Is Oprah Winfrey truly considering a 2020 presidential run? Why not?

75th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Press Room

I found it frustrating and funny that so many people were butthurt about the idea of Oprah Winfrey running for president. Oprah received the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award at the Golden Globes and her speech was honestly amazing. It was profound, it was engaging, it was moving, it was inspirational. She brought CB to tears, and I felt a twinge in my cold, dead heart. In case you missed it, here’s the speech again:

I still have goosebumps. Good goosebumps! Not the kind of hair-standing-up-on-the-back-of-my-neck feeling that I get whenever Curious Case of Bigly Buttons casually threatens nuclear war over Twitter. So, obviously, after this speech, everyone was like “so, really, why not President Oprah?” I follow a lot of political journalists and former White House staffers on Twitter, and they were talking about it seriously too – it wasn’t a joke-take, like “Oprah will heal everything!” It was more like “wow, Oprah appeals to a wide swath of diverse women of all ages, races, sexual identities, etc.” It was more like “wow, wouldn’t it be nice to have a president who can speak with intelligence and humility and dignity and grace?” So this is what CNN reported on Monday:

Oprah Winfrey is “actively thinking” about running for president, two of her close friends told CNN Monday. The two friends, who requested anonymity in order to speak freely, talked in the wake of Winfrey’s extraordinary speech at the Golden Globes Sunday night, which spurred chatter about a 2020 run. Some of Winfrey’s confidants have been privately urging her to run, the sources said. One of the sources said these conversations date back several months. The person emphasized that Winfrey has not made up her mind about running. A representative for Winfrey has not responded to requests for comment.

The Democratic race for president won’t officially begin until after the 2018 midterms, but many potential candidates are already jostling for position and making trips to Iowa.

“President Winfrey” was the talk of the entertainment world after Winfrey accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes. And the “Oprah for president?” possibility was a top story on morning TV. The touchstone of her speech was the #MeToo movement. But her hopeful message — “A new day is on the horizon” — could have doubled as a campaign rallying cry. Many liberal-leaning celebrities and viewers certainly heard it that way. And that may have been exactly what Winfrey wanted. As some political strategists have pointed out in the past year, her fame and wealth could make her a formidable Democratic Party candidate. But insiders have their doubts too: Would Americans really choose a TV star as president twice in a row?

After the speech, Winfrey’s longtime partner Stedman Graham was quoted saying a run is a possibility. “It’s up to the people,” Graham told a Los Angeles Times reporter. “She would absolutely do it.”

[From CNN]

The most notable thing – to me – is that Steadman wasn’t shutting down the speculation. Steadman didn’t give a firm and definitive “no.” That being said, the idea that Oprah would only run for president if “the people” begged her to is not a great one – Oprah should run if she wants to, if she thinks she would make a great president, and she should run to win.

As for those people arguing that “we don’t need another celebrity president with no government experience” – are you really comparing Bigly Buttons to OPRAH? Oprah, who is an intelligent, compassionate, honest and honorable person? Oprah, who has openly made mistakes in her life and her business and has learned from those mistakes and kept it real the whole time? You’re comparing her to Stable Genius?? No. It’s like comparing apples to rotten oranges.

75th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Press Room

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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163 Responses to “Is Oprah Winfrey truly considering a 2020 presidential run? Why not?”

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  1. Lola says:

    I love Oprah

  2. MaryJo says:

    Isn’t one tv host enough?

    • Morning Coffee says:

      Thank you. I prefer someone this time who actually knows how to run the country. Oprah is great. I love her. But run for Senate or Governor. Get some experience. Then talk to me.

      • T.Fanty says:

        Yes. There’s a little more to the job than being charming and good at speaking. Plus, she is a neoliberal. You have to scratch beneath the surface, because superficial thinking is what got us into this mess in the first place.

      • Heather H says:

        +1000

      • Franklymydear... says:

        +1000

        Start small, Oprah! Be a senator, rep or even governor (which isn’t small, really, depending on the state). Running a business and giving eloquent, passionate speeches isn’t the same as running a country.

    • Natalia says:

      ^This.

      She’s a great woman, different behind the scenes, they’re all varying degrees of narcissist. She’s far more qualified than Trump but its not a good idea. Of course, the Presidency is only a puppet office so it doesn’t really matter who is in there. That’s the bloody truth.

      The true powers that be run everything and they always get what they want. You think Oprah doesn’t or won’t answer (cave) to them? Look at what happened to Barack Obama. I could go on but that’s the upshot of it all.

      The speech was brilliant though, and did bring me to tears. A lot of them wistful tears.

      • Jeannie says:

        There’s a saying, the people that you would want to be president wouldn’t want the job (im butchering this). We got super lucky w Barack (n michelle as supportive spouse, let’s be honest). The nature of our system (u.s.) is that it kinda eats up people n expects too much of them. Someone said this on here, that countries that have figureheads are actually much better off n healthier overall. I do not like trump n i worry abt what he means for the world, but as a man he’s gotta be rundown. I just don’t think one person can do everything. Oprah is great, n i would support her running as long as she took the time to know what she is doing n had good advisors.

    • Bonzo says:

      Thank you for saying this. If D’s want Oprah as our next President, then they’ve learned nothing from the election of DJT. His election has made clear ithe importance of government and foreign/domestic policy experience in the highest office. Charm, charisma & solid business skills (which OW has in spades) isn’t enough.

      • Megan says:

        A seasoned politician comes into the office with a network that can step in and competently run the government. Trump’s lack of a network is one of the reasons his administration is such a sh*tshow. It’s amateur hour at every level. Oprah is an amazing human being, but she is not now, nor will she ever be qualified to go from media mogul to president.

      • BorderMollie says:

        Yeah, bingo. Even our pretty boy PM here in Canada knows how to put together a skilled cabinet. Oprah is one of my favorite people ever, but has not at all proven she knows how to do anything but put together entertaining television programs.

      • Franklymydear... says:

        YES! I don’t know why we keep trying to put unskilled politicians in political offices of power. I only hire qualified surgeons to do my surgery, or qualified builders to build my house, etc. I only want skilled politicians who have studied law, government, and history to run my government. Not that hard.

    • tracking says:

      +1000

    • Pandy says:

      Seriously! Isn’t Trump, Reagan, Schwartzenegger, Ventura reasons for not assuming an entertainer is political material?

      • Boxy Lady says:

        Reagan at least started his political career modestly. He began by being president of SAG. The others went for the high profile positions of governorships and the presidency from the beginning without any kind of political experience.

