# Why I won't vote for Obama. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 13, 2008, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346 "2008-01-13T02:22:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/1 "2008-01-13T02:22:34Z")
Because I want him to be Hillary’s Secretary of State. I believe he can do more than anyone else to heal the wounds that our current administration has inflicted worldwide. He has the ability to connect eloquently with disparate types of people globally. This is his strong suit, and will prepare him to be the next president, after Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/2 "2008-01-13T02:27:07Z")
Do you mean in the primary or in the general? I won’t vote for Obama in the primary because I agree with Edwards platform more. If Obama wins the primary, I will vote for him in the general. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/3 "2008-01-13T02:34:03Z")
[QUOTE=BrightNShiny] Do you mean in the primary or in the general? I won’t vote for Obama in the primary because I agree with Edwards platform more. If Obama wins the primary, I will vote for him in the general. [/QUOTE] Both. If Hillary can win the primaries, then the general election, I’m hoping she’ll be smart enough to make Obama Her SoS. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/4 "2008-01-13T02:42:58Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] He has the ability to connect eloquently with disparate types of people globally. [/QUOTE] How has he demonstrated this? I don’t necessarily doubt you, I just didn’t know he had done anything on a global scale. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/5 "2008-01-13T02:44:13Z")
With all due respect, that’s just stupid. He could have a SecState as effective as he could be, under his direction, and still do lots of other things besides. As president, he’ll have much more leverage to heal wounds, to the extent that wounds need to be healed. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/6 "2008-01-13T03:09:54Z")
The race is creating friction between the two, and she is the type of person to hold a grudge. There is no way she’d tap him as SoS. ---
**Author:** ![Anomalous\_Reading](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Anomalous\_Reading](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anomalous_Reading)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/7 "2008-01-13T03:14:31Z")
[QUOTE=NurseCarmen] The race is creating friction between the two, and she is the type of person to hold a grudge. There is no way she’d tap him as SoS. [/QUOTE] Is what I’m thinking. Hillary will appoint a quasi-old guard SoS. Obama won’t get THAT tap. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/8 "2008-01-13T03:23:31Z")
Foreign Policy experience is more important for a Sec State than for President. Obama isn’t qualified for the position. Besides Hillary will have Bill. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/9 "2008-01-13T03:24:34Z")
That just doesn’t make sense. He could be the most charming man in the world, but as Secretary of State he’d be carrying out somebody else’s policies. If the policies are bad - perhaps you trust Clinton here - it really doesn’t matter how good he is. Making speeches is not the same skill as conducting negotiations anyway. It also doesn’t make sense to appoint an elected official, as opposed to a career politician, to that post. I know there have been a few exceptions, and that Bill Richardson is angling for the job. But generally I think Secretaries of State are people who have spent their careers studying international relations. Which is probably smart. Rice, Powell, Albright, Christopher… I think the last former elected official to have that job was Muskie, and he was only finishing up Carter’s term. And oh yes. She would never appoint him Secretary of State. Even if the job doesn’t go to Richardson, there are plenty of loyal Clinton supporters who are looking for that job. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/10 "2008-01-13T05:40:24Z")
Well, I won’t be voting for Obama either…but the OP’s reasons seem a bit silly to me. First off, as others have pointed out, HC isn’t going to be appointing Obama to SecState. Ain’t happening. He isn’t qualified and she isn’t likely to appoint him regardless. I guess there really is no ‘secondly’ here. The main point is that if you think Obama is qualified for President then vote for him. If not…not. Don’t NOT vote for him because you have some dream that he would make a better \. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/11 "2008-01-13T06:28:58Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] Don’t NOT vote for him because you have some dream that he would make a better \. -XT [/QUOTE] Television drama series president? Pretty please! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/12 "2008-01-13T07:34:07Z")
[QUOTE=mswas] Besides Hillary will have Bill. [/QUOTE] No, she won’t. Governor Spitzer will have appointed Bill to fill out the remainder of Hillary’s term in the US Senate. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/13 "2008-01-13T14:30:52Z")
[QUOTE=NurseCarmen] The race is creating friction between the two, and she is the type of person to hold a grudge. There is no way she’d tap him as SoS. [/QUOTE] The race ? Please disambiguate 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/14 "2008-01-13T20:21:04Z")
[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net] No, she won’t. Governor Spitzer will have appointed Bill to fill out the remainder of Hillary’s term in the US Senate. [/QUOTE] Doubtful, it would be a waste of Bill’s potential. He would serve the country best as First Lady making unofficial diplomatic visits all across the world and running the Clinton Foundation than he would as a fill in Senator. I bet there are a lot of people for whom that position would be an upgrade, Bill isn’t one of them. Spitzer would do well to appoint someone who will owe him a favor, rather than someone to whom he would owe a favor. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/15 "2008-01-13T20:43:55Z")
A marginalized Black guy as window dressing at State? Where have I heard this idea before? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/16 "2008-01-14T02:14:43Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] Both. If Hillary can win the primaries, then the general election, I’m hoping she’ll be smart enough to make Obama Her SoS. [/QUOTE] You mean, name him as her choice for a Cabinet post **before** the election? That’s never been done, AFAIK. ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/17 "2008-01-15T16:10:14Z")
Right now I’d say Richardson seems to be the best bet for SoS, as he already has diplomatic and negotiating experience; though, maybe as VP with the executive experience. I would actually rather see Obama(or Edwards), if not on the ticket, as the Attorney General; both are lawyers, one constitutional, the other anti-corporate. Ooh, how about this Fantastic Four: P: Edwards(or Obama) VP: Richardson SoS: Kucinich(also good foreign-diplomatic skills)(or Richardson) AG: Obama(or Edwards) …though you could really shift that lot all around and not miss ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/18 "2008-01-15T16:18:44Z")
[QUOTE=mswas] Doubtful, it would be a waste of Bill’s potential. He would serve the country best as First Lady making unofficial diplomatic visits all across the world and running the Clinton Foundation than he would as a fill in Senator. I bet there are a lot of people for whom that position would be an upgrade, Bill isn’t one of them. Spitzer would do well to appoint someone who will owe him a favor, rather than someone to whom he would owe a favor. [/QUOTE] If not in the First Lady role, could Bill be made UN Ambassador? He would be just a wee bit of an improvement from John"The 'Stache"Bolton. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/19 "2008-01-15T16:57:29Z")
[QUOTE=Slithy Tove] A marginalized Black guy as window dressing at State? Where have I heard this idea before? [/QUOTE] You beat me to it. Though not as bad as Bush (who could be), the Clintons are still cronyists, so there’s no way they’ll appoint Obama in any capacity. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346/20 "2008-01-15T17:36:35Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] You mean, name him as her choice for a Cabinet post **before** the election? That’s never been done, AFAIK. [/QUOTE] James Baker being named Secretary of State by the first Bush was the worst kept secret in Washington in 1988. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-wont-vote-for-obama/433346.md?page=2)