I dare say Oprah is not that different from Obama!!

[hertopos]

Don't get angry with me before read my entire post.

I read the big discussion threads regarding the qualification for presidential candidate.
First, though Obama has 7 years State level experience as a State senator, he became a candidate
without finishing the full term of U.S. senator.

During 2008 primary, Hillary voters questioned a lot about his lack of experiences especially in international relations.
Look what we got after he became a president of Unites States.
Remember he also made Hillary into the secretory of States.

So, first and foremost, I just don't see any of negatives Oprah becoming a head of the states.

As for winning the election, this is where her strengths shows. I dear say unless we miraculously find another
Obama, she looks strongest in winnability so far.

The remaining issue is the post election. Her legislative style and competency.

This is what we should be open minded and ask a lots of question during the primary.
I got an impression many, who are very negative about her potential candidacy, presume she is not capable.
That is presumption. Plus, what she may choose for the running mate may matter as well.

I also believe that more people will be tuning into the process if she runs for the primary.

I do not like an attitude talking too much about eligibility. It does sounds too 'elitist' to put it simply.

We have no idea about what she will be really like if she runs.

Remember, she has already retired from her signature show in 2011, which is now 7 years ago.

I am cautiously support her run for the primary.

hertopos

[saidsimplesimon]

1. Go Oprah!

It's obvious rumpublicans fear the woman's star power and excellent reputation. Her first step, if she decides to go for it, would be to get an unbiased background check and extreme vetting. Tim Kaine would be my initial suggestion as a running mate. He has been vetted and could fulfill the duties of office.

Of course, as Senator Sanders learned, the DNC and party leadership will probably tip the scales for the candidate they support. Hopefully, someone will understand that it appears winning will be the only criteria if rump is not impeached, resigns or dies.

[ollie10]

10. Why not go for another totally vetted person for VP....Michelle!

[saidsimplesimon]

14. She is an excellent choice.

She and Barack have given their fair share to public service at the expense of their private lives. I am not sure it would be fair to ask for more.

[Demsrule86]

45. I am a woman...and from what I can tell...part of why Hillary lost is because she is a woman.

She was treated abominably both in the primary and in the GE. No man has ever faced this sort of treatment. My future son in law is a person of color and a Democrat. He told me that in his barbershop that the guys that went there said they wouldn't vote for a woman for president. These were mostly Black men...and Democrats. We already know how the GOP feels about women. I would love to see a woman president, but I have to ask, is this the year to try i?t If we don't win in 20, we are truly fucked for a generation. It almost doesn't matter who wins after that...so much damage with the courts will be done. Can a woman be elected president inn 2020? Never mind the fact that Oprah has no experience and is running on her status as a celebrity. Can any woman make it? I want a woman president in my lifetime...but I want to win in 20 more. Honestly, it is more important to win than who the candidate is.

[brush]

59. I agree with most of what you said. There was a lot of sexism against Hillary, but I'm...

African American and go to black barbershops so I have to disagreed about black men not voting for Hillary.

Black men came out for her at 90 some percent. The only group higher were black women.

Back to Oprah: She would certainly face some of that but I think her popularity from her show, many white women, would carry her over the top.

She'd shave trump's take of the white woman vote if she got the nomination, plus the rest of Obama's coalition.

She'd beat trump, but so could some other Dems.

Let's see what happens.

[Demsrule86]

67. I will vote for who ever is the Democratic nominee. I want one that can win...being able to fix

Trump's mess would help.

[Alice11111]

113. Any Dem who has the greatest chance of beating the Repubs, big time. Forget the poles, they don't

Factor in cheating. Oprah doesn't particularly want it, but she will do it if we need her.
She would be good. She has more generalized experience than Michelle, who definitely does not want it. I would vote for either.

Hey, I would love to see an Oprah, Michelle ticket. Pay back those black women who have carried us so much. Since Rump will have experience under his belt, maybe we need Kennedy or Booker to balance the ticket.

Anyone who has the BEST CHANCE of crushing the Repubs should be our nominee. Not someone who fould prob ably sqeek by, but someone who can win, in spite of cheating Repubs.
Women will turn out for Oprah, all shapes, colors, and sizes, IMO.

