White House press secretary Dana Perino told reporters Wednesday morning that the council "will help to coordinate efforts already under way to ensure a seamless presidential transition."

"This is especially important as our nation is fighting a war, dealing with a financial crisis and working to protect ourselves from future terrorist attacks," Perino said in an e-mail. "The smooth and collegial transfer from one presidential administration to the next is a hallmark of American democracy. It is always an enormous undertaking and requires hard work and a lot of coordination. The president has directed us to be forward-leaning in all of our efforts to ensure as smooth and effective a transition as possible."

The president's order comes 26 days before Election Day.