McCain Says Major Financiers Will Back His 2008 Bid
Senator McCain announced yesterday that several major figures in the New York financial community have agreed to serve as fund-raisers for his expected bid for the Republican nomination for president in 2008.
One of the most prominent on the list of finance committee co-chairmen is the head of the New York Stock Exchange, John Thain. Mr. Thain, whose title is CEO of NYSE Group, Inc., previously served as the president and CEO of Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
A New Jersey-based investment banker deeply involved in fund-raising efforts for the 2004 Republican convention, Lewis Eisenberg, is also signing on with Mr. McCain. Mr. Eisenberg is a former Goldman Sachs partner who served as chairman of the Port Authority board at the time of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Mr. McCain also picked up a pledge of support from the top fund-raiser for Senator Dole's presidential bid in 1996, John Moran. Mr. Moran, who lives in Florida, once ran a New Yorkbased investment firm, Dyson-Kissner-Moran Corp.
A longtime executive at JPMorgan Chase, James Lee Jr., also agreed to back the Arizona senator, who has not formally announced his candidacy for president but recently set up an exploratory committee.
Mr. McCain also landed a significant player in the Republican Party on the West Coast, Jerrold Perenchio of Los Angeles. Mr. Perenchio, who regularly gives millions of dollars to Republican causes, is a former talent agent who built a leading, Spanishlanguage broadcasting firm, Univision.
Also joining Mr. McCain's finance committee are two real estate investors, Donald Bren of Orange County, Calif., and Donald Diamond of Tuscon, Ariz., as well as a former congressman, Thomas Loeffler of San Antonio, Texas.
