Hamilton College’s Common Ground program features the co-authors of "After Trump: Reconstructing the Presidency" in a discussion about “The Power, Responsibility, and Limitations of the Presidency."

Bob Bauer, a professor of practice and distinguished scholar in residence at the New York University School of Law, and Jack Goldsmith, the Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard University, will discuss the power, responsibility, and limitations of the presidency. The event will be moderated by Hamilton alumnus Michael Grygiel, who co-chairs Greenberg Traurig, LLP’s National Media and Entertainment Litigation Group.

Bauer served as White House Counsel to President Obama from 2009 to 2011. In 2013, the President named him to be co-chair of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration. In 2021, President Biden named him to be co-chair of the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Goldsmith served as Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel, from October 2003 through July 2004, and Special Counsel to the General Counsel for the Department of Defense from September 2002 through June 2003 during the George W. Bush administration.

Bauer and Goldsmith run a Substack called Executive Functions that decodes controversies of the day.

Common Ground is Hamilton’s multi-format program that helps prepare students for active citizenship. Designed to explore cross-boundary political thought and complex social issues, Common Ground brings respected thought leaders to Hamilton to participate in small classroom dialogues and large event discussions.

The program is free and open to the public. Parking is available in lots on College Hill Road.