And a third asset in the nominating contest could well be her identity as an African-American woman. Another is the unique combination of being a familiar, reassuring figure and a “fresh face” when it comes to electoral politics, particularly if her Democratic rivals wind up including such warhorses as Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. One is a field potentially as large and as diffuse as the one Donald Trump divided and conquered in 2016.
Oprah’s assets as a national candidate are real and tangible: 100 percent name ID enormous personal wealth and even more enormously wealthy connections a personality with an appeal that reaches well into the ranks of voters who might otherwise be likely to sit out elections and priceless communications skills honed over 4,561 episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show and countless additional on-camera appearances.Īs a putative 2020 Democratic candidate, Winfrey has several other advantages. It is by no means clear some other celebrity can do the same, despite continuing public hostility to the political Establishment. He merely exploited fault lines in the existing political system and won over relatively weak and divided intraparty and interparty opposition with a persona and message that galvanized a distinct following that was central to the GOP base and underestimated as part of the general electorate. People on political soap operas like the hit show Scandal may suddenly be vaulted to national presidential tickets without the inconvenience of actual campaigns or controversy, but Trump has by no means abolished normal politics. And so while it’s worth taking the idea seriously, it should not be taken literally as the Oprah America knows and loves suddenly appearing on a presidential ballot opposite Trump. And the ongoing spectacle of President Donald Trump demonstrates that anything is indeed possible in contemporary politics.Īn actual Winfrey presidential run would quickly become something quite different from the fantasy projection it represents right now. The 2020 elections are far enough away that anything seems possible. The buzz for a possible 2020 presidential candidacy by veteran talk-show host, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and all-around do-gooder Oprah Winfrey that began with her well-wrought Golden Globes speech occurred at the perfect time for “Why not?” speculation. Yes, this could become real, but at some point “Oprah” will likely become someone different and more politically vulnerable.
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