Update Friday August 14:
The live video of my conversation with Jarrett will be available online! Not only that, I’ll be looking at the Facebook Chat stream to pull additional questions from the web audience. The conversation starts at 9am Saturday. If you’re not on Facebook, you can still watch the stream on UStream.tv.

My people. We have been offered an opportunity that I could not refuse! Next Saturday at Netroots Nation in Pittsburgh, I will moderate a conversation between you all and Senior White House Adviser Valerie Jarrett. Word!!

Here is past JJP coverage of Jarrett, and here’s the president on Jarrett in a NY Times story:

“No, as I said, she’s someone I trust completely,” Obama replied. “She is family.” Then he hesitated, appraising his own sentiment. “She’s family — she combines the closeness of a family member with the savvy and objectivity of a professional businesswoman and public-policy expert. And that’s a rare combination to have. You know,” he went on to say, “there are other friends of mine who are close to me but who don’t really understand the nature of my work. There are others who are extraordinary experts in policy and politics but don’t have that track record with me.”

Obama then explained what that combination of kinship and competence meant to him. As his surrogate, Jarrett is trusted “to speak for me, particularly when we’re dealing with delicate issues.” At the same time, he could rely on her “to monitor the dynamics inside the White House. She’s got a very good antenna about the disgruntled young staffer or tensions between a couple of principals.” (He declined to be more specific, saying, “Where she serves most ably involves issues that can be sensitive. . . . So I’m not sure I’ve got the killer anecdote.”)

Even if you won’t be at the conference, we want to get your input. What questions would you like to ask of the person President Obama described as “one of my oldest friends” and “like a sibling to me.” Here are the ways you can participate:

  • This note on the Netroots Nation Facebook Page
  • This post on Daily Kos
  • On Twitter, post your question with the hashtag #nn09jarrett
  • Obviously you can post your thoughts right here at JJP. Consider this the official thread. I will be reading ALL of them. Let loose.

This is quite an honor, and I’m planning on carrying all yall with me. It’s good to be back, fam.

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