A few comments about Oprah and Obama.
So yes, expect loud, rousing rallies in all three early voting states when Oprah Winfrey comes to town with her friend Barack Obama in early December, with gobs of media attention, raucous crowds, emotion and great pictures. But don’t expect those events to do anything productive to allow Obama to get over the biggest hurdle standing between him and the White House. American voters are not looking for a celebrity or talk show sidekick to lead them. Obama is an intelligent and thoughtful potential President, but Winfrey’s imprimatur is unlikely to convey those traits to many undecided voters.
In that respect, Winfrey’s events might even be — dare it be said — counterproductive.[1]
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This Oprah-palooza is a big test for her famous power to bring in women, particularly white women. White women are, of course, the basis of her great success.
She is also, obviously, a black woman and she is also trying to pry black votes from Hillary Clinton. So she is telling her female audience don’t buy that solidarity thing and vote for a woman — Hillary — but telling black people do buy the solidarity thing and vote for the black man.
It’s tricky, but I predict she’ll get away with it [2]
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“I’m not lying, I came here to see Oprah. I know nothing about him,” said Sandy Beasley, 43, of Amherst. “Everybody wants to see Oprah.” [3]
And check out this video. CNN has a report of a poll that Oprah could have a negative effect.
So my question: has Oprah helped or hurt Obama? Or, has she had no effect?
Inquiring minds want to know 😉
Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Interestingly enough, I was talking to one of my sisters yesterday (a non-political) and she said something very similar. She said she thought Oprah was supporting Obama, not because he’s the most qualified, but because he’s black. And she felt that was a bad strategy on Oprah’s part.
I think way too many people have that view toward Oprah supporting Obama, and I think it’s narrow-minded. Never mind that she may think he is the best choice for the job. Never mind that they are both from Illnois and he is her Senator. No way! He’s a darkie, she’s a darkie, and that’s why she supports him, they’re both darkies! Do people who hold that view also hold the view that any woman who supports Hillary Clinton does so solely because both have vaginas? How many Latin@s support Bill Richardson and why?
It certainly has been suggested that is the case.
As for Richardson ~ well, there are a whole lot of folks that don’t know he’s Hispanic.
Bill Richardson is Hispanic? Joking!
I have enjoyed the comments to far. I did read an article about her endorsement and it was really interesting b/c it said that where Oprah goes so does Middle America. She is like Walter Cronkite like that. To me her endorsement of Obama says she is against the war more than anything. She could have picked any Dem Candidate and she picked him. I don’t think it is because they are both black and I can’t believe some people do…like someone else said…probably the same people who also say America isn’t “ready” for a black president (or a woman for that matter).
Well, “Richardson” is hardly an “Hispanic” surname, is it?
As for Oprah’s support for Obama, I cannot understand why ANYONE would support him. He has the least experience of any candidate in the field. Clinton, at least, has a whole term in the Senate under her belt, but even that has been uneventful.
Tell me, why are the three leading Democratic candidates the three with the LEAST experience?
I think the people who are mad at Oprah for endorsing Obama probably are mad at Obama for running. Oprah’s endorsement may hurt Oprah, but it will definitely help Obama. Just the fact that she’s getting 29,000 people into one place to hear his message is HUGE! And in early primary states!?! Has any candidate ever attracted crowds like that before receiving a party’s nomination? I realize that big crowds won’t necessarily convert into votes, but they give Senator Obama the opportunity to give those people his best pitch. Oprah may not be able to hand Obama the nomination, but she gives him a great opportunity to be able earn it.
Oprah should be a non-issue! Celebrity endorsement is worth nothing. Hillary has Barbra! So what. These are not people who know anything about government. They will unfortunately turn a few heads but if people are swayed by the celebrity endorsement, they should not be allowed to vote. They are nincompoops!