[LAS14]

77. Hillary won the popular vote by 3 million. Being a woman is no longer a deal breaker.

[brush]

89. True. And Oprah would certainly cut into trump's white women vote. They were a huge...

party of Oprah's audience.

[ollie10]

2. The ticket that would make Trump's head explode: Oprah/Michelle

1) two women
2) two blacks
3) being beaten by another media star
4) an Obama on the ticket

His head would totally explode

[Irish_Dem]

3. They are both geniuses, but in very different ways.

Obama was very qualified to become president of the US.

Oprah is not. She is brilliant as an entertainment mogul.
This is not the kind of leadership the US leads.
If elected, America continues to be seen as junior league and not serious.

[ollie10]

6. Specifically, why is Oprah unqualified to be president?

She is more than an entertainment mogul. She is a human being.

[Irish_Dem]

8. She is a decent, wonderful human being. I admire her a great deal.

But if America wants to be respected and trusted we have to have a president
who is a highly qualified public servant. Oprah is not.

[ollie10]

18. Yet

[FiveGoodMen]

52. Should a bright kid, straight out of college, apply for CEO of a major corporation?

You don't generally start at the top.

[ollie10]

54. Tell that to Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg

Tell that to Eisenhower, for that matter.

.....is your point that you can't win a presidential election without experience?

[FiveGoodMen]

63. "is your point that you can't win a presidential election without experience?"

No. But you probably SHOULDN'T win without experience.

Look at who we've got now!

[ollie10]

65. Yes, look at who we've got now!

Because we didn't nominate someone who could beat him

[Alice11111]

114. They both left Harvard, without graduating, so not to miss the opportunity before them.

[monmouth4]

28. Her genuine kindness would be an asset in getting the US back on track globally..n/t

[bettyellen]

44. The Secret, Dr Oz and Dr Phil.... her hatred of payin g taxes and business entanglements.

[ollie10]

47. So we reject someone who could beat Trump ....because.....

...we didn't like Dr Phil?

[bettyellen]

49. We have lots of people who could beat Trump for fucks sake. False narrative. She pitched too much

woo not to be an embarrment. Her speech wasn’t about HER saving us- it was about us saving us. What a joke.

[ollie10]

51. And Hillary inevitably would beat Trump....right?

We don't need over-confidence this time around.

We don't need 2nd best or 3rd best or 4th best because just about anyone could beat Trump.

Sorry, but that would be overconfidence.

We need to get the number one/best/ most certain to win.....

It is not a false narrative at all. The one who will get 4 more years if we don't elect a winner would be Trump.

Electibility should be our first and foremost issue.

We really underestimated Trump last time around. And wow does that hurt

[bettyellen]

109. You totally missed the point of the speech. Elevating false heroes like its 2016 again is the

silliest thing I ever heard of. The backlash against unqualified people winging it is real.

[HopeAgain]

4. Not me, I'll not vote for Oprah (or another TV star) to be our Candidate

It's a bad trend. It sends the wrong message about governance and the first Democrat after the Trump era will have so much damage to undo. I want experience.

[ollie10]

7. She has experience. Just not the kind you recognize...

[HopeAgain]

9. I don't recognize it for a reason. nt

[ollie10]

12. So what is your reason?

[HopeAgain]

21. I thought I stated them before

Just because somebody can give a speech doesn't mean they understand the Constitution, the extensive scope of executive responsibilities, the nuances of legislating and foreign affairs. Oprah's greatest talent has always been promoting Oprah. Why the hell would I vote for her over a Warren, Harris, Booker or even Sanders?

[ollie10]

24. Electability for starters

I think one of Oprah's strengths is her listening ability, not just speeches.

When I saw Obama's speech at the 04 convention, like many others I thought I was seeing a future president.

Speeches matter.

Of course, so do a lot of other things.

But many Rs then and now talk about Obama as just being a good speaker.....nothing could be further from the truth!

Don't punish someone for being a good speaker! It is a good survival trait among people running for office. And we need to pick the strongest to run against Asshole.

[HopeAgain]

30. Reigniting the anti-vaccine movement, and don't forget the Suzanne Summers

Bio-identicals thing. Makes me wonder if she's as intelligent and contemplative as she thinks. Seems to be easily sold on B.S. at times.

At any rate, you can vote for her all you want, but I assure you I will not.