    • holly hobby says:

      Yes if Oprah is really serious about serving the people, she should work from the ground up (city council, state assembly, Congress, President – not necessarily that order). That way she will learn on the job. Hey it’s been done before. Orange Lizard and Oprah were not the first celebs to run for office. The Law and Order guy was a Senator and Gopher from the Love Boat (I’m really dating myself here) also served in Congress.

      Not saying if they are any good. Just saying start somewhere in the bottom and learn before you take the top job.

      Orangino was such a big mistake!

  3. A Croatian says:

    May I just say that Stedman is a truly wonderful man. Seeing him watching Oprah giving this speech was so amazing.

  4. paranormalgirl says:

    What kills me is all the Trumpets yelling “She’s a TV host!!!!!” Um…. wtf is Trump?

    • Shark Bait says:

      They don’t understand hypocrisy. These same people said the most horrible grossest things imaginable about President Obama, but then turn around and scream at the left that they need to respect the office of the President.

  5. Lilly says:

    I don’t know that she’s seriously considering it, but I’ve been wrong before. What I love is all the attention and love she’s getting just on people wishing it to be so, thus Orange Foolius is raging. Oh wells.

    • swak says:

      When HRC lost, wasn’t her name one that came up for the next election and’she said she would not run, IIRC? I’m not sure she would get elected because of the TV personality thing because people will equate her to Trump on that point (not saying it is right to do).

  6. Andrea1 says:

    I’m not American but I’m going to say this anyway. I see you guys have not learnt from what happened with Trump. So because she gave an amazing speech she is now considered a presidential material. Wow just wow. America is a laughing stock to the rest of the world now. I hope you guys get it together before the next election

    • Cherry says:

      That’s pretty much what I thought, but I don’t mean to sound condescending. I am not American either. And I love Oprah. Her speech was amazing. But what’s with the American presidency that it’s now considered some kind of mega prize to be won for the most charming contender?? Whatever happened to political craftmanship, experience, actually knowing what the hell the job’s even about before one starts “actively thinking” about running for president??

      • mint says:

        I am not American either and I had to laugh so hard at this. Yes, this was a good speech. Good for the globes. Yes, Oprah is a smart and capable woman but that does not make her a good president. She has ZERO experience in this field. Why is it so hard for Americans to vote for someone like Kamala Harris or Elizabeth Warren. Both excellent women. Both experienced. They know the political drill. If Oprah does consider running for president one day – why not run for another office first and work your way up. Get the experience. You honestly think she can speak at G8 summits etc in her Oprah way( freeeeee caaaaaars for everyyyyooone) and the rest of the world will be impressed?
        Sometimes it looks like you guys dont want to have a real president.

      • Indiana Joanna says:

        Yes! Oprah is an entertainer, she has never done the hard slugging-it-out political work necessary for being a candidate. Americans see entertainers. like
        Drump, and think they know the person, but we don’t. No, no, no to Oprah for president.

        Oprah’s worked hard, just not in politics. If she is reaching out to be a candidate I am very disappointed. There are so many much more capable women who have spent their lives in politics and in the trenches learning the nuances and accomplishing great things. Let’s focus on them.

    • Beth says:

      I’m American and when I watched the speech, I didn’t get the feeling that she was talking about becoming president. I thought it was about being honest and strong, not becoming the leader of the free world. Plenty of Americans are cringing, depressed, and embarrassed by the Trump mess and what it makes America look like. I hope that those who voted for him will learn their lesson about why you vote for someone. County before party, and experience before an unqualified celebrity

      • smcollins says:

        @beth pretty much said it all. Oprah’s speech was absolutely amazing but that doesn’t mean she is qualified to be POTUS. I’ve read a couple of editorials (one from The New York Times and one from The Washington Post) that states why that would be a bad idea. I think a lot more people are against it than for it (hopefully).

    • Odetta says:

      Trump never made an amazing speech that made him seem presidential…not one. At least Oprah can speak coherently

    • Tania says:

      So because the current president is unhinged, nobody else with a “TV background” is allowed ever to run for fear of other countries thinking we’re the laughing stock? Seriously? All of this talk sounds like, “you’re either with us or against us.” Two things can be true. The current president can be an unhinged sociopath AND another person from television can also come in and do a great job.

      Oprah is actually a SELF-MADE billionaire. She came from poverty. She came from abuse. She rose up. She is the epitome of the American dream. She’s kind, compassionate, smart, loyal and well-spoken.

      • Odetta says:

        Agreed. She could do her homework and surround her self with qualified, competent people and I think she could do a pretty good job. She’s an inspiring woman who I think people would really listen to and support. Are there other more qualified people for the job? Sure…but if it’s going to come down to her and some old white man republican, I’m with her.

      • smcollins says:

        Yes, she is without-a-doubt all of those things, but that doesn’t make her qualified to be President. She has zero experience in government or as a lawmaker. She has much more influence and power as a private citizen. Why anyone thinks they can just jump in and be President, without ever serving as a Representative, or Senator, or Governor first seems to be the epitome of biting off more than they can chew. jmo

      • Odetta says:

        @smcollins….I agree with your opinion as well..but that being said, the way things are now I feel like it’s going to come down to choosing between a rock and a hard place. Hilary Clinton should have been president, she was so ridiculously qualified but in the end trump won with the electoral college. I feel like it’s going to be extremely hard for a woman to win the presidential election, no matter how qualified or unqualified that woman may be. I don’t understand why anyone thinks they can just be president without any other political background either but here we are, Donald trump is president of the USA, a man who throws tantrums like a toddler and can’t even speak a coherent sentence. The whole world is going down the drain

      • smcollins says:

        @odetta Absolutely. Trump’s presidency is like some kind of whacked-out social experiment that has put us all in danger, and push come to shove, I would vote for someone like Oprah (i.e. “celebrity”) if that’s what it came down to. But hopefully it won’t.

      • Kitten says:

        Yup I’m with you.

      • Amy says:

        I think she would be great on the senate. Or maybe as a governor. Why does she need to jump right into running for President? I don’t think it would be an awful idea to gain some, any political experience first. Barack Obama was a freshman senator when he ran for president. Oprah doesn’t need to spend 30 years in politics before running, but having some experience with running and winning a campaign, governing, and building up a resume of political accomplishments, along with building up political contacts and a political support system, would be good. I think it’s important for us to nominate people for president who have shown that they can run a successful campaign and that people will vote for them. We don’t want to try someone out on the presidency, it’s too important a position for us to lose.

