The Ultimate Obama Insider : Valerie Jarrett

Here's a long New York Times Magazine article on Valerie Jarrett. Here's a little excerpt:

Over the ensuing five years, the role Jarrett played in Obama’s political ascent was important but also confined. For his senatorial campaign, she made key introductions to the donor community, which helped the underfinanced candidate achieve legitimacy among a field of well-financed competitors. (At the same time, Jarrett did not dissuade Obama from involvement with the developer and influence peddler Tony Rezko, whom she regarded as “a snake,” according to a friend.) She was among the handful of close advisers who met in the Chicago office of the political strategist David Axelrod at the close of 2006 to carry on a rolling discussion of the risks entailed in a presidential run. And during the first six months of Obama’s presidential campaign, Jarrett remained in constant contact with him but otherwise stayed in Chicago to run Habitat — she had become chief executive in January — and the Chicago Stock Exchange.

Valerie Jarrett sure has ties to Tony Rezko, no matter how the NYT tries to spin it.