[bettyellen]

46. The Secret! Dr Oz! Just kill me now.

[greatauntoftriplets]

123. How about "You get a car, you get a car!", etc.

By not thinking that whole thing through, the recipients were left with hefty tax bills that they couldn't afford.

[Blaukraut]

25. This! n/t

[saidsimplesimon]

19. Thanks for debunking

the "lack of experience" meme.

[ollie10]

23. Trump won in part by attacking the notion of the establishment....

Get someone with years and years of (establishment political) experience, he would be able to run against that yet again.

Beat the son of a bitch at his own game and watch him explode.

[Demsrule86]

40. Not the kind GE voters will recognize...Trump is a celebrity president and has been awful.

[ollie10]

43. Trump has been awful, yes....

But that is because he is a jerk/authoritarian/mobster/et al. It has little to do with how much government experience he had.

Oprah is not a jerk.

Even being a jerk, Trump still was elected. Because he was a able to manipulate the media, and had name recognition. And being a media star helped him.

Seems to me, if it works being a celebrity, maybe it would be a good idea to get one to destroy the jerk, rather than rejecting her out of hand. We tried nominating someone who was emminently qualified and experienced last time and it didn't work out so well.

Let this sink in. Trump is president. ANd he would be president 4 more years if our nominee, whoever that is, does not win. We should be looking for the strongest candidate available. Forget about purity tests. We need to win.

[Demsrule86]

69. I don't think a celebrity will help in 20...consider that some have recognized why electing a

celebrity is not a good idea...maybe in 16, but not 20. And I still feel Oprah is not qualified to be president. And I like her...liking her and voting for her are too different things...I would vote for her if she won the nomination. But no matter how many women like her...Republican women will vote for their party.

[ollie10]

73. so it is demographics?

Oprah appeals to blacks, women and young voters.

A lot of Republican women voted for Trump (reluctantly) because they couldn't vote for Hillary. I think they would be more likely to vote for Oprah. Meanwhile, the blacks and millenials show up to vote in record numbers. Election over.

[Demsrule86]

81. Oh baloney...I have millenials in my house and they don't give a rats ass about Oprah.

And I am a woman. She doesn't appeal to me. I want an experienced person as president. Republican women vote for policy. They won't vote for Oprah.

[ollie10]

86. and your millenial children probably don't give a rat's ass about experience either

[Demsrule86]

102. They are not interested right now...they are more focused on 18. I want to win.

If I thought, Oprah would win a general easily, I would support her although I have reservations about her being able to govern...it would be worth it for the courts alone. But I don't think she can win a general.

[mythology]

111. Because it's irrelevant experience

I'm alive, ergo I have experience. Doesn't mean I should be doing nuclear physics because my experience isn't applicable.

[peggysue2]

68. x 1000

I'm with you, HopeAgain.

[lunasun]

5. Maybe you will come to the new Obama Library being built here to learn more about his

background and how it relates to POTUS it's close to where he taught US constitutional law at the University of Chicago
Anyway at least you will drop some coin here while visiting so it will be good for the area
I have nothing against Oprah but this op seems ignorant of Obama's background and education

[YessirAtsaFact]

11. Two important differences

1-Obama is a lawyer with a JD
2-Obama had some political experience prior to running for president

[Irish_Dem]

13. America has to decide if it wants to be seen as a serious, responsible country.

Or continue to be seen as foolish, incompetent and irresponsible.

It is the choice of the American people.

[ollie10]

15. First and foremost, we need someone who WILL win...not MIGHT, WILL!

Then, among those candidates who WILL win....we choose which one is the best one.

So far I see only one possible candidate who 100% WILL win against Trump.

I am hoping to see more come but so far the field has been uninspiring in that regard.

[alarimer]

16. Obama, to the best of my knowledge, is not a believer in nonsense.

Of the type regularly boosted on her show. Anti-vaxxers, charlatans like Dr. Oz, Deepak Chopra, etc.

[ollie10]

20. Fine, don't support Dr Oz

You can't be serious.....blaming her for the views of each and every guest? Wow!!!!!

[alarimer]

22. You cannot be serious.

She gave them a fucking platform to spew their nonsense. So, yes, I do.

[phleshdef]

17. Obama had over a decade of government experience under his belt.

Oprah is a good person but has no business anywhere near the White House.

