Uber hires former Obama adviser

NEW YORK -- Uber is stepping up its political game with a high-powered new hire.

The taxi-alternative service is hiring a former White House adviser to lead its campaign for acceptance in the 170 cities around the world where it operates.

David Plouffe, best known for running President Obama's 2008 campaign, is joining the company as senior vice president of policy and strategy beginning in September.

Uber lets smartphone users use an app to locate nearby part-time drivers for the service, who use their own cars to ferry around passengers, as well as locate yellow cabs in cities like New York.

The service has met with resistance from taxi services and local governments in some cities, due to safety fears and complaints that the service can dodge rules taxicabs must follow.