      • fubar says:

        Everyone loves Oprah now. Wait until she gives her view on gun control, abortion, immigration, education, and see how fast her approval rating drop. Did we not learn anything from Ben Carson? he was a great neuro surgeon. Top of his field. He knew nothing about foreign policy. Being great person doesn’t always translate into a great leader.

    • Dorothy K Zbornak says:

      I’m American and I agree with you. We do not need another celebrity running for president. Of course she would be a better POTUS than Trump, but that is not the point.

    • AnneC says:

      Exactly. This is being pushed by cable news because she’s a celebrity and talking about her brings in viewers. It’s why we got trump foisted on us. Oprah can run for Montecito board of supervisors and then get back to us. Next election I want an experienced qualified candidate who has governmental experience and knows how the country actually works. And of course she’s more qualified than trump, almost every other human being at this point could do a better job. Enough with this celebrity worship.

    • MrsBump says:

      Its insane that people now think Oprah is presidential. Truly, every country has the government it deserves.

      This is the culmination of a toxic celebrity culture, where people look up to actors and actresses to tell them what to think, where Susan Sarandon is blamed for Hilary Clinton’s loss, where every celebrity must declare who they are voting for, where the most banal declaration is lauded for being “woke”.

      Both democrats and conservatives are equally to blame, somewhere, along the way you all lost the plot.
      Americans need someone to idolize and someone to despise. Now that we have a new villain in the WH, Bush, the man who bombed and killed thousands of innocents, is now back in everyone’s good graces again. Similarly, as much as i think Obama is an exceptional man, there is zero hope of an objective analysis of his time in office. He’s either demonized by the conservatives or sanctified by the left.

  7. Beatrice says:

    A major difference, to me, is that Oprah would STUDY the law, the Constitution, and do the research required of someone who has not been involved in politics.

    She’d do a hell of a lot for our global image, that’s for sure.

    • Anne says:

      But why would you want someone who has to first get a position to study for it instead of someone who wanted it for years and had already studied most of what they needed to study? I just don’t understand this American idea of electing someone who has no clue what they’re actually getting into. Don’t you realize you have so many actually qualified people who has worked so hard throughout their lives and would love nothing more than to have a chance at something like the presidency? Why purposely chose and promote people who are not competent?

  8. roses says:

    I hope not tired of seeing black women having to clean up other messes and coming to the rescue all the time let them do it they made it. She doesn’t need the headache.

  9. Mina says:

    Don’t do it Oprah! Seriously, if she’s smart and wants to keep her can do no wrong status she should stay away from politics. She can be a lot more influential and relevant from outside the White House, where she’d be inevitably swept in the shady stuff.

    • Lizzie says:

      i so agree. she is so influential right where she is.

      it seems we’ve forgotten that being president is actually a job that requires some government experience. even the most diligent and determined student can’t become a policy expert, world historian, constitutional scholar and learn how to govern between now and 2020.

      • Kiki says:

        @Mina I agree with you 100%. She should stay far away from the Presidential run. Look how long it took Obama to clean the America when these idiots in the White House won’t let him. What makes you think they will with Oprah. Then they will say about her as a Black Woman who comes to save the America.

        Oprah, I love you but NO.

      • Christin says:

        Yes, she’s smarter than Orange, but your point is what gives me serious reservations. Recovering from this mess will require someone (and a solid team) already firmly steeped in policy matters and upholding the Constitution.

  10. Annie says:

    Just not enthused with anyone who has zero government experience.

  11. llamas says:

    The qualifications for being president aren’t just makes nice speeches. Oprah is a much better person than bigot but that doesn’t mean she should be president. I’m sick of this celebrity trend. We need someone who has experience with government and knows how to run a country. We are literally turning into idiocracy and I hate it so much.

    • Cherry says:

      This. Thank you. Also, we need to stop thinking with our underbellies. Yes, Oprah is undoubtedly a great person. She’s better than Trump. She can deliver a moving speech.
      She deserves praise. Not hysterical nonsense about her running for president.

    • Esmom says:

      Yes. I think I said this yesterday but as intelligent and compassionate as Oprah is, we need to do better with our next POTUS.

    • Adele Dazeem says:

      Llamas said it all. 100 percent concur.

    • Dorothy K Zbornak says:

      Completely agree, Llamas.

    • CynicalAnn says:

      Dear god-yes. Just because someone appears compassionate, smart and gives a good speech does not mean they’re qualified to be POTUS. If she wants to be in government, run for Representative, or go be a mayor.

  12. Hh says:

    Admittedly, I’m one of those people that want to go back to the more traditional way of things. No doubt Oprah would be worlds apart from Trump. Her biggest strength in this regard is not compassion, but knowing that she has no experience in this area. Thus, she’d actually hire competent people that do. However, public administration and policy making is difficult. I’m not saying that Oprah could not do it, but the learning curve of the presidency is already steep for those who have been politicians before. I would actually love for Sen. Kamala Harris to run.

  13. littlemissnaughty says:

    Nobody is comparing the two. But the bar has been set LOW when the best celebrity candidate is automatically a good candidate period.

    Oprah is a mogul, an entertainer, a great woman who has LIVED. Her position in the world is singular, I don’t think that’s overstating it. And yes, that gives her a truly unique perspective on many things. But again, does that equal the qualification to be president? Forget Trump, forget the ones who were sometimes bumbling around like fools (Bush II). Set the bar higher! Is there nobody else? No public servant? Really??? Is it going to be celebrities from here on out? That does not look great on the world stage, America. It really doesn’t.

  14. Lindy says:

    Just no. I think she’s an amazing woman in many ways but the last thing we need is another celebrity president, especially one who spends so much time promoting self-help nonsense.

  15. Shambles says:

    It’s not a comparison of Donald Trump’s personality to Oprah’s personality, and I don’t remember anyone who has argued against Oprah for Prez even suggesting such a thing? Like I said yesterday, it’s on principle. We have to stop electing celebrities, whether we like them or not. No exceptions, not even for Oprah. The fact is she has never, ever worked a government job, and can you even imagine the mess the next president is going to have to clean up? We’ve got to have someone who knows what they’re doing. It’s not wrong or mean to want someone who has actual experience in a job before they step into the highest position in that job, especially with our democracy in such a fragile position. Experience is what compaines expect from their employees and it’s what I expect from my POTUS. It doesn’t mean I think Oprah is the same as Donald Trump, of course not.

    • Brunswickstoval says:

      Yes! Can we please stop this idea that the entry level into politics is POTUSA. America has so many other amazing women who are far more qualified. Yes it’s nice to dream but just no to this.

    • Esmom says:

      Yes to all this.

  16. Sunsetsnow says:

    No thanks! She was really quiet during Trump’s campaign when she should have been vocal. Too many people with a platform stayed quiet and contributed to the current climate.