[ollie10]

27. She will win. If we nominate someone who doesn't win....then we get 4 more years of Trump

[Demsrule86]

34. She won't win a general.

[ollie10]

37. I think she may have more difficulty winning the nomination than the general

In the general she is Kryptonite to Trump

[phleshdef]

50. We have actual qualified people who can win

She is not qualified and has no business running the country.

[ollie10]

53. That's a blanket statement...not qualified?

Glass ceilings looks like

[phleshdef]

55. Oh don't try to pull that shit on me

There are plenty of qualified females and/or qualified people of color. She just doesn't happen to be one of them. Don't try to turn this into a thing about women because it's not and you'll get nowhere with that nonsense with me

[ollie10]

58. So why is she unqualified?

I see blanket statements and assumptions.

How about specifics?

[phleshdef]

60. She has no government experience

And everyone who has opposed this has pretty much said that. Nothing more needs to be said and just because it's convenient for you to ignore it does not make the argument go away.

[ollie10]

62. She has lots of experience. Just not the kind of experience you recognize

[phleshdef]

66. I don't give a fuck about her other experiences.

She should be experienced in legislation and she is not. That is what governing is mostly about. Its legislating. The rest doesn't mean a single god damn thing. If she wants to be President, she should start out in a lower branch of government and actually learn a thing or two about how that works. Its absolutely nothing like running her business empire.

[ollie10]

70. Tell you what.....amend the Constitution

require X amount of years in the legislature in order to be president.

You might ponder why the founding fathers did not make such a requirement.....

[phleshdef]

72. The founding fathers did a lot of stupid shit.

You want to try to cower behind a founding fathers argument? Really? Bring it on. Lets start with slavery, not allowing direct elections of Senators, women not being able to vote, the electoral college... the founding fathers can eat a bag of dicks.

[ollie10]

76. if your argument is that the founding fathers were a bunch of dicks, then I am sure Trump would

hire you for his cabinet.

[phleshdef]

83. Nice nonsensical, completely ineffective attempt at a rebuttal.

[phleshdef]

94. "Har har har, you suck"

Go ahead, apologize for unequal rights and slavery. Thats a WINNING ARGUMENT AROUND HERE!

[ollie10]

97. So Einstein.....the Constitution does not require experience to be president.....

There have been amendments to correct the slavery thing and other inequalities.

But, somehow, nobody has bothered to require experience in the legislature to become president.

When are you going to start the Constitutional Convention? Hip Hip Hurray!~

[phleshdef]

99. Yea, it doesn't require you to prove mental fitness either, thus we have Trump.

Would you like to continue to lose this argument? Because I am thoroughly enjoying winning it.

[ollie10]

101. We have Trump because we nominated someone who couldn't beat him

Oh, yeah, and she was emminently experienced and qualified

[phleshdef]

106. She also had decades of negative political baggage, fair or unfair.

But you are attempting to change the subject. I will not allow you to gish gallop me. You were trying to rebuttal my calls for experience by claiming the Constitution doesn't require it. I pointed out the fallacy in your argument by illustrating that the Constitution doesn't require other things, such as proving that you are mentally healthy. Stay on topic.

[Demsrule86]

82. Nah...she won't win a primary.

[phleshdef]

85. I hope not. Our party has lost its damn mind if we do some stupid shit like that.

[Demsrule86]

104. I agree. She is not capable of winning or governing.

[enough]

26. So Trump has debased the Office so far that we no longer think experience in

government is a prerequisite to be President? If Oprah wants to enter politics, why doesn't she run for a position in her state legislature, or maybe a seat in the US House of Representatives?

What is this idea that the first thing a person should do to on entering politics is run for President?

[ollie10]

29. You are self-contradictory

If experience is necessary....then she shouldn't run for House of Representatives either! She has, after all, no experience being a Congress Critter!

Does she have experience being a teacher? Better not hire her for that either! Or any other job she hasn't done before.

Talk about a glass ceiling....

[Demsrule86]

33. You can't get hired as a teacher unless you are certified...she has not experience and what makes

her think she can run a huge government....seriously I like Oprah...but this is pure arrogance.

