Sources say Obama taps Craig as counsel

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Gregory Craig, who directed Bill Clinton's impeachment defense, has been chosen as White House counsel by U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, sources say.

Craig, a well-known Washington lawyer, also helped Obama prepare for his presidential debates by taking on the role of Republican opponent Sen. John McCain of Arizona in practice sessions, the Washington publication Politico reported Sunday.

Citing unnamed Democratic Party sources, Politico said Obama's transition team has settled on Craig for the White House counsel job but were unsure of when an announcement of his appointment would be made.

Craig first met former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., at Yale Law School and was recruited for the impeachment defense job by John Podesta, who was then President Clinton's White House chief of staff and is now a leader of Obama's transition team, Politico said.

The White House counsel acts as the president's attorney, giving him legal advice and handling pardons and conflict-of-interest issues.