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Clinton Basks in Buffett Glow (Democrats Now Believe Econnomy Will Be The 2008 Issue)
Wall Street Journal ^ | 12 December 2007 | AMY CHOZICK and MONICA LANGLEY

Posted on 12/12/2007 4:31:13 AM PST by shrinkermd

Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are vying for the affections of legendary investor Warren Buffett, as the economy eclipses Iraq as a key election issue.

Mr. Buffett has said he won't endorse a candidate but that he is willing to throw his substantial fund-raising capabilities behind both Sens. Clinton and Obama.

"I told both of them that if they ran for president I'd support them, and here we are," Mr. Buffett said after an event for Mrs. Clinton here yesterday.

The fund-raising "Conversation with Warren Buffett" drew over 1,500 people, including a mix of Silicon Valley executives such as John Doerr, a partner at venture-capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers; philanthropist and founder of the Esprit clothing line Susie Tompkins Buell; and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. Tickets ranged from $100 to more than $2,300, drawing in around $1 million, according to the Clinton campaign.

As Mr. Obama enjoys the endorsement of celebrity and entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey, the Clinton campaign may become more aggressive in seeking Mr. Buffett's support.

Mr. Buffett, who heads Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Omaha, Neb., held an event for Mrs. Clinton in New York in June that raised at least $1 million.

When Mrs. Clinton was campaigning in Iowa a few months ago she asked Mr. Buffett's daughter, Susie Buffett, who is handling much of his political work, to ride in her motorcade

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: billionaires; buffet; economy; hillary
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Buffett is not an investor or money manager. He does not run a mutual fund. He is a CEO of an extraordinary, mega insurance company that has used the cash to buy other corporate entities. Sometimes Buffet buys the company outright. At other times he just takes a position in publicly offered stock.
1 posted on 12/12/2007 4:31:15 AM PST by shrinkermd
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To: shrinkermd

Why does this idiot make all that $$$??? To endorse either of these loosers is just plain nuts!


2 posted on 12/12/2007 4:34:10 AM PST by DooDahhhh
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To: shrinkermd

Team Clinton will certainly try to make economy the issue.

“It’s the ECONOMY, Stupid!” This was a sign hung in Bill Clinton’s campaign headquarters to keep everybody “on message” in 1992.

It worked in 92. Clinton, Carville, and Co would love to use that theme again for 08.

==

That could be a godsend or curse for Hillary — she keeps trying to re-run the Clinton 90s campaigns.

It could work or it could sink her. BillyJ doesn’t seem to be getting a great response when he is out campaigning for her.

==

[Just as I turned on FoxNews this morning at 5 a.m. CDT, they were talking about verbal fighting taking place in the Clinton camp. Apparently, the 4 main strategists are not working well together. Add in that BillyJ was apparently in a screaming match with some of them over Hillary’s falling poll numbers. Too bad, the opposition doesn’t have hidden cameras there.]


3 posted on 12/12/2007 4:48:20 AM PST by TomGuy
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To: shrinkermd
The Fed seems to be in league with Billary by dragging their feet on what has become a full fledged credit crunch.

Inflate or die

4 posted on 12/12/2007 5:01:27 AM PST by Vet_6780
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To: shrinkermd

Maybe Buffet can explain to Hillary! how she made the $100,00 in cattle futures.


5 posted on 12/12/2007 5:03:27 AM PST by COUNTrecount
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To: COUNTrecount

I was hoping someone would STAND UP & ask her that question.


6 posted on 12/12/2007 5:12:36 AM PST by FES0844 (FES0844)
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To: DooDahhhh

If death taxes and estate taxes are eliminated, he is out of business. Thats why


7 posted on 12/12/2007 5:14:15 AM PST by phs3 (If you call a terrorist a freedom fighter, I call you the enemy.)
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To: DooDahhhh

And the REPUBLICANS are the “party of the rich”???!!!


8 posted on 12/12/2007 5:17:43 AM PST by Walrus (Those who work should eat better than those who do not)
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To: shrinkermd
The economy heh? Every time a democRAT talks about the economy, they try to raise taxes. Seems that the only economy they're worried about is their own personal economy.

The democRAT mantra: "Tax the productive, buy the deadbeat's vote".

9 posted on 12/12/2007 5:25:00 AM PST by meyer (Illegal Immigration - The profits are privatized, the costs are socialized.)
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To: DooDahhhh

Some successful business men/women back collectivist in order to stifle competition.


10 posted on 12/12/2007 5:27:39 AM PST by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians.)
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To: meyer

That’s right he buys family firms that are sold to pay taxes. I see he is not giving him money to the government on his death but a foundation run by Bill Gates. Someone should call him on it.


11 posted on 12/12/2007 5:28:49 AM PST by scooby321
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To: shrinkermd
On a related note...

