Barack Obama’s top adviser Valerie Jarrett has been called the real decision-maker of this administration by many critics. By any account, she is a confidante and close friend of the First Family.
Obama himself admitted he screens all of his decisions through Jarrett. His opinion on numerous issues – including his initial reluctance to target Osama bin Laden – has reportedly been shaped extensively by her influence.
Naturally, when Jarrett recently turned 57, the Obamas were among those helping her celebrate. While there is nothing wrong with joining a friend for a birthday party, many in the nation’s capital were inconvenienced for nearly five hours as a significant portion of R Street was shut down for the festivities.
From the time Obama’s motorcade traveled to the destination, an organic hotspot called Restaurant Nora, around 7 p.m., much of the street remained inaccessible until nearly midnight.
While reports show the Obamas and Jarrett were among those celebrating at the trendy eatery, diligent journalists in search of a photo opportunity left unfulfilled. After spending a couple of hours confined to an adjacent restaurant, members of the media were relegated to their vehicles for the latter portion of the event.
Despite waiting in the rain for a chance to capture an image of the partying politicos, the special guests never made a public appearance.
While he was living it up, spending the entire evening among friends in a posh environment, Obama tacitly informed ordinary citizens that their needs are unimportant.
Just as in countless communities across today’s American, D.C. residents are trying desperately to provide for their families as this administration relentlessly attacks the American Dream. Shutting down an entire block for a private party only adds insult to injury.
Obama has consistently acted as an imperial president, becoming even more out-of-touch with the increasing unpopularity of his policies. Increasingly, it seems the only outside opinion important to him comes from the woman for whom grinding D.C. traffic to a halt for five hours is deemed completely appropriate.
–B. Christopher Agee
