Obama Names Valerie Jarrett Senior White House Advisor

President-elect Barack Obama has formally named his friend Valerie Jarrett to be a senior adviser in the White House. Her official title will be "senior advisor and assistant to the President for Inter-government relations and Public Liaison in the Obama White House," according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet.

Jarrett is a co-chair of Obama's transition team and was a top advisor to him during the presidential campaign.

From Lynn Sweet's report:

Jarrett, 51, a Hyde Park resident, is a veteran of Chicago's City Hall who went on to become the CEO of The Habitat Company, a major Chicago real estate firm as well as serving on a variety of civic and corporate boards. [...] Joining the campaign while still juggling her Habitat duties, Jarrett functioned as a friend--dining with Obama and other pals before a debate--as a top surrogate for the fund-raising drive--and as an advisor, often with Obama on the campaign plane.

Jarrett's White House role may be similar to the one played by Karen Hughes in President Bush's first term, the Washington Post speculates, "providing political advice while keeping him grounded."

Comments

[indothinker]

now why couldn't the repubs find someone smart and good looking like jarrett?

[Wiz]

Good looking? Are you serious? Please share whatever you're smoking.

[dcoxucla]

SMOKING GREEN BUT SHE AN ATTRACTIVE OLDER WOMEN FOR SURE AND SHE BRIGHT AND ARTFUL

[Wiz]

They did... Barney.

[Scott1560]

I'm sort of surprised that so many in here see Jarrett as a great choice? One poster even suggested that she'd help clean up the mess.

So square this bit of reality from the Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/06/27/grim_proving_ground_for_obamas_housing_policy/?page=full

[mimigrammy]

So far President Elect Obama is passing every critical "Country First" test. Unlike John MCCain who failed the first real test of a potential President by choosing Sarah Palin as VP nominee and GW Bush who due to his lacking abilities was left to allowed others to choose for him resulting in the most abusive, corrupt government in modern time, Barack Obama is surrounding himself with individuals who are not only best qualified for serving him and his administration, but the best qualifed to serve the citizens of this country. Like Obama, Ms. Jarrett is intelligent, knowledgeable of the issues, brings with her strong life experiences and is extremely able to articulate a message. As American's we will finally have an administration and President who can speak to the people in a way they can trust, understand and relate to.

[pupbayer]

Maybe Chicago first?

[penelopepunditwatcher]

Let me tell you something ... Chicago politics are squeaky clean compared to Texas politics. What would you prefer? More Bush/Rove/Delay? Not me ... bring on the folks from the toddlin' town. (and I say that as a native-born Texan).

[Ramirez]

From Judicial Watch:
*******

Obama Advisor Valerie Jarrett Linked to Real Estate Scandals
Washington, DC -- November 14, 2008

Jarrett Managed Housing Project Deemed "Uninhabitable"

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained documents linking Valerie Jarrett, an advisor to Barack Obama and the co-chairman of the President-Elect's transition team, to a series of real estate scandals, including several housing projects operated by convicted felon and Obama fundraiser/friend Antoin "Tony" Rezko.

According to the documents obtained by Judicial Watch from the Illinois Secretary of State, Valerie Jarrett served as a board member for several organizations that provided funding and support for Chicago housing projects operated by real estate developers and Obama financial backers Rezko and Allison Davis. (Davis is also Obama's former boss.) Jarrett was a member of the Board of Directors for the Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corporation along with several Davis and Rezko associates, as well as the Fund for Community Redevelopment and Revitalization, an organization that worked with Rezko and Davis.

-snip-

"Like Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett is a product of the corrupt Chicago political machine. And it is no stretch to say that she was a slumlord," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "We have real concerns about Jarrett's ethics. Washington already has plenty of corruption. We don't need to import more of it from Chicago." ...

http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2008/nov/obama-advisor-valerie-jarrett-linked-real-estate-scandals

[Scott1560]

As the saying goes, the silence is deafening.­..........

[NOLIESPLEASE]

I guess taking the fall for poor workmanship is the boards fault???? Maybe the job supervisor should of been fired and not the board that approved the funding for the mission.

