Top White House Lawyer Carves A Big Role

Washington Post: D.C. Veteran Gregory Craig A Steady Legal Hand Guiding Young Administration Through Already-Choppy Water

(Washingtonpost.com)  What kind of lawyering Craig provides could help determine the kind of presidency Obama has. White House officials say that unlike the Bush administration, which was defined by the kind of secretive information-gathering that Alberto Gonzales approved as White House counsel, this administration will be looking to its counsel to steer it away from controversy.

"One thing we're not looking for in this White House is lawyers to tell us how to circumvent the rules," senior adviser David Axelrod said. "We want our lawyer to tell us when we're walking too close to the line."

In the constellation of Obama stalwarts within the West Wing, Craig occupies a unique space: A consummate Washington insider with extensive ties to the Clintons, he nonetheless sided with Obama early in the presidential primaries.

Craig seems to have been everywhere over the course of his career -- an adviser to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.); an adviser to former secretary of state Madeleine K. Albright; an attorney, sometimes controversially, to foreign entities, many in Latin America.

Craig is clearly proud of his work on President Bill Clinton's impeachment -- framed relics from the 1998 Senate trial already hang on his West Wing wall -- but he denied widespread reports that he is estranged from both Clintons.

In the case of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton -- against whom Craig campaigned vigorously in the primaries, even authoring a foreign policy memo harshly criticizing her -- he said he has seen her four or five times in recent months as she has become a fixture of the administration.

"I've been in meetings with her. I've talked with her. We have a good working relationship," Craig said. "Things are in good shape. I have nothing worth saying about that." Although some Clinton loyalists had objected to the anti-Clinton memo he authored, he said he had intended it merely as an analysis of her work.

During the general election, Craig grew even more involved in the Obama operation, playing Sen. John McCain in debate preparations and often showing up armed with strategies for tripping up Obama. In the midst of an intense mock debate, officials said, Craig and Obama would sometimes burst out laughing.

"We'd have to lecture them on staying in character," Axelrod said. But beyond giving Obama a sparring partner, Axelrod said Craig fit naturally into the team as "an idealist who's got a lot of hard-bitten experience." Other White House officials said they were struck by how far Craig's reach extended -- describing him as a politically active lawyer who had a hand in national security, political issues and day-to-day events, establishing wide influence in just 2 1/2 weeks.

Describing his own mandate, Craig said a top priority is keeping track of how the recent executive orders are implemented. In particular, he said, he receives daily updates on the planning for closing the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba. He has also received feedback from the intelligence community about Obama's rules barring harsh interrogation techniques.

"I know for a fact already it's had an impact, because the intelligence community has accommodated their practices to comply with the executive order, and I've had real-world reporting about that," he said.

[sheiladog-2009]

Andie52 - look any where you want to, you will still find that Craig represents Pedro Miguel Gonzalez Pinzon, the Panamanian leftist who has been indicted in the U.S. for the murder of Sgt. Zak Hernandez and the serious wounding of Sgt. Ronald T. Marshall, both American servicemen. The clients Craig has chosen to represent over the years show a serious anti-American disposition. Craig is the typical left-wing fanatic that seems perfectly normal to the likes of Obama and his minions.

[andie52]

Go to wikipedia and read about this scumbag. I can''''t wait to see him welcome his murdering client Pedro Miguel Gonzalez Pinzsn into the United States. But I guess Pinzon is a hero to the American left because he murdered a U.S. serviceman.

Posted by sheiladog at 08:03 AM : Feb 06, 2009
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If Wikipedia is the leading reference tool in the world, why does it have more than 40,000 entries that may require cleanup? Wikipedia has tens of thousands of errors, and allows anyone to edit anything at any time %u2014 it%u2019s like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
I''d look elswhere for information.

[panhandlpete]

Now we can see how OBAMA got elected....he was coached by Axelrod and Craig and others who got appointment to positions in his Administration.....and they want to send Blago to prison for trying to sell OBAMA''s senate seat. That''s politics being practiced at its peak.

The electorate voted for CHANGE but looks like the only change will be names only. The same names keep showing up again and again, going from one post to another, from one administration to the next. It appears to be a well organized ''old buddies club''!!!!

[ioweign]

What a predicament. We just got rid of one bunch of idiots from the White House and replaced them with another bunch of idiots. Are there any real statesmen out there, or are we condemned to this partisan revolving door?

Posted by sheiladog at 08:13 AM : Feb 06, 2009



The present occupants would be idiots if they followed the same failed path and policies as the previous tenants...

[sheiladog-2009]

What a predicament. We just got rid of one bunch of idiots from the White House and replaced them with another bunch of idiots. Are there any real statesmen out there, or are we condemned to this partisan revolving door?

[sheiladog-2009]

What a great photo op, fellow travelers Comrade Obama & Comrade Craig.

[sheiladog-2009]

Go to wikipedia and read about this scumbag. I can''t wait to see him welcome his murdering client Pedro Miguel Gonzalez Pinzsn into the United States. But I guess Pinzon is a hero to the American left because he murdered a U.S. serviceman.