I'm flabbergasted at the lack of information about Winfrey that is being demonstrated here on DU.

[LAS14]

Last edited Mon Jan 8, 2018, 04:14 PM - Edit history (2)

How many of you think you have a pretty thorough understanding of Oprah's life and achievements?

Here's a good post.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210073186#post149

And another.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017473794#post6

[lapfog_1]

1. I only have one question... has she ever held a state wide or national elected office?

if no, I don't want her (or Bill Gates, or Tom Steyer, or any other business / celeb) to run for President.

[Doodley]

21. Why is that important?

[lapfog_1]

23. Because politics and public service (not philanthropy)

is a profession... like being a doctor or lawyer.

Would you hire President Obama to do your next brain surgery?

All I ask is that the President have some experience with the constitution, Robert's Rules of Order, the Magna Carta... and possibly gone out and knocked on doors to win votes.

[VMA131Marine]

109. If the choice were between Obama and Ben Carson....

I'd flip a coin.

[Kentonio]

114. Ben Carson is apparently a superb brain surgeon, one of the very best

Which makes the point entirely. You hire people to do the job they're actually capable of doing, not just hire a person you like or agree with. The opposite way of thinking is exactly what landed us with a goddamn reality TV star in the white house.

[VMA131Marine]

120. Apparently, being a good surgeon is more about steady hands and dexterity than smarts

Which is why most surgeries will eventually be done by robots.

[Kentonio]

121. Absolutely.

You can probably add stamina and an ability to shut off from emotion and think on your feet to that.

[mythology]

24. Because government isn't a business and requires different skills

I think that lack of institutional knowledge is part of what's wrong with the Trump administration.

[Iliyah]

65. Well you have career Republican

politicians which should know better, but apparently they don't care, and are on a mission to destroy the USA's government, the country and her people alongwith their corporate masters and t-rump and crew.

AND/OR

You have career Republican politicians that just don't know how to govern.

AND/OR - both.

So being a experienced politicians who can't govern and don't give a fuck as long as they get their.

I want people in our government who gives a fuck.

[lapfog_1]

86. This isn't an equivalence class, qualified to be President is a proper subset of politicians.

In my view being a politician is a requirement to get my vote for the Presidency (or for Senate).

After that, to get my vote, one needs to adhere to a liberal agenda and, for the most part, vote with Democrats.

And someone who gives a fuck (or 2).

But first, they should have some experience with governance.

[Nevernose]

93. Thats why I dont vote for Republicans

But why on earth would anyone think that being a successful media mogul would make someone qualified to be president? My bar of judgment goes beyond “good intentions.”

[mythology]

96. I don't vote for Republicans

So the comparison isn't particularly useful.

I'm a fairly intelligent guy, but I would be utterly unqualified to take a job involving physics. Being smart, being successful, being ambitious, being well-meaning, are not alone qualifications for any job, especially not president.

[hexola]

25. Because thats the job!

OMG...!

[Blue_Adept]

30. Then that should be added to the constitution that political experience/office holding is necessary

What level of requirements should there be?

[lapfog_1]

87. We aren't discussing the legal requirement

we are discussing who to support and who gets our votes. That's different.

[octoberlib]

94. To me, celebrities who think they're qualified to run for President just because

of who they are, are disrespecting the office.

[X_Digger]

107. Cause that's how we got Hair Twitler.

Last edited Mon Jan 8, 2018, 10:21 PM - Edit history (1)

I want someone who knows how the fuck government works, who's been 'in the trenches', thanks.

Fucking cult of personality shit is stupid. Always.

[gopiscrap]

72. same here and that goes for any career military person also

[Tipperary]

2. So give us some information. I only know she gave Dr Phil his start.

I will be waiting for you to enlighten us all.

[LAS14]

7. ...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017473794#post6

[LAS14]

47. Here's another good post.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210073186#post149

[Hortensis]

66. She's a fine woman. Is she a wedge issue now, LAS14?

Somehow, I don't think she'd like that. And so inappropriate for the role as she's pretty universally admired on the left, even by people who haven't paid particular attention.

