The Obamas' best friend Valerie Jarrett has dished about spending her evenings relaxing and gossiping with Michelle and Barack on the Truman Balcony at the White House and her unfettered access to the former president and first lady in her upcoming memoir.
The former senior advisor was even nicknamed 'Night Stalker' by her White House colleagues who believed she would spend her nights at the family's residence whispering into their ears and influencing policy.
But Jarrett insists the threesome were simply chatting about their lives, drinking cocktails and eating open-faced BLT sandwiches prepared by White House chefs and watching movies.
'I was afforded my unique access because I understood that being a friend is being a friend,' writes Jarrett in her upcoming book Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward, to be published on April 2.
The 62-year-old, who was born in Iran to American parents, also describes jet-setting with Obama to the Middle East where the Saudi Arabian king gave her a briefcase full of emeralds and diamonds.
In her memoir, Jarrett fails to mention Roseanne Barr, who lost her rebooted ABC show Roseanne in May of 2018 after the comedienne tweeted that Jarrett looked like the 'Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby'.
Valerie Jarrett became friends with the Obamas after hiring Michelle in 1991, writing in her new upcoming memoir: 'I was like a big sister to them as a couple, and then separately as individuals.' This friendship would lead Jarrett to become a close confidant to the Obamas (pictured together in 2009) during their time in the White House
The former senior advisor to President Obama was even nicknamed 'Night Stalker' by colleagues who believed she would spend her nights at the family's residence at the White House influencing policy
Jarrett writes: 'I was like a big sister to them as a couple, and then separately as individuals.
'It was true that I often went to the residence, a place where few in the White House were invited. The Obamas were my dear friends, in many ways the younger siblings I never had and we had agreed to do this chapter of our lives together.
'I loved it in the residence. Weather permitting, we would sit on the Truman Balcony, enjoying the weather and a martini (or two), with delicious hors d'oeuvres prepared by their extraordinary chefs; they used to make the most delicious, mini open-faced BLTs with a hit of sugar'.
Valerie Jarrett details her relationship with the Obamas in her book Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward
Jarrett writes that she would often have dinner with Michelle, Barack and their daughters Sasha and Malia in the private dining room redecorated at the Obamas' expense.
After dinner, they'd either move out onto the Truman Balcony, hang out in the West Sitting Parlor or the Yellow Oval Room, or even watch a movie in the private movie theater.
'We did what everybody else does: we talked about our kids, our families and favorite books, movies or TV shows', writes Valerie.
Jarrett says she loved the movie theaters at the White House and Camp David with their 'very comfortable chairs' that came with a blanket, pillow and a footrest in the front row.
Obama's favorite movies had complicated plot lines that involved suffering and ended with everyone dying. 'I think the contrast to real life made him feel better', she writes.
Jarrett admits that while being Senior Advisor to the President came with 'a host of responsibilities, it also came with some cool stuff'.
That included trips to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Germany and Normandy.
In Saudi Arabia, they stayed at King Abdullah's ranch where she found a large gift box in her villa that contained a huge, green leather briefcase made from reptile skin and filled with emeralds and diamonds, a necklace, earrings, a ring, two watches, a bejeweled pen.
Jarrett insists her time spent in the company of the First Lady and President (pictured in 2008) was simply chatting about their lives on the Truman Balcony, eating open-faced BLT sandwiches prepared by White House chefs and watching movies
Jarrett says being Senior Advisor to the President came with some 'cool stuff'. That included trips to Egypt (pictured in 2009) and Saudi Arabia where she found a green leather briefcase filled with emeralds and diamonds, a necklace, earrings, a ring, two watches, a bejeweled pen
But of course, she couldn't keep any of the luxury items. It had to be turned over to the State Department.
A whirlwind trip to four countries in five days and sleeping all but two nights on Air Force One that wasn't as plush as Valerie had imagined.
She preferred flying on Marine One to Air Force One, which seemed more majestic taking off from the South Lawn and offering unique vantage points of Washington DC.
Obama showed Valerie one of his favorite views from the chopper, which was the Washington Monument just after take off.
She traveled around the world many times but one of her most memorable trips was the visit to Dharamshala in India to meet the Dalai Lama, who was a great influence on Jarrett.
Jarrett said on the night of the 2016 elections, she was with the Obamas watching the Marvel superhero movie Doctor Strange.
When exit polls started to come in and the outlook did not seem good for Hillary, Michelle went to bed. Valerie decided to leave Barack alone.
The next morning, 'the election outcome was soul crushing. We were all clearly shattered'.
She admitted once trying to talk Obama into seeking a third term after a second martini.
Moving to the seat next to her and draping one arm over her shoulder, he told her: 'There's more work to do, but there always is. We did our best. It's time for us to go.
'And besides, I hear former president is actually the better job'.
Jarrett's close relationship with the Obamas began when Michelle walked into the offices of Chicago Mayor Daley's deputy chief of staff in the summer of 1991 hoping for a job in public service, preferring not to practice law.
