Women turn on ‘traitor’ Oprah Winfrey for backing Barack Obama

[KennedyGuy]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3216586.ece

AMERICA’S favourite television presenter is paying a painful price for her intervention in the US presidential campaign last month. Oprah Winfrey has been dubbed a “traitor” by some of her female fans for supporting Barack Obama instead of Hillary Clinton.

Winfrey’s website, Oprah.com, has been flooded with a barrage of abuse since the queen of daytime chat shows joined Obama on a tour of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina in mid-December.

Her intervention was widely credited with broadening Obama’s national appeal - especially among women - and with helping him to an upset victory over Clinton in the first vote of the election year in Iowa.


Yet a backlash by Clinton supporters appears to have prompted a rethink by Winfrey, the African-American media titan who is routinely described as the most influential woman on television.

She did not reappear in the final days before the New Hampshire primary - which Obama lost to Clinton - and has been absent from the most recent campaigning in South Carolina, which votes next weekend.

[rodeodance]

1. umm.. very interesting

[Connie_Corleone]

2. Oprah can support whoever the hell she wants to support.

Why should she support Hillary Clinton just because she's a woman? She actually knows Obama. Obama is her Senator.

This is just stupid.

[rodeodance]

7. obviously many women do not agree with that assessment.

[MH1]

17. It's kind of sexist, isn't it?

To say a woman can only support a woman?

[NWHarkness]

14. She certainly does

And others have a right to take her decision into consideration when forming their opinions of her.

[Cha]

24. It's pathetic and just because

"some women" are turning their backs on Oprah doesn't mean others aren't embracing her for making a stand..except the hillarys, of course.

[roguevalley]

36. this is shit. the idea that women should support a woman just because

she's female is bullshit. its bullshit period.

[Samantha]

44. Yes it is.

Thank you for that observation.

[pathansen]

39. Without the support of women, the Opra Winphrey Show would not exist.

If you ever watch it, its mostly women and very few black men.

[polichick]

3. Well, she's been cheering, "You go girl!" for decades...

Makes sense that some of her viewers would say WTF?!?!?!

[TwilightZone]

4. Had she supported Clinton, she'd have the same problem, just from a difference source.

Catch-22.

[KennedyGuy]

10. Exactly..which is why it may have been better to sit this one out..

Of course she has the right to support whomever she wishes..but this was a loose-loose for her..

[TwilightZone]

13. Well, she knew it was a lose-lose, so she probably deserves credit

for going out on a limb and taking a public stand, knowing what was at stake.

I can't believe that I just defended Oprah. Twice. The world is surely coming to an end.

[sufrommich]

43. lol. I agree.

She probably regrets getting involved at this point.Personally,no matter who she supports,I can watch about 5 minutes of Oprah,max.

[pathansen]

38. I disagree. Its overwhelmingly women who watch her show

Most of her phenominal success has come from women viewers. You don't see many black men in her audience.
So her show may be in trouble because of this: White women have supported her show but she supports a black man.

[madeline_con]

5. I always check with a talk show host before I vote.

:popcorn:

[rodeodance]

9. smart move.

[TankLV]

33. ...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Jamastiene]

42. I know.

I can't get up and go to the bathroom without Oprah's permission. And I've honestly been at a loss since Bob Barker retired. It's not like I can merely choose name brands on my own without an Official Price Is Right endorsement, first. 'Twoudn't be right, ya know?

:popcorn:

:rofl:

[Tactical Progressive]

6. I predicted this would happen

She deserves it.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

37. why? n/t

[Deja Q]

8. What if Barack gets a sex change?

Will these reverse-sexist viewers change their minds?

Assuming they have minds, it seems they prefer to think with their genitals... where have we heard that before?!

[TankLV]

34. hmmm - what? I was looking at a the hillary boobs picture...

[rodeodance]

11. REC

[Captain Hilts]

12. This is silly. nt

[jpgray]

15. Which is better? Fealty to one's gamete, or to one's polygenic phenotype?

:crazy:

[TankLV]

35. what they said...

what did they said?

[Barack_America]

16. Typical Clinton supporter behavior...sad. n/t

[TwilightZone]

22. .

never mind

[ursi]

18. what an immature thing to say.

[KennedyGuy]

23. Typical Obama supporter thing to say

especially on the frequent loosing nights..

[TwilightZone]

26. The London Times is immature?

Are you talking about the article or the poster? The OP was an article from the London Times.

[ursi]

46. the opinion in the article ...I believe that one like I believe the moon is made of cheese

I am quite sure Oprah's empire will continue to soar.

