Credit: Martha Stewart

Before a standing-room-only audience at the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum of Harvard’s Institute of Politics, Chris Whipple moderated a panel of distinguished former White House chiefs of staff: Andy Card (George W. Bush), Denis McDonough (Barack Obama), and Mack McLarty (Bill Clinton). Unelected and unconfirmed, hired and fired by the president alone, the White House chief has been described as the second most powerful job in government. Card, McDonough and McLarty discussed the chief’s critical responsibilities—from gatekeeper to honest broker to coordinator of the president’s agenda—and the special challenges faced by an outsider president in an era of toxic political partisanship.

RAVES FOR CHRIS WHIPPLE’S SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Chris Whipple ranks as one of the most engaging and informative—not to mention popular—speakers ever to grace Roosevelt House… His vast knowledge of American history and national policy, his unique access to government officials and sources, and his ability to elicit the perfect anecdote to punctuate an inside story, make him a hypnotic communicator,”

Harold Holzer

Director, Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College

Chris Whipple delivered a wonderful event! Our community came out in droves to hear him speak, and they all left very happy. We loved the model of his presentation and will encourage future presenters to follow suit– it is clearly what New Canaanites want!”

Julia Rae Hodenfield

Programming and Events Librarian, the New Canaan Library

Chris Whipple offers an extraordinarily unique perspective on leadership and the upper echelons of power… His program at the LBJ Presidential Library received not only rave reviews from the audience but questions about when his next book will be published and demands that he come back.”

Mark Updegrove

President and CEO, the LBJ Foundation

Whipple’s revelations… the behind the scenes insights were all terrific. the audience increased as the hour passed. the answers were thoughtful and from a deep knowledge of the subject matter. Bravo, it was a great hour.”

David Lehrer

Community Advocates

CHRIS WHIPPLE’S SPEECH TOPICS

Uncharted: The Inside Story of the 2024 Presidential Campaign

Chris Whipple spills the behind-closed-doors secrets of the wildest campaign in history, based on his current, top-ten New York Times bestselling book, Uncharted. Drawing on his unique access to the inner circles of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump, he reveals the stories behind every headline-making twist and turn of the political story of the century. He also offers insights into where we go from here, drawing on his unique knowledge of Trump’s White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.

The White House Chiefs of Staff: A Bipartisan Master Class

Whipple leads a bipartisan master class with two former White House chiefs of staff—one from each side of the aisle. Past participants have included Andrew Card (George W. Bush) and Jack Watson (Jimmy Carter); Joshua Bolten (George W. Bush), and Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty (Bill Clinton); Denis McDonough (Barack Obama) and Ken Duberstein (Ronald Reagan).These riveting and inspiring conversations can be tailored to events of the day for a corporate audience: e.g. What’s really behind Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff policy? Will he obey the courts when push comes to shove? These unique conversations cut through our current divisiveness and show that bipartisanship and civility are not dead.

From the Oval OfficE to the Corner Office: Lessons from the White House Chiefs of Staff

Can the wisdom of White House chiefs of staff be applied to the corporate world? The answer is an emphatic yes, as shown by the success of these chiefs at the highest levels of business. In these revealing conversations, Whipple and White House chiefs share secrets of leadership and management. From Leon Panetta (Bill Clinton) to James A. Baker III (Ronald Reagan) to Andrew Card (George W. Bush) to Jack Watson (Jimmy Carter) to Erskine Bowles (Bill Clinton), to Jeff Zients (Joe Biden), these chiefs share tips that have helped them prosper in both government and business. These fascinating sessions are enhanced by video clips from Whipple’s documentary film, The Presidents’ Gatekeepers.

The Spymasters: How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future

Only thirteen men and one woman are alive today who have led the world’s most powerful intelligence agency, the CIA. Whipple knows them all. Drawing from his critically-acclaimed book, The Spymasters: How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future, and his Showtime documentary on the subject, the author and filmmaker reveals the secrets of the men and women who are charged with preventing another 9/11 or lethal global pandemic. Why is it so difficult for CIA directors to tell presidents what they don’t want to hear? Whipple can offer this as a solo presentation—or as a conversation with former CIA directors such as Leon Panetta, David Petraeus, John Brennan, George Tenet, and Bill Burns

CHRIS WHIPPLE’S CONVERSATIONS WITH WHITE HOUSE CHIEFS OF STAFF

Institute of Politics, Harvard Kennedy School (with White House chiefs Andrew Card, Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty, and Denis McDonough)

The Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, TX, (with White House chief James A. Baker III)

The Jimmy Carter Library, Atlanta, GA (with White House chief Jack Watson)

Hellman and Friedman LLC, CEOs retreat, Baker’s Bay, Abaco Island, Bahamas (with White House chiefs of staff Andrew Card & Jack Watson)

The National Association of Manufacturers, Naples, FL retreat (with White House chiefs Andrew Card, Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty, and Jack Watson)

MDC Partners, New Orleans, LA (with White House chiefs Andrew Card and Jack Watson)

Credit Suisse, Ellis Island, NY (with White House chiefs Andrew Card and Jack Watson)

Major League Baseball Owners (with White House chiefs Kenneth Duberstein and Denis McDonough)

Pew Charitable Trusts, the House Chiefs of Staff Association, Longworth House Office Building (with White House chiefs Kenneth Duberstein, Andrew Card, Joshua Bolten, Mack McLarty, and John Podesta)

The White House (with White House chiefs Kenneth Duberstein, Joshua Bolten, and John Podesta)