Robert B. Barnett, influential literary intermediary to presidents and publishers, dies at 79

Robert B. Barnett, a powerhouse Washington attorney who became a fixture in the political and publishing worlds as the literary representative for Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and dozens of other leaders, has died at age 79, his executive assistant said. He died Thursday night, though additional details were not immediately available.

A stocky, raspy-voiced man with tortoise shell glasses and antique cuff links, Barnett embodied an era when it was possible to work with both Democrats and Republicans and when politics could pause at the edge of a favorable book deal. A longtime Democrat who helped on Jimmy Carter’s 1976 campaign, he would become one of Washington’s most sought-after intermediaries between the political and publishing worlds. He often joked that if all his clients gathered in one room the result would be World War III, underscoring how his portfolio spanned a broad spectrum of public figures.

Barnett was a partner at Williams & Connolly and, for more than two decades, the most influential broker between the capital’s elite and New York publishers. From the early 1990s through the end of the Obama administration in 2017, he represented three consecutive presidents and first families—the Clintons, George W. Bush and Laura Bush, and the Obamas—and a wide circle of other prominent figures, from Ted Kennedy and Mitch McConnell to Dick Cheney and Joe Biden, as well as business and media leaders and best-selling authors. He was widely known as the “doorman to Washington’s revolving door,” a phrase used to describe his role in opening doors rather than acting as an agent who earned royalties for writers.

Beyond his political book work, Barnett handled negotiations for media executives and reporters, musicians and business leaders, and international figures. One of his notable collaborations was the political-thriller collaboration that produced The President Is Missing, a book Patterson and Clinton developed with Barnett’s help. He also helped shape book deals for figures such as Roger Ailes, Bob Woodward, Chris Wallace, Elton John, Barbra Streisand, Jack Welch, Phil Knight, Tony Blair, and Queen Noor of Jordan. His influence extended to presidents and White House reporters alike, reflecting a unique bridge between political power and publishing culture.

Barnett did not operate as an agent; he billed clients by the hour. That arrangement, while unusual in an industry where royalties often flow to authors, helped him cultivate long-standing relationships with presidents and first families who valued discretion and strategic guidance as they navigated post-presidential memoirs and other publishing opportunities. The book deals often generated multimillion-dollar returns for his clients and for publishers who sought access to the nations’ most recognizable names.

His influence was at its height during the Obama era, when Barack Obama—after switching agents from a prior representative—turned to Barnett to secure a deal for The Audacity of Hope, a book that became a global bestseller and helped define Obama’s early public narrative. Barnett’s role during the 2008 Democratic primary and the ensuing convention negotiations further solidified his status as a central figure in the intersection of politics and publishing. As Obama adviser Mark Leibovich recounted in This Town, Barnett’s observations were seasoned with insider wit, and when Barnett offered a perspective, Obama would reply with a wink: “Bob, you ARE the conventional wisdom.”

In addition to his work with the Clintons and the Obamas, Barnett’s client list reflected a broad cross-section of American power. He advised on books for Geraldine Ferraro during her 1984 debate prep and helped locate a publisher for her memoir after the election, a turning point that showcased his knack for turning political stories into major publishing events. His work with James Patterson on the Clinton-penned collaboration The President Is Missing demonstrated how his cross-pollination of politics and storytelling could produce best-selling works that resonated beyond the Beltway.

In the long arc of his career, Barnett’s advisory network drew in figures from every corner of government and industry. He represented not only presidents and first ladies but also a who’s who of political aides, national security figures, business leaders, and media personalities. His reach extended to the realm of debate preparation and public messaging, where his insider perspective helped shape how presidents presented themselves to the public in an era of rapid media transformation.

Barnett’s personal trajectory before Washington became his stage was marked by public service and academic achievement. A Waukegan, Illinois, native, he graduated from Waukegan High School, studied political science at the University of Wisconsin, and earned a law degree from the University of Chicago. He moved to Washington in the early 1970s, clerking for Supreme Court Justice Byron White and working as an aide to then-Senator Walter Mondale. In 1975, he joined Williams & Connolly, where he was made a partner three years later. In addition to his political clients, he advised corporations and businesses, including Deutsche Bank, McDonald’s, and JM Family Enterprises.

Barnett’s personal life included a long marriage to Rita Braver, a CBS journalist, with whom he had a daughter, Meredith. He was known for his candor and his sharp, insider’s eye for the mechanics of political power and publishing oportunities. His legacy is often summarized in the image of a man who could translate public interest into literary and commercial opportunity while maintaining a reputation for loyalty, confidentiality, and thoughtful counsel.

As the publishing ecosystem evolved and representation models shifted, Barnett experienced a generational transition in the industry. Younger literary brokers and agencies began to eclipse traditional centers of influence, but his impact on the culture of political publishing remains a defining element of late 20th and early 21st-century Washington. His clients’ books helped shape public understanding of major political moments, and his ability to connect the right authors with the right publishers helped ensure that compelling political narratives found receptive audiences.

The news of Barnett’s passing prompted reflections on how a single attorney could shape the intersection of politics, media, and culture. In recalling his career, colleagues noted his blend of discretion and directness, his deep knowledge of the publishing world, and his capacity to anticipate how a political memoir could become a cultural touchstone. While the profession has continued to evolve, Barnett’s imprint on the publishing trajectories of some of America’s most recognizable leaders remains evident in the culture and memory of modern political life.