he does it in a way that is professional and effective. i am also told there is a unanimous belief among the president's allies the president's best legal strategy at this point in the obstruction of justice investigation is to exert executive privilege and not answer the kinds of questions detailed in "the new york times" this week. one attorney involved in the mueller investigation told me today that the release of the questions to "the new york times" was a, quote, inside job designed to get through to the president. more significant perhaps, two sources tell me that emmet flood is don mcgahn's hand picked successor as white house counsel. one adding that mcgahn views flood as a, quote, wartime consigliary. three describe him as calming and competent figure this west wing badly needs. and one source close to mcgahn says of flood, quote, you don't