The New Party of the Rich

12 posted on 12/12/2007 5:33:00 AM PST by mewzilla (In politics the middle way is none at all. John Adams)
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To: DooDahhhh

His father was a congressman who opposed civil rights in the 50’s. He didn’t agree with his father and he married a super-liberal, who recently died. She picked the candidates while he picked the stocks. He has so much money, I don’t think he understands how the rest of us live. He also talks about how his secretary pays more taxes than he does—and he thinks that the rates should be higher so he would have to pay more taxes. What about the poor secretary? How much is Mr. Moneybags paying her? Typical liberal hypocrisy. Typical liberal trying to micromanage everyone else’s money and life.


13 posted on 12/12/2007 5:40:53 AM PST by MHT
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To: DooDahhhh

“I got mine” syndrome. So he needs to protect the current system to keep his.

Why does buffet oppose eliminating inheritance taxes? because he sells a life insurance policy which pays the death tax for people upon death.

no death tax, no death insurance tax profits.


14 posted on 12/12/2007 5:41:18 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: phs3
If death taxes and estate taxes are eliminated, he is out of business. Thats why.

Yes, but old Warren has seen fit to assure himself that his own personal billions will never be touched by the government. He has promised his estate to the Gates Foundation Trust which is 501(c)(3) and contributions to it are completely tax exempt.

Buffet has also taken the public position that his own children will not inherit his billions. But he fails to say that they each run their own "charities" financed by generous contributions from Daddy Warbucks Buffett. These charities will assure the Buffett offspring can live in luxury as administrators of billion-dollar foundations - at an extremely comfortable stipend.

He's seen to it that his children will not inherit the estate directly but will have the use of the cash without the cumbersome tax implications. It's a sweet deal and smart to get the money away from a wasteful government, but it is infuriating to see him posture and dissemble about his preference to retain estate taxes while he schemes to avoid them at all costs.

Bill Gates, BTW, also favors retaining the estate tax while sheltering his fortune from it.

15 posted on 12/12/2007 5:52:53 AM PST by Sgt_Schultze
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To: TomGuy

What does Clinton the former first lady and lawyer know about the economy? In my opinion ..nothing.


16 posted on 12/12/2007 6:05:26 AM PST by orinoco
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To: orinoco

Somebody in NY needs to check so see if a Trust is listed as the owner of Bill and Hillary’s house. My guess is that they have a Trust and Chelsea is the heir.
She wants to tax someone else’s money..not her’s.


17 posted on 12/12/2007 6:12:06 AM PST by Oldexpat
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To: Oldexpat

I don’t see any record for Trust:

CLINTON WILLIAM J 2nd 1999/11/03 12422/00221 DED NEC WEISBERG JEFFREY A N P00499307
CLINTON WILLIAM J 1st 1999/11/03 26320/00026 MTG NEC PNC MORTGAGE COR.. Y P00599307
CLINTON WILLIAM J 1st 2001/11/29 / PAT MIS MILLS CHERYL D N 413320491
CLINTON WILLIAM J 1st 2001/12/19 / RAG NEC CITIBANK N A N 413380602
CLINTON WILLIAM J 2nd 2001/12/19 / RAG NEC CITIBANK N A N 413380602
CLINTON WILLIAM J 1st 2003/12/26 / PAT MIS BD MGR OF APPLEH.. N 433290834
CLINTON WILLIAM J 1st 2003/12/26 / PAT MIS MILLS CHERYL N 433290614
CLINTON WILLIAM J 2nd 2003/12/26 / DED MTP HABER RICHARD N 433290827
CLINTON WILLIAM J 1st 2003/12/26 / MTG MTP CITIMORTGAGE INC Y 433290839
CLINTON WILLIAM J 1st 2004/07/08 / DED MTP HECHT IRENE N 441621829
CLINTON WILLIAM J 1st 2004/09/30 / STM MIS CITIMORTGAGE INC N 442370394

http://ccpv.westchesterclerk.com/DocumentSearch.asp?SP=NS&LastName=CLINTON&FirstName=WILLIAM+J


18 posted on 12/12/2007 6:17:51 AM PST by angcat ("IF YOU DON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STAND IN FRONT OF THEM")
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To: scooby321
One major reason why the "mom & pop" business don't exist too much anymore in America. The kids have to sell the business at fire sale prices in order to pay the death tax and to add insult to injury, they end up working for the very people who bought their business.

One rhetorical question, why hasn't Berkshire Hathaway ever split their "stock". One share cost in the 6 figures. I guess the idea is to keep ordinary people out - that is, to exclude them. The liberals talk about inclusion but they are such hypocrites.

That’s right he buys family firms that are sold to pay taxes. I see he is not giving him money to the government on his death but a foundation run by Bill Gates. Someone should call him on it.
19 posted on 12/12/2007 6:20:37 AM PST by CORedneck
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To: Sgt_Schultze

Bill Gates, BTW, also favors retaining the estate tax while sheltering his fortune from it.


That is right. If we get rid of the estate tax, we get rid of a lot of shelters and shenanigans.


20 posted on 12/12/2007 7:12:38 AM PST by PeterPrinciple ( Seeking the truth here folks.)
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