Anybody who has heard Oprah Winfrey discuss Barack Obama with stars in her eyes and a crazy glazed over smile for the past year won’t be surprised to hear that last week, she offered her first-ever political endorsement of her entire life — for the fellow African-American Senator from Illinois.
It’s usually pretty easy to quantify what Oprah Winfrey’s stamp of approval can mean: her book club catapults titles to the top of best-seller lists, and her nods at other products send consumers racing to buy them. But does her magic touch extend to the realm of presidential politics?
Last week, for the first time, Ms. Winfrey endorsed a political candidate, Senator Barack Obama, Democrat from Illinois. In an interview on “Larry King Live” on CNN, she said she was backing the senator “because I know him personally.”
“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,” Ms. Winfrey told Mr. King on Tuesday.
Having the endorsement of O! will probably mean more than the endorsement of 50 Representatives and Senators in the Democratic race. There’s just one thing I’d like to know: why did Obama tell Oprah what he stands for, when he still hasn’t told the rest of the country?
May 7th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
I thought Obama stood for truth, justice, and the American Way.
May 7th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
This is unfortunate. Thousands of dopey women will no doubt swallow everything Oprah tells them, and flock to Obama, if they haven’t already.
May 7th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Your last sentence had me laughing loudly HeavyM. Obama hardly has any substance, but his already billowing popularity will certain be enhanced by this endorsement. It doesn’t come as a surprise to me at all.
May 7th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
wow, what a shocker!
May 7th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
What’s the bet that Dick Morris will now come out within the next week and claim that all those unregistered women who were going to give Hillary! a historic win are now going to vote for Obama! because he has the Oprah! stamp of approval
May 7th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Here is a radical idea.
Why dont you go over to Obama’s site and spend some time checking it out?
You could charge your time to the oppo research budget.
You might find that there is at least as much substance there as any of your guys.
But of course that might make the spin a bit more complicated, eh?
Take Iraq and foreign policy for instance. Obama introduced a bill in Congress that dealt with issues of timetables, withdrawl schedules, the need to continue fighting the al-Q elements in Anbar, the need for continuing training, and how these various factors can be balanced.
On broader foreign policy issues, he delivered a long substantive speech at the Chicago Foreign Policy Assoc. that was well reviewed, including by the Republican commentator, brother of the guy who came up with the “surge” strategy.
The speech is on the website for your enjoyment.
I think Obama has already dealt with some major issues in far more detail and substance than your guys have, who only give us platitutdes and emotional appeals.
I think y’all are behind the curve a bit. Its time to move from the “he says nothing” stage, to the “he says nothing but everything he says is extreme and dangerous” stage. It would mesh well with the emerging “he stands for nothing, he is an extremist liberal” meme.
Spin is hard work guys, you cant just mail it in.
May 7th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Tano, let’s review his choice of issues on which to campaign and his positions on those issues:
Strengthening America Overseas. First, surrender in Iraq. Then, resume Rumsfeld’s military transformation process. Third, we will once again put our security in the hands of the UN in regard to WMDs, the same UN that allowed Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Iran, and basically any tinpot dictator in the world to start a WMD program. Fourth, renew our alliances with allies who have never been allies in anything more but name. Fifth, ramp up development aid, bribery, and basically keep pouring money down the toilet that is known as the developing world, hoping they won’t come after us. We can also strengthen our security by begging Russia to stop selling arms to such dictators, knowing that Putin will laugh at us. Other priorities: avian flu, burning more money at the UN in Congo and Darfur, and involvement war crimes judgment in Sierra Leone. After all, Iraq never posed an imminent danger to the US, but Congo, Sudan, and Sierra Leone are imminent threats.
Iraq. The plan is to surrender as subtly as possible.
Healthcare. Basically, reinstitute HMOs and then somehow mandate universal healthcare coverage without a plan to pay for it. Throw in the usual buzzwords of efficiency, IT, price controls on drugs but loosen regulations on biotechs so that they can have the privilege of selling price-controlled drugs to the government, and arbitrarily focus on lead poisoning, mercury pollution, and ovarian cancer.
Energy and the Environment. Ethanol and biofuels! And we have to pass various regulations without regard to the devastation they would wreak on our economy, because it would make us look good in the world. Remember, nothing reduces greenhouse gasses like a recession.
Improving Our Schools. Essentially, we need to pay teachers more and make more loans to students.
Protecting Our Homeland. Protect chemical plants against terrorists by tightening environmental regulation, tighten regulations on dumping of depleted uranium, more disaster relief funding, and protecting our drinking water.
Immigration and the Border. Secure the borders, but grant amnesty to those already here, and throw open the border with Mexico so we won’t have to call those crossing over “illegals” anymore.
Protecting the Right to Vote. Finally, the race card!
Honoring Our Veterans. More money for healthcare (but let’s not forget, we won’t have wounded soldiers in an Obama Presidency, because we won’t make our soldiers actually fight anyone).
Cleaning Up Washington. Promote open government by voting against reform bill (pure genius), lobbyist reform, and increasing Katrina demagoguery.
Strengthening Families and Communities. Crack down on deadbead dads, transfer wealth to the working poor, and eliminate mortgage fraud. No, really–mortgage fraud.
Reconciling Faith and Politics. We can’t discuss faith in public debate, we should talk more about universal values. Probably a good idea, as I don’t think the general electorate will embrace his Black Value System.
You’re right, he does have a well developed platform: an ultra left-wing platform.
May 7th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
This endorsement counts for a lot. Obama has the wind at his back, and its hard to see why. Is it his year?
May 7th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
JF,
First off, I am glad you accept my point. Obama has a substantive set of positions, at least as detailed as anything that your guys have. Will you join in and argue against the “no substance” spin whenever it arises?
“Strengthening America Overseas. First, surrender in Iraq.”
Do you not understand how any normal person would simply stop right there – given that you clearly are just spouting nonsense rhetoric?
Just a little hint to help you build up your powers of persuasion.
I dont have the time here to go through all your points; perhaps we can discuss them one by one over time, but not if your idea of discussion is to simply haul out all this absurd nonsense spin on each issue.