[ollie10]

36. What did the founding fathers say about the number of years experience required to be president?

Funny thing, I missed that requirement

[Demsrule86]

78. What does that have to do with anything...but they did set an age requirement which in those days

was quit elderly and indicated a man of experience...people died much younger if you remember. I don't want the most important job in the world handed off to an unqualified celebrity...I just don't. And I like Oprah.

[ollie10]

80. You like her....sure

[Demsrule86]

87. I admire her tremendously. I don't think she should be president. She is a great person from what I

know. She does't have the experience to be president. I prefer not to be called a liar by the way. You will discover most on DU don't enjoy that.

[ollie10]

95. Did George Washington have enough experience to be president?

How about Lincoln? Eisenhower? Obama?

Neither had particularly much experience. A few years, not a hell of a lot.

I keep trying to get people to think outside the box.

A Gates or a Zuckerberg would not be hired if experience was the only measure.

[Demsrule86]

98. He helped form the government so yeah he had 'experience'.But seriously comparing the

1700's to now is ridiculous.

[phleshdef]

92. The founding fathers wouldn't even allow Oprah to vote.

[ollie10]

38. oh please, be real

School districts hire teachers without a teaching certification quite frequently. Especially in math and sciences.

[Demsrule86]

74. No they don't. There are some programs to hire math and science but you have to obtain a teaching

degree in a limited amount of time. And you have to pass a praxis test as well. You should get real...most states don't even consider non-certified teachers. The idea that anyone can teach without training is an old one and completely false. The presidency is too important to hand it over to a celebrity...who knows nothing about it.

[ollie10]

79. as I said.....

....they are hired without the certification at first.

[Demsrule86]

105. The teacher has to pass a praxis...and is awarded temporary certification...based on

a very careful plan which includes mentoring. And more states than not don't have this...mostly poor underpaid districts. Such teachers are despised by other teachers and are usually out in a year, it they make if a full year. Teaching is way more difficult than people think. Also, a teacher is not expected to lead the free world...no Oprah is not qualified...you and others are looking for a saviour...there wont' be one. One person can't do the job...how about focusing on 18 instead. We need a president who can govern and congress.

[phleshdef]

57. No it's not self contradictory at all

And your argument that you are proposing to say that it is is extremely weak and impotent.

[ollie10]

61. So what kind of logic is this?

1. You need experience to have a government elected job
2. Oprah has no elected government experience
3. Therefore, Oprah should be elected to congress.

???

[Bettie]

119. The HOR

and statehouses are where you GET that government experience.

Think she should just climb into the cockpit of a commercial airliner, because she's been on them many times and has experience in business? If you want to fly on that plane, go for it...not me.

[Demsrule86]

31. She is not a constitutional lawyer. She has not been involved in politics. If she is interested she

should start in the House or Senate. I will not vote for a celebrity...and as for business experience. It may very well be a liability as the government is not like a business. Oprah should bow out now so we can field a Democratic candidate with experience which is what we need.

[ollie10]

39. I think the voters should decide, not you and not me

There will be lots of primaries and caucuses to come.

Surely we are not saying Oprah should not be allowed to run?

It's easy. Let the voters decide.

[Demsrule86]

71. It is a discussion...and you have certainly discussed it...now you want 'to leave it to

the voters'. You can't refute what I said. Oprah is not qualified. And I hope she is not the nominee...although I would voter for her of course.

[BoneyardDem]

32. Oprah is a good, well read woman with empathy and kindness at her core.

She lacks the political savvy that someone with political/elected experience really should have. Someone who can navigate the Senatorial rules and has a deep and educated knowledge of the Constitution. Obama was able to accomplish so very much with an oppositional House because he knew how to navigate the system. i just don't think she has that knowledge.

[LAS14]

90. Most presidents didn't have a "deep and educated knowledge of the constitution," I'm pretty sure. n

[BoneyardDem]

107. Oprah has less on this type of knowledge that most elected officials

she politically too "green" imho.

[LAS14]

126. I know no more than you do, but I'd bet that she'd surprise you if given a quiz. nt

[John Fante]

35. Comparing Obama's experience in 2008 to Oprah's today

is an insult to one of our greatest presidents.

[Bradshaw3]

100. Totally true and totally obvious to those with open eyes

[NCTraveler]

41. These two sentences sum it all up.

"We have no idea about what she will be really like if she runs." hertopos
"I am cautiously support her run for the primary." hertopos

That says tons.

