In 1995 President Clinton created the Office of Women’s Initiatives and Outreach
(WHOWIO). This act marked the first time that a formally organized office pertaining to
women’s issues was established in the White House Office (WHO) under the aegis of the
Executive Office of the President (EOP). In 2001, George W. Bush, via executive order created
the Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives (WHOFBCI) shortly after dismantling the
WHOWIO. The creation of these offices suggests that presidents are more willing than ever to
use all tools at their disposal, including the restructuring of the EOP, to demonstrate a
commitment to particularized interests. Questions arise, however, about why certain offices are
created and placed inside the EOP, while others are ignored or dismantled. This paper explores
both Clinton’s and Bush’s motivation for establishing new offices for women and religious
groups. Case studies of the WHOWIO and WHOFBCI will not only provide answers to the
question of their motivation, but more important it will help us to better understand the strategic
nature of presidential EOP reorganizations and to make predictions about similar actions in
future administrations.
Presidents have pursued a variety of strategies to make policy and structure the executive
branch. Initial theories regarding administrative design centered on neutral competence (Heclo
1977). Objective expertise, precision, and specialization were deemed essential for
administering collective/public goals. With the onset of the modern presidency after the New
Deal, presidents created institutions designed to respond to their political needs in active or non-
neutral ways (Moe 1985, 1993). Responsive competence required loyalty and effectiveness in
administrating presidential goals and policy objectives. In recent years, however, presidents
have felt pressure to make policy and structure the executive branch with those who have held a
central role in their electoral coalition clearly in mind. With this pressure, presidents have sought
a more benign or less responsive form of administrative competence.
Convention