[LAS14]

67. Why do you bring up wedge issue? I was merely replying to someone who asked for more information.

[Hortensis]

76. Actually, yours is the OP, so "flabbergasted" at the

failure of many Democrats to respect Oprah's accomplishments. I didn't know we had such a problem. And still don't.

Her accomplishments means she is a towering figure, even for those who don't pay much attention to the details. I like her, not for becoming a self-made billionaire in an age of billionaires (their very existence a huge problem), but because of she rings honest, intelligent, sensible, and principled on almost any message. No saint, no icon to be idealized, of course, but an important messenger.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. Too many here, after some Congressman or Senator

or other public figure says or does something in our favor, will suddenly proclaim that person to be our next President. That is, when they are not pushing the tired Joe Biden/John Kerry/Hillary Clinton meme.

Winfrey made a pretty good speech. While I'm sure she believes and agrees with everything in it, one of my questions is, who was her speechwriter?

[LisaM]

31. What about that speech stood out to you?

It was just Oprah, nothing more, nothing less.

I also think she's very gullible, witness Dr. Phil for starters (which should be enough to sour anyone on her running for office).

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

70. Nothing in particular stood out,

other than her sincerity of tone.

I didn't watch it, but I heard it this morning while listening to Democracy Now.

And you are absolutely right about her gullibility. Add Dr. Oz to the list of sketchy people she endorses.

[cwydro]

4. Please fill us in.

[LAS14]

8. ...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017473794#post6

[LAS14]

46. Here's another good post.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210073186#post149

[TlalocW]

5. She's a good person, but I worry about the amount of pseudo-scientific bullshit she's put out there

I remember tuning in one day when I was home sick, and she had on Deepak Chopra who was showing her that everyone has a certain amount of psychic power by having her hold a pendulum that's going back and forth then concentrate on making it change directions (Foucault Pendulum), and she was super-excited when she "did it." Then there was giving Jenny McCarthy a forum to reach unprecedented amounts of people, giving us Dr. Phil and Oz, etc.

TlalocW

[jberryhill]

6. None of which are relevant to governing

Good golly, what has gone wrong with people?

She's accomplished a lot. She has become very wealthy doing so. So have a lot of other people with no qualifications for the highest office of federal government.

[mac56]

73. "She's accomplished a lot. She has become very wealthy doing so."

As did Dufus.

[jberryhill]

78. Which didn't qualify him to be president either

As is overwhelmingly apparent.

[Brainstormy]

79. see, I disagree

I have a lot of trouble respecting folks who push that stuff. And as much as I love Oprah, I can never forgive her for the promoting the likes of Deepak Chopra.

[jberryhill]

97. Push what stuff?

That the presidency is some sort of citizenship award or talent contest?

And bringing up Al Franken completely ignores the fact that his academic background was political science at Harvard.

What study or work in government or law has Oprah Winfrey ever done? What relevant experience to the office of President of the US does she have?

This idea is utter nonsense.

Hey, maybe she'd make a good air traffic controller or surgeon or whatever. Oddly enough, there are jobs that require some kind of background, education and experience.

[samnsara]

133. amen to that!..

....think of all the other ppl who have done the same.. Steve Bazos...Bill Gates...Buffet.....Ellen...Meryl Streep...et al...and I don't want them to be prez (well maybe Buffet). They talk a good talk and walk a good walk and have proven successes in many areas but they don't have my vote for the most powerful office on the planet.

[LAS14]

9. I think she has the wisdom and maturity....

.... to gather the best people around her and listen to them. As for the "new age" guests she's had on her show.... It was an afternoon entertainment show. Would we want her to have failed? Interviewing doesn't mean embracing.

[Iggo]

29. "...the best people..."

Where have I heard that before?

[alarimer]

82. In her case, it absolutely does mean embracing it.

There is interviewing and there is promotion of those ideas. She is the godmother of the current anti-vaxxer movement, which has harmed (even killed) people.

[LAS14]

90. Well, I didn't know about this and Googled it and am sobered. nt

[edhopper]

131. wisdom

Dr. Phil
Dr Oz
The Secret
Jenny Mccarthy
Deepak Chopra
John of God

These and more show a spectacular lack of judgement.