Jarrett's close relationship with the Obamas began when Michelle walked into the offices of Chicago Mayor Daley's deputy chief of staff in the summer of 1991 hoping for a job in public service, preferring not to practice law
Valerie remains a dear friend and has been working with Michelle and Barack close to their homes in Chicago to help launch their foundation. Pictured: Valerie with Michelle during the former First Lady's book tour in November 2018
Jarrett offered the 26-year old Chicago native, cum laude graduate of Princeton, Harvard Law alumi, before she left the interview.
She writes she quickly became friends with Michelle and her then fiance Barack, writing: 'Starting with our very first dinner, the three of us gradually developed a very close friendship. After they married in 1992, they moved three blocks away from me, and we spent a lot of time at each other's homes. It was admittedly, an unusual relationship.'
Jarrett bonded with Michelle over their shared Chicago roots, being working professionals and raising children --- Valerie had one young girl and an absentee husband who she would later divorce.
Her bond with Barack was over the shared 'exotic, far-flung adventures of our childhoods and his interest in politics', she writes.
The Obamas and Valerie were part of a small group on the South Side of Chicago, 'a group of friends so close-knit we felt like family', Jarrett writes.
Their friendship was also solidified by Valerie's strong sense of family she inherited from her own father and mother's dedication to raising a close-knit family, as well as Michelle's own experience of growing up with a strong familial structure.
When Barack expressed his desire to run for state senator in 1997 and willing to risk failure that could end his political career, Jarrett understood that his courage came from his mother, his grandparents, as well as Michelle.
They believed he could accomplish anything he wanted – and Valerie soon learned he could.
Valerie writes: 'Starting with our very first dinner, the three of us gradually developed a very close friendship. After they married in 1992, they moved three blocks away from me, and we spent a lot of time at each other's homes. It was admittedly, an unusual relationship'
Valerie (pictured with the Obamas in 2017) helped get the black vote out and money from black business owners. But Obama had to disavow his black pastor in Chicago who was a racist and anti-American
He won the race in 1996 but, when he was up for re-election, he was out of town for an important vote in the state Senate in 1999 and lost the Democratic primary.
'The loss was very painful for all of us,' writes Valerie, having underestimated the power of incumbency.
'The toll our public lives and professions took on our families was a constant topic of conversation between the Jarrett and Obama families', writes Valerie, still a single parent.
When Barack decided to run for the US Senate in 2004, Jarrett came on board to chair his finance committee because of her relationship with Chicago's wealthiest business leaders.
Up close and personal, Valerie learned Barack was habitually late socially as well as in political life.
He was late to meetings, speeches, fundraisers and sometimes appearing lethargic and indifferent.
When Valerie confronted him about this, it put tears in his eyes.
'If I win, it's going to pull me even further away from my family', Barack confessed.
Valerie responded: 'You are one of the few politicians I know who truly put your family first. So if you don't want to do it, let's not do it'. They parted with a hug.
But when John Kerry tapped Obama to give the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2004, he became a rising star in Democratic politics.
She preferred flying on Marine One to Air Force One, which seemed more majestic taking off from the South Lawn and offering unique vantage points of Washington DC. Pictured: Obama holds the umbrella for Valerie and Anita Breckenridge on May 18, 2015
However, Michelle was still not willing to move to Washington with the girls, still hanging by her fingertips in Chicago raising Sasha and Malia as well as being executive director for community affairs at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
But on one night right after Christmas in 2006, Barack called Valerie from Hawaii and told her, 'I'm leaning toward doing this', he said.
'I knew exactly what ''this'' was,' Valerie writes.
It would be a long shot against Hillary and the Clinton machinery.
Jarrett agreed to be senior advisor to the campaign when Barack decided to make a run for President in 2008.
Valerie helped get the black vote out and money from black business owners. But Obama had to disavow his black pastor in Chicago who was a racist and anti-American.
She recalls how Stevie Wonder smelled cigarette smoke on Barack and advised her to tell him to stop smoking.
On Election Day in 2008, Valerie was backstage to see Barack before he went on.
With the results in, Valerie turned to see tears streaming down Barack's face, his gratitude for the hard work that went into an unlikely campaign.
'He walked over to me in silence and just hugged me. We didn't say a word. None was necessary'.
Valerie remains a dear friend and has been working with Michelle and Barack close to their homes in Chicago to help launch their foundation.
She is also on the board of Michelle's organization, When We All vote.
Valerie Jarrett's book Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward will be released on April 2.
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https://hienalouca.com/2019/01/17/valerie-jarrett-tells-of-sipping-martinis-and-gossiping-with-the-obamas/
Main photo article The Obamas’ best friend Valerie Jarrett has dished about spending her evenings relaxing and gossiping with Michelle and Barack on the Truman Balcony at the White House and her unfettered access to the former president and first lady in her upcoming memoir.
The former senior advisor was ...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca
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