[Politicub]

19. The CNN entrance polls for Nevada are fascinating

and offer insight into what's going on. I urge other folks on DU to read them. It appears that the dem party, for perhaps the first time, is torn apart by race. Though slightly more women supported Hillary, there was a major split between the number of African Americans who supported Obama over Hillary (something like 85% if memory serves).

I'm confident that the divisions can be healed before the general election, but I hope everyone cools their jets with all of the racial rhetoric.

[robbedvoter]

20. I think it's silly...She gave him headlines, name recognition - the rest was up to him

He chose to spend his fae time on "Raygun is better than Clinton" - not Oprah's fault.

[styersc]

21. I'm hoping that Oprah will help heal wounds to bring this party

back together once this thing is settled.

We are going to have to be unified to win in the general.

It will be as important to make gains in the house and Senate so we can see Chris Shay take the gavel as the Majority Leader (thanks for your service Harry, but...)

[Yael]

25. Camp Clinton turns nasty?

Who could have ever forseen that coming?

[MADem]

27. Ah, the TIMES, UK...trash analysis with a posh accent!!

Reduce everything to a CATFIGHT between "bitches".....yeah, THAT's the ticket!!!

Never mind the ISSUES, never mind THOUGHT, or a political decision-making process!!!

It's all about DAMES, see, tearing the wig hats off each other's heads, and...and ..... MUD WRESTLING!!! Yeah, that's the ticket!!! In their UNDERWEAR!!!!

I'm ready to vomit at the treatment of female voters, to say nothing of the politician in question, during this contest. It's getting absurd.

This article suggests that Obama can't draw women without Oprah, and women voters suddenly got pissed off at Oprah and took it out on Obama. Or, 'it's all a plot by Hillary and Company to go after Oprah.'

That's simply OFFENSIVE. It's lazy, dumbfuck, tabloid thinking.

She did not reappear in the final days before the New Hampshire primary.... but she APPEARED. She was on the tee vee, up in Manchester or somewhere--they had to change the venue to a larger place. So, she didn't REAPPEAR--she's not married to the guy.

Then, they quote two assholes who posted at the Oprah site as "representative" in some fashion. Never mind all those people who didn't even know or care that OPRAH had a website where one could post comments!

Listen up, all you dumb women--you don't know your own minds!! Check back with the TIMES UK to figure out what you're supposed to do, now, because you surely can't figure it out on your own....

:sarcasm: for the PROFOUNDLY irony-impaired...

[1776Forever]

28. Come on - Talk about a "fairy tale"! This woman isn't backing Hillary!

As far as Oprah she can back anyone she wants to! This is FREE country - at least we would hope it was! Where do some of these people get their information? Not from this woman! I don't give a rat's butt if Hillary is man or woman - I am going by the proposals of the candidates!:headbang:

[THUNDER HANDS]

29. this is sad, and sexist

What is this, the borg?

Since when do women have to support a female candidate just because she's a woman?

[Tactical Progressive]

30. Oprah isn't just 'a' woman

She's 'the' woman who has made her career about women.

It's like the author of a book entitled 'Women Can Do Anything' throwing her support against the first viable woman candidate for the highest position in the land. And it's not like Hillary is some Publican with attitudes anathema to women.

Oprah looked horrible selling out her own constituency.

I'm surprised the backlash hasn't been more severe. On the other hand, it may not be over.

[THUNDER HANDS]

31. how un-feminist

A woman has to support another woman BECAUSE she's a woman, not because she believes someone else might be a better candidate.

I suppose all black people should automatically support obama. Or all Hispanics should support Richardson. Or all white men should support Edwards.

She didn't sell out anyone. She made an informed, educated decision.

Supporting Hillary JUST BECAUSE she's a woman is putting your brain in the freezer. There are many valid reasons to support her, being a woman is not one of them.

[TankLV]

32. I never paid much attention to her before - now it will be even MUCH less, if at all...

I never needed anybody to tell me how to behave or think - I can do that all by myself, thankyouverymuch...

[Perry Logan]

40. This makes it clear how even the biggest celebrities take a risk when they endorse candidates.

[Jamastiene]

41. abuse?

I'm dizzy. You are spinning me right round with that one.

[totodeinhere]

45. Just becuase HRC is a woman then all women must support her?

And if you are a woman who doesn't support HRC for whatever reason, then you are a traitor. What a crock of shit.

[THUNDER HANDS]

47. exactly - talk about a gang mentality

But then again, my mom and my fiancee feel the same way. They support Hillary ONLY because she's a woman.

Of course, neither my mom or my fiancee are that interested in politics.