I have seen few things as vapid as the reaction to her speech.

[delisen]

42. We were a very different country in 2008

then we are now. It is hard for many of us to face that fact.

The Democratic party was in a much stronger position in 2008 than it was in our last presidential election-in terms of money and in terms of number of Democrats in office.

The Democratic electorate was in much stronger position in 2008 than it is now. The huge Republican backlash wins in 2010, following the Democratic success in passing the ACA health care legislation, resulted in massive gerrymandering on the part of Republicans, since 2010 was a redistricting year.

We had far less voter suppression in 2008 than we do now.

The recently passed tax giveaway bill means at least a trillion more added to the debt. The super rich are getting much richer, the rest of us are getter poorer.

The blockade of positive legislation over the past decade means that improvements to our lives were made by executive orders instead of law, and these are now being overturned.

Trump foreign policy has now weakened us considerably on the world stage. Putin has made considerable progress in changing the world order into one less favorable to us and western democracies. He has been successful in making common cause with anti-democracy forces in the US.

We are not a people who can afford to take chances in our leadership. We cannot afford learning curves.

Massive projected wins in Congress in 2018 won't even bring us back to where we were in 2008.

Climate change is an even greater challenge than in 2008. Putin is still moving ahead in his very successful propaganda war against us. He has many allies among us

If we can get over the cult of personality, the belief in presidential saviors, and the search for a benevolent strongman style of leadership, if we can build a solid party instead of falling back on a presidential election personality focus--we stand a fighting chance.

Democracy isn't easy-it requires education, it requires vigilance, it is a constant cognitive challenge. Let's start being honest with the voters. It is going to take more than getting excited about one person every 4-8 years.

We can run and elect the most "charismatic" popular candidate in the US, win the presidential prize and still lose everything.

The post-WWII Imperial Presidency is over.

If we don't recognize it and act accordingly, then government of, by, and for the people will perish from this earth.

[Demsrule86]

96. You post is so important...the most important one on this thread. There will be no Democratic

saviour. Stop trying to find one people. The idea that one person can save us is a pernicious idea that has caused us to lose multiple times because when that person can't do it all (Obama for example) , the savior 'cravers' turn on the 'failed' savior. They do not realize that one person cannot do it all. We need a president and a Congress and a bit of patience. You should make this a stand alone thread. Thanks!!

[obnoxiousdrunk]

56. I dont think

she can win the General. She will have to fight the Trump base, Jill Stein voters, Bernie Bro's , Biden bro's and whatever else is out there.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

64. Is she a constitutional law expert before going into politics?

'Cause Obama is a legal genius.

Look, I loved Oprah in The Color Purple and many other projects. She looks like she will be fantastic in Wrinkle in Time. She just IS NOT qualified to be President.

[LAS14]

75. I agree with everything you've said, but in these discussions...

.... I was alerted to her support (more than just an interviewer's curiosity) of the anti-vaccination movement, and a Brazilian faith healer. This troubled me. I posted my concerns/questions about vaccination https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210076628.

I googled "John of God" and found that ABC news and Newsweek had deemed him worthy of investigation, and didn't come up with any expose. Her "support" consisted of going there in the first place, participating, and reporting feelings of piece. Not too off the charts for someone in the entertainment business and with an ability to think outside the box. But still, concerning.

[dsc]

84. His inexperience was rather harmful

once the GOP took over Congress. It took him years, actually nearly a full term (2011 - 2014) before he finally figured out that he couldn't get them to work with him. Even during the years of Democratic control he was way too solicitous of the GOP which was a function of his lack of experience dealing with them.

[LAS14]

93. Good point.

[Turbineguy]

91. If she gets the nomination, Trump will win again.

He'll be an experienced President who hasn't started WWIII and millions of Democrats will simply not vote.

[left-of-center2012]

103. What is her foreign policy? What is her domestic policy?

Or is being a black, female, TV personality now all that matters?

I want a candidate who can get us out of the mess Trump is putting us in,
and giving everyone in the audience a car isn't the solution.

[Heartstrings]

108. Sorry

We need to live and succeed in 2018 to even talk a viable candidate in 2020.

