Coffee tzar Schultz brews presidential buzz

Starbucks executive chairman Howard Schultz said Monday he would step down, further fueling speculation he will run for president. Schultz, who has endorsed Democratic candidates and criticized President Donald Trump, painted himself as a liberal with a mind for finances in an interview Tuesday morning with CNBC. “It concerns me that so many voices within the Democratic Party are going so far to the left,” he told Squawk Box. “I say to myself, ‘How are we going to pay for these things?’” He also said the country needs to reach economic growth levels of 4 percent or greater to combat the national debt. As CEO of Starbucks, a title he relinquished last year to become executive chairman, Schultz led the company to its position of international dominance while emphasizing social justice efforts. In a letter to employees, the 64-year-old hesitated to say what would come next: “I’ll be thinking about a range of options for myself, from philanthropy to public service, but I'm a long way from knowing what the future holds.”