Google chairman Eric Schmidt turns down Obama cabinet position

The American Federal government has once again tried to rope in Google chairman Eric Schmidt, to join the cabinet as a Treasury or Commerce Secretary, but in true fashion, Schmidt declined, stating in an interview about it that Google was his “home.”

While Mr Schmidt obviously has plenty to be getting on with in his capacity at Google, his refusal to take a position in the Obama government could be to make sure claims of corruption don't grace the White house. Mr Schmidt was a big supporter of Mr Obama's election and re-election campaign.  As well as acting an advisor during Obama's presidential run, he also helped with financial donations. Google sent $700,000 to Obama, while the company's Super PAC campaign led to a donation of $2.1 million to the Democrats – and $715,000 to the Republicans [Telegraph].

However Schmidt is certainly the kind of man that would make a strong cabinet minister. He has been part of the technology industry for many decades, beginning work at Sun Microsystems in the early 80s and quickly moving through the ranks, eventually getting hired by Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin to run the company back in 2001.

Despite Mr Schmidt's refusal of the governmental position, one anonymous Democrat strategist apparently said that he'd be welcomed to the cabinet in the future if he changed his mind.

KitGuru Says: While Schmidt is obviously a smart guy, it already seems pretty suspect that he's being offered a government position after helping Obama so much during his campaigns, doesn't it?

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