  17. Londerland says:

    If we lived in a sane world, I’d say she should absolutely not run, that we need actual qualified people with years of experience in ground-level civic service, experience of the day-to-day needs of their constituents, to run for government, not popular TV personalities, no matter how inspiring they are.

    But we don’t live in a sane world anymore, and maybe if Trump survives til 2020 – don’t discount it, he’s made it this far – don’t say he couldn’t be re-elected; nobody thought he’d be elected in the first place – maybe the Democrats will need to fight fire with fire and put a charismatic, beloved celebrity up against him, just to get rid of him.

    • Ankhel says:

      Fight fire with fire! Double wheeeee!

      (That was perhaps a bit sarcastic. But, for the love of everything, get it together, americans. If you don’t like or trust your career politicians, strike down on all the blatant, legal corruption. The donors with skin in the game, the lobbyists. That would stop most smarmy crooks from becoming politicians, because politics would no longer be an easy way to riches.)

      • Londerland says:

        I’m not American, FWIW. But we have our own issues in the UK politically with massively, visibly corrupt career politicians who are gaming the system and stripping the country of its assets for their own profit. They encourage discord and hatred, they show visible contempt for the general public and they literally do not care if people live or die. What can we do?

        Get involved at the grassroots level, good, yes, raise awareness, grand. Fight against the billionaire press barons who govern so much of public opinion…okay. We’re trying. Takes time. It all takes time.

        And not everyone listens to nuanced argument. Not everyone cares about the issues. Some people just vote with their party. Some people vote for likeability or charisma or sheer entertainment value. Some people don’t vote at all, but if the right person gets them to listen, they might.

        Of course Oprah is not the best person to run a country, not by any reasonable measure. I’d rather Kamala Harris or Michelle Obama or even Hillary Clinton ran. But if, in 2020, it turns out the best chance to kick Trump out is Oprah Winfrey, then why not?

        Over here, Eddie Izzard is getting heavily involved in politics and saying he might run for Parliament or for Major of London in a few years, and naturally people are mocking the idea because he’s “just” a comedian, and I get that, I do. But he’s honestly no less qualified than a lot of MPs and couldn’t do worse than a lot of them are doing – and he genuinely cares. That may not sound like much to run for office on, but that’s how low the bar is set now,

      • Kitten says:

        +1,000,000 Londerland.

      • SilverUnicorn says:

        @Londerland

        We NEED (not just US, all over the world) to stop considering celebrities for political jobs!!
        And I’m from Italy originally, don’t I know that politicians are corrupt?

        Italians have basically invented the ‘celebrity’ trend (even Berlusconi knows this!) and how did it pan out? Italy is like 80th in the world list of the most corrupted countries, together with Burkina Faso I think…..
        Not even cats are honest in Italy…

        Believe me, it’s a hellish way of living when you live 24/7 in an environment where you cannot even trust your own accountant or butcher…

        Oprah is great but no president material. Elect a politician who seems honest (or have Oprah to stand in minor elections before the POTUS office).

        (I live in UK. The problem number 1 of countries like UK and USA are the voters, who keep voting for right-wing parties. You can do grass-roots as much as you like, you aren’t going to change how the Daily Heil crowd votes).

    • Kitten says:

      YES. THIS.

    • Sophia's Side eye says:

      If it would get rid of Dump, I’m in. We need to win, we can’t get caught up in what we’d want in a perfect world. We need to Get. Him. Out. I’m far more terrified of nuclear war than having someone less than qualified. Yes, this is where we are now, dog help us all.

  18. Lala says:

    After seeing the hubris and mess and destruction that EONS of politicians with law degrees and so called governing experience have way-laid across the human race…Joe/Josephine the butcher can run for POTUS for all I care…in this country the ONLY requirements are to be 35 years or older and a natural born citizen…We the people have FORGOTTEN that salient fact and it’s cost s us darn near EVERYTHING! Anybody who CAN run…SHOULD RUN FOR OUR LIVES!

  19. Alexandria says:

    As I’ve mentioned before, I think Oprah is capable and she needs to hire good experts / people, just like most Presidents before her (except Dotard). We are having this conversation because he has set the bar so low. Regardless of her celebrity, she should still be subject to scrutiny i.e. any conflict of interests etc. because it is common sense (still not sure if that would resurface in the post Dotard age though). However, while she qualifies (despite being a celebrity), she is not the most qualified to me and I would prefer folks like Elizabeth Warren to run. I doubt Oprah would run but it’s not going to be the end of the world if she does.

  20. cr says:

    No political experience. No policy experience.
    I don’t care that she’s not Donald Trump, the Presidency shouldn’t not be someone’s first political office.

    • llamas says:

      CR, I completely agree that the presidency shouldn’t be someone’s first office. Even people who spend their entire career in politics suck at it because it’s so difficult. It’s one of the most important positions in the world. I don’t see other countries seriously considering celebrities.

    • Shambles says:

      A f*cking Men. This is all that needs to be said, really.

      • SilverUnicorn says:

        Exactly, Shambles.

        God, there must be someone honest left there, right?
        I don’t think USA needs to vote for Oprah or The Rock… you need another Obama!!

  21. Amy says:

    “As for those people arguing that “we don’t need another celebrity president with no government experience” – are you really comparing Bigly Buttons to OPRAH?”

    Yes, I am. Obviously not based on their personalities (or morals or mental fitness or intelligence or…). But the US absolutely does not need another celebrity president without any government experience. It needs someone, yes, with Oprah’s appeal and compassion – but who can run the country and manage legislative processes and just generally govern.

    She could run for a Senate seat or something, absolutely. I’m sure she would contribute admirably to fixing the country and would represent her constituents with absolute honor. But after Bigly’s term ends (please let it be sooner rather than later), a lot of wounds will need to be healed, including legal ones. And this will need someone with government experience.

  22. Beth says:

    Please, no more celebrities as POTUS. If Oprah ran for or became president, she risks losing forever being an admired icon. I love her, but another unqualified and person with no experience might not be able to fix the disaster that the current TV star is making of our country

  23. Betsy says:

    “are you really comparing Bigly Buttons to OPRAH?”
    Yes, because in a broad sense, they are the same thing. They are both celebrities with zero political or governmental service. Be appalled or frustrated or what have you, but I want EXPERIENCE and competence and boring and deep intelligence (which Oprah may have) international relations knowledge and parliamentary procedure knowledge and the ability to shepherd a bill…. Once is enough to try a dreadful experiment, and someone who brought us Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil doesn’t quite cut the mustard. “Better than the worst single person that has ever happened to the US” isn’t good enough. Klobuchar. Kennedy. Harris. Franken. Schiff. I’d like to say Lieu, but he was born in Taiwan.

