• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, November 1, 2007

Former CNET chairman and CEO Shelby Bonnie is jumping into the 2008 presidential race — as a Web publisher. Bonnie and other former CNET execs have launched Political Base, which aims to be a nonpartisan source for information and opinion on political issues and candidates at all levels.

Besides relying on various government and media resources from the Federal Elections Commission to YouTube videos, the for-profit site will look to a team of bloggers, moderators and its users to supply content.

The site has some neat features, including a list of “rich and famous” contributors ranging from Google ad chief Tim Armstrong to Halle Berry. (Bonnie himself is listed as giving $2,300 to Barack Obama earlier this year.) Another section rates the most powerful people in media and politics based on member voting.

Political Base eventually plans to run advertising on the site, with messages from both sides of the aisle.

Bonnie resigned from CNET last year after the tech publisher came under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission for its stock-option grant practices.

CNET was cleared of any wrongdoing in September.