United States Presidential Transitions: Building the Bridge of Democracy

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This event will feature Bridget Dooling.

Saturday, September 25th -- 4:00-5:15 p.m. An Inside Look at a Modern Presidential Transition

Bridget C.E. Dooling is a research professor with the George Washington University Regulatory Studies Center. Previously, she was a deputy chief, senior policy analyst, and attorney for the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. Professor Dooling also served a clerkship for an administrative law judge at the U.S. Department of Labor and positions in the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. She currently serves on the Council of the American Bar Association’s Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice and is licensed to practice law in Virginia. Following the 2020 presidential election, Professor Dooling was asked to join the team of highly experienced experts to serve on the Biden/Harris Transition Team. Members of the team were chosen to help the new administration understand the day-to-day operations of federal agencies to ensure a smooth transition of power.

The Warren G. Harding Symposium is an academic, social, and cultural exploration of the life and times of America's 29th president. The Symposium presents in-depth analysis and research by authors, historians, researchers and experts on the Harding Era and related areas of interest.

The theme of the 2021 Warren G. Harding Symposium is United States Presidential Transitions: Building the Bridge of Democracy. When the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 was passed, Congress explained, “Any disruption occasioned by the transfer of the executive power could produce results detrimental to the safety and well-being of the United States and its people.” It was enacted to promote the orderly transfer of power by establishing a framework for the federal government to prepare for a transition from one president to another. Through noted experts we will explore the history of presidential transitions, the complicated transition from Woodrow Wilson to Warren Harding and the innerworkings of a modern presidential transition. Featured presenters will include historian Dr. Thomas Balcerski, noted author David Harsanyi and Professor Bridget Dooling.

The opening of the symposium will be held in conjunction with the dedication of the newly constructed Warren G. Harding Presidential Library and Museum. It will mark the culmination of a multi-year project to not only build a state-of-the-art presidential library, but also to restore the Harding Home to exactly the way it appeared during the 1920 presidential campaign.

Complete information concerning the symposium can be found on this webpage. Registration must be completed online using the format below. Registration will open soon. If you have questions, please contact us at 740-725-6340 or by email at [email protected] or [email protected].

The Warren G. Harding Symposium is a collaboration between The Ohio State University at Marion, the Harding Presidential Sites, the Ohio History Connection and the Marion Public Library.