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Penny Pritzker as Commerce Secretary?

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Sat Nov 08, 2008 at 09:27:45 PM EST
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Andrew Travers in the Aspen Daily News writes about speculation (see Newsweek, for example) that Barack Obama will name Penny Pritzker as Commerce Secretary. Pritzkger was the national financial chair of the Obama campaign. The Pritzker (and Crown family) ties to Aspen go back decades.

Pritzker’s wide-ranging business and civic achievements include starting Classic Residences by Hyatt, a successful luxury retirement development, working to improve public schools and serving as CEO of Pritzker Realty Group. Earlier this year, Forbes ranked her among the 500 wealthiest people in the world.

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    Penny Pritzker as Commerce Secretary? | 9 comments (9 topical)

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    OK, so we have (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by befuddledvoter on Sat Nov 08, 2008 at 11:32:59 PM EST
    prospects of Pritzkers, Kennedys, Kerry/Heinz, and what is next, the Crowns??  Sounds like the landed gentry to me.  Did someone say change?  

    I'm waiting for that change thing too............. (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by BrassTacks on Sat Nov 08, 2008 at 11:56:47 PM EST
    So far, it appears to be the same ol' partisan politics, with pitbull Rahm Emmanuel in charge, and rich democrats getting appointments.

    Same ol', Same ol'.  

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    Same ol, same ol.... (none / 0) (#5)
    by Maria Garcia on Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 10:06:00 AM EST
    ..but with a twist, right? Anyway, I'm tired of brooding over all the bs in this election. I'm just hoping that things get better sooner rather than later.

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    The Cast of Grey's Anatomy (none / 0) (#7)
    by Gobbluth on Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 04:31:53 PM EST
    You know what would be real CHANGE, appointing the cast of Grey's Anatomy as his cabinet.  The problem is that Obama is trying to run a government and change is more than just musical chairs with people from your particular interest group.

    Some of this is really coming of as petty sniping.  I mean it might be a good thing to have people who might know what their doing when faced with this crap storm he's inherited.  Just having new people so that he can superficially meet your expectations isn't going to help implement the policies that will change the track of the last 8 years.  I'm sure there will be number of people from "outside the box" but running a $13 trillion economy and two wars ain't particularly easy. But I guess throwing out the baby with all of the bathwater would better fit your litmus test.

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    His whole campaign was based on change! (none / 0) (#9)
    by BrassTacks on Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 09:44:30 PM EST
    So more than a few of us are expecting just that, change, something different than the same ol' partisan, Washington, politics as usual.  So shoot us for believing Obama meant what he said.  Or just let us know when he begins that change thing.  

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    If he appoints Pritzger (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Katherine Graham Cracker on Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 07:51:07 AM EST
    I think a lot of his moral authority will fly out the window.  Her role in superior bank's failure does not make me think she is the one for Sec'y of Commerce nor make me think she is one who does things in new and different ways that benefit the whole country.

    Geographic diversity (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by sher on Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 07:52:30 AM EST
    among other things, would be desirable in his cabinet.  So far two appointees with Chicago roots...the net should be wider perhaps

    I'm from the UK so my US geography isn't great (none / 0) (#6)
    by JoeA on Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 01:46:43 PM EST
    but am I wrong or is Aspen not in Colorado, and not Chicago?

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    if you read the article you'll see (none / 0) (#8)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 04:43:55 PM EST
    the Pritzers spend a great deal of time and money in Aspen and the Crowns own the Aspen Ski Co.

    As Andrew writes:

    Pritzker's family ties to Aspen stretch back for decades, and her sister Margot is a member of the board of trustees at the Aspen Institute, where Penny participated in the annual Ideas Festival last year....The Chicago-based Pritzker worked with Jim Crown, owner of the Aspen Skiing Co. and co-chair of Obama's Illinois fundraising effort, on raising cash in their -- and the president-elect's -- home state.

    Typically, local papers write about local ties to national issues. Andrew was pointing out the Aspen connection for Pritzer.

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    Penny Pritzker as Commerce Secretary? | 9 comments (9 topical)

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