Exclusive: Gregory Craig to be White House counsel

[BlueJessamine]

Source: Politico

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 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.

The officials said Obama has settled on Craig, but were not sure when it would be announced.

The choice gives the president-elect both experience and loyalty. During the primaries, Craig was an early Clinton alumni defector to Obama. Columnist Robert D. Novak reported back in the winter of 2007 that Craig had told him he “was impressed with Obama when he first met him at the home of investment banker Vernon Jordan, an intimate friend and supporter of the Clintons.”

Craig was an Obama foreign policy adviser during the campaign. At the start of the Clinton administration, he had been the State Department’s Director of Policy Planning, the head of State’s in-house think tank. He also was senior adviser on defense, foreign policy and national security to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.).


Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15663.html

[kestrel91316]

1. Handwringing and naysaying to begin in 3.....2....1.....

[aquart]

2. Why? Sounds good.

[kestrel91316]

3. Because the Concern Trolls are very busy the last few days.....

[aquart]

4. Eh. Sounds like he has exactly the right experience for the job.

[brentspeak]

10. Not too many people would be concerned with who the WH counsel is

But people, naturally, want to be reassured that Obama doesn't surround himself with war hawks and pro-corporation/anti-working-person DLC types (such as Larry "the Pigman" Summers).

[No Elephants]

14. Do the names John Dean and Harriet Meiers ring a bell? White House Counsel is important..

[Kahuna]

5. I like Greg Craig!!

[pacalo]

7. I do, too. He reminds me of an older Sheldon Whitehouse.

[gateley]

6. Sure sounds impressive -- seems like a good choice! nt

[pacalo]

8. I found a video of a Craig interview done by BBC during Obama campaign...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_americ...

[lovuian]

9. kick

kick

[liberalpragmatist]

11. Guess he won't be Secretary of State...

... he was in the running for that earlier on or, more realistically, assistant or deputy secretary of state.

[Ian David]

12. He's not related to Larry Craig, is he? n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. Craig is high powered lawyer who defended John Hinkley.jr,

Other defendants listed on Wikipedia.

[Billy Burnett]

15. The hard line Miamicubanexiles aren't going to like this, Craig negotiated Elian's return to his dad