For What It’s Worth, Soros Says Obama
The World Economic Forum opened today in Davos, Switzerland, amid fears of a recession in the U.S., stimulus plans, and the contentious race for the Presidency. George Soros of hedge fund fame, a delegate at Davos and financier of political causes, made his voice heard today on the Presidential race.
As reported by the NYTimes’ Davos blog, Soros mastered the “art of hedge” and avoided only endorsing either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. A known liberal, Soros differentiated between his personal preference for Obama and the “statesmanlike qualities” he sees in Mrs. Clinton. Soros said he would support either candidate if winner of the Democratic nomination. (It seems to have been a big press day for Soros. He also made headlines when he accused the Federal Reserve of acting “panicky” to the possibility of an economic downturn.)
As one comment to the New York Times story pointed out, political predictions are not Soros’ forte. But the dialogue recalls the proximity with which major businesspeople interact with the political world, as well as the high profile this election has in the international sphere. While Soros is a known quantity when discussing politics, it will be interesting to see if others in the business world fall behind Obama, too.
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