Who Really Runs the Show? Open Thread

by Miri

Recently, the Wall Street Journal quoted John Heilemann, co-author of the political tome Game Change, who wrote in New York magazine:

President Obama “rarely consulted outside the tiny charmed circle surrounding him in the White House.

‘What you had was really three or four people running the entire government,’ says the former White House strategist. ‘I thought they put a pretty good Cabinet together, but most of those guys might as well be in the witness-protection program.’

A funny line, no doubt, but an overstatement, surely? Well, maybe not.

‘I happen to know most of the Cabinet pretty well, and I get together with them individually for lunch,’ says one of the most respected Democratic bigwigs in Washington. ‘I’ve had half a dozen Cabinet members say that in the first two years, they never had one call—not one call—from the president.‘ …

The president’s friend and adviser Valerie Jarrett sometimes pointed out that not only had he never managed an operation, he’d never really had a nine-to-five job in his life. Obama didn’t know what he didn’t know, yet his self-confidence was so stratospheric that once, in the context of thinking about [Rahm] Emanuel’s replacement, he remarked in all seriousness, ‘You know, I’d make a good chief of staff.'”

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So Valerie B. Jarrett saw fit to comment upon Barry’s lack of management skills and note that he NEVER had a real job in his life?  With friends like Valerie, who needs enemies?  With senior White House advisers like Valerie B. Jarrett, who needs a president who knows how to manage an operation, much less a government? 

If three or four people run our entire government, then why are We the People paying for the cabinet members, their staffs, their offices, their travel, especially if in two years they’ve NEVER even been telephoned by the president?  They exist only for show, because those who actually run the government are the many “czars” who are unvetted and unconfirmed by the elected representatives of We the People. 

But who are the three or four people who actually ran the government from within this select circle for the past two years?  Certainly Michelle Obama is among that group.  Rahmbo and Axelrod, no doubt.  Last but certainly not least, Valerie B. Jarrett, who never leaves Barry’s side.  

According to Muckety,  “They don’t come much more networked than Valerie Jarrett.”  Just check out Valerie’s connections. 

So is Valerie our first female president?  Our first Iranian-American president?  Is Valerie herself a natural born citizen?  Who exactly IS this woman who has shepherded Barry through his entire political career?  She, who is one of the sole survivors from the first two years?  Rahmbo is under the bus.  Gibbs is under the bus.  Axelrod is gone.  The list goes on and on.  I could see Michelle going under the bus before Valerie.  So what’s the deal with Valerie? Is she a friend or is she more?  What do you know about Valerie? 

Here’s a link to Heileman’s full article:  http://nymag.com/news/politics/70829/

Open thread!