Jarrett emphasizes the grassroots
Posted: Friday, December 05, 2008 5:29 PM by Mark Murray
From NBC's Cherelle Kantey
Valerie Jarrett, who has been selected to be a senior adviser to President-elect Obama, got back to her Chicago roots by reaching out to community organizers at a roundtable event at the Washington Hilton yesterday. “Realizing the Promise,” a forum designed to give the transition team input on solutions from the grassroots level, showed Jarrett in a light similar to the president-elect, rallying the masses with a message of hope.
“Yes we can!” she cheered, stirring up the crowd. The audience, filled with nearly 2,500 community activists from around the nation stood to their feet as she entered the room.
Jarrett’s speech was more of an Obama stump than a policy address on the next administration. She relied on rhetoric about how optimism and unification are the keys to the success of the new administration.
“Our future is bright, and there’s nothing we can't do if we can come together as one,” said Jarrett. “The challenges are daunting ... but [we can] hold hands and follow the vision of President-elect Obama's campaign, which is let's not talk about all the issues that divide us, let's talk about what we have in common.”
Melody Barnes, the soon-to-be director of the White House domestic policy council, echoed Jarrett about the importance of community effort in setting the policy agenda.
"This is about partnership and collaboration,” Barnes said. “While every single person may not be able to come into the White House physically, there are any number of means … [where] we can get the best ideas and put it into policy.”
"We are counting on you to talk to us ... so we can use that information to build solutions that are going to bring opportunity and mobility back to this country," she added.
Jarrett continued the plea for outreach from the ground level, suggesting that town halls and forums are the best way to brainstorm during the transition.
“We can count on you to advise us,” said Jarrett. “You know better than anybody else what your community needs in order to improve your neighborhood.”
She closed by repeating a familiar line from the campaign season, reminding the audience of the spirit of an Obama rally.
"Are you fired up?” Jarrett cheered. “I want you to stand with us, lead with us, work with us to make this country all that it can be."
