Gregory Craig To Be Obama's White House Counsel: Reports

UPDATE on November 16 at 12:27 PM EST:

The Washington Post also reports that Craig has been chosen for the post:

President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Washington lawyer Greg Craig, who served as President Bill Clinton's lead attorney during his impeachment proceedings, to be his White House counsel, according to an individual involved with the transition.

Craig has been a longtime adviser to Bill and Sen. Hillary Clinton, but became a close adviser to Obama during the campaign, reportedly serving as the stand-in for Sen. John McCain during debate preparations.

Transition officials declined to comment. And Craig did not return calls left on his machine.

Politico reports that Barack Obama will name Gregory Craig has White House counsel:

Gregory B. Craig, a well-known Washington lawyer who quarterbacked President Bill Clinton's impeachment defense, has been chosen White House counsel by President-elect Barack Obama, according to Democratic officials.

Craig is intimately familiar with the president-elect's record because he played the role of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in debate preparations.

CNN also has a source saying Craig will be named to the post:

Prominent Washington lawyer Greg Craig will be named White House counsel for the Obama administration, a Democratic source tells CNN. The source added that it is unclear when the appointment will be made public.

Craig first gained prominence representing President Clinton in the Senate impeachment trial, but he endorsed Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries and later played a key role in Obama's vice presidential vetting process.

Read more at HuffPost's Obama Transition BigNews Page.

Comments

[shanester]

I trust Obama. He's proven to be a master strategist so far. He's like a brilliant chess player always two steps ahead of everybody else.

I like the idea of having a few Clinton people in there, with some of his Chicago Team, along with a few new faces and maybe some Republicans like Col. Powell & Chuck Hagel thrown in for good measure.

This will be a very competent and bi-partisan WH people. Give the guy a chance before second guessing him.

PS I wonder what he & Mcain will talk about tomorrow??

[MarkOfBrooklyn]

Obama is a real leader. He is picking people who know how the Washington game is played, and have the audacity to pushback against those who will fight his agenda. Change cannot be brought about by new people don't have Washingtonhe political experience. The congress would run roughshod over Obama and his newbies.

So far Obama's choices prove that he is anticipating that a strong congress will also be his greatest challenge. He needs people capable of doing battle with congress. The role of congress is not to rubber stamp the President's wishes. He will have his hands full with Demcrats wanting to pass every idea they've stored up waiting for just this moment.

He is signalling that he will have the staff that is capable of pushing back hard against oppositon to his agenda, and capable of protecting his priorities.

[IRS4u]

I trust Obama - he has proven brilliant every step of the way !

Unhappy as I am to hear he contemplates HRC when she wished him so much ill
I need to believe he knows what he is doing.... God will continue to guide him

God Blessed us with a good man at the top of the ticket,
God continue to bless America

[shanester]

Amen

[NGuarente]

Let's leave God out of it. Craig is a protege of Ed Williams and
Joe Califano - - men who got things done.

[Bozwellian]

..have even given some second and thrid thught to HRC as a SoS...BC is STILL not quite on board, still feeling "misplaced" and remember how he indicated that one January 20 comes and go HE would be more "open/candid" in HIS estimation of primary 2008 and more ? Think the HRC appointment would put a definite crimp on Bill in more ways than one....thik perhaps a truly brillant move when thought about on many levels where at first was toally aghast and against !!! Now seeing some wise-ness to the offer..put the Clintons on notice as well, and they too best choose wisely, thoughtfully and carefully.

[petshop]

Obama knows EXACTLY WHAT HE IS DOING and the fact they are from the Cliton administration doesnt mean they arent outstanding PARTY loyalists and the fact MANY left Hillary to promote Obama says smart thinking- and that took guts and party loyal for the best pres candidate.
Never forget the brilliance of organisation and stratagy of the Obama campaign- and putting together a cabinet that is the best in terms of continued strategy and bipartisanship and stuff we dont even get on a day to day basis is what he is doing.

Remember folks lets not put him on a pedistal so high he ceases to be human.

Sit back -put your feet up and bite your lip siletnly and trust him.

[Polyphant]

"Sit back -put your feet up and bite your lip siletnly and trust him."

And ask him to be gentle.

[Amalek]

I gotta use that line on my next date.

[obamasandiego]

Craig was one of the very first to support Obama. He was deemed one of the two "Kool-Aid" boys by PE Obama very early in the campaign for his utmost enthusiasm to get Obama elected.

[Celldumceen]

After all those months and all those millions we spent slaying that two headed Clinton dragon it is seriously distressing to see Obama surround himself with all these Clinton people. Is this the change we were promised? Are all these old faces going to be any dif from what we had before! With all the Clintons people he is hiring we might just as well given the Dem nomination to Hillary she probably would have beaten McCain too! What about all those people who believed in Obama when Hillary and Bill were telling everyone that he couldn't win. I can see it now, Hillary get secretary of state and spends the next 4 years running a parallel government, undermining Obama at every turn. Hoping a failed Obama presidency will afford her another crack at the white House! And as for all of you out there who make the experience agument? There is no way you are going to tell me that in a country of 300 mil that there are no experienced Dems out there that Obama could tap who didnt at one time work for the Clinton. The Clintons are diaobolical and these people Obama is hiring will be doing the Clinton bidding and not Obamas!