[NCTraveler]

10. I do.

Can you point me to her political success?

[uponit7771]

12. Political success is not needed Benedict Donald doesn't have any

[NCTraveler]

13. Perfect.

[Iggo]

33. I mean, Exactly.

[PJMcK]

28. Just what we need (n/t)

[Codeine]

35. Exactly how low are we setting the fucking bar here?

I mean “Better than Donald Trump” isn’t exactly hard to achieve. The cat snoozing on my lap right now is a better leader than Donald Trump, but I would hesitate to nominate him in 2020.

[fleur-de-lisa]

69. I'm voting for Codeine's Cat!

[Blue_Adept]

11. This is a heavily white male site at this point after so many other groups left or were exiled

So it's not a surprise that the common thing we're seeing is "she gave Dr. Phil his start" as the main thing.

And they just want to be fed info about what she's accomplished instead of looking it up and educating themselves.

Such is the state of DU. Only Trump Rage rules.

[snooper2]

17. actually this site is majority older white female and always has been

[Blue_Adept]

19. I'd love to see stats on that

Particularly after the exodus of so many from the feminism side of things as those subforums have been dead for months and months after being some of the busiest.

[dhol82]

74. Older White female here

[RobinA]

124. Older White Woman

here, too. And no to Oprah. I respect her for many things, particularly has a business woman and a celebrity. I like what I see of her. She's had some good ideas and some bad ideas, just like anybody else who gets rich having ideas. However, being President is a whole 'nother thing, and I don't see her as being qualified. This whole celebrity as President thing is the logical culmination of our celebrity obsessed culture. Oprah should continue doing what she's doing. She's good at it. I think we see what happens when celebrity is the basis for someone getting elected to the presidency.

[dhol82]

128. Yup.

I see her role as being supportive of a qualified candidate.
She has the name recognition to really put someone forward.

[Codeine]

37. Codswallop. nt

[rzemanfl]

77. To save other folks the trouble that means "nonsense."

[cwydro]

41. Well, Im female. Gay female.

Oprah seems nice enough, but I don’t see her as president.

Wow, a speech at the Golden Globes and DU goes bonkers.

I’ve enjoyed these threads though.

[brooklynite]

14. What are her immigration, tax and health care policies?

I greatly respect her accomplishments, but I'd like to point out that anyone who who supports her at this point is doing so blind as to how she'd actually govern.

[uponit7771]

15. +1, people are presuming that she will be a progressive while none of us have any idea...

... what she stands for in to hell with this oh she's black and a woman... that does not count when it comes to policy positions

Too much political diversity eating amongst black women just would like women they 98% do not like Red Don

[pnwmom]

20. She supported Obama and has only ever donated to Democrats.

https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Oprah+Winfrey

[brooklynite]

22. That definition applies to me as well.....do you know what my policies would be?

[pnwmom]

26. No, except they would be progressive. But people who are dismissing her out of hand,

in a knee jerk way -- that feels misogynistic to me, given the achievements she has accomplished in her lifetime.

[uponit7771]

36. Not misogynistic in my opinion just not wanting to put up with amateurism

[Codeine]

40. Not fair at all.

Look at the support we’ve seen here for Elizabeth Warren or for Kamala Harris running in 2020.

Folks here don’t have an issue with Oprah’s gender, we have an issue with her gullibility and support for woo, superstition, and flimflammery.

[cwydro]

42. Spot on.

[pnwmom]

44. You're kidding about Kamala, right?

I've seen so many attacks on her here, and that was after years of watching Hillary being attacked.

[Codeine]

48. A handful of people made some stupid statement s.

Most of them are embittered fans of You-Know-Who and seek only to sow discord and division here. In the main she is quite well-regarded on DU.

[octoberlib]

98. +1

[Dreamer Tatum]

53. I dismiss my dog for POTUS as well. Am I doggist?

Seriously, watch where you're aiming that misogynist epithet when people simply want someone with a known, reliable record on public policy, economics, criminal justice, foreign policy, and so forth. I'll bet you 100% of the people on this site who dismiss Oprah for POTUS enthusiastically voted for Hillary.