    Two caveats:
    1. If she someone how ran and won a primary, yes, I’d vote for her in the general, because at this point the GOP would make a(nother) pact with the devil, get Reagan’s corpse and Weekend at Bernie’s it, so yes, I’d vote for her then.
    2. If she does the grunt work of getting a smaller office and doing well there, then sure, maybe.

    • Falum says:

      It kind of sucks that any American born outside the country cannot be POTUS. It should be changed to have exceptions.

      • RBC says:

        Wasn’t Ted Cruz born in Canada? I thought there was weird reason why he was permitted to run for the nomination. One of his parents was a US citizen

      • Holly Wouldn't says:

        Why? What would the exceptions be?

  24. Falum says:

    Lol never gonna happen and i bet she is privately laughing at the thought of it.

    Also.. what experience does she have for presidency? She is great at what she does but i want a younger progressive leader who comes from a background in law or politics or something besides showbiz. Oprah trouncing Trump would be EPIC but then what?

    I also do not think Trump will run a second term. He is too old and will have made his point by winning against Hillary and fking the country up already.

  25. PunkyMomma says:

    No, and here’s why: she’s not the shoo-in winner most of us would like to think she would be. There would be people would would not vote for her because of her gender, her race, her career, and because she is also a celebrity. She’s one of the few people, I think, who would succeed is re-galvanizating the deplorable base. As much as she is admired by one faction, she is despised by another.

    Is she smart? Absolutely. Is she a patriot? Absolutely. Does she understand business? Absolutely. Is she inclusive? Absolutely. Does she understand strategy (because she needs her best game if she wants to play hardball with the potted plants)? Absolutely.

    Do I consider her to be the most qualified candidate for the Democrats to field as their 2020 presidential nominee? No. She has no experience with the military. She’s never held public office. I doubt she can energize the Millennial base — her show has been off the air for quite a few years now, and at age 66 ( which will be her age in 2020), she may be too far removed generationally.

    Would I vote for her if she was at the top of the 2020 ticket. Absolutely. But I hope she isn’t.

    • Sophia's Side eye says:

      Agree with you completely, Punky Mama. Especially your last paragraph. I love Oprah, but I wouldn’t wish this upon her. The attacks from the deplorables would be horrifying.

  26. Lilith says:

    Oprah is a genuine humanitarian. Even in the worst case political scenario – she would come through for the PEOPLE. Isn’t that what being prez and politics in general is all about?

    • Beth says:

      No. Being the POTUS takes a lot more than just being a genuine humanitarian. That’s why we need a president who can responsibly know how and what to do with all of the complicated problems and decisions. Oprah has had no experience with most of the things a president has to do. She’d be better than Trump, but she’s still unqualified

  27. Tara Beth says:

    While we may admire Oprah for many things, I think we have already seen the effects of a person who has no political or military experience being the Commander in Chief of our country.

  28. BaronSamedi says:

    I don’t understand all the commenters here acting as if a dumb, bloviating TV personality hasn’t won the last election for President. And beat an eminently qualified woman to boot.

    OF COURSE a sane nation shouldn’t choose the person for highest office from a pool of popular TV personalities. But since this is apparently where the US are at right now I would say Oprah is the BEST shot you guys have to actually pull a 2020 upset off.

    Looking at the democratic field I see a bunch of highly qualified people – who apparently don’t stand a chance in the current climate. I pray to God I’m wrong about this but we all though Hilary was a lock too…

    • SilverUnicorn says:

      “since this is apparently where the US are at right now”

      Well you need to change that then (as even The Rock is running, right?), because honestly USA is becoming a laughing stock (I come from a country that has always been a laughing stock politically speaking, know it well!)

  29. Skins says:

    Reading a speech off a teleprompter that was probably written by somebody else does not qualify you to be president

    • Let’s not go after her amazing speech. It’s telling that you insinuate that Oprah, a best selling author, magazine editor and screenwriter, didn’t write that speech. A speech, mind you, full of highly personal reflections and Oprah-centric warmth and insight.

    • Gina says:

      Why not? That’s exactly what Presidents do. Their speechwriters write their speeches, they are loaded onto a teleprompter and stand behind a podium with the Presidental seal on it…..that’s the difference.

  30. Lilith says:

    People who compare Oprah to Trump are either delusional or secretly racist and using Oprah’s ‘celebrity’ as an excuse.

    • llamas says:

      I haven’t seen anyone comparing them other than: she’s a celebrity too (this is a fact) and she’s a better person but that still doesn’t maker her qualified. So I’m a bit confused by your comment?

    • Odetta says:

      ..?

    • Beth says:

      What? Be serious. Not wanting her as our president has absolutely nothing to do with her color, it’s because she isn’t qualified to do the job

  31. Va Va Kaboom says:

    This might not go over well, but she should absolutely not run for President. Being better than Trump isn’t an adequate reason to elect another celebrity with zero experience or expertise in governmental matters. The US will not recover standing or address our real issues if we replace one billionaire tv star with another, no matter how lovely Oprah is as a person.

    In fact, I think everyone’s earnest fawning over the idea completely undermines much of our arguments about Trump’s unsuitability for the job. Other than personality most arguments for her are the same Trumpsters make about him and we scoff at them for it.

    I will add though, that if she ran for Senate or Congress and put some years in there first, I’d be far more open to it. So how about “Oprah for Senate 2018” and we revisit the idea of “Oprah for President” in 2024.

    • Slowsnow says:

      Yes! Very good point. The arguments defending Oprah for president yesterday were the same used by those defending Drumpft. Scary.

  32. Aang says:

    Saints preserve us from another celebrident. All we need is Dr. OZ as surgeon general and Dr. Phil as secretary of anything.

    • hnmmom says:

      YES. I have read articles here on CB bemoaning these snake oil salesmen and we seem to be forgetting Oprah is the one who gave those men visibility and platforms for their crazy. She endorsed them and because of her considerable influence, these men were legitimized.

  33. Bachmangrl says:

    This talk of Oprah running is indicative of political immaturity.
    What are her stances on policy issues? Is she for Medicare for all? The $15 per hour minimum wage? What about a Green New Deal? What about American drone strikes in Yemen, Pakistan and Somalia which innocent civilians are killed instead? Israel and Palestine? Boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel for settlements in the Occupied Territories? Jailing Wall Street bankers instead of giving them bonuses?
    One inspirational and nice speech doesn’t make you presidential material or a policy expert.

