Valerie Jarrett is that she's an old friend of Obama's from Chicago who is now a senior advisor and part of his kitchen cabinet

Is that not consistent with your quotes?  I have no doubt she is, and has been for a long time, a member of Obama's inner circle, but at the moment, particularly with health care centre stage, Rahm's position is more pivotal within the administration, and I am not surprised he is getting more airtime both on blogs and in the MSM.

notes from no w here