[pnwmom]

54. I've already seen one disparaging Oprah who said s/he had to hold

his or her nose to vote for Hillary.

[Codeine]

60. And as the Putin-bots and the Bros

slowly filter back in from their secret underground volcano hideout in Jackpinelandia we’ll see more of that shit.

But it doesn’t represent any significant element of the DU userbase. Disrupters gonna disrupt; best to point, laugh, and disregard them.

[Dreamer Tatum]

62. So, really, support Oprah for POTUS or you're a misogynist?

I didn't support Fiorina for POTUS - was that misogynist?

[LanternWaste]

49. Seems a blind rejection off her is as invalid as a blind embrace.

Seems a blind rejection off her is as invalid as a blind embrace. Though I'm sure someone will pretend a distinction lacking a relevant difference... as it helps us appear more clever.

[Codeine]

55. How can we be blindly rejecting a person

who has been utterly ubiquitous for the last 30+ years? She is a more clearly-defined personality than just about anyone in the entire country.

[Dreamer Tatum]

63. I'm sure I know her stance on diets and on puppies

Less sure about her stance on things that matter to people who don't need to be entertained by the POTUS.

She's not "clearly defined" in much that matters.

[pnwmom]

104. So why not keep an open mind instead of instantly deciding one way or the other?

[pnwmom]

103. OTOH, I keep hearing people complain that they don't know what her policies would be. nt

[octoberlib]

102. Well Grover Norquist loves her

Link to tweet

Oprah on the death tax:
“I think it’s so irritating that once I die, 55 percent of my money goes to the United States government…You know why it’s so irritating? Because you already paid nearly 50 percent when the money was earned.” Archived by NAM,
Dec.11, 2007.

[Blue_Adept]

18. Because policies matter

Except for that entire blank Trump website with all his official policies.

Compared to the stacked policy pages Hillary had, which explained how they would be paid for.

With which we had the media almost never talking about policy.

And then in the months since losing hearing that "Democrats need to figure out what policies they want to run on instead of just anti-Trump."

[Kentonio]

116. Or maybe just learn the lesson that many people already understand.

That having packed policy documents doesn't mean a damn thing, when 99% of voters are never going to read them. The key words in your post were 'run on'. You have to highlight the policies you want to champion, make your message easily understood and digestible and repeat it endlessly in speech, media and advertizement.

If you don't do that properly (and we didn't last time), you end up with a thousand great policies, and an electorate who doesn't know what you stand for. It's not fair but its politics.

[longship]

91. Healthcare should be obvious. Oprah supports medical quackery.

Oprah gave us:
* Dr. Phil -- who after telling Oprah "I was the worst marriage counselor on the planet." gets a gig on Oprah's network doing, you guessed it, fucking marriage counseling!

* Dr. Oz -- whose support for medical quackery got to be so excessive that he was dragged before Congress to answer for it.

* Jenny McCarthy -- mind-numbingly ignorant anti-vaccination idiot. Vaccination, the number one important health advance in human history. Apparently bad according to Oprah. Because Jenny McCarthy said so, or something.

* John of God -- a Brazilian megachurch scammer. He specializes in faith healing and -- DUN, DUN, DUNNNNN! -- psychic surgery. He claims he can cure cancer, always a sign of abject quackery since cancer is more than one disease so nobody can credibly claim to have a cure. Psychic surgery is demonstrably always a scam. But Oprah still supports him. Just check out her Web site.

Nope. I don't think that I will be supporting Oprah Winfrey any time soon. For anything.

Hope this helps.

[Zo Zig]

16. Would vote for her.

The issue to me is reducing the office to stardom, and not one of policy and good governance. If she could do that ok.

[mainstreetonce]

27. Why didn't she support Hillary?

She was quiet in 2012.

[ProfessorGAC]

43. Because She Supported Obama Who Was A Sitting President?

Did you mean 2016?

