Oprah Winfrey is a force of nature. The self-made media mogul represents a trie American success stories. With an empire that spans print magazines, a retired but still wildly popular television show, and her own television channel, Winfrey has left an indelible print on our culture that few, if any, will be able to replicate. Rarely has a celebrity have ever been so beloved across our culture.
People love her so much that her name has been floated as a possible Democratic presidential candidate for the 2020 election. An op-ed published by the New York Post calls her the "Democrat's best hope," writing that "she’s uniquely positioned, should she wish to commit herself, to seek the Democratic nomination for president and challenge Trump in 2020."
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On Twitter, Oprah cheekily teased a maybe-possible-"Is she running?" moment. She retweeted the article, adding in the comment "thanks for your VOTE of confidence!" Yes Oprah, we are confident that you would do wonders over the current administration — admittedly, a bar set quite low.
@jpodhoretz Thanks for your VOTE of confidence!Democrats’ best hope for 2020: Oprah | New York Post https://t.co/tvt82v8cMH
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) September 28, 2017
It's not completely inconceivable: Donald Trump was elected by touting himself as successful in business. Oprah is similarly successful in business, but her acumen doesn't come from a family inheritance: she dealt with sexual abuse and poverty as a child. Winfrey has long been associated with the Democratic party, both as a donor and as a surrogate, most notably for President Obama's first campaign in 2008. Her endorsement of Obama is estimated to have driven one million votes to his campaign.
That said, Trump also won on having a message. It's a message about keeping immigrants out of America, discriminating against transgender soldiers, and recklessly putting us in danger of nuclear war. Oprah would need a cohesive, hopeful message to counteract 45's. The Post makes this point most succinctly as it advocates for her: "She can’t just be the anti-Trump. She would have to find a transcendent message of her own that rose above Democratic constituent service and spoke to the right people in the right states to take the fight to Trump’s underbelly."
Will she or won't she? She didn't say yes and she didn't say no. In the meanwhile, we'll be awaiting both the 2020 election and her new film A Wrinkle in Time.
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