This is why America is falling apart....n­o one wants to take the blame anymore. Are we still kids???? mommy they did it ....mommy they did it......fi­nd a solution instead of pointing fingers.

[reliant1]

Jarrett is a former chairman of the board of the Chicago Stock Exchange, and was director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and has served as an executive of The Habitat Company. She first met Barack Obama when she was in the midst of hiring Michelle in 1991.

Sitting on boards means nothing. People are invited to sit for any number of reasons and they show up when required. Her actual jobs are more informative.

[Scott1560]

Jarrett was the chief executive of Habitat Co.. It would have been pretty difficult for her to not know of the "slumlord" claims floating around at the time. Doesn't say much for her if she didn't know. Read the Boston Globe story.

[OneLiberalLady]

Just in case anyone is interested, the JudicialWatch website appears biased, poorly written and not credible. On the other hand, those who consider Obama one of the "Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians" probably love this site.

[Scott1560]

And the Boston Globe?

[ricitizen]

Judicial Watch was founded by a right wing conservative attorney. It seems to go after anything that it feels is against the interest of the conservative agenda. It was founded during the Clinton Administration and most of it's cases involved law suits against Democrats or Democratic organizations. Now, this and of itself does not mean that Democrats working in government should not be reviewed and watched by citizen organizations. On the contrary, more oversight is needed and we all need to be watchful in order to protect the tax payer. However, when the organization seems to be partisan in it's reviews, it calls into question their motives and discounts their conclusions. This is why any statements or conclusion from Judicial Watch have very suspect creditability with me. The last paragraph you quoted had no business in a review from a watchdog group that seeks to root out government corruption. It is pejorative and an attack made with malice based on stereotypes. It therefore has no creditability to your post. Valarie Jarrett is well respected in one of nations largest cities. She comes from a family of great Americans and she is the advisor (a person he has known for 17 years) to the President Elect. That is good enough for me for now.

[Scott1560]

So then, the Boston Globe is a conservative mouthpiece?

[snseattle]

Welcome, Counselor Troy.

[Sparky123]

Good choice. Smart lady with lots of experience on my many fronts. And he trusts her. Very important.

[Pupadup4oBama]

I saw Valerie Jarrett on some show (I've forgotten which one) I think it was during the DNC....and I really enjoyed her. I thought she was articulate, intelligent, knew how to respond and seemed very sweet. Maybe not the prettiest flower in the bunch - but she has sweet face.

Two snaps and a circle!

[gintheb]

She is great. I REALLY like her.

[Okieborn]

VALERIE JARRETT IS A GLOWING LIGHT ON THE OBAMA TEAM !!
YOUR THE GREATEST CHOICE SO FAR !!!

[Okieborn]

HIP HIP HOORAY !
THIS LADY IS SOOOOO INTELLIGENT AND CARING !!!
GREAT CHOICE !! JOE BIDEN GREAT CHOICE !!
HILLARY CLINTON "BAD CHOICE" !!!
JOE LIEBERMAN "BAD CHOICE" !!!!

[progressivelady]

I love the way he sourround's himself with smart and good people, that say's alot about he's charcter

[henrymiller212]

and being born in iran does not hurt.

[FloridaDem318]

She is a great choice!

[haval2]

good choice.

[Berkeleyan]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-072708-jarrett,0,1640738.story?page=5

Great choice, Obama. Our whole family adores Valerie Jarrett. She has most qualities a female leader should have, intelligent, savvy, tough, kind-hearted, and loyal. I was specially touched with her observation about other countries (e.g. Iran) and US in the late 1950s.

As she wrote or said "Every memory from Iran is a very happy memory... I remember how welcoming everyone was to the many Americans who were there. We were viewed by the Iranians as Americans-not black Americans-so I had no awareness of race until we returned to the United States.''

That was the same in Viet Nam. We never have any racial tensions. I guess Iran and Vietnam just have a much longer history than the US (2,000 years and 4,000 years vs a few hundred years). My father was so surprised and disheartened seeing so many civil struggles in the US when he came to the US to study in 1958.

With Valerie, Barrack is on track to reach out to other countries and help increase the US image around the globe. For world peace... we need you.

[Lajla]

TERRIFIC!