[mainstreetonce]

71. Yes

Sorry, I meant 16

[musicblind]

122. She did support Hillary. Here is a link:

https://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/oprah-winfrey-endorses-clinton-224408

[GallopingGhost]

32. It has always been unpopular

to criticize or say you don't like Oprah, but I don't.

Do I think she's intelligent and accomplished? Yes. But I have never cared for her based on what I have seen.

If she runs and gets elected, she may very well turn out to be an excellent politician; I don't know. But I don't want to see (and we are already seeing) a trend of celebrities/talk show/reality show people trying to enter politics. Does she have any experience? Is she knowledgeable about world affairs and the government?

I think she is as fond of praise and ratings and celebrity as Trump. I never liked her show because she would rudely interrupt her guests to make a joke or comment she perceived as clever or funny and then preen to the audience. The borderline obsession with Tom Cruise over the years was ridiculous.

The Presidency and Congress, our government is currently being turned into a fucking joke with what's in charge. We've got a toddler in charge who could decide to blow us off the planet at any moment because someone criticizes his hair.

We need someone who understands the job and the incredible solemnity of it, like Barack Obama.

[aka-chmeee]

34. Agree 100% but....

Just imagine the frenzied excitement and anticipation in congress for the SOTU. All those folks wondering what goodies are under their chair!
Just trading one bad soap for another.

[GallopingGhost]

38. A free copy

of Dr. Phil's latest book, brought to them by his son Jay's publishing company.

[hexola]

39. For some of us - she's been on TV EVERY DAY of our adult lives...what's to know?

Did I miss something...the woman's entire career was televised...?

[LAS14]

51. Yes, you missed a lot. Check out the two posts I added to my OP.

[hexola]

59. Nope - she's been fond of keeping people informed

Like I said - on TV every day of my adult life - we get it.

[LAS14]

68. "Nope" what? No you don't want to read the posts?

[Hortensis]

80. Divisiveness: "having a quality of dividing."

[LAS14]

89. I didn't ask what "wedge" meant. I asked what question...

.... you were answering when you said "nope."

[Hekate]

45. Shiny object syndrome on DU, and I've grown impatient with the childishness of it.

Oprah is a worthy woman and accomplished in her realm which is, frcryinoutloud, not politics.

[Codeine]

50. Hekate for the win. nt

[cwydro]

100. Yes!

Thank you.

I’m flabbergasted at the celebrity worship here on DU.

[Drahthaardogs]

110. Agreed!

We need a real governor in the White House.

[Kentonio]

117. This x1000

[Lee-Lee]

123. Indeed

We have literally zero idea of what policies she would endorse, we have no idea her basic philosophy on governance and what the role of government is.

We just know she’s Oprah and she’s endorsed some candidates we like in the past.

[LWolf]

125. +1

[dlk]

52. Success in Business Doesn't Always Translate into Success in Government

They require very different skill sets. This is not to discredit Oprah's many incredible achievements in any way. We desperately need to start living in reality when it comes to what makes a successful president.

[Ninga]

56. So does some of the objections to Windfrey here, apply, retrospectively to

Al Franken?

[Codeine]

61. When did Al Franken run for President?

Apples in one basket, oranges in the other, please.

[loveandlight]

64. not the same...

He ran for senator from his state. Not president of the country. And Ronald Reagan, another celebrity political star first was governor of CA before running for president. I hated Reagan as governor (lived in CA when he was guv) and president, but he did have political experience in his own state high level before running for president.

Oprah is a wonderful woman, talented and smart. I like her, I actually get her email alerts, read books from her book lists, etc. But let her run for a local political office first and get some experience before trying to be president, an entirely different job that requires some bit of political know how, as we can see with the inexperience inept person who occupies that office today.

My two cents.

[Hekate]

138. He ran for statewide office, not POTUS. Al turned out to have quite an interesting CV...

...when he chose to talk about it. His mother was always disappointed in his show biz career, because he had a Master's degree in Mathematics. His books showed a sharp and informed mind.

[LiberalFighter]

57. Just because Trump is President

doesn't mean other celebrities should be. And it is because of people like Trump we should never have any celebrity as a President again.

