Obama names Valerie Jarrett as senior adviser

WASHINGTON: President-elect Barack Obama is naming his longtime friend and supporter Valerie Jarrett to be his White House senior adviser.

Jarrett, who hired Michelle Obama for a job in the Chicago mayor's office years ago, is one of the president-elect's closest friends and advisers. Her name has been floated for several top administration jobs. But Obama settled on the senior adviser role, said a person close to the president-elect and willing to speak only on background because the decision has not been officially announced.

A White House senior adviser can handle a range of duties. President George W. Bush's top political aide Karl Rove held the title in the current administration.

Jarrett has a background in real estate and politics in Chicago.