[LisaM]

110. Is there any reason to believe she'd run as a DEMOCRAT?

I think she'd be more likely to run as an independent, if she even runs. I've only ever seen her work on one campaign, Obama's in 2008, and I never saw her show up to support any other Democrats that year, or during any mid-term elections (which might have really come in handy, someone with her clout and pocketbook finding some local elections to pay attention to). I also don't recall her helping with GOTV issues other than in 2008, and I certainly don't think she's done any shows on gerrymandering and voter suppression.

I have absolutely no idea what her stance is on abortion, worker's compensation, unemployment, immigration, or the worrisome aspects of the plans for the 2020 census. I don't know what she thinks about military funding. I don't know how she thinks higher education should be funded. I assume she supports endowing the arts, but I don't know that.

1) She doesn't generally tend to identify with any Democratic politicians.
2) She has not paid attention to any mid-term or local elections that I know of.
3) I have no idea how she aligns with the Democratic platforms from the last few conventions.

I don't see her as any standard bearer for the Democratic party at all.

[trc]

112. Obama is a US Constitutional scholar, graduate of Harvard law

and had some experience at the state and federal level of government. Oprah has a degree in performing arts and no experience in state or federal government. There is a vast difference in studying and understanding the nuances of how the US Constitution works as it pertains to the three branches of government, and being an entertainment entrepreneur. Success in the the entertainment industry has no relationship to running the United States and its military. We need a candidate who understands how this government works, not one who aspires to learn on the job while putting people in positions in government who do not know what they are doing....we have that now. Some times you need a doctor to be a doctor, an architect to be an architect, a teacher to be a teacher, and a public servant to be a public servant.

[LexVegas]

115. ...

[INdemo]

116. This is why Democrats lose,because here we are talking about the Presidential primary

and about someone that may not even run instead of focusing on 2018 midterms..Typical operating procedure for the Democratic party.
Does anyone realized that the first primary is in March or maybe even earlier......depending what the many State General assemblies decide that are now in session............................So again, why aren't we talking about the midterms and Democratic Candidates,filing deadlines etc.

[phleshdef]

121. To be fair, most Democrats aren't here at all.

[INdemo]

125. My point was...why arent we focused on the Midterms instead of

something that may not even happen....there's more but I will just leave it at that.

[L. Coyote]

117. Which law review did she editor?

Which state did she represent in the US Senate?

She's more like Trump, a rich media personality.

[OnDoutside]

118. This is utterly ridiculous. What is it with the cult of celebrity in America ?

Oprah Winfrey is a lovely person and I'm certain she cares a lot, but the USA is fucked politically, largely due to not enough Democratic voters hauling their ass to vote as often as possible. You get the politicians you don't vote for.

There are lots of decent Democratic politicians to vote for, people who have experience. Vote for them.

[KTM]

120. Lol, "but with the right running mate !"

When you have to include the line "Plus, what she may choose for the running mate may matter as well" in defense of a potential candidate's capability, there is a problem. That sounds a lot like the plan of "He will surround himself with smart people. (The BEST people!)"

("What" she may choose ?? Are there options ?!?)

[marlakay]

122. I like the idea that she cant be bought

Most of our politicians are beholden to special groups. That’s one of the reasons I liked Bernie.

Maybe Oprah doesn’t have the perfect experience but its time to change it up. Trump was on to one thing, people want change, not the same political stiffs looking to get rich at our dime.

They had hope he would actually get them jobs.

With Oprah she has always helped people, she would never leave the poor hungry or us without healthcare.

Yeah she tried woowoo, a bunch of us have trying to find peace in our lives. I honor her for the search for always trying to be better. And her weight loss thing, every woman knows that struggle.

[BlueTsunami2018]

124. Sure, other than not being a constitutional scholar, state senator, U.S. Senator.....

Head of Harvard law review, community organizer, world citizen and person involved in politics for thier whole life, she’s just like him.

This whole Oprah thing is ludicrous. She’s not remotely qualified for the office and we need to knock this crap off right now.

[saidsimplesimon]

127. Thank you, hertopos

I appreciate caution, try to think before engaging keyboard, sometimes I fail. It is discouraging to realise, that I need to redefine my definition of Progressive.

In a Democracy, anyone qualified can run. I would say all of US should run for the office he/she is qualified to hold. Public service is an obligation for those who fought for our Republic, imo.