Buffet-ed Back And Forth

Brokaw asked McCain about his potential choices for Treasury Secretary after Henry Paulson steps down.

McCain started out with joke-let that fell flat: "not you, Tom." Then he floated -- as he did last week -- investor Warren Buffet (with a nod to the fact that he's an Obama supporter) and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. (Our Peter Overby points out that McCain's former economic adviser Phil "Nation of Whiners" Gramm did not make that short list, cutting off a potential Obama talking point.)

Obama responded by agreeing that Buffet would be a good choice -- then was quick to reiterate that the billionaire investor is actually his supporter. The rest of Obama's answer dodged the Treasury Secretary question and stuck to his policy differences with McCain. For the record, here's roundup of Obama's Treasury prospects, courtesy of Bloomberg.

Obama has made it clear he would rely on former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin for advice in his choice. Rubin, according to people who have spoken with him, would have a short list of recommendations that includes New York Federal Reserve Bank President Tim Geithner, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Roger Altman, a Wall Street investment banker and former deputy Treasury secretary.

-- Evie Stone

9:09 PM ET | 10- 7-2008 | permalink

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