Bono (Paul Hewson), left, photographed with Bill Clinton and Michail Gorbachev. Bono, singer and long-time front man of Irish U2, rock idol and social activist, is one of a few people nominated for the World Bank presidency

Bono: from rock star to World Bank President?

Bono (Paul Hewson), front man of Irish U2, rock idol and social activist, is one of a few people nominated for the World Bank presidency, to succeed current World Bank president James Wolfensohn, who is stepping down from the position on June 1.

In ABC's program ‘This Week’ U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow said that he has not ruled out the idea of Bono being added to the list of potential candidates for the leadership of the World Bank, one of the largest development bank.

Speculating about Bono’s fitness to head the World Bank, Snow said, "I am not going to review here all the candidates that are on the list. But I will attest to my admiration for Bono. He does a lot of good in this world of economic development. Most people know him as a rock star — he's in a way a rock star of the development world, too. He understands the give-and-take of development. He's a very pragmatic, effective and idealistic person."

Snow is involved in finding a successor to outgoing president James Wolfensohn.

Bono has been nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for his initiative of writing off the debts of Third World countries and support of anti-AIDS campaign. “I suppose I could tell you about some of the people I've met in the last year. There's the powerful ones - politicians, business men, bankers - with that look in their eye, a kind of wary recognition,” U2’s official Web site www.u2.com cited Bono as saying. “Then there's the powerless ones, dying, sick, starving in vast numbers, silent, compliant. I can't begin to describe the look in their eyes. But it's a habit I have, looking people in the eye, and it gets me into a lot of trouble...”

In the meanwhile, the official web site of U2 announced the dates of the group’s tour throughout the US and Canada in September – December 2005. U2 are planning to return to North America for a series of night stands in major cities from Toronto, Chicago and Boston to Los Angeles, Atlanta and Portland.

• 9/12 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre • 9/14 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre • 9/20 - Chicago, IL @ United Center • 9/21 - Chicago, IL @ United Center • 9/23 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center • 9/25 - Milwaukee, WI @ Bradley Center • 10/3 - Boston, MA @ Fleet Center • 10/4 - Boston, MA @ Fleet Center • 10/7 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden • 10/8 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden • 10/10 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden • 10/16 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center • 10/17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center • 10/19 - Washington, DC @ MCI Center • 10/20 - Washington, DC @ MCI Center • 10/22 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mellon Arena • 10/24 - Detroit, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills • 10/28 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center • 10/29 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Arena • 11/1 - Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center • 11/2 - Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center • 11/13 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena • 11/16 - Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum • 11/18 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena • 11/25 - Ottawa, ON @ Corel Centre • 11/26 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre • 12/7 - Hartford, CT @ Civic Center • 12/9 - Buffalo, NY @ HSBC Arena • 12/10 - Cleveland, OH @ Gund Arena • 12/14 - St. Louis, MO @ Savvis Center • 12/15 - Omaha, NE @ Qwest Center • 12/17 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center • 12/19 - Portland, OR @ Rose Garden

Imagine what can happen if Bono gets the new job as World Bank President after June 1? The Bank probably will succeed, at least in PR, but U2 and Bono’s tour will be ruined…

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