Kamala Harris’s endorsements show Republicans may be paying the price for their newfound anti-business rhetoric

Ask the author of, The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry

PUBLIUS SPECIAL GUEST: Tevi Troy, author of The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry.

Eighty-eight American business leaders have written a letter endorsing Kamala Harris for president. This development may surprise those who assume that corporate business leaders lean Republican. But a close look at the signers, as well as the history of the relationship between business and government, reveals that while this is not some kind of watershed moment in terms of big business’ relationship with political leaders, it does signal that Republicans have some work to do in terms of their relationship with business.

The list of signers is far from a listing of 88 current Fortune 500 CEOs. Some 40 are “formers,” reflecting the fact that sitting business leaders need to be careful in being too explicitly on one side or the other of America’s deepening political divide. Others, like former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, are from academia more than from the business world. While the letter reveals that many business leaders are supportive of Harris, it does not suggest that the whole business world is on her side. Donald Trump has his own coterie of business leaders on his side, including Elon Musk, Steve Schwarzman, Bill Ackman, and Marc Andreessen.

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When U.S. presidents clash with corporate titans, what tips the balance of power? 

In The Power and the Money, acclaimed presidential historian Tevi Troy takes readers on a riveting journey through the biggest battles between CEOs and the nation’s commander in chief. He unearths the untold stories – both political and personal – that have shaped America.

Troy shows how the vast reach of the federal government become a critical fact of life for every business, entrepreneur, and innovator. Today, companies find themselves navigating a competitive landscape defined by stringent regulations, so top CEOs and key business leaders must influence the legislative and regulatory system. As public affairs teams and government relations experts put forward strategies to survive Washington, CEOs have become the most important warrior on the frontlines. The Power and the Money shows how some of the nation’s most important CEOs forged (and fumbled) relationships with the president.

Troy also shows how the most powerful man in the world depends on CEOs. CEOs provide assistance in the form of personnel, policy insights, and campaign cash, but they also become essential foils for presidents, serving as both allies and convenient enemies.

The Power and the Money reveals an intricate web of power, where CEOs need presidents, and presidents need CEOs. Troy shows how each must step carefully – or risk unpredictable costs and collateral damage. From heavyweights John D. Rockefeller and Mark Zuckerberg to Katherine Graham, Elon Musk, and more, Troy takes readers inside the friendships and the conflicts that shook the American economy and re-shaped America.

Drawing on his experiences as bestselling historian and former senior White House aide, Troy offers unique insights and details that shed light on the growing, intertwining behemoths of government and big business – and what it means for the future of our nation.

PLUG BOOK: The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry

BIO: Tevi Troy, author of The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry, is a Senior Fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Senior Scholar at Yeshiva University’s Straus Center, a best-selling presidential historian, and former White House aide and deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). He is the author of five books including, most recently, Fight House: Rivalries in the White House from Truman to Trump, which the Wall Street Journallisted as one of the five best political books of 2020.

As deputy secretary at HHS from 2007–09, he was the second in command and chief operating officer of the largest civilian department in the federal government, with a $716 billion annual budget and 67,000 employees.

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Tevi Troy, author of The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry.