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 鈥渋ntrigued鈥� by the idea of a White House bid.
鈥淪he loves this country and would like to be of service in some way, but I don鈥檛 think she鈥檚 actively considering it at this time,鈥� King said, noting that she spoke to Winfrey at length the night before. 鈥淚 also know that after years of watching the Oprah show, you always have the right to change your mind.鈥�
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On Monday, Winfrey鈥檚 longtime partner, Stedman Graham, told the Los Angeles Times that 鈥渋t鈥檚 up to the people鈥� whether she will be president, adding, 鈥淪he would absolutely do it.鈥�
The presidential buzz follows Winfrey鈥檚 impassioned call for 鈥渁 brighter morning even in our darkest nights鈥� 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.
鈥淚鈥檒l beat Oprah. Oprah would be a lot of fun. I know her very well,鈥� Trump said at the White House as he met with lawmakers to discuss immigration. 鈥淚 like Oprah. I don鈥檛 think she鈥檚 going to run.鈥�
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., noted that Winfrey, like Trump, lacks any kind of governing experience.
鈥淚 think one of the arguments for Oprah is 45,鈥� Pelosi said, referring to Trump in shorthand for the 45th president. 鈥淚 think one of the arguments against Oprah is 45.鈥�
Even so, for Democrats in early voting states, and perhaps for a public that largely disapproves of Trump鈥檚 job performance, the notion of a popular media figure as a presidential candidate is not as strange as it once seemed.
鈥淟ook, it鈥檚 ridiculous 鈥� and I get that,鈥� said Brad Anderson, Barack Obama鈥檚 2012 Iowa campaign director, who supports the idea of Winfrey running. 鈥淎t the same time, politics is ridiculous right now.鈥�
Winfrey鈥檚 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 鈥� and her dream of a day 鈥渨hen nobody has to say 鈥榤e too鈥� again鈥� 鈥� 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 Trump鈥檚 daughter Ivanka endorsed Oprah鈥檚 message, if not a political future, in a tweet Monday. 鈥淛ust saw @Oprah鈥檚 empowering and inspiring speech at last night鈥檚 #GoldenGlobes. Let鈥檚 all come together, women & men, & say #TIMESUP! #UNITED.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 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 nation鈥檚 highest office, though she noted that Trump鈥檚 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