  34. Kdlaf says:

    Yesterday sources said oprah has no intentions of running – so i take these rumors with a grain of salt.

    I really hate what Drumpf has done to this country but I think we have a responsibility as citizens to keep celebrity and politics separate. OF COURSE Oprah would be better than Drumpf – literally everyone is saying that. But we need someone with some experience outside of Hollywood and business – even if theyre on our side.

    Celebrity culture is great escapism but lets leave it at that please.

    • Bachmangrl says:

      That’s actually a really good point. Just like there is a separation between church and state perhaps there should also be one between celebrity and state?

      • Sophia's Side eye says:

        This is a good idea to me. Celebrities bring their “fans” with them. People who would vote for them just because they’re famous, nothing to do with their qualification to hold office. That’s something best avoided.

      • Kitten says:

        Um where is there a separation of church and state? Not in the United States, that’s for damn sure.

      • SilverUnicorn says:

        @Kitten

        Isn’t an amendment of the constitution about freedom of religion (or something of the sort?). Just curious.

  35. Bianca says:

    Please don’t make the same mistake of electing someone simply based on popularity.
    What does she know about economy and the complexity of international politics (e.g. Middle East, Eastern Europe)?
    We need a competent person in the White House, with an excelent professional experience, not a TV personality. Please 🙂

  36. Slowsnow says:

    Oprah’s speech almost wrote itself: amazing black successful abused eloquent woman from a poor background. She might not even have written it herself actually (hopefully not, she surely hired a team of experts).

    How daft is it to think of her for POTUS based on that. I’m reconsidering visiting this website again to be honest because this is either a manipulative thing to make us click click click or a real opinion of the writer which is even scarier.

    • witingbit says:

      couldn’t agree more. this is a really dangerous point of view and perspective to advocate.

  37. hnmmom says:

    Please, everyone, let’s keep ourselves focused on the real issue at hand: MIDTERMS. We can deal with 2020 later, we need to spend all our energy in the next 10 months on getting out the vote and supporting current strong candidates running for every office. There will be plenty of time to debate support for a Presidential candidate in 2019, right now we need to do all we can to get the Cheeto out of office and that will only happen if we VOTE IN MIDTERMS.

    • Christin says:

      Yes, first things first. If the mid-terms don’t level the legislative playing field, then we have even bigger problems going into 2020.

  38. hmmm says:

    She’s a smug celebrity with a god complex who loves to preach. Hmmmmm. Oprah’s just the other side of the DJT coin.

    Anyone remember Phil, Oz, The Secret? Her anti-atheist stance (atheists are not capable of feeling awe)?

    She’s a billionaire now, far removed from the little people, living in her own echo chamber where she is god’s chosen. Who thinks she would divest herself of ALL her enterprises?

    Stedman says, she would run if the people wanted it. That tells me everything. Why would she need accolades as motivation? Populism? Where have we seen that before?

    She’s merely a glamorous distraction. As others have said, MIDTERMS are the real and critical work. Let’s see her labor at that, prove herself.

    • Let It Be says:

      Completely agree. She’s worked very hard at achieving and maintaining her success, but she’s NO public servant.

    • Kdlaf says:

      This x1000

    • SMDH says:

      Spot on assessment IMO

    • Shark Bait says:

      Gross. Oprah is not comparably to Donald Trump in any way. She went from absolute poverty to becoming a brand and building an empire by succeeding in a white male dominated business. She didn’t get a head start from her rich daddy and skate on white male mediocrity her whole life like Trump.
      You can absolutely hate the woman for Dr. Scam and Dr. Shill and her anti atheist comments, but why the need to smear the woman as an out of touch elitist? She built that empire from nothing, she went from dirt poor to billionaire as a black woman in America.
      Comparing her to Trump is disgusting. But I guess hating Oprah is like so in these days guys.

  39. Shelllley says:

    No. Just no.
    She is a powerful speaker, no doubt..
    But let’s not forget “Dr.” Phil and “Dr.” Oz are a by-product of Oprah. She gave those 2 a stage and then their own shows.
    She shilled a lot of pseudoscience over her years on TV and gave people like Jenny McCarthy a soapbox without challenge, lending credibility to the anti-vaccer movement. .
    She gave Suzanne Somers a platform for her crazy “medical expertise”.
    The Oprah Effect may make a lot of people feel all kinds of warm and fuzzy but it was all about her bottom line. It was (and is) all, I was poor now I am rich and powerful. I am good and people love me! You want to be like me? Buy my books. Pay to attend my seminars!

    Oprah is a business woman and an entertainer. And absolutely, she is without a doubt smarter than the current president but that should not equate to presidential.

  40. joanne says:

    i cannot understand why anyone would think this is a good idea. you will need an experienced person who understands how government works. it will take years to fix the damage that Trump has done to your country. just to try to fix the DOJ and Trump’s judicial appointments will be major work.
    those who say that Oprah would hire the best people because she understands that she doesn’t have the experience, are dr. phil and dr. oz what you call the best people?
    you have so many dedicated and experienced politicians already. get behind them and support them in 2020.

  41. perplexed says:

    I wouldn’t necessarily discount her because she’s an entertainer, but people need to know where she stands on issues. I know her life story and all of her struggles, but I have zero idea of what she thinks about most things politically (I said most, not all). I think people need to know what she thinks on various issues before trying to push her as a candidate.

  42. Frosty says:

    I think it’s a terrible Idea. Haven’t we learned anything from El Cheeto?
    If she insists on running, then I wish she’d go for mayor or governor and learn how to govern first. That would also give the public a chance to see where she actually lands on issues, not just what her persona appears to be.

  43. SMDH says:

    We don’t need another politically inexperienced celebrity. Whether it’s a reality star who induces eyerolls or a talk show host who induces feel goods (not in me, buy hey —to each their own.). You may not like comparing them but calling them what they —celebrities—doesn’t do that.

    The word inexperienced is the key.

    So Oprah’s ego has her considering politics? Ok start at a city or state level. Have some success. Leverage that. Rinse and repeat.

    Oprah is a big bunch of nope from me as POTUS at this time.

  44. marianne says:

    I like Oprah, but cant the US have a non celebrity be the President? Someone whos is actually in politics and knows what theyre doing?

  45. Vizia says:

    There was a funny clip on NPR yesterday, an interview with Trump during his 1999 run for the presidency. When asked who he’d pick for Veep, he said “Oprah”.

