Valerie Jarrett On Ferguson, Obama's Handling Of Hecklers
(CBS) -- We heard what President Obama said Tuesday here in Chicago, but what does he really think? CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine spoke with someone who does.
Levine reports she's part of what Washington insiders, have called the Chicago Mafia, which used to include Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod, but will always include Valerie Jarrett.
Valerie Jarrett is part adviser, part sounding board, lifelong friend 100 percent loyal, visiting with us Wednesday to talk about how the president, first, viewed his private meeting with Archbishop Blase Cupich.
The White House contacted Cupich ahead of Obama's visit to request the meeting and when the president arrived, Cupich was waiting.
"He looks forward to having a strong working partnership with us so that's terrific news from our perspective," Jarret said.
Not terrific was the reception the president's remarks got from several audience members who interrupted his speech. The president was unable to stop them and unwilling to call in security.
When asked about the unusual give-and-take between the president and the hecklers, Jarrett responded, "Remember Jay, he started as a community organizer and so he understands exactly what their motivation was."
On Obama's executive action on immigration, Jarrett says, "It's a short-term solution. It's not a permanent fix. It prioritizes the deportation of felons and not families."
We then moved on to Ferguson and whether he agreed with Congressman Jan Schakowsky who traveled to Chicago with him on Air Force One.
When asked if Obama agrees with Schakowsky, who said that there was a miscarriage of justice and that the grand jury should have handed in a different decision, Jarret responded, "...it's not the president's role to second-guess the grand jury. He believes we are a system that goes by rules and justice."
His job, she added, is to deal with the mistrust which spawned local and nationwide protests following the decision.
"I wouldn't frame it as a part of his legacy, it's a part of what he thinks the American people sent him to do while he is the President of the United States," she said.
Jarrett says he doesn't think about his legacy, but points to rebuilding the economy, access to health care as well underway and with two years to go, increasing the minimum wage and immigration reform as top priorities.
