Why Not Oprah?
“I’m not a member of any organized political party…. I’m a Democrat.”
“Democrats never agree on anything, that’s why they’re Democrats. If they agreed with each other, they’d be Republicans.” – Will Rogers
I live to stir the pot, so I’m going to stir it again this morning. Yesterday, I put Oprah at the top of my list for 2020, and the suggestion was met with considerable pushback. “Amateur” and “celebrity” were some of the pejoratives used by readers to say no to Oprah. Some people fled to their own corners, decrying outsiders and calling for mainstream politicians to run. The very same mainstream politicians who have driven the Dems to minority status in DC and in 32 states. Over the last 20 years, with only a few flashes of hope, the Democrats have SUCKED at what they are supposed to be doing, which is attaining, and keeping, political power. You can’t govern if you can’t win and keep power in DC and state houses, and the Dems have failed miserably at that for over two decades. I was active in party politics from about 2001 to 2012, when I threw up my hands in frustration at the incompetence and petty battles between factions (not to mention a lot of my dollars flushed down the toilet). When Dems would call a meeting, they’d spend 75% of their effort counting noses rather than doing business. The party structure wasted millions and millions of donor dollars, and the result was that the only ones doing well were the same political consultants that lost every race they managed. It drove me crazy, so I withdrew to hide behind my keyboard and…stir the pot.
Many years ago a wise political sage told me that Dems and Repubs run their parties very differently, especially since the 60s after Goldwater lost to Johnson. For 20 years after Goldwater, the GOP rebuilt themselves from the bottom up starting at precinct chairs, local school boards, county commissioners and so on. When they would then get control of the local level, they would go to the next level. Once they finally controlled a state, they would then immediately gerrymander themselves into what Karl Rove called the “permanent majority”. The GOP has organized itself as a pyramid with a strong base from which leadership grows. It worked, and worked really well until Trump turned the party on its ear. What’s comes next is an opportunity for Dems, if they don’t blow it.
Dems, on the other hand, have relied on traditional constituencies – unions, working class, minorities, and machine politicians. When they would win office, though, the lip service to their constituencies would go silent and it would be business as usual. They, too, have relied on gerrymandering, but not to the art form it has been raised to by the GOP. Dems are generally far less organized between elections and then scramble to rally around a presidential candidate who rises to prominence. Barack Obama is the textbook example of this characteristic. The Dems are organized in a pyramid, too, but an inverted one where the entire organization stands on the shoulders of the presidential candidate. It worked for Obama, but failed miserably with Hillary as the standard bearer. The party needs to change, but it won’t, especially with its calcified leadership parodied by Saturday Night Live last fall:
The textbook example of this calcification? It’s the Dems idiotic program it rolled out last year dubbed 
“A Better Deal”. “A Better Deal?” What moron thought that slogan was a good idea? How about, “We Don’t Have Cavities”, or “Make America Just OK Again”? Here’s a good one – “We Didn’t Get a Flat this Morning”. Stupid. This kind of silly sloganeering and message massage is what kills momentum. Trump has provided the biggest opportunity for Dems to grab control since Bush/Cheney, but they’re doing everything they can to blow it. Again.
That’s why I say Oprah. In the general election, you have to get a good portion of the middle 6% who doesn’t pay attention until the end of October when they tear themselves away from The Voice or Dancing with the Stars long enough to drag themselves to the polls. Turnout is key. Obama won twice because of turnout. Hillary lost because of turnout. Turnout is everything. I look at Oprah as that turnout machine. Because the Dems SUCK at GOTV, the candidate has to pull the vote. Oprah will do that, hands down. The base of the right wing will hate her as they do all Dems; no Dem will get that vote. So, turnout of the base and the majority of the middle is required to take it. Oprah can accomplish that like no other Dem on the bench. Period. AND, Oprah is a super successful business person as well as a television personality with gigantic recognition numbers.
People say she’s an amateur and inexperienced. I say hogwash. Obama announced for president 23 months after he took office in the Senate. Was he perfect? No, but he was a hell of a lot better than McCain or Romney would have been. Oprah can inspire, she’s successful, she’ll pull the middle vote, and she’ll have her pick of the best and brightest for her advisors who will readily serve. And, the big bonus is that she’s not nuts. She’s not a malfunctioning narcissist. She’s not lazy or self obsessed. The key, though, is that after she took the White House, the Dems would have to stand on their hind legs, get themselves organized and raise money (and candidates) as fast as possible during that first term. New leadership and a fresh bench are the only assets that will help cement a longer term influence on national politics.
You purists out there who want to keep doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result knock yourselves out. Me, I want to win 2020, and I damn sure don’t want that task in the hands of the same good folks who got us in this mess in the first place.
