There will be a fair bit of second-guessing and recriminations to come, now that the IOC has bounced Chicago in the first-round. One question is whether this does anything to tarnish Valerie Jarrett’s unique role as Obama’s wise voice of counsel. Jarrett’s role in Chicago’s Olympic bid pre-dated her arrival at the White House, but once there she pressed for–and was allowed to create–a special portfolio as chair of the White House Office of Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport.
Jarrett publicly promised “unprecedented” government support if Chicago won the bid to host the 2016 Games. And it’s hard to believe she didn’t have a role in convincing Obama to change his mind and fly to Copenhagen to personally make the pitch for his hometown. The relationship between Jarrett and the Obamas is too tight for any one thing to mar it. But this seems to be one pretty big judgment call she got wrong.