Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is assembling an elite public relations team, which includes the late Sen. John McCain’s 2008 campaign manager, as he considers whether to launch a bid for the White House in 2020, according to a report Friday.
Schultz is putting together the team, CNBC reported, ahead of the release of his forthcoming book, “From the Ground Up: A Journey to Reimagine the Promise of America.” Publishing a memoir before an election has been seen as a telltale sign that a person may be considering running for office.
Schultz, who is seen as a possible contender to take on Trump in 2020, however, has little experience in the political world. Enter Steve Schmidt, who managed McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign and is a former vice chairman at top public relations firm Edelman.
The two met through Edelman’s partnership with Starbucks and have kept in contact since Schultz stepped down from Starbucks earlier this year. Schmidt has helped Schultz on a variety of issues, including his upcoming book tour, CNBC reports.
Schultz has also hired Edelman executive vice president Cheryl Cook and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, who worked with the CEO when he was at Starbucks.
The former executive has yet to make appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire, which are considered key states to visit on the path to the presidency.