[truthglow]

I don' t care about him, but I don't want her. Write to change.gov and state your opinions.

[RAFord24]

Please give it a rest, Obama is worst than "the donald" when it comes to firing someone. You only have to step out of line once and your gone. So, if you think Obama is not going to be running this show, your wrong! Hillary can be fired too. No one should want our President to fail, Democrats, Republicans or Independents. That's treason and should be charge as such. Please let's see what the future will bring before the hate fess.

[MaybeMilo]

RAFord24 wrote (in part): "...No one should want our President to fail, Democrats, Republicans or Independents. That's treason and should be charge [sic] as such..."

No offense intended (truly), but I'd disagree with the latter statement above. When your country heads in a direction that's in direct opposition to your beliefs, you could reasonably follow Carl Schurz's philosophy of "my country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right."

Presumably through legal means, such as voting.

Yet if your president as an individual chooses to steer the country down a path that's in direct opposition to your beliefs, it's entirely appropriate to "want our President to fail," as you put it - not only is it appropriate, it's your patriotic duty to vote him/her out of office and to vote into office people who can counter his/her agenda.

That's not "treason," it's civic duty.

[CaptainVideo]

"Hoping a failed Obama presidency will afford her another crack at the white House!"

That is a lot more feasible if she keeps her seat in the Senate than if she is part of the failed administration.

"There is no way you are going to tell me that in a country of 300 mil that there are no experienced Dems out there that Obama could tap who didnt at one time work for the Clinton. "

A large part of the most qualified Democrats did, at some time, serve the Clinton administration.

"these people Obama is hiring will be doing the Clinton bidding and not Obamas!"

Craig supported Obama against Hillary.

[dtrain51]

First you have to look at who he is using from the Clinton years, only the brights and capable people who left us with a surplus not all the hanger on, I trust his judgement, we elected him so we go with that gut feeling, he knows what he doing.

[ladyv]

This guy is one of those people who believed in Obama all along.

Do you realize at all that DC is a small town and that by disqualifying the thousands who worked for the Clinton administration you will have disqualified 90% of the Dems in that town?

Unless the experienced Dem in question is a prodigy like Obama and wasn't around in the 90s, that experienced Dem *will have gotten their experience in a way that is at least tangentially related to the Clinton administration*. It's the only Democratic administration that's existed in decades. Where do you think mid level Washington management gets its experience, anyway?

[OneLiberalLady]

What I have read about Greg Craig show that he is an estimable person, a fine lawyer of formidable intelligence. Although his ties to Bill Clinton go way back, Craig very early on offered his commitment to Obama because he was so impressed with his many talents. That kind of integrity takes guts.
Good choice!

[TurkerB]

Agree with your statement. And who knows what antics the GOP and their supporters will do to impeach Obama during his term(s) in office and/or obstruct his administration-- as the Republicans are still in serious denial and still have their 'mad dogs' (Newt Gingrich and Karl Rove come to mind) on the sidelines ready to do damage to the Presidency again.

[iceage7]

Obama don't listen to nay sayers. None of us here have ever been president elect and have no idea what it takes to have a transition team. You need experienced people to naviagte this monster. What do people expect. Roolies to run your govt and transition. Its all about your policys. Who is best equiped to pass your policy intiatives. Who knows where the bathroom keys are when naviagting the monster that is America. None of us have any idea what it takes. those criticizing you are arm chair quarter backs who have no clue. so Obama just keep doing what you think is best. Remember people doubted you and look where you are now.

[BeHonest120]

Agree. People use your brains and quit being so critical. Obama doesn't have an easy job and I think most of you that are negative perhaps have never held any kind of job that involved hiring many employees along with the many responsibilities that go with the job. Give it a chance!

[Sapphdia]

Thank you from talking me off the bridge. I just have to remember that this is the transition team. *breath*

[reverendadam]

Actually, not true. The reports are that Craig will be White House counsel. That's not transition, that's a full time White House post. But there's no reason for you to be talked off any ledge, he's an extraordinarily smart and capable attorney, a committed Democrat, and one of Obama's earliest supporters. Many of the best and brightest minds in the country were part of the Clinton era in the 90s, why on Earth wouldn't Obama make good use of them now to further his agenda? To disqualify good people from working in government because of past ties to Clinton's administration would be the height of irresponsibility and absurdity. Luckily for us, Obama isn't as narrow-minded, short sighted and childish as some around here would have him be.

[Aroura]

Very well said!

[RainDance33]

Here here. Could not have put it better myself. Faith. That is what is required at this stage and that is what I have an abundance of when it comes to President Elect Obama. I would not insult the man by second guessing his decisions at this early stage of the game. He showed excellent judgment throughout his campaign and I have no reason to believe this will not continue. More power to him.

[LordKelvin]

Indeed .................HEAR, HEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COGITO, ERGO SUM.

