eBay's Whitman lands 'lead' role in McCain campaign

When Meg Whitman steps down from her post as eBay chief executive at the end of the month, another prominent position awaits her: co-chair of John McCain's presidential campaign.

Meg Whitman

(Credit: eBay)

The presumed Republican nominee said Friday that he has asked Whitman to play a "lead role" in the campaign, helping to lead fund-raising, traveling the country on McCain's behalf, and assisting with policy development.

Whitman said in a statement that she was "honored" to be selected.

The Arizona senator's "unshakable commitment to lower taxes, strong trade, and innovation sets the right course for America's economy and future prosperity," she said. "I'm enormously excited to be a part of his team and believe in his vision for our country."

Whitman joined eBay in March 1998, witnessing its rise from a start-up to an international cult sensation, along with its more recent slowed growth due to competition from Amazon.com and others.

Involvement with the McCain campaign isn't her first foray into the 2008 presidential race. When former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was still a contender, she helped to manage his fund-raising activities.

Whitman has also been a generous Republican Party donor for years, cutting checks to a variety of congressional campaigns and committees. According to campaign finance records compiled by the organization Opensecrets.org, she gave $25,000 last November to the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

The California-based executive apparently hasn't ruled out political ambitions of her own, either. She's reportedly flirting with the possibility of running for governor of her home state in 2010.

[michael_o]

Typical Republican

She came in right before the IPO, hung around a long time, did virtually nothing except watch eBay prosper based on momentum laid out by founder and Democratic contributor Pierre Omidyar. Whitman's "contribution" was an ill-fitting and pointless series of acquisitions (half.com, skype) and an endless attempt to alienate the user-base. She did nothing to try to rein in the rampant fraud on ebay: the primary purpose people tune out of the site. With eBay she had it easy: it'll be interesting to see how she does managing McCain's campaign that is, putting it mildly, a challenge. Let McCain lose, then put Whitman out to pasture.

[Randys2cents]

OMG

So the "Buy Now" girl is jumping on the soapbox.<br />This is a great day = for the Democrats!!<br />Randys2Cents

[crue24]

You have to be joking, right?

She did nothing and had it easy? You've got to be kidding me. <br />I'm not even a huge fan of hers, but have you been keeping tabs <br />on the tech industry for the last 10 years since she started with <br />ebay? eBay is still a major player, the go to place for selling <br />used and new goods which entire businesses have been created <br />around. She got the company through the .com bubble burst <br />and kept them a major player....but somehow the CEO had <br />NOTHING to do with that? You are clearly a technophile with no <br />business knowledge or simply talk without thinking. Plenty of <br />companies with great technology ideas have turned to ashes <br />because of poor business management, so you can't say that <br />ebay was just such a wonderful company that it succeeded <br />regardless. With poor management some other company would <br />have quickly stepped in and reduced them to nothing or at least <br />taken the lead. Sure she overpaid for Skype and I don't <br />personally see how Skype's business meshes with ebay all that <br />well, but regardless, she didn't just keep the company alive <br />through the boom, she kept them THE player in online auctions. <br />Your ridiculous to say that her contribution was null. Or you just <br />hate her because she's Republican? That would be pretty stupid <br />as well. Political affiliation has nothing to do with management <br />skills.

[sal-magnone]

(Many) Dems don't (won't) understand ..

.. that people who make it deserve it.<br /><br />They have to believe that every CEO, billioniare, and Republican inherited their money, won the lottery, robbed a bank, or abused a factory of developing world employees. Otherwise what's their excuse?

[Galaxy5]

Just another rich Republican trying to save their tax cuts

Just like Carly Fiorina, another McCain backer - Meg wants to make <br />sure the Bush tax cuts stay in place so that she doesn't have to pay <br />her fair share of taxes.<br /><br />After all, how else could the Whitmans become "old money"?

[sal-magnone]

Maybe they made it

What's your excuse for not being loaded? Wait, let me guess, "you didn't want to step on anyone."<br /><br />If you make it, it's yours.

[libertyforall1776]

McWar, you mean

So tired of the warmongers...<br /><br />McCain is NOT a natural born citizen (he is a naturalized citizen), <br />and not eligible to be President...<br /><br />Go Ron Paul <br /><a class="jive-link-external" href="http://ronpaul2008.com" target="_newWindow">http://ronpaul2008.com</a>

[sal-magnone]

Sideshow Ron?

Is he still "running"?<br /><br />Mr. American can't win a war, can't go to Mars, can't go back to the Moon, can't be great?<br /><br />Maybe he can hook up with Naeder?