebiscuit at all times, nomatterwherehetravels." "Andthefootball is always by his side." "METZGER:" "I mean, you think about it and think, my gosh, theideathattherewouldbe a nuclear strike, it's so horrible it's-it's hard to kind of imagine." "NARRATOR:" "Five aides, onefromeachbranchofthe military, take shifts carryingthesatchel 24 hours a day." "Althoughthebriefcaseisnot handcuffed to the aide's wrist, thereisaleatherleash that allows the aide tobephysicallyattached when transporting it." "Buteventhemostfail-safe system can be vulnerable." "(gunshots and screaming)" "WhenPresidentReagan is shot in 1981, inallthechaos, the biscuit goes missing." "LICHTMAN:" "For a brief period of time, thepresidentwasseparated from the essential nuclear identification code." "Itwasactuallytossed inhis,uh ,discardedclothes when he went to the hospital, andlaterfoundinhisshoe." "♪ ♪" "NARRATOR:" "And there isn't just one nuclear football." "ANNOUNCER:" "Ladies and gentlemen, the Vice President..." "NARRATOR:" "There is a second briefcase assignedtothevicepresident intheeventthe president is incapacitated." "Butneithermanhas the power to act alone." "The president, and this is not well known, cannot launch a nuclear attack on his own." "There'sthetwopersonrule :" "ithasto be approvedbythe secretary of defense as well." "Thesecretaryof defensecan 't initiate a nuclear response ora nuclearattack, but the secretary has to be the second person to approve a presidential nuclear launch." "NARRATOR:" "The hand-off of the nuclear football onInaugurationDay is a critical moment that'scarefullytimed and choreographed." "METZGER:" "On the way to the, uh, the swearing-in on the Capitol, thedutymilitaryaide is in the motorcade, as always, withthepresident of the United States." "The president-elect of the United States thentakesaseparateroute to the Capitol." "Untilthemoment the president-elect says the words..." "So help you God?" "So help me God." "Congratulations, Mr. President." "Thank you, sir." "...andbecomespresident, the military aide's loyalty is to the sitting president." "At that moment, itchangesandbecomes the relationship withthenewlyelected president." "LICHTMAN:" "At the moment thenewpresident becomes the president, the old nuclear codes become inactive, andthenewnuclearcodes become active." "Andthepresident, regardless of what's going on intheceremony,heorshe hastheirfinger on the nuclear button." "So that is the transition of power in the most literal way, that briefcase movingfrompersontoperson, through history." "(applause)" "OBAMA:" "I stand here today humbled by the task before us." "NARRATOR:" "As the new president delivers theinauguraladdress at the Capitol, justa mileaway it'smovingday at the White House." "WALTERS:" "Nothing occurs untilafterthepresident and the president-elect andtheirfamilies leave the White House ontheirwaytotheCapitol." "Wewantto havethem moved in entirely in a period of about five hours." "From noon... untiltheinauguralparade is completed, whichisusuallyaround5:00 ." "I've always referred to it as organized chaos." "NARRATOR:" "For security reasons, nooutsidecontractors are brought in." "Themassivemovingjob  is done entirely bythenearly100 membersof the existing White House staff." "TheWhiteHousechiefusher overseestheentireoperation." "There's so much going on and so many moving parts." "Itisquitelike a military maneuver." "NARRATOR:" "Former chief usher Stephen Rochon should know." "Hewasarearadmiral in the U.S. Coast Guard." "My concentration is to make sure thateverythingis done in a timely manner." "NARRATOR:" "His predecessor, Gary Walters, worked as chief usher for21years, serving four presidents." "WALTERS:" "Our objective is to make sure thatwhenthefamilymovesin, they move into their home." "ROCHON:" "Their toothbrush is on the counter, andtheirtowels that they selected are on the racks, andtheirbedismade ." "NARRATOR:" "And that's just the residence." "IntheWestWing, the working offices alsogetacompletemakeover in a matter of hours." "McBRIDE:" "The General Services Administration is working on painting offices, takingdownwalls, putting up walls." "Reconfiguringit to the way that the incoming transition team has directed, sothatwhenpeopleshow up, it's the new term." "NARRATOR:" "By 5:00 p.m., theoathof office has been taken, theparadeis