RWD
I think that, ultimately, the endorsement will hurt Obama. I know several people, and I very much doubt that they are alone, who feel that accepting this endorsement is proof of his lack of confidence in his ability to get the votes himself and also is a tribute to commercialism – something they don’t want to see sitting in the oval office. That said, it SHOULD mean nothing at all. We should not base our presidential hopefuls on the strength of their campaigns but on the strength of their platforms. Admittedly, since Jackson became president over Clay that long, long time ago popular campaigning has been the way and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
This has to be one of the more ridiculous things I’ve read in a while.
Oprah helps obama! Especially in Iowa and S.C. Iowa has some of the highest ratings of her show in the country!! And since 75% of her audience is women (my bet is its higher in Iowa) and women is who Obama is trying to shift, AND oprah brought him the largest political crowd in thats states history, there is no doubt she helped him there.
In S.C where his lead has been non-existent until recently and where his lead among blacks has been tepid, her support definitely helps. 66% of the people who went to that event there had never, and probably would have never, gotten in contact with his campaign. Plus all of the free media attention and Lady O’s high favorability i think will translate into ENOUGH votes.
And her support of him was in all likelyhood not racially motivated at all. Oprah probably because she know him better, because he has stricken a cord in her (like in many other people), and the man talks about her favorite side dish of life, HOPE!!
Oprah selling Obama might be a wash. While it might bring in some women and others who may have been paying little attention up until now, I suspect it will also activate racist memes among a lot of whites – successful black woman pushing a successful black politician onto the country – that might have remained dormant without Oprah, or if not dormant, quiescent. And while women may dig Oprah, I doubt she’s the most popular public figure for men. Then possibly you’ll get men thinking, on some level, that if Obama is so great why’s he need a dame standing up for him – can’t he stand up for himself, maybe he’s not a real man like us… The power of her celebrity may well diminish him, like a candle next to a spotlight. All in all, I’m really inclined to think she’ll be a wash, no gain, no loss.
Why is it so ridiculous MB, because you feel you have the answers to everything and don’t have the competence to understand a different point of view.
It’s ridiculous, rlewis, for the same reason that your pronouncements on what the black community ought to do are ridiculous – not only is it completely uninformed, it’s completely insincere.
MB,
I would love to agree with your statements, however, how can I be so uninformed if you fail to give me any solutions to what I think the black community ought to do. Just agreeing that there is a problem is being neive and you my friend are the one that is uninformed.
How about “it’s ridiculous because every candidate accepts endorsements, especially from highly esteemed, popular people with unblemished reputations.” Accepting endorsements doesn’t indicate weakness. It indicates being a political candidate.
Most endorsements do little to sway votes, but I expect Oprah’s endorsement will be different because of the type of celebrity that she is. She is not famous as an actress in a role. She is not revered for her athletic ability. She is famous and popular as herself for her personality and character. People actually know and like her. They welcome Oprah into their living rooms every day and listen to what she has to say on a variety of issues. Not all of Oprah’s fans will change their votes based on her endorsement, but I bet they will pay closer attention to Obama than they might otherwise, they will listen to what he has to say, and they just might like what they hear.
Ric said: “Oprah selling Obama might be a wash…. I suspect it will also activate racist memes among a lot of whites – successful black woman pushing a successful black politician onto the country – that might have remained dormant without Oprah.” Umm, those racists probably weren’t going to vote for any Democrat in the first place, Ric.
“And while women may dig Oprah, I doubt she’s the most popular public figure for men. Then possibly you’ll get men thinking, on some level, that if Obama is so great why’s he need a dame standing up for him – can’t he stand up for himself, maybe he’s not a real man like us…” Again, guys who call women “dames” and think a “real man” is defined by his dominance over women are probably not going to vote for any Democrat. My guess is that they’ll probably vote for Rudy Guiliani. Fortunately, such men are now about as rare as the cast of current remakes of South Pacific, which is how many votes Guiliani is likely to get.
The power of her celebrity may well diminish him, like a candle next to a spotlight. All in all, I’m really inclined to think she’ll be a wash, no gain, no loss.