Robert 'Bob' Barnett, Washington Power Lawyer and Deal Broker, Dies at 79
Decades of bipartisan dealmaking plus presidential debate prep made him a central figure in Washington.
Overview
- His wife, journalist Rita Braver, confirmed his death, and reports say he had been ill and died at a D.C.-area hospital.
- He brokered multimillion-dollar book and TV deals for leaders across parties, including Barack and Michelle Obama, Hillary and Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, as well as journalists such as Tim Russert and Bob Woodward and anchors like Chris Wallace, Brit Hume, and Andrea Mitchell.
- He advised about 10 national presidential campaigns, often serving as an opponent stand-in during debate prep for figures ranging from Geraldine Ferraro and Michael Dukakis to Bill and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
- A senior partner at Williams & Connolly since 1978, his background included clerkships with Judge John Minor Wisdom and Supreme Court Justice Byron White and early service to Senator Walter Mondale.
- Tributes followed from across media, including a statement from Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott praising his integrity and offering condolences to his family.