  46. Suki says:

    I love Oprah but don’t like the idea of celebrities becoming politicians. It could start a dangerous precedent where people vote based on who they like personally or find charismatic rather than whether or not they agree with their politics. So many people are so uninterested by politics anyway that it isn’t hard to see it turn into a Big Brother style popularity contest. Politicians don’t need to be likeable or popular – they need to get the job done.

  47. homeslice says:

    She didn’t start with her own national talk show, and she shouldn’t start with the office of the President. Start local Oprah if you are truly interested in serving. She is an inspirational woman, but we are going to need a very experienced leader to dig us out of the mess after DUMP. Oprah should use her influence like she did with Obama, but no, as a Dem I would not want her to run. Give me some Kamala Harris, Kristen Gillibrand or Warren…

  48. Irene says:

    She is no more qualified for the position than trump is, I don’t care how nice of a person she might be. Can we please stop promoting people like Oprah or The Rock or any other celebrities with zero political experience as possible future leaders of country?

    Now, if she wants to start small and get some actual political experience, prove she’s capable, and then run, that’s a different story. But until then, we need to look at people who are actually qualified for the job.

  49. HoustonGrl says:

    Yesss!!!!! So much yes. Some say she doesn’t have a background in politics but she built a media company from the ground up and by all accounts is very involved (anyway, what have our politicians done for us lately?). Literally everything she touches turns to gold. Best part is, she won’t cut aid programs for women/or to third world countries since she seems to really care about these issues. I’m all for it! Go Oprah! I want a BLACK WOMAN PRESIDENT. But please, don’t run as an independent, run as the democratic nominee.

  50. Shannon says:

    Good lord, nobody is comparing her to Trump other than the fact that they’re both celebrities lacking in political experience. I wouldn’t vote for her in the primaries but if she got the nomination, I’m not dumb enough *not* to vote for her at that point. But do I think someone can/should just walk into the WH with no experience, but they’re compassionate and kind and intelligent? No. And she is all of those things, but being president involves a lot more than giving good speeches I’m afraid. I’m compassionate and kind and intelligent and I promise you I wouldn’t make a very good president. It’s just not in my nature and don’t have the knowledge. Is it in her nature, does she have the knowledge? Idk. But I’d like to have a prior history in a lower level political office before I’d be comfortable having her as president. #SorryNotSorry if she did win and run, I’d definitely have an easier time of accepting it than Dotard, but it’s not my ideal.

  51. Nick says:

    No. God just no! First of all, yes you can compare Oprah to Trump because they are BOTH mega rich television host who’s only political experience is fringe at best. Not to mention their fans who are both fanatic in their devotion and have an insane ability to not only ignore the bad but find a way to justify it.
    Second, are we really calling for presidential candidates based on a single speech? Lots of people can make a good speech. Hell, Hitler was renowned for his ability for public speaking (and no, I’m not comparing Hitler to Oprah so let’s stop that nonsense now).
    And lastly, this is the woman that brought us Drs Phil and Oz. Uggggh
    We can do better than another celebrity as our leader. There are plenty of wonderful female politicians that could run in 2020.

    • Kitten says:

      You must be a guy.

      Female politicians, especially of the Blue persuasion, have been continuously and mercilessly dragged through the mud by the Right. Female Dem politicians are like catnip to the GOP and their band of merry misogynists.
      Riddle me this: what do Maxine, Kamala, Warren, Pelosi and Hillary all have in common?
      They are all smart women and savvy politicians who have been made perpetual targets by the GOP.
      They are red meat to Trump’s lion’s den of supporters.

      Again people– please stop being so short-sighted. We need a candidate who will WIN and that means getting non-voters, moderates, and even Republicans to come out and vote because liberals don’t like to trouble themselves by showing up at the voting booth.

      Sally the Soccer Mom who voted for Trump because she thought he’d be good for the economy would never vote for Pocahontas Warren because she’s a “sneak” but Sally never missed an episode of Oprah. Sally would vote for Oprah because she feels like she knows her from years of watching her on TV.
      Sally TRUSTS Oprah.

      We will lose in 2020 and not because we elected a celebrity to run, but because we refuse to see that there’s a large faction of the voting populous that doesn’t GAF if a presidential candidate is experienced.
      In fact, to them *political experience* = *caginess*. They don’t trust experienced politicians and that is exactly why they voted for Trump.

      Honestly, I will never, ever understand Democrats…but I guess that’s why I’m an Independent. Because you guys really just don’t want to win, do you?

      • Nick says:

        You know the saying about “assuming” right? I’m unapologetically female and an independent as well.

    • Skippy says:

      There is, at present, a crowded field of Democrat politicians planning on running in 2020. All quite pleasant folk who are doing their job of writing bills that never go to the floor to be voted on.
      What is needed is a very very strong candidate to run against Trump. Most of Trump’s base is very much intact, at this point in time.
      What is needed in 2020 is a powerhouse. Not another qualified,
      experienced politician. The crowded field is already full of lukewarm cadidates. Oprah is a powerhouse with a very big fan base already. She can win.

      • HoustonGrl says:

        exactly! America has already proven they don’t want an establishment candidate, no matter who it is.

      • Nick says:

        So we continue with the mentality of celebrity canonizing? That mentality needs to stop now. Just like someone pointed out below, I don’t want a pilot with no hours to fly me or a surgeon with a history degree operating on me. Why would I want someone completely unqualified running my country? That’s what’s happening right now and it’s working out sooooo well, isn’t it?
        This whole conversation is irritating AF.

      • HoustonGrl says:

        @ Nick, I’m saying this as someone who has worked in politics…establishment politicians may lack the expertise you are describing, for plenty of them have a BA with no prior policy experience, many of them are dumb as rocks. Just because they’ve legislated, which takes five minutes to learn and is mostly done by staff members, does not mean that they are experts in national security, immigration, economics etc. Being a good leader means putting good people around you and listening to them. And you must have a heart. I agree with you that canonization is unnecessary, but Obama was canonized as a junior senator, he had a very hard time passing legislation during his first term.

  52. Shark Bait says:

    Oprah is probably more effective being just Oprah TM. I don’t want to see her go through a smear campaign by the alt right. Shoot, they are already calling her a Weinstein apologist and pulling the whole she knew thing they did with Meryl. She has had plenty of missteps along the way that people use to drag her already.
    She is much more effective and helpful by being herself. Stop starting a campaign for everyone who makes an intelligent speech people (not you people, social media in general)!! I know trump has set the bar really low.

  53. Stella says:

    Maybe she ought to run for another public office first. Governor? Senate? After this last election, the idea of celebrity has put a lot of people off. The next national election is too important to mess around with.

