Valerie Jarrett Steps Up Role in Obama Campaign: "She's Always Been the Other Side of Barack's Brain."

WASHINGTON -- "She's always been the other side of Barack's brain." That's how an Obama insider described Valerie Jarrett as an Obama campaign aide announced Thursday night the former CTA chief and current Habitat Co. CEO is taking on a larger role to help her close friend win his White House bid.

The development comes as Jarrett, a charter member of Sen. Barack Obama's kitchen cabinet, has been formalizing her portfolio and stepping up the pace within the past few weeks as a top advisor within the campaign.

Jarrett brings a package of assets to the campaign, a sprawling managerial, political and financial enterprise. While Obama has demonstrated formidable fund-raising ability, he has not caught up with chief rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in the polls that count the most -- in the four crucial states with the first presidential votes.

Jarrett has a close, long relationship with both Barack and Michelle Obama. Like the Obamas, Jarrett is a South Sider with deep ties to the University of Chicago.

Jarrett met Barack as she was hiring Michelle to work with her in Mayor Daley's City Hall, where she served in a variety of top positions. Jarrett was finance chair of Obama's 2004 Senate bid and once he was elected, was the treasurer of HOPEFUND, Obama's political action committee. Jarrett's resume and connections could make her a contender to succeed Daley.

Though she will be part-time, Jarrett will be one of the most visible and powerful African-Americans in the top rungs of the Obama operation. The very top campaign jobs are filled by whites.

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Comments

[AceInTheHole]

One thing for certain , things should get a little more interesting in the Obama camp.

To be honest it was beginning to bore me. It was about as exciting as a bucket of hair,
except for the crowds he draws.

The whole demenor of Obama's campaign was becoming to darn bland and colorless, pardon the pun. His campaign was beginning to be like business as usual, instead of great exspectaions.

I sense that the people want something more exciting and inspirational. Someone who they can really rally around and be inspired by. Not just another dime a dozen, Harvard suit, THAT TALKS WISE AND ACTS OTHERWISE. The people wants someone who is willing to take some chances and speak truth to power with gusto and vigor.

Someone who wants to serve up a whole buffet of whipass to his opponents. Come at them from all directions, all at once and keep em confused and busier than a one legged man on a trampoline. Verbally whip and abuse them enough to scare them back into their mother's laps. Then he might muster up enough support through mass appeal, to win this primary.
The people are ready for someone to stand up and lead them up out of this morass of evil and trepidation.

[AceInTheHole]

Well he finally took my advice and got a real political sreet fighter on board. She is no spineless Nancy Pelosi. She is more of a combination of Maxine Waters and Barbara Lee with a little more finesse and adroitness at political street fighting and is prown to take no prisonors. From what my Chicago contacts tell me, there is only one other woman in Chicago, black or white, with more clout and her name is Oprah.

What a deal, to have the two most powerful and influential woman in Chicago in your corner. Word is that, when the rest of the people of color in America is introduced to this woman, Obama's street cred will raise exponentially. She is no Oprah but she is one heck of a woman, with a hundred times more credibilty than Condi Rice.

[ikebona]

"Obama has demonstrated formidable fund-raising ability.."-- That's great because any candidate who doesn't have $80-$100 million should just forget about competing in this very tight Democratic primaries.

"...he has not caught up with chief rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in the polls"-- the polls are irrelevant as they're ALWAYS wrong in the primaries.

While no candidate has PRACTICALLY gained a sigle vote yet, Obama has ACTUALLY gained the most money and the largest grassroots base.

Iowa Attorney General, Tom Miller: "We have the happy circumstance that the candidate with [the] most bottom-up appeal also has the most money. I'm not sure that's ever occurred before."

[ikebona]

"Obama has demonstrated formidable fund-raising ability.."-- That's great because any candidate who doesn't have $80-$100 million should just forget about competing in this very tight Democratic primaries.

"...he has not caught up with chief rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in the polls"-- the polls are irrelevant as they're ALWAYS wrong in the primaries.

While no candidate has PRACTICALLY gained a sigle vote yet, Obama has ACTUALLY gained the most money and the largest grassroots base.

Iowa Attorney General, Tom Miller: "We have the happy circumstance that the candidate with [the] most bottom-up appeal also has the most money " I"m not sure that"s ever occurred before,"

[AngryAmish]

This does not bode well for Obama's campaign. Just ask anyone who depends on the Chicago Transit Authority to get to and from work. Busses run infrequently, and when you do finally catch one, you're lucky if doesn't break down before you reach your destination. The celebrated "L" and subway trains are mobile unrinals that clip-clop at a glacial pace along rickety tracks. I live less than five miles from my office in the Loop. On "good" days, the commute takes 45 minutes--one way. On bad days, which are frequent, it can take more than hour.



Thanks for your vision and leadership during your tenure at the CTA, Ms. Jarrett! And good luck, Senator Obama!

[AceInTheHole]

With the respect that's due you.

CTA'S troubles is nothing new in Chicago, and should not be blamed on this woman. CTA was crappy, starting fifty five years ago,when I used to ride it.

[snaggster]

I suppose it's a step in the right direction that she's only half his brain, but maybe we should focus on candidate's whose brains are 100% in their own skulls!