What Changes When the Campaign Begins?

As the previous chapter indicates, the White House plays an integral role in the president’s campaign. The campaign demands the attention of the president, White House staff and Cabinet members and consequently alters “business as usual.” But what changes when the campaign begins? This chapter identifies six short-term effects associated with the presidential campaign. Such findings are based on a systematic analysis of eight presidential campaigns coupled with information obtained in presidential documents and interviews with former White House staff members.