  54. Bliss 51 says:

    Oh please no! She’s charismatic and gave a fine speech. She came from humble beginnings to wealth and riches. She’s famous. And? Does she know and understand law, education, the military, finance, economics, labor, trade, immigration, agriculture, commerce, the Constitution and Bill of Rights? How a bill is born, the passage to becoming law? Is she up for the scrutiny and working well with others, ie, those in Congress, other countries, within the US?

  55. Anastasia says:

    I don’t understand how this “appeal of the outsider” started in politics, but it’s silly and wrong-headed.

    I don’t want a surgeon who has no experience and only went to a month of medical school.

    I don’t want a pilot who goes into his interview saying, “You should hire me because I’m a TOTAL outsider! Just last week, I was a chef!”

    This all assumes that being a political leader, a servant to the people, is something ANYONE can do with NO experience whatsoever.

    So wrong. Let me give an example: Trump has ignored the state department and refused to make appointments to the point that it’s in shambles. He believes the state dept is unnecessary, because we have this big military might.

    But the military LOVES the state department! State often handles conflicts in such a way that the military DOESN’T have to get involved. And at no cost to life and very little financial cost, especially when compared to the military. Generals in all branches are quite alarmed that he is basically surpassing the state department.

    It makes NO sense, and he does this partially because HE DOESN’T KNOW ANY BETTER.

    He doesn’t know how the White House is run, he doesn’t understand the limitations of power placed on every branch, he doesn’t even understand the Constitution.

    You WANT someone with SOME experience in one of the three branches of government if for no other reason than they know how things work. If you know how things work, and one of those things is broken, THEN you can fix it. But if you don’t even know enough to know when a process doesn’t work well, you certainly can’t figure out how to fix it.

    No thanks to any other celebrity nominees, unless they ALSO have government leadership experience and a strong background in political science, history, SOMETHING of that nature.

    • jetlagged says:

      I get what you are saying, and in theory I agree with it. But here’s the problem, our political system has been so completely corrupted that no one will ever be able to succeed/survive long enough to gain that experience without selling their soul. The longer they are in the game, the more they have to compromise. A politician will often claim they are a public servant, but they very rarely are. Mostly they serve their party, their financial backers, special interests and their own ambitions. Occasionally, they may set aside their own interest for the good of their constituents, but it doesn’t happen very often and the system usually punishes them for it.

      A good/smart politician realizes there is no way they can possibly know everything, and they surround themselves with dedicated public servants who do.

  56. LInny says:

    So basically trading a businessmen/tv-host without political experience, for another businesswoman/tv-host without political experience? You actually think that is a good idea?

    • Ankhel says:

      Yes. A lot of otherwise sensible americans here would like to elect Oprah to the highest political office there is, because she seems nice, she’s popular and used to be on tv. Not even Trump was enough to make people take their state and its leadership seriously. What can you say? This is, IMO, the end for the US as a great nation, in real time. So scary.

  57. Otaku fairy says:

    I get why some are saying “Not another celeb! Where’s her experience?!” But if Oprah does end up running (she probably won’t though) against any Republican towing the GOP party line, I will definitely vote for her, political experience be damned. Anything to keep the MAGA crowd out of office. #SorryNotSorry. It’s not like she can’t surround herself with experienced and knowledgeable people. We don’t need anything like a Trump, Pence, Romney, Santorum, etc.

  58. Lori says:

    If she ran for gov or senate or something first, got some experience, while a pro politician started fixing Trumps mess- Oprah could be an amazing president.

  59. U.S and them says:

    I’d have to see her policies before deciding on whether or to support her. But I wouldn”t rule her out for being a celebrity.

  60. themumy says:

    No. Just no.

  61. adastraperaspera says:

    What an amazing, lovely, inspiring, beautifully delivered speech. I can never thank Oprah enough for so many things, but especially for her show in 1986 when she told viewers that she had been sexually abused as a child. This changed my life, because it helped my mother begin to come to terms with her own childhood sexual abuse. Oprah was the catalyst. She gave my mother the courage to speak. Leaders share vision. Leaders heal. Leaders communicate hope in the future. Oprah has been more of a leader in this country than many.

  62. Hollz says:

    I don’t think Oprah should be president.

    That being said, I vote we get rid of the presidency and all of its bullshit and make her QUEEN.

    (I’m kidding. I know you American’s love your fake democracy.)

    • U.S and them says:

      Yes it is a fake democracy yet we all still get caught up in it as if it’still real. Why is that?

  63. Sparkly says:

    I didn’t say anything in the first post because I thought, “If you can’t say anything nice…”, but I guess I’m one of the few people around who can’t stand Oprah. I’m disturbed that this has become such a big thing. I liked her speech, but I don’t see that as a reason to hand her our country. We need an actual competent politician to come in after Trump and hopefully fix the mess he’s created. If Trump has taught us anything, it should be that celebrities have no business as POTUS.

  64. Jussie says:

    People who are suggesting she’d be ok because she could surround herself with experts, look at the kind of people she’s actually surrounded herself with throughout her life. Quacks and frauds and snake oil salesmen. She could have highlighted and befriended brilliant therapists and doctors and shown off products that would actually be of use to people on her shows, but instead she gave a voice and platform to idiots, con artists, anti-science loons and scam products.

    What exactly makes people think she’d suddenly make better choices as POTUS? At the time she’d always say her show was the most important thing in the world to her, and look at the choices she made there.

  65. 42istheanswer says:

    This whole conversation would be light-hearted if the US did not have the means to decimate most of the world’s population with its nuclear arsenal. As it is, it is disheartening.

    Ms. Winfrey has zero political experience and has not, as far as I am aware, demonstrated any particular knowledge in this field. I have seen, here and there on this very forum, people arguing that she is intelligent and will therefore read up on the topics a presidential hopeful is required to be well-versed in, little things that can be easily and quickly absorbed like constitutional law, economic theory, international affairs and so on.
    I truly do not wish to sound dismissive but this very point (“she will read up on it, she is a smart cookie”) was the one used by the McCain campaign about Sarah Palin, to any sensible person’s amusement and horror ! If you thought the argument was unconvincing in 2008, it should not reassure you ten years later.

    Furthermore, what is Oprah’s tax policy ? What economic school of thought does she subscribe to ? What is her stance on gun control ? On the war on drugs ? On abortion ? On criminal justice ? On welfare ? Where does she stand on the Middle East ? Iraq ? Is she an interventionist or an isolationist ?

  66. Ozogirl says:

    I respect Oprah, but I don’t want her as my president seeing that she has no political experience. We already have one like that in office and we don’t need another.