As Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg criss-crosses the country with the goal of meeting people from all 50 states, he has naturally left behind a wake of rumors that he will run for president in 2020. But if that's the case, why is he intentionally shirking the media during his seemingly made-for-media appearances?
Facebook told Axios that Zuckerberg wants to be able to meet with people who can be "candid" without the glare of the press. And "while the Zuckerberg-for-president story has been overhyped, his friends think he may run for something one day, so these appearances help him connect to all types of potential voters and give him chance to get better at these sorts of appearances without the blinding glare of constant press attention," Axios adds in its own analysis of the situation.
Even though "Zuckerberg had dinner with a family in Ohio, and these days, that's enough to have some people talking about a presidential run," as Veuer reports, Axios suggests the tour is more like a practice run to get Zuckerberg comfortable and familiar with the versions of America that exist outside Silicon Valley.
"Zuckerberg has devoted significant time over the last several years to improving as a public speaker," Axios writes, noting there is still room for improvement. Read more about why Zuckerberg is shaking off the press at Axios.