As a member of President Obama’s advance team, Alyssa Mastromonaco was responsible for making meetings with royals and heads of state go off without a hitch. She joins us to talk about the inevitable behind-the-scenes predicaments that arise when powerful people meet – and how time and again she managed to save the day. She writes about her experiences in “Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House” (Twelve).