I love it, El Jefe!
But…
I think I need to point to the Elephant In The Room (pun intended). If President Obama brought the alt-right, Neo-Nazis and the KKK scurrying out from under whatever rocks where they were hiding to rally round the Orange Cheeto, what will happen if the Democratic nominee is BOTH African American AND female?
Their heads will explode.
That might be a good thing. But it also might get us four more years of the nonsense we currently have.
Oprah is smart, savvy and a tireless worker. I have no doubt she’s got what it takes to run the country.
I am torn.
1Naysayers want to spout that a “celebrity with no experience and who is a ‘billionaire isn’t what we want – so why Oprah?” Well. I have been thinking about that statement (yes it is very paraphrased from what I have been reading).
Oprah didn’t “borrow” a million to get a start in life – she has made her fortune on her own. And she had to have the talent to do that. She has never gone bankrupt. She isn’t a sex pervert, she has been sexually abused.
These are just a few of the responses to the naysayers. There are many, many more. What we have sitting in the WH is nothing but a travesty – of EVERYTHING. I don’t believe we could scrape the bottom of the barrel even more than has been done.
And I agree – it is past time for the Dems to get their act together. I am tired of seeing the Republicans take the races while the Dems just wander around doing nothing worthwhile.
2I’m sold, for all those reasons.
You have to vote in every election, period. You know what happens when you don’t. Why is this still an issue anymore?
3Are you saying essentially that the repubs are too mean to govern while the dems are too stupid to govern? (One can substitute for “govern”.)
4At first some of the comments against Oprah yesterday sorta made sense. Your reasoning today makes even better sense if we reasonable, liberal progressives want to regain some kinda control over what affects our lives.
A good leader doesn’t know everything but has enough moxey to hire the talent that provides the tools for a competent leader to lead. A big plus would be “decency”.
Your other main point being the dem party/leadership’s remarkable talent, ability, to enable to the opposition to compose the game rules ain’t likely to change without something being done to restrict that big, gigantic DC teat IMHO.
The trick is – implementation.
Let them all run. Too old? No problem, a few months on the campaign trail determines who possesses the vigor. Inexperienced? Let them debate and debate often enough to present their policy positions. Easy questions, too. Education – who do you have in mind to clean up after Betsy DeVos. Zinke, etc. While it’s been said that all politics is local, it has also been said that “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Let them share a few of their ideas for cabinet positions.
And, when you don’t know, know who to ask. Say what one will about Oprah, but I would expect that she has both the sense and the confidence to seek suggestions from people like Rep. Frederica Wilson. Who better to ask about education than someone who knows how to run successful schools.
5@jane – Yep. Like Obama bringing in Arnie Duncan to run education. Steve Chu to run energy, etc, etc. Can you imagine the outrage at appointing actual experts in these positions rather than political and ideological hacks?
6Right! Put another celebrity TV star in the White House who knows nothing about running a government. Maybe we’d get really lucky and she’d appoint Dr. Oz as Surgeon General, and John of God perhaps, as his assistant. Oh! Oh! And we could have Jenny McCarthy heading the CDC!
Or, we could leave her to do what she does best, act, and appear on television.
7If Oprah Winfrey is qualified to be POTUS, Michelle Obama is 10 times more qualified from here 8 years in the White House. And Michelle Obama has positions on issues.
8You still haven’t convinced me that Oprah Winfrey has any qualifications other than that she’s electable and she’s not a horrible person.
If Oprah Winfrey is qualified to be POTUS, Michelle Obama is 10 times more qualified from her 8 years in the White House. And Michelle Obama has positions on issues.
9You still haven’t convinced me that Oprah Winfrey has any qualifications other than that she’s electable and she’s not a horrible person.
What’s the point of blaspheming the Democrat party?
The Dem is for me the only choice. I can’t see a viable third party choice. I haven’t the heart to participate in a Tea Party like hijacking of either the Dem OR Republican party to take either where I want them to be.
WTF am I supposed to do when even the nominal Dems in the group denigrate the party? It is disheartening at a time when every Dem ought to be encouraging every Dem around us and stfu about past failures.
10@Wally – One problem with your observation – Michelle’s not running. Next? Oh, and before you start: http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/27/politics/michelle-obama-says-she-wont-run-for-office/index.html
11I would much rather have her as the director of HHS, myself.
12@Micr – “It is disheartening at a time when every Dem ought to be encouraging every Dem around us and stfu about past failures.”
And THAT’S why Dems continue to lose. “Let’s not criticize anyone and just stand around counting noses to make sure everyone gets a blue ribbon.”
