While rumours have been swirling that Democrats have been trying to enlist Oprah Winfrey to mount a presidential bid, are they true?
The wheels got rolling in a column in the New York Post that described the beloved former talk show queen as “the Democrats’ best hope for 2020,” commenting on her performance while handling a heated political debate between Michigan voters during the season premiere of “60 Minutes”.
“Listening, asking, speaking without judgment, trying to find common ground — it was a superb performance by Oprah, and I use the word ‘performance’ advisedly,” wrote columnist John Podhoretz. “She was dazzling in exactly the way that Oprah could always be dazzling, finding a tone appropriate for the moment without being heavy-handed.”
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Oprah seemingly confirmed she was ready to throw her hat in the ring when she sent Podhoretz a shout-out on Twitter, linking to his column while writing, “Thanks for your VOTE of confidence!”
However, a rep for Winfrey insists the tweet was simply a note of thanks and not a declaration of her presidential ambitions.
“She was just thanking the reporter, she is not running for office,” a publicist for Winfrey told The Wrap on Friday.
However, The Wrap also listed some poll numbers indicating that, in an Oprah-vs.-Donald face-off, Winfrey would likely win, with 47 per cent of respondents saying they’d cast a vote for Winfrey while only 40 per cent said they would vote for Trump.
The Wrap also spoke with Jack Pitney, professor of government at California’s Claremont McKenna College, who admitted the notion of Winfrey being elected is not that far-fetched. “Two years ago I would have laughed and said this is ridiculous,” he said. “But now we have a reality show celebrity in the White House, why not? Oprah Winfrey is a billionaire, too. As I understand the difference, she actually earned it.”