[Sabreen60]

I also agree. If I am correct BillClinton said he made the mistake of having inexperienced people on his transition team. 0ba-ma knows what he is doing. He won didn't he?

[demtotheend]

people don't get a frenzy about O's selections. Some experience is a good thing. No one wants a repeat of Bush's cabinet and advisors. With the deep hole America is in it make take several years to make things right again. Amazing how people are putting some many demands on O. He is just one man and not a perfect man. Dont buy into the Messiah meme that he Repugs tried to sell ya.

[Curlew]

What?? Harriet Meirs has all of that great WH counsel experience cheerleading for the Chimp and Barack selected, instead, someone intelligent, informed and seasoned? Whatever was he thinking?

[Jahmekyah]

Again for everyone of you whining democrats (yoyu people don't even know how to feel when you WIN) I feel I must enunciate some truisms here. Firstly, it is OBAMA, his way of thinking, managing and judgment that you voted for as change...So why not trust that this man, who has shown his brilliance and wisdom so far, will make the appointments he feels will best IMPLEMENT HIS CHANGE??? Secondly, whats with the Clinton bashing? Notwithstanding the fact that having worked for Clinton doesnt mean that they will be implementing his policies (cuz you know, they're working for Obama now), not withstanding that every experienced and smart democrat that exists has worked for Clinton in some capacity....Wasn't Clinton a Democrat? Weren't the times under Clinton...pretty good? Wasn't he elected twice?? Whats with the Clinton hate???

And finally, I feel I must repeat a quite obvious fact...THERE HAVE BEEN NO CABINET APPOINTMENTS YET. All that has been discussed so far is rumor and conjecture and a few staff positions. Geez people, get over yourselves. Allow the man to pick a cabinet and actually start governing before this hyperbolic panic-fest. It is OBAMA that is the agent of change...OBAMA. You all want him to surround himself with neofites so his cabinet looks fresh and new....and STUPID?? The man isn't an idiot. You can get nothing done in Washington without Washington insiders. Only now, those insiders will be working for Obama.

[hominidx]

I actually kinda agree here.

[Jacqattack]

AMEN AMEN and AMEN!!! These folks need a vacation. Obviously still wound tight from the 2 year campaign.

[duze]

Obama is a genius, everyone knows this by now. His inner circle have proven authority of their particular job skills. He'll always keep them close and they won't have to be reminded what loyalty looks like. They already are. His appointments are real, except for the fact that his sensory interests are as keen as an eagle. Don't misundersstand Obama, he knows exactly what he has to do and it will get done. We should all know by now, how he moves. Everytime time we think you've figured him out, he steps over your whole plan. Yes, we need a president who has proven and gathered the group that can continue to prove his worth. The Obama Persidency will be the most exciting in years, we'll all learn from this. Obama has taken on the biggest task in this world at the time and he took it on after he took it from everyone else. He was the underdog, not taken seriously and ignored by the big names as a waste of their time. Go look to them now.

[mylegsareswollen]

"Genius" Obama and the Democratic Congress will be gouging each others eyes out in due course.

[Sabreen60]

How much do prophets get paid???

[anonymousDC]

Any prominent Democrat with experience will likely have spent some time connected with 8 years of the Clinton presidency. What's important is that Craig was one of the very first friends of the Clintons to break with them and support Obama instead. That shows independence and strength of character, particularly knowing the long shot that Obama was considered at the time when Craig started advising him. It's also notable considering the Clinton's penchant for payback against those they view as disloyal. Moreover, it shows Craig's long-held belief in Obama and his policies over those of the Clintons. Obama has spent enough time with Craig over the past years to fairly judge his character and determine he's the man to give him legal advice as POTU. So to everyone posting that believes Craig is simply another Clinton insider, try not to jump to conclusions. Also, White House counsel is not a position for a novice lawyer without Washington experience--look where the utter legal incompetence of the last 8 years got us. Nobody can question that Craig is one of the top attorneys in the country with unparalleled experience to help Obama navigate the legal intricacies and piranhas of DC.

[adzeman]

There is a pool of talent that is available in each party. They will show up in key jobs because they're proven efficient and the best.
Cheney worked for four administrations. He is a pig, but a pig that knew "how it works" better than anyone in the GOP.
Craig is a brilliant lawyer and a consummate political mind. A lesser or more popular pick would have been alarming. This may the best appointment yet.

[LordKelvin]

Indeed ADZEMAN..............

Politics is PUPPETRY par excellence and there are Puppets (the politicians) and and Puppeteers (their handlers).

Hence Master Puppeteers are indispensable to the Puppets being placed on and remaining on the stage.

Just take a look behind the curtain.

CODITO, ERGO SUM.

[shockjock]

Look children,

This is not a campaign where a limited number of people privy to confidential information.
This is the real world where 8,000 people will be hired in the next few months. Someone is going to tell their wife, who is going to tell the children's principal or headmaster (Sorry, we will be changing schools in January because Bill got a new job offer in Washington DC). And Bill has to tell the Partners in his high- powered law firm that he will be taking a 4 year leave of absence, that may extend to eight. And everyone knows lawyers like to talk, and there are 2,000 reporters roaming the town that are paid to listen.