David Marchick, director of the Center for Presidential Transition, has a traffic report for us on this special episode of the Political Theater podcast: If the Trump administration doesn’t start doing its part in the transition to the Biden administration, it’s going to cause backups in serving the public that threaten our well-being, even our national security.

Marchick, a former executive at the Carlyle Group who held several positions in the Clinton administration, says President-elect Joe Biden is the most experienced politician to enter the White House and so far he’s doing all the right things. But there is only so much his team can do on its own, and there could be dire consequences if the current White House doesn’t play ball.

Marchick provides historical and political perspective about transitions in other dire times, including the Civil War and the Great Depression, and how they compare to our time. And he provides models for best practices, from the current Biden effort as well as the peaceful handover from George W. Bush to Barack Obama, and even transitions that did not happen, like Mitt Romney’s.

Show Notes:

• With Cedric Richmond, Joe Biden’s White House gain is Congress’ loss
• The Transition: Chaos at Pentagon adds to postelection confusion
• K Street moves to counter ‘purity’ test for Biden administration
• Cybersecurity chief who oversaw ‘most secure election’ fired by Trump
• Biden at bat: ‘There is no joy in Mudville’
• K Street not waiting for Trump to concede the presidential race
• Photos from the ‘Million MAGA March’ in Washington