We know Oprah has endorsed Obama, but will she now stump for him?

[vickitulsa]

And what sort of difference will it make if she does?

I've been thinking about this after hearing "the latest" on this topic last night, just after watching the replay of Larry King's evening show where Dr. Jan Addams walked off and caused a rather strange program to develop.

When Larry King's show wrapped up, John King, filling in for Anderson Cooper on the late-night portion of his "360" program, interviewed Larry about the Jan Addams incident (while Larry was still scratching his head about that "first" on his show).

Then right after that, John King had on for a very brief "breaking news" segment a female reporter (sorry I didn't note who it was) who was there to say that Oprah is going to make some appearances on the campaign trail with or for Obama. I believe that's how she phrased it.

I searched CNN.com today and could not find any repeat of this bit of news, but here's what I remember from last night.

The reporter said that she had learned from an unnamed source among either Oprah's people or Obama's that indeed the talk-show star whom most folks recognize as "a" if not "the" leading influential woman in the U.S. today had committed to, in effect, stump for her friend and senator, Barrack Obama, during his campaign for president.

I thought this was pretty big news, even though we already knew she had endorsed him. John King questioned the lady reporter a bit further on it, but she couldn't offer much more detail on the story. She did say that Obama's camp wasn't too happy that she'd learned this much because they were not sure themselves just what or how much Oprah would be doing yet.

Still seems like an item worth thinking about to me.

An endorsement is one thing, and pretty powerful considering Oprah has never before endorsed a presidential candidate (or any other politician that I've heard of). But if she really gets on the stump for Obama, I would think she could bring a sizable number of those who respect her opinions to seriously consider voting for the man she supports.

I read a few articles, including two in the NYT Politics section -- one in May and the other in September this year -- about Oprah's fundraiser for Obama she held at her home and her formal endorsement of him, wherein questions about a possible "backlash" were posed by the writers. But I don't really see why anyone would be viewing her endorsement in those terms.

Any thoughts on all this, DUers?

[Bitwit1234]

1. She has a right BUT who in the hell cares.

[blogslut]

9. zzzz

You again?

[durrrty libby]

10. Are people supposed to care that you are snoring? Do tell

[blogslut]

11. Nobody asked you to care

I'm just tired of a certain someone who has only bad things to say and never seems to have good things to say.

[durrrty libby]

13. Ok so it is just a personal attack

[blogslut]

15. You take it however you want

I feel no shame for pointing out the obvious.

[durrrty libby]

2. I was shocked to learn that so many DUers dislike her

[vickitulsa]

4. Guess I may be in for a similar shock.

I had no idea DUers didn't like Oprah. I'm not her biggest fan, I guess, but I do respect her and certainly give her a lot of credit for what she's made of her life. I would have thought folks here would consider her fairly "progressive" and more of a good influence on our culture than a bad one.

Seems to me Obama could do worse than accept her help in his campaign if she's willing to play a part.

Frankly, I can't think of any really negative comments about her that I've heard from anyone -- ever.

Well, until that first response to this thread.

???

[durrrty libby]

5. Pre her Obama support, someone posted about one of her shows

and it turned into a huge Oprah bash fest.

I was very surprised

[vickitulsa]

8. Ah, well, if I see them coming, I avoid the DU bash fests.

In general, and specifically!

Not one of the more endearing aspects of this place, for sure, much as I love coming here.

I wasn't here for the last primary season, and I find I'm kind of stunned to see what's been going on here lately. I notice I'm tending to avoid many "candidate threads," reading other stuff instead -- or at least seeking out the more positive and rational discussions of candidates and issues.

The minute I see I'm into a thread where bashing a Dem candidate is going on, I just move on.

Sheesh ... doesn't negativity and rude behavior abound in enough places in this country without getting buried in it here, too?....

*Sigh*

[xchrom]

3. well she is in the first two states of the primary.

that much has been stated.

more? -- i don't know.

[journalist3072]

6. I have a more important question: does she even know WHY she supports him?

I've never heard her say WHY she supports Obama. I've never heard her say these are the policy positions that he holds, that she supports.

She's just been pimping for him, but without any real reason behind it.

[vickitulsa]

7. Here is what she said, according to one NYT article:

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/oprah-endorses-obama-2/

“Because I know him personally,” Ms. Winfrey replied. “I think that what he stands for, what he has proven that he can stand for, what he has shown was worth me going out on a limb for – and I haven’t done it in the past because I haven’t felt that anybody, I didn’t know anybody well enough to be able to say, I believe in this person.”

“Is there a side of you, the woman side, that would lead toward a Hillary?” Mr. King inquired.

“Well,” Ms. Winfrey said, “I have great respect for Hillary Clinton. I think I’ve said this before and it’s true: Because I am for Barack does not mean I am against Hillary or anybody else.