[former9thward]

58. People have short memories.

Trump wanted Oprah to run as his VP twice. Once in 1999 and then again when he announced in 2015. When he brought her name up in 2015 he was denounced by the media for "not being serious" by mentioning her. But now she is being praised by some of the same media as a serious potential candidate. What changed?

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-oprah-would-be-a-great-vice-president/

[LanternWaste]

75. Luckily, we have posters with absolute knowledge of who we should and should not vote for.

Luckily, we have posters with absolute knowledge of who we should and should not vote for, bless their little hearts.

I certainly can't see myself voting for anyone yet (and I doubt she'd get my vote regardless), but thank God for the Concern Battalion... informing us that the mere qualifier 'celebrity' implies zero difference between any of celebrity status, along with the "too-old-we-need-new-blood" brigade who oddly enough, incapable of telling us what 'too old' actually is, or how that measure is objectively arrived at.

Valuable people instructing us, pointing their fingers, inventing criticism out of thin air, chiding a mere opinion, and always (always) looking for a graceful way to say "I told you so..."

Bless their little hearts.

[alarimer]

81. I don't care about her achievements; I care that she believes a lot of nonsense.

Including "The Secret." That is emblematic of someone with no intellectual rigor, and little critical thinking skills. This is entirely too common in this country, but it makes her a snake oil salesman. I guess that's not a bad quality in a politician, though.

[longship]

92. Oh yes. I forgot about "The Secret".

That kind of melds with her Deepak Chopra infatuation, the quantum woo-woo connection.

Thanks.

I have been hammering on Oprah all morning, but mostly her medical woo-woo positions. You know: Phil, Oz, McCarthy, John of God.

It's kind of like being Sisyphus around here doing such things. People don't want to hear that just maybe the woman who apparently gave a good speech last night is a bit of a kook.

I find her odious.

[alarimer]

105. The problem with kooks is that people believe them.

Especially when they are public figures. Of course a lot of politicians believe a lot of dumb or untrue things themselves, but Democrats tend to be a lot better in this regard, with some very notable exceptions like RFK, Jr, who at least is not currently holding public office.

Plus, public policy is complicated. There is no magical thinking, like The Secret, that will make things all better.

It isn’t even Oprah really that I am objecting to. It’s the idea that there is some savior out there that, if we just elect them, everything will change. Clearly this is not true. Change is going to have to from the bottom up, not from the top down.

[longship]

106. Bottom-up is my opinion, too.

If one wants to change the party, begin by running for precinct delegate (or committee person, if that's what it's called where you live). Work your way up to district delegate, than state delegate. When one reaches national delegate level you get to be credentialed at the national party convention.

If one wants to change the party, one does that and gets many same thinking people to join you.

It happens from bottom-up.

The same with elected officials. Having a D in the White House is useless if it's Rs all the rest of the way down to the city councils, school boards, (Hell) dog catchers.

If one really cares, find somebody good to run for local office, or run for office yourself.

That's the way it's done.

My best to you.

[misanthrope]

115. "Odious" would suffice

I think her chief talent is exploiting the naiveté of others to create an almost cult-like following which inflates her wealth and ego at nearly equal rates. She's great at marketing herself to others but I think that's about where it stops.

When a shade under half the electorate cast votes for the brazen huckster who now serves as POTUS, it seriously damaged my faith in Americans' capacity for self-governance. Watching the clamor over the proffered idea of Winfrey chasing the same office has deepened those doubts.

[alarimer]

118. It's also deepened my doubts that liberals are any better.

We are just as much a cult of personality as the other side. Certainly when any criticism of Obama/Clinton is met with "But they're the most qualified ever!" or similar (in spite of legitimate flaws and mistakes), it's apparent that lack of critical thinking and adoration of celebrity is more important than anything else.

And I think it's troubling that our only solution is to put up a more famous person, despite lack of qualifications, because winning is more important than repairing the damage. Or maybe this discussion is just a lot of hot air.

We need to spend less time focusing on Oprah or whomever for 2020 and more time focusing on 2018.

[Puzzledtraveller]

112. what the hell is "the secret"? Lol

Never head of that one. Shit, what if she is a Scientologist, or at least a avid supporter...

