CNN Q&A with Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith

Presidential Reform Project co-chairs Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith were interviewed by author Michael D’Antonio in CNN Opinion:

D’Antonio: After Watergate, there was a bipartisan effort to address presidential abuse of power, and as you say in your book it did work for a while. With Trumpism dominating the Republican Party, right now that doesn’t seem likely. But are there some things you think may be possible?

Bauer: I do think you see that, for example, in areas like war powers there is the basis for some bipartisan agreement to address some of the abuses that we discussed in the book. Trump has forced a reckoning with how serious this problem can be, and what would happen if somebody came into power, Democrat or Republican, (who was) more cunning than Trump, more experienced in the use of levers of power, (and) who could do even more damage than Trump has done.

Goldsmith: It’s a very important time to try to achieve some of these reforms. If Congress can exercise its presidential reform muscle, hopefully a few times, it will get stronger. It’s a really important year coming up. And so we plan to do whatever we can to help move the process along.