Valerie Jarrett Plays Down Possible Promotion to Chief of Staff
White House senior adviser and longtime Obama family friend Valerie Jarrett laughed off the possibility of a promotion to White House chief of staff this morning during an appearance on ABC's The View.
"Let's slow down a minute," she said, laughing, after being pressed as to whether she would accept the position if offered it. "I love my job... I would like to just do what I'm doing."
Jarrett, who currently serves as assistant to the president for public engagement and intergovernmental affairs, is known to be one of President Obama's most trusted advisers. She is considered a possible successor to Rahm Emanuel in the event that he decides to leave the White House to run for mayor in Chicago.
Speculation about Emanuel's possible departure has run high since last week, when longtime Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley announced that he would not be seeking re-election to the post. Emanuel has talked about his desire to make a bid for the job, and Mr. Obama has voiced his support for Emanuel, saying "he would be a terrific mayor."
While Jarrett confirmed that Emanuel is "thinking about" entering the race, she declined to comment further on the situation, saying only that she enjoys her current position and has no plans to abandon it. "I don't want to change jobs," she said. "I love my job."
