SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Howard Schultz couldn’t handle pressure of running for office
Aug 3, 2015, 3:31 PM | Updated: Aug 4, 2015, 5:40 am
There's been somewhat of a groundswell for Howard Schultz to consider running for president, but KIRO Radio's Ron Upshaw doesn't think he has what it takes. (AP file photo)
(AP file photo)
Howard Schultz may know how to run a business, but when it comes to a political campaign, KIRO Radio’s Ron Upshaw says he isn’t up to the task.
There’s been somewhat of a groundswell for Schultz to consider running for president, Ron points out. Hillary Clinton is losing momentum and it looks unlikely that Joe Biden will run.
“People are looking around and asking, who is the Barrack Obama of 2016?” Ron said.
Encouragement for Schultz to run for office surged recently with reports of his friends urging him to run.
But could someone who gave up on the Seattle SuperSonics have what it takes to be President of the United States? Ron thinks not.
Schultz might be able to rule Starbucks with an iron fist, turning the company around even. However, it didn’t seem like the CEO of Starbucks, and former owner of the Sonics, could handle push-back from basketball players.
“He would butt heads,” Ron explained. “Players like Gary Payton wouldn’t listen to him. Publicly, it seemed as though Schultz would have it his way, or no way at all.”
“If [Schultz] had a whole party of opposition … It would be his undoing,” Ron added.
If Schultz runs for office, he should be ready for the media to start digging, Don O’Neill warns. The media will dig information up about you and the people around you.
“I think that’s why many great men and women don’t run for office,” Don said.
