Robert B. Barnett, influential Washington attorney and literary intermediary for Obama and Clinton families, 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. Barnett’s executive assistant, Ashley Duffy, told The Associated Press that he died Thursday night. Additional details were not immediately available.

A longtime Democrat who helped Jimmy Carter in 1976 and advised candidates on debate preparation, Barnett became a premier intermediary between the Washington elite and New York publishers. He was a partner at Williams & Connolly, and for more than two decades no one matched his stature as a facilitator who could connect politicians with book deals and publishers while keeping negotiations discreet. He described his work as translating politics into print and print back into politics, not as an agent who took royalties but as an attorney who billed by the hour.

From the early 1990s through the end of the Obama administration in 2017, Barnett represented three consecutive presidents and first ladies — the Clintons, George W. Bush and Laura Bush, and the Obamas — and much of the remaining A-list political players, from Ted Kennedy and Mitch McConnell to Dick Cheney and Joe Biden, from Paul Ryan and Donald Rumsfeld to Al Franken and Elizabeth Warren. Barnett also handled negotiations for media executives and reporters, musical superstars, business leaders, and international figures, as well as one of the world’s best-selling novelists, James Patterson. He helped orchestrate a widely circulated collaboration between Patterson and Bill Clinton that produced a successful political thriller and a best-selling political memoir dynamic.

His influence in politics and publishing grew as he became known for his ability to secure high-profile book deals that could shape public conversation. He played a central role in the 2008 primary and general election narratives surrounding Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, including the negotiations that helped land major deals for Obama’s books and other memoirs tied to the era. After the 2008 victory, Barnett continued to align notable figures with publishers, extending his reach beyond the White House.

Barnett’s power plant of a network was built over decades: he represented not only presidents and first families but also major political figures like Ted Kennedy and Mitch McConnell, and he worked with prominent current and former aides who sought to publish or to stage media ventures. His collaboration on The President Is Missing, a joint project between James Patterson and Bill Clinton, showcased how his client roster could intersect in large-scale publishing projects with broad cultural impact.

In six consecutive presidential races from 1992 through 2012, a current or future Barnett client was elected, underscoring the depth of his political footprint. Republican strategist and former client Karl Rove later described Barnett as among the sagest advisers he had access to, illustrating the extraordinary trust he earned across party lines. Throughout his career, Barnett insisted he was a lawyer first and a broker of ideas second, a distinction that helped him navigate complex negotiations while maintaining discretion about his clients’ private discussions and strategic plans.

Barnett did not limit his influence to politics alone. He advised media executives and reporters who covered national affairs, and he represented figures in business and entertainment, including leaders at Deutsche Bank and McDonald’s, as well as international names such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Among the world’s best-selling authors, he supported James Patterson and, through Patterson, helped shape a broader ecosystem in which political stories reached wide audiences. The business model he championed typically involved hourly billing rather than percentage-based royalties, a setup that set him apart from some literary agents and underscored his role as a legal facilitator.

Barnett’s personal history helped shape his approach to opening doors in Washington. A native of Waukegan, Illinois, he grew up as senior class president at 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 of Minnesota. He joined Williams & Connolly in 1975 and was named a partner three years later. In his private life, he married Rita Braver, a CBS television correspondent, in 1972, and the couple had a daughter, Meredith.

In interviews, Barnett described his appeal as a bridge between the political world and the publishing ecosystem. He noted that his longstanding relationships could lead to serendipitous opportunities—for instance, a successful book could pave the way for clients to address regulatory, business, or government matters through his firm. A recurring theme in his career was his ability to route a client’s narrative into print while safeguarding discretion and strategic timing.

Barnett’s reach extended to a wide array of figures beyond the White House. He represented not only presidents and first families but also prominent business leaders, media figures, and even cultural icons who sought to publish works that would resonate with politically engaged audiences. His influence was particularly pronounced during the Obama era, when insider political books and memoirs became central to the public’s understanding of recent history. As publishing cycles shifted in the 2010s, Barnett remained a trusted broker for high-stakes book deals and media ventures, a role that kept him at the center of Washington’s revolving door.

Barnett died on Thursday night, according to his executive assistant. The circumstances surrounding his death were not immediately released, and details about his survivors or a formal obituary were not immediately available. In the wake of his passing, colleagues and former clients reflected on a career that helped define the intersection of politics and publishing for a generation.