[Willie Pep]

113. That is what I don't like.

Oprah's show leaned too much on the positive thinking/self-help guru stuff that is a big problem in this country. Specifically it encourages people to be apolitical and see every problem as a failure of people to think positively or to be motivated enough. The spirit of Oprah's show was really closer to conservative "pick yourself up by your bootstraps" philosophy than to traditional liberal social reform through politics and law.

There is nothing wrong with trying to help people overcome their problems but sometimes problems need a public solution. The positive thinking stuff gets mighty close to telling people that external conditions don't matter as Dave Chappelle pointed out in his hilarious bit on The Secret. Link below (NSFW-foul language).

[alarimer]

119. What would her solution be to massive inequality in this country, for instance, in light of this?

I think there are far too many in this country who already think people are poor because they don't try hard enough, forgetting all the entrenched policies that have led to this situation. Systemic racism, discrimination in housing, education and employment, etc.

Not to mention taxation. Would she be one of those rich people (like Buffett) who thinks they are undertaxed relative to the rest of us? None of us have any idea at this point.

[LAS14]

129. I agree with you, and will be interested to see....

.... what she comes up with if she decides to go the political route. My post wasn't an endorsement of her for president, just a call to people who thought she was "nothing but" to get educated.

[NastyRiffraff]

83. I don't doubt her achievements

and in many ways I admire her. I certainly admire what she said last night at the Golden Globe awards. I admire a lot of people; that doesn't mean I want them to be president. I want someone who has a hands-on understanding of political processes and who has proven herself in running for other political offices.

We see what happens when someone with no experience gets into the White House. And no, I'm NOT saying Oprah is like Trump; obviously she is several degrees of magnitude better. But I question wanting her to run for president largely on the basis of one speech; albeit an extraordinary one.

[GallopingGhost]

84. If we survive the

current Nazi nightmare, I'm not sure the American public is going to be in any mood to support a television personality for President, no matter who it is.

But many in today's society apparently feel the need to be entertained 24/7, so I could be wrong.

[Tarheel_Dem]

85. Oprah has NOT declared that she wants to be POTUS. The media started this to feed the 24/7 media...

beast. Oprah is being piled on unfairly.

[left-of-center2012]

88. What is her foreign policy?

What is her domestic policy?

[BannonsLiver]

95. Well I suppose that makes two of us.

Only I'm flabbergasted at the "shiny object" syndrome that seems to be afflicting so many.

[Paladin]

99. No light-experience show biz billionaires for president. No way, no how.

Jeez, the trump regime is just like the Vietnam war: a lot of people aren't learning a fucking thing from it, and seem all-too-willing to repeat costly, tragic mistakes.

[elehhhhna]

101. She isn't what her carefully curated image projects.

Just no.

Jerry Springer otoh was a politician. Lol.

[boston bean]

108. Remember, when a woman runs for president its any woman but that woman mantra.

Get ready for it over and over and over.

[Puzzledtraveller]

111. We are hungry for a stark contrast to

the horror in the White House but Oprah just is not it IMO.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

126. I'm flabbergasted by the insistence on hagiographing her

Nobody is saying she's not accomplished. So what? Lots of people have overcome diversity to succeed. Doesn't mean I see them as presidential material, especially if they've never held any political office before.

[Deb]

127. "I can't, I'm watching Oprah."

An old running joke in our home. Sorry, she is a good person but I don't think we could get passed the celebrity.

[samnsara]

132. i never watched her show....

..is it still on?

[samnsara]

130. im sure shes a wonderful person but nothing prepares her for leading

a country. Experience matters.

[Act_of_Reparation]

134. I thoroughly understand she is the world's most powerful enabler of medical frauds and hucksters.

[left-of-center2012]

135. Some think being black, female, rich, and a TV personality qualifies her as POTUS

Some thought being white, male, rich, and a TV personality qualified Trump to be POTUS.

[Orrex]

136. 4 Ways Oprah Screwed The World (Nobody Ever Calls Her On)

http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-ways-oprah-winfrey-changed-world-for-worse/

[jberryhill]

137. And the bees