meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Lawfare Podcast

Bob Bauer and A.B. Culvahouse on Defending the President

The Lawfare Podcast

The Lawfare Institute

Military, Intelligence, International Law, Constitutional Law, Rule Of Law, Politics, International Relations, News, Government, History, Diplomacy, Terrorism, National Security, Current Events, Law, Foreign Policy

4.76.2K Ratings

🗓️ 6 October 2017

⏱️ 36 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Last month, Lawfare and Foreign Policy hosted an event on lawyering for the Trump presidency. Susan Hennessey spoke with former White House Counsels Bob Bauer, who served in the Obama administration from 2010 to 2011, and A.B. Culvahouse, who served in the Reagan administration from 1987 to 1989, in a lively discussion on providing legal support when your client is the president. They talked about the distinction between a president’s personal counsel and White House counsel, the challenges of defending a president during an investigation, and the quotidian aspects of the role of the White House Counsel.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

The following podcast contains advertising.

0:04.0

To access an ad-free version of the LawFair podcast,

0:08.0

become a material supporter of LawFair at patreon.com slash law fair.

0:14.0

That's patreon.com slash law fair.

0:18.0

Also, check out LawFair's other podcast offerings,

0:22.0

rational security, chatter, law fair no bull, and the aftermath.

0:29.0

I think the White House Council really does benefit enormously from an acceptance of his or her role

0:39.0

and a process-process-mindedness that supports the council in doing his or her job.

0:45.0

The White House Council cannot operate in a White House in which there are endless factions

0:50.0

quarreling with each other, some may be aligned with the White House Council,

0:53.0

some may be suspicious of the White House Council, and no predictable procedure

0:58.0

for the raising and addressing of legal issues.

1:00.0

Now, for all I know, that situation has changed since the Chief of Staff's decision to change,

1:05.0

since the Chief of Person holding that office changed,

1:07.0

but I can't imagine from the client to the parent-wild-western kind of character

1:13.0

of the deliberative process that we understand to be the case in this current White House,

1:17.0

I would imagine it would be a very, very difficult job for the White House Council to do.

1:21.0

I'm Vanessa Sondor, and this is the LawFair podcast October 7th, 2017.

1:27.0

Last month, LawFair and Foreign Policy hosted an event unlawyering for the Trump presidency.

1:32.0

Susan Hennessey spoke with former White House Council's Bob Bauer,

1:35.0

who served in the Obama administration from 2010 to 2011,

1:39.0

in AB Colby House, who served in the Reagan administration from 1987 to 1989,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Lawfare Institute, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Lawfare Institute and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.