+DJ Warren Buffett To Act As Schwarzenegger Fincl Adviser-TV
By Glenn R. Simpson
Of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the leading GOP candidate for governor of California, has signed up investing legend Warren Buffett as an economic advisor.
Schwarzenegger signed up Buffett, a longtime friend, after a round of personal wooing in recent days, two people familiar close to the Schwarzenegger campaign said. Both Buffett, the billionaire CEO of Berkshire-Hathaway Inc. (BRKA, BRKB), and the Schwarzenegger campaign had no immediate comment. The campaign says it is planning an announcement of interest to the financial community.
(This story and related background will be available on the Journal's Web site, WSJ.com.)
The backing of Buffett the billionaire could be a major boost to the credibility of Schwarzenegger the action-film star, who thus far hasn't taken many positions and whose capacity to govern the huge state has been ridiculed.
"If Warren Buffett thinks Arnold Schwarzenegger has the chops to run the world's six largest economy, I would take that as quite an endorsement," said political analyst Bill Whalen of Stanford University's Hoover Institution.
Buffett is often identified with Democratic causes - he contributed to the campaign of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton - but is believed to be politically middle of the road.
-By Glenn R. Simpson; The Wall Street Journal; 202-862-9227
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
08-13-03 1517ET
DJ Schwarzenegger/Buffett-3: Have Known Each Other For Years
"I have known Arnold for years and know he'll be a great governor. It is critical to the rest of the nation that California's economic crisis be solved, and I think Arnold will get that job done," Buffett said in a statement.
"What he (Buffett) will be doing is assembling other prominent business leaders and economists and setting up a team to address the issues facing California," said Schwarzenegger spokesman Sean Walsh. |
