Ambinder's post on Jarrett also drew my attention to the appointment of Michael Strautmanis as her deputy. I'll try to post more on the notoriously charming Strautmanis later, but at first glance this seems like a natural partnership. Jarrett and Strautmanis (who became fast friends during Obama's Senate race) worked together on outreach quite a bit during this campaign--including on Team Obama's efforts to win over members of the traditional black leadership, back in the day when much of that leadership was still in the Clinton camp. Who knows how this partnership will translate to the White House, but at least the duo has an established level of trust and familiarity that should come in handy.
--Michelle Cottle