As Democrats nationwide encourage Oprah Winfrey to seek the presidency in 2020, those closest to the media mogul are sending mixed messages about her political intentions.
Her best friend, CBS News host Gayle King, said Tuesday that Winfrey is sa国际传媒渋ntriguedsa国际传媒� by the idea of a White House bid.
sa国际传媒淪he loves this country and would like to be of service in some way, but I donsa国际传媒檛 think shesa国际传媒檚 actively considering it at this time,sa国际传媒� King said, noting that she spoke to Winfrey at length the night before. sa国际传媒淚 also know that after years of watching the Oprah show, you always have the right to change your mind.sa国际传媒�
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On Monday, Winfreysa国际传媒檚 longtime partner, Stedman Graham, told the Los Angeles Times that sa国际传媒渋tsa国际传媒檚 up to the peoplesa国际传媒� whether she will be president, adding, sa国际传媒淪he would absolutely do it.sa国际传媒�
The presidential buzz follows Winfreysa国际传媒檚 impassioned call for sa国际传媒渁 brighter morning even in our darkest nightssa国际传媒� at the Golden Globes on Sunday night in a speech that left some viewers contemplating the idea of the Democratic Party embracing a celebrity candidate of its own to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. Trump, of course, was little more than a businessman-turned-reality-television-star before his extraordinary political rise.
Trump, who has lauded Winfrey as worthy of the vice presidency, dismissed her Tuesday as a threat, albeit cordially.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檒l beat Oprah. Oprah would be a lot of fun. I know her very well,sa国际传媒� Trump said at the White House as he met with lawmakers to discuss immigration. sa国际传媒淚 like Oprah. I donsa国际传媒檛 think shesa国际传媒檚 going to run.sa国际传媒�
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., noted that Winfrey, like Trump, lacks any kind of governing experience.
sa国际传媒淚 think one of the arguments for Oprah is 45,sa国际传媒� Pelosi said, referring to Trump in shorthand for the 45th president. sa国际传媒淚 think one of the arguments against Oprah is 45.sa国际传媒�
Even so, for Democrats in early voting states, and perhaps for a public that largely disapproves of Trumpsa国际传媒檚 job performance, the notion of a popular media figure as a presidential candidate is not as strange as it once seemed.
sa国际传媒淟ook, itsa国际传媒檚 ridiculous sa国际传媒� and I get that,sa国际传媒� said Brad Anderson, Barack Obamasa国际传媒檚 2012 Iowa campaign director, who supports the idea of Winfrey running. sa国际传媒淎t the same time, politics is ridiculous right now.sa国际传媒�
Winfreysa国际传媒檚 speech as she accepted the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award touched on her humble upbringing and childhood wonder in civil rights heroes.
But it was her exhortation of the legions of women who have called out sexual harassers sa国际传媒� and her dream of a day sa国际传媒渨hen nobody has to say sa国际传媒榤e toosa国际传媒� againsa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� that got some influential political operatives thinking Winfrey might be just what the Democrats need. Her appeal extended well beyond her celebrity, some said, citing her compassion, kindness and devotion to helping others as a badly needed change after Trump.
Even Trumpsa国际传媒檚 daughter Ivanka endorsed Oprahsa国际传媒檚 message, if not a political future, in a tweet Monday. sa国际传媒淛ust saw @Oprahsa国际传媒檚 empowering and inspiring speech at last nightsa国际传媒檚 #GoldenGlobes. Letsa国际传媒檚 all come together, women & men, & say #TIMESUP! #UNITED.sa国际传媒�
Trumpsa国际传媒檚 job approval rating sat at just 32 per cent in December, according to an Associated Press-NORC poll. And though polls show his approval up slightly since, Trump is the least popular first-year president on record. He has also been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct, though he has vehemently denied the allegations.
Winfrey, in September and October, publicly dismissed the notion of seeking the nationsa国际传媒檚 highest office, though she noted that Trumpsa国际传媒檚 victory made her rethink the requirements of the office.
The 64-year-old media mogul has become a cultural phenomenon over the past 30-plus years, born into a poor home in Mississippi but breaking through as a television news and talk show personality in the 1980s. Over 30 years, she became the face of television talk shows, starred and produced feature films, and began her own network.
Thomas Beaumont And Steve Peoples, The Associated Press
