This article explores issues related to the size and complexity of the White House Office (WHO). Overall numbers from the Roosevelt through the Carter administrations show uneven growth (and decline) in the White House staff and point to the need for more disaggregated analysis. Attention focuses on three offices (congressional relations, speechwriting, and public liaison) in the Nixon, Ford, and Carter administrations as illustrations of the varying patterns in and explanations of changes in staff size. One implication of this analysis is that efforts to restrict the size of the WHO may undermine presidential capacity and accountability.