
International Herald Tribune
01-24-2008
Soros gives support to Obama
Byline: Alan Cowell The New York Times Media Group
Edition: 4
Section: FINANCE/BUSINESS
What's the latest chatter at the World Economic Forum? Here are excerpts from Davos Diary, a blog by our correspondents on the ground. To read more or respond, log on to www.iht.com/davos.
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At a lunch he gave Wednesday for reporters in a hotel here, George Soros, the Hungarian-born billionaire and former hedge fund manager who is a regular participant at Davos, vouchsafed regard for Barack Obama as a Democratic candidate in the U.S. presidential race - but, diplomatically, he kept the door open to Hillary Clinton, too.
"I personally support Obama, but I don't have any particular relationship," said Soros, who has sometimes been a contentious figure in criticizing American economic and political actions. "If he talks the way I talk, he would have no chance of getting elected. So I wish him well, but I don't talk to him." (Soros did help host a fund-raiser for Obama in May.)
Soros added that he had "very high regard" for what he depicted as Clinton's statesmanlike qualities. "I prefer Obama because I think he would bring more radical change," he said. "But if she is the candidate, I will be very supportive of her."