A recent NYT Magazine cover profile described her as "Obama's BFF" and "the president’s closest friend in the White House," the one who stays behind in the Oval Office with the boss after senior staff meetings break up, the one through whom the President runs every key decision. Perhaps real estate shows her importance best: the White House office which once belonged to Karl Rove now is hers.
On Saturday, August 15, Valerie Jarrett is coming to Netroots Nation to listen to you:
A Conversation With Valerie Jarrett, scheduled for Saturday morning at 9 a.m., will give progressives across the country a chance to engage in substantive conversation with one of the president's most trusted advisors.
In the latest New York Times Sunday Magazine, President Barack Obama said of Jarrett, "She’s family—she combines the closeness of a family member with the savvy and objectivity of a professional businesswoman and public-policy expert."
Jarrett serves as Senior Adviser and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement.
"We welcome an opportunity to hear from one of President Obama's closest advisors just as the administration has embraced this chance to hear from the Netroots," said Netroots Nation Executive Director Raven Brooks. "This session will allow us to build on an open line of communication started by this president and fostered by Jarrett."
The session will be moderated by blogger, commentator and comic Baratunde Thurston. Thurston, who has been featured on the main stage at every Netroots Nation convention, blogs as Jack Turner at Jack & Jill Politics and is host of the new Science Channel series, Popular Science's Future Of, debuting in August 2009.
Did you want to hear directly what the White House is thinking?
Do you want to let the White House know what you're thinking?
Register to join us at Netroots Nation 2009.
And in the meantime, if you have any questions you want to make sure we ask Valerie Jarrett, let us know below, or on our Facebook page.
See you in Pittsburgh.