Jamal AndressUber, the ride-sharing app slowly taking the place of the modern-day taxi, had an $18 billion valuation just this summer. And while the unprecedented growth is impressive, the company has also run into constant roadblocks.
"I hate Uber!"
"Uber can stick it!"
"You don't start with breaking the law."
"We don't fight with anyone we regulate."
But to help the ride-sharing company deal with the constant push-back from taxi commissions across the country and abroad, Uber has hired a political heavyweight — President Obama's former campaign manager, David Plouffe.
"When I worked with President Obama on those senate campaigns ... " (Video Via PBS)
Plouffe was the man behind Obama's improbable 2008 victory and has now signed on to help Uber continue its expansion — hopefully, with fewer legal headaches.
In a blog post from Uber, Plouffe writes, "Uber has the chance to be a once in a decade if not a once in a generation company. ... I’ve watched as the taxi industry cartel has tried to stand in the way. ... It will be a privilege to jump in the foxhole with the team."
Uber's CEO calls Plouffe the company's new campaign manager and The New York Times describes his duties in a similar fashion, "pushing to woo consumers and regulators alike in the company’s fast-paced expansion across the world."
Further big news for the San Francisco-based company is "Corner Store," an experimental program that will allow users to order a host of common items like diapers, candy and cold medicine in the Uber app.
The new program is being tested in Washington D.C. starting Tuesday with no set end date. The program says as long as you are within the designated delivery zone you can order from a list of 100 items within the app.
The service competes directly with things like Google Shopping Express. "Simply add what you need and pick a delivery time that's right for you." which Time says is just the beginning of Uber's innovation.
"The new service illustrates Uber’s ambition to extend far beyond being simply a taxi app."
The Corner Store service will only operate during the work week from 9am to 9pm in this experimental stage.
This video contains images from Getty Images.
