CNN & Politico: Greg Craig to be Obama's White House Counsel

Posted by J.D. Dunn on 11.16.2008

Familiar face may join the new administration.

Both Politico and CNN are reporting that Gregory Craig will be appointed as President-Elect Obama's White House Counsel.

Craig is a long-time Washington defense attorney, and if his name sounds familiar to some of you, it should. Craig's list of former clients read like a laundry list of famous Washington cases. He defended John Hinckley Jr. and William Kennedy Smith. He represented the father of Elian Gonzales during Elian's immigration/deportation ordeal, and he also represented U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan during the oil-for-food investigation. Perhaps most famously, though, Craig was in charge of President Clinton's defense against impeachment in the late 1990s.

If Craig is named as White House Counsel, it won't come as too much of a surprise. He has a diverse background in both legal and foreign affairs, having served as foreign policy advisor to Senator Ted Kennedy. He's been with the Obama team for quite some time, and his name was even bandied about as a possibility for Secretary of State. Craig was key in vetting vice presidential nominees and served as Obama's major debate preparation adviser.

The pick, while not as high-profile as Secretaries of State or Defense, is still an important one. The White House Counsel advises the President on all things legal, and defines the legal line between official and political actions. Craig has a mountain of experience, and the record to back it up.

Craig's first major task may be finding legal alternatives to the unpopular Guantanamo Bay detention facility. It was one of Craig's predecessors, Alberto Gonzales, who authored a memo stating that Article III of the Geneva Conventions was outdated, paving the way for indefinite detention of terror suspects. Gonzales also authored the memo which authorized "enhanced interrogation techniques" for detainees. While both President-Elect Obama and his Republican rival John McCain pledged to close down Gitmo's detention facility, the major stumbling block is finding a legal system that is consistent with U.S. law.

Craig may also play an important role as a power broker if an Obama administration begins investigations into alleged Bush administration wrongdoing. Because many of George W. Bush's controversial actions are based on his assumption of the power of the Presidency, any investigations become a Catch-22 because they would also limit the power of an Obama presidency. Craig's job may be to find a fine line between the two.

Finally, Craig will be a "dust-buster" for any scandals that may (read: will) erupt. Despite Obama's promises of change for Washington, he hasn't been immune from scandals, both legal and personal. Craig will be Obama's strongest line of defense, should any future accusations arise. Given the political climate, and a Republican Party desperate to even the playing field, it's likely that his political opponents will do their best to bog down the administration with scandal.