# Penny Pritzker for Commerce? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 20, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-pritzker-for-commerce/473669 "2008-11-20T17:01:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-pritzker-for-commerce/473669/1 "2008-11-20T17:01:11Z")
Wikioedia says Big O is going to name Penny Pritzker to be Secretary of Commerce. That kinda came out of the blue for me. I mean, anyone from Chicago knows the Pritzker name. Penny seems to be involved in every cultural or social event there is. And she - and her family - are fabulously rich. But I never heard a hint of anything to suggest she had any special experience or attributes that would qualify her for a cabinet-level position. (Of course, I’m not sure exactly what experience would best qualify one for most cabinet positions!) And I am a tad surprised he is tabbing quite so many folk from Chicago for top posts. I’m sure she has one hell of a Rolodex, tho. Just wondering if this choice struck anyone else as a tad odd. Or was it simply her given name that gave her the inside track? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-pritzker-for-commerce/473669/2 "2008-11-20T17:21:11Z")
I’m told she was one of the masterminds behind Obama’s fundraising machine… probably has a good helping of net-savvy. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-pritzker-for-commerce/473669/3 "2008-11-20T20:36:09Z")
While I linked to that report in another thread last night, I heard on the radio today that she has removed herself from consideration. I’ll search for a citeif I have a chance. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-pritzker-for-commerce/473669/4 "2008-11-20T20:37:59Z")
Well that was [easy.](http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/11/pritzker_passes_on_commerce_po.html) > [@](#): > > Chicago billionaire Penny Pritzker has told Barack Obama’s team she does not want to serve as Commerce Secretary, said a senior Obama official. > > “Penny Pritzker ultimately has decided she does not want to do the Commerce thing,” the senior official said. > > Pritzker has issued this statement: "Speculation has grown that I am a candidate for Secretary of Commerce. I am not. I think I can best serve our nation in my current capacity: building businesses, creating jobs and working to strengthen our economy. It has been my great privilege to serve in the Obama campaign. > > "I look forward to helping our new president in every way possible and am excited about the future under his leadership,‘’ she said. Probably for the best. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-pritzker-for-commerce/473669/5 "2008-11-20T20:38:08Z")
Or rather, [she says she was never really in consideration](http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/20/transition.wrap/index.html) - not in some time, anyway - as she never went through the vetting process and doesn’t want to walk away from her business interests. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/penny-pritzker-for-commerce/473669/6 "2008-11-20T21:54:07Z")
Actually, I first heard she removed herself from consideration after I began expressing doubts… 😉