over, and the White House is ready forthenewFirstFamily to move in." "Thetransferof power is complete, butthetransitiontobeing president is just beginning." "Howwillanew president put his stamp onthetransitionofpower?" "(crowd cheering)" "NARRATOR:" "After the pomp and circumstance oftheinauguration," "America'snewleader hasonemoreimportant transition to make, fromcitizento president." "GEORGE W. BUSH:" "The day in which you're sworn in isanaction-packedday ." "And I remember, finally came back up here and decided to go into the Oval as, uh, you know, as president of the United States." "And, uh, I went over there andthencalledmydad and asked him to come." "Anditwas,uh..." "it was a very touching moment, a very emotional moment for me." "And I think for him, too." "♪ ♪" "NARRATOR:" "The president's new home at1600PennsylvaniaAvenue features132rooms withlivingquarterson the second and third floor." "ROCHON:" "Inside the executive residence-- the mansion, as we call it, or the president's house-- thereare,approximately95 full-time staff members." "Theengineers,thecarpenters, the plumbers, the housekeepers." "WALTERS:" "The curators that take care of theWhiteHouse fine arts collection." "Wehaveafloristshop  who takes care of all the cut floral arrangements in the, in the residence." "We made this very, uh, thin pod out of dark chocolate." "WALTERS:" "We also have a kitchen staff." "NARRATOR:" "Most meals are prepared for the First Family, andthere'sbasically 24-hour room service, butwithonecaveat." "WALTERS:" "One of the things that most people don't understand about the White House isthatthepresident and the first lady areresponsibleforall  their personal expenses." "McBRIDE:" "When you're eating your three square meals a day, you'repayingforthat, and you're paying for things that you would no matter where you lived." "Your dry cleaning, itemsforyourpets, toiletries." "WALTERS:" "The first time I presented abillto Mrs.Reagan, she said," ""What'sthis?"AndIsaid ," ""Well, Mrs. Reagan, you're responsible for all of your own incidentals."" "Andshesaid,"I'llhave  to talk to Ronnie about this."" "Andcertainlyafterthat it was never a problem, shewasjust somewhat taken aback by it." "NARRATOR:" "At the time," "RonaldReagan'ssalaryas president was $200,000 a year." "Today,thejobpays$400,000." "And,ofcourse, transportation is included." "Thepresidenttravels in a fleet thatincludes two customized 747s..." "See the hot tub?" "(laughing) ...fiveidentical marine helicopters, and the presidential state car, alsoknownas theBeast, a15,000-pound rolling fortress." "METZGER:" "There are always two presidential limos inthemotorcade, for obvious reasons." "Then there's the Secret Service right behind that, the very heavily armed agents." "NARRATOR:" "From now on, the new president is isolated ina bubbleof protection." "The office of the presidency is a lonely office." "McBRIDE:" "You're never really fully prepared untilyouaresitting in the Oval Office." "Youcan'tfullyfeel that weight of the responsibility untilyou'resitting in that chair." "NARRATOR:" "Some presidents look to make a statement ondayone with bold policy moves toquicklycement the transfer of power." "Onhisfirstday , Jimmy Carter pardons alloftheVietnam draft dodgers." "RonaldReagan'sfirstmove istocarryout his campaign promise to cut spending byputtingafreeze on all hiring ofcivilianfederalworkers." "BRANDS:" "In fact, there is some incentive, if you get elected by running against your predecessor, then you probably want to make a sharp break." "(cheering and applause)" "ItwillserveTrumptoshow thatthisis not a continuation." "And we will make America great again." "God bless you and good night." "I love you." "NARRATOR:" "The future success or failure ofa presidency is hard to predict." "Butforovertwo centuries, there'sbeenonehallmark in our national politics:" "theunderstandingthatpower istransferredpeacefully frompresidentto president." "It has endured directly from George Washington totoday." "Thathasneverbeen interrupted, ithasneverbeendisputed." "UPDEGROVE:" "It shows the strength of our nation that200someodd years aftertheDeclaration of Independence andtheBillofRights and the Constitution wereputintoplace, we've never had a problem." "That shows you how absolutely strong the underpinnings of the United States truly are."