The Obama Whisperer

The New Republic ^ | 9 Nov 2014 | Noam Scheiber

[oblomov]

Even at this late date in the Obama presidency, there is no surer way to elicit paranoid whispers or armchair psychoanalysis from Democrats than to mention the name Valerie Jarrett. Party operatives, administration officials—they are shocked by her sheer longevity and marvel at her influence. When I asked a longtime source who left the Obama White House years ago for his impressions of Jarrett, he confessed that he was too fearful to speak with me, even off the record.

This is not as irrational as it sounds. Obama has said he consults Jarrett on every major decision, something current and former aides corroborate. “Her role since she has been at the White House is one of the broadest and most expansive roles that I think has ever existed in the West Wing,” says Anita Dunn, Obama’s former communications director. Broader, even, than the role of running the West Wing. This summer, the call to send Attorney General Eric Holder on a risky visit to Ferguson, Missouri, was made by exactly three people: Holder himself, the president, and Jarrett, who were vacationing together on Martha’s Vineyard. When I asked Holder if Denis McDonough, the chief of staff, was part of the conversation, he thought for a moment and said, “He was not there.” (Holder hastened to add that “someone had spoken to him.”)

Jarrett holds a key vote on Cabinet picks (she opposed Larry Summers at Treasury and was among the first Obama aides to come around on Hillary Clinton at State) and has an outsize say on ambassadorships and judgeships. She helps determine who gets invited to the First Lady’s Box for the State of the Union, who attends state dinners and bill-signing ceremonies, and who sits where at any of the above.

[oblomov]

I thought that only crazy right wingers wrote this sort of article?

[Paine in the Neck]

[JPG]

[SamuraiScot]

Obama has said he consults Jarrett on every major decision

Valerie is 0bama's Race-sputin.

[Cowboy Bob]

Female (lizard-like), Rasputin.

[arthurus]

Jarrett is the Vizier to Sultan Hussein.

[Cowboy Bob]

Will she share the blame after Obama destroys the Democrat party?

[certrtwngnut]

It seems to me that Soros is pulling the strings and not this puppeteer. Although a dummy is still a dummy no matter who is pulling the strings.

[arthurus]

Almost, but if her army gets routed at Vienna, he will send the stranglers to her.

[struggle]

She built up the idol Obama, and by her hands it will come crashing down.

[VR-21]

"Female (lizard-like), Rasputin."

I'll definitely go along with the "lizard-like," but she reminds me more of Harry Hopkins than Rasputin. The woman absolutely makes my flesh crawl.

[Hessian]

You DO realize this makes Jarrett as qualified as Hillary was in ‘08.....

[gr8eman]

Good question. At this point it really only matters if the rats are destroyed...and they’re circling the drain. Ironic that if Obama and Jarrett destroy the rat party, they totally deserve the Nobel Peace prize. Obama owes ValJar 500 large in my estimation!

[JPG]

It seems to me that Soros is pulling the strings and not this puppeteer. Although a dummy is still a dummy no matter who is pulling the strings.

Yep, he is the head puppet master.

[Cheerio]

This is not as irrational as it sounds. Obama has said he consults Jarrett on every major decision

ValJar – There is Going to be Hell to Pay - Getting Even

REMEMBER what Zero told the nation last week - "He listens to and will represent the full 2/3 of those folk who did NOT vote for Repubs in last Tuesday's midterms. I am sure ValJar fed him that line of propaganda - after all he is the smartest pResident Amerika has ever had the honor of witnessing in the WH and after all he knows the US Constitution inside out and knows full well that when Repub party wins a massive election it is really the non-voters who have spoken.

[SparkyBass]

Pulling strings, hand up his hoohaa... all the same :)

[WayneS]

Nice!

[Trailerpark Badass]

You must not have been able to slog to the end.

[PghBaldy]

They have to save the Party from Obama, and prepare the way for the 2016 candida.

[Ray76]

Control agent.