Former eBay CEO preps for California power post?

Former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman has reportedly cleared the way for taking a pop at Arnold Schwarzenegger's job of California governor in 2010.

Whitman, a Republican, quit her board-level positions at eBay, Proctor and Gamble, and Dreamworks SKG on December 31 for "personal reasons" her spokesman said.

The former eBay leader was believed to be preparing to run for the seat of long-running US Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer, which will be up for re-election in two years. Now, though, she's thought to be aiming for the post of governor of California, a position that becomes vacant in two years, thanks to US term limits.

An un-named source called Whitman's decision to quit her board-level positions "a strong indication" that she wants to get clear of any commitments that might interfere with a run for political office.

Any decision on whether Whitman plans to run should become clear during the next four to six weeks if she creates an exploratory committee for her candidacy, reports said.

Whitman was active in the 2008 US presidential election, having served as a national co-chair of John McCain's failed presidential bid. She had also supported former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney before he lost the Republican primary to McCain.

Along with former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, Whitman's name was also mentioned as a potential running mate for McCain before he picked Alaska governor Sarah Palin. Whitman joined eBay in 1998 from toymaker Hasbro. ®