“So the fact that I would endorse Barack Obama and the fact that I would support Barack Obama,” Ms. Winfrey added, “I have not one negative thing to say about Hillary Clinton.”


I threw in the last three paragraphs just to add that info, which I thought was kind of interesting. But apparently, and according to something else I read but can't remember which article it was, she also considers him to be a very good senator. He has been "her" senator for some time now and she may have good reasons, beyond those she's given out already, for liking him and thinking he'd be a good president.

I figure if she stumps for him, we'll be hearing a lot more detail about why she believes in him.

I'm not "endorsing her endorsement" here, but it seems to me that knowing someone personally pretty well, and knowing what kind of person he is, not just going by what we read or what a candidate claims he believes or will do, isn't exactly a BAD way to make a candidate choice. ?

[journalist3072]

18. That quote from her, tells me absolutely NOTHING about Barack Obama

"I think that what he stands for...."

The problem is, she doesn't go on to elaborate and tell us exactly WHAT he stands for.

[vickitulsa]

21. I know, I know! I'd like to hear more, too.

Like I said, surely she'll provide more if she really does do some speaking for him in the weeks or months to come.

Man, I just didn't expect this sort of reaction, so I'm kind of at a loss how to react here.

Reminds me why I almost never begin threads at DU ... they rarely end up covering what I had in mind in the first place! :argh:

Probably my choices of wording or something. I used to be better at this stuff, but I think I'm losing my touch.


All I had really hoped for was a calm discussion of just how much effect it might have on Obama's campaign if Oprah, with her huge following, weighed in in a big way to support him and urge others to do the same.

While I certainly understand that not everyone, by any means, thinks Oprah is grand -- or smart, or whatever -- still we all know she is listened to and taken very seriously by an awful lot of folks out there. As some commenters on the NYT articles noted, when Oprah says, "Read this book," people buy and read that book; and when she says, "This person is great!", many people believe her.

On one rather (in)famous occasion, she even showed her approval of one guest and recommended his book, then later learned he was a fraud; and when she advised her viewers that her first assessment had been mistaken, they paid attention to that, too.

That's some pretty notable influence, imo.

Sooo... whether you or I may think she has a clear claim to political savvy or not, we should recognize that huge numbers of people will most likely respect her opinion on this as on almost any other issue -- and react accordingly. THAT's really all I was hoping to discuss.

Bungled this one, I did.

[earth mom]

12. I like Oprah, but she's wrong on Obama.

For the longest time, I wanted Oprah to run for Prez. But I'm not thrilled that she's turned all political by endorsing Obama and helping him raise a lot of money.

IMO, he's a DINO and no different than Hillary.

[Whisp]

14. just a bit picky here... a 'female' reporter.

aren't reporters all..... reporters?
I don't often hear so much about 'male' reporters...

[vickitulsa]

19. Sorry 'bout that!

:blush:

Actually, I wasn't comfortable, really, putting it the way I did, but my thinking was that maybe if I mentioned it was a "she" who gave the report, someone else who might have caught it might also know who she was and would tell us.

I really hate it when I can't give the name of someone I'm mentioning like that ... just feels wrong somehow.

Still, it was dumb of me to do it like I did. Will try harder to avoid such a faux paux in the future!

[Whisp]

20. that's so nice of you to say...

I understand now what you really meant.
Just that so many others that don't understand would never have responded in the way you did to my post. I was expecting flares and evil feminazi talk. heh.

hugs to you.

[vickitulsa]

22. Thanks, and

hugs back. :)

Can't believe how many wrong things I did from the git-go on this thread. Learned my lesson!

[Whisp]

23. those dang lessons... heh.

I get them those things all the time! and not ashamed to admit.
triple hugs back.

[marmar]

16. I see the Quick Response Attack Obama Squad has found this post....

I suspect she will stump for him, as will George Clooney, Matt Damon etc. .... I'm not an Obama supporter, but more power to all of them for getting involved.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

17. Celebrity culture

Seems we are looking for saviors endorsed by superstars. I'm not so sure any of these people are in touch with the little guy.

What's Oprah's background in geopolitical theory?

[vickitulsa]

24. Agree completely about celebs and saviors.

One of the most pathetic commentaries on our American culture, imo.

Seems like way too many among us just stand in line to worship the wrong people, seek the wrong answers, trying to find a "hero" who can fix everything in one fell swoop.

I don't know if Oprah has any background in geopolitical theory, but I seriously doubt it. Probably wouldn't matter to MOST voters one way or the other, sadly.

I didn't word my OP well, obviously; but what I was really wondering, and hoping to discuss in this thread, was simply what sort of effect it would have on Obama's candidacy if she did work hard to get him elected.

I think I should have just passed on this one! :blush: