2007: The Year in Warren (The Countdown Begins)
By: 
Don't count out Warren Buffett. Even as he enters his 78th year, the Buffett style of investing remains as relevant and successful as ever. His words still attract the investment world's attention, and he is "beloved" as a plain-talking, unpretentious, generous American icon who happens to have a net worth of over $50 billion. Instead of quietly fading into a semi-retirement as one might expect for someone of his age, Buffett continues to be as energetic as ever (with help from a steady diet of Cherry Cokes) and even more visible than he's been in past years.
Warren Buffett Watch has already provided its 8 Predictions for '08 as part of CNBC.com's Outlook '08 Special Report. (They're mostly sure bets, by the way, in keeping with the Warren Buffett style of looking at the future.)
Now, in keeping with the year-end tradition of journalists everywhere, it's time to look back at 2007: The Year in Warren.
Here, in reverse order, are #10 through #6 of the top 10 trends and events of the year, as reported here on Warren Buffett Watch.
#10. MOHNISH PABRAI'S $650,000 LUNCH WITH WARREN
In early July, Pabrai, one of the country's best-known value investors paid nearly three-quarters of a million dollars, a record, to one of Warren's favorite charities, for the privilege of sharing lunch with the man to whom he owes "a large tuition bill" for lessons about investing and life.
#9 - ON THE STUMP
#9. RAISING MILLIONS FOR CLINTON AND OBAMA
One resason Buffett was especially visible this year: his willingness to give his money, and more importantly, his ability to attract news coverage, to support the presidential ambitions of the Democrats' two leading candidates for the White House: Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Buffett has hosted two million-dollar plus fund-raisers for Clinton this year, one in New Yorklast June and the other in San Franciscoearlier this month. Obama's turn came in Omaha in August.
Buffett hasn't endorsed one over the other, laughingly telling our Becky Quick in December that, "Before, way before, either one of them declared, I told Hillary if she ran for president, I would support her. I told Barack the same thing, and then they both ran. So, there I am."
#8 - BREAK-IN ATTEMPT AT BUFFETT'S HOUSE
#8. BUFFETT "FINE" AFTER BREAK-IN ATTEMPT AT HIS OMAHA HOME