13Jennifer Rubin had an excellent column about this in yesterday’s Washington Post. It made a lot of sense.
14Why not Oprah? Dr Oz for surgeon-general and Deepak Chopra for some other cabinet-level position are 2 reasons. Have enough living with Rick Perry as Secretary of, what was that again, that other one?
15Oprah isn’t running either. People are attemoting to install her as a candidate by proclamation and she is floating trial ballons.
16When did her commitment to public service arise? Sorry, one doesn’t get to decide that you want to “do something” and then step into the toughest job in the world without prep, just because you’re famous and rich- our current nightmare reality notwithstanding.
@Wally – No one is running, but of all the possibles, Oprah has the best chance IMHO, and she has shown interest. NO ONE is prepared for the presidency. It’s all in how that person responds if elected. Obama responded well. Cheeto Jesus, not so well.
17El Jefe and Micr, that’s the thing about why Democrats have a problem attracting millennials. Albeit Jane and I don’t represent all millennials, but we are typical of many millennials who are not yet totally disengaged from politics. My entire family are long term Independents who vote Democratic. Give him a couple of beers and Grandpappy will allow as he is a FDR Democrat and a Kennedy Democrat, Bobby that is. To the old folks in the family identifying Democrat was not an option when the Dixiecrats were roaming Congress.
On to the millennials, we’re too stubborn to be pleased with Debbie WTF Schultz selecting our candidates. We’re into participation democracy, so please let’s allow the candidates to rip.
Which brings us to messaging. Slap that “fiscal conservative” meme out of the mouths of the snacilbupeR. Be the sane folks for responsible spending.
Look at the budget debate. The Cans want to raise the caps on military spending again. No way until the Pentagon can actually submit an audit. WTF? Give them MORE, when they cannot or refuse to account for what they spend?
Donnie wants his wall. He can have it – after he releases HIS tax returns and makes the necessary arrangements with President Enrique Peña Nieto.
Back to the budget. The school to prison pipeline needs to end. Prisons for profit are silly and a waste of money. Educate and include everyone; whatever sex, gay, straight, race, color, creed. Medicine for profit, another silly notion, when we pay for the uninsured through our premiums. Healthcare for all, please.
18@El Jefe
Useful criticism, yes. Repeating a mantra of “you haven’t won so you can’t win” is not useful.
19Encouragement to run, to win, to govern, yes. Anything other than encouragement to run is discouragement to run. Dems, like everyone else everywhere, lose 100% of the races they do not enter.
@Jane & PKM
“so please let’s allow the candidates to rip.” Yep. Let’er buck.”
20Ask Oprah to help, help with getting out the vote and help with educating people as to how it is to their advantage to vote for a Democratic candidate. I’ve read opinion pieces that said Jones won in Alabama because African-American women turned out in droves, as did the women voters in general.
Help the populace realize that Republican core values are simply greed and intolerance.
21“I live to stir the pot”.
22This is no secret.
I’d prefer a pot in which stirring produces something edible, not the usual cauldron of scorn.
Micr, some of the naysaying has been absolutely funny. No to Joacquin Castro because he hasn’t run statewide. Hello to that: Teddie Crooze has run & won, do they want him? Oh yeah, and Senator Harris is too young. WTF? She’s 53! Then there’s Oprah for HHS. Of course, she’s a woman; why didn’t I think of that, she’s therefore ‘secretary’ material. IIRC she’s black, too, so why not HUD?
Let ’em run, let them debate and hell yes, let’s hope they do buck the system. For the record, fwiw, President Obama would have made me happier had he gone gangsta on Congress.
23PKM for President!
24Oh fock me to tears.
I agree on almost all of your Democratic Party critique, then you go completely off the effen rails with this faddish Oprah insanity. Do we want to follow the damned Repuke coloring book page for page, doodling in another gdamned totally unqualified, untested, UNelectable TV ‘star’?
If it comes to that, I’ll write in the Road Runner, hmeep hmeep…or Bugs Bunny.
25https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ee/Roadrunner_looney_tunes.png
Sandridge, slow down good friend. Some of us are just saying she should run should she choose to run. Whether or not we vote for her is her task, but I am willing to listen to her and anyone else who chooses to run. Doubt the pool of eligible will be overwhelming. Obama had the mere easy task of cleaning up after Dubya. The next Democrat has to bat clean up after Donnie and his team of the ‘best’ department wreckers.
😀 Jo, not me. I leave the politicking to my better and more qualified half, Jane.
26Speaking of candidates, does AZ possess a Democrat? Good time to flip Jeff’s seat. 85 year old pardon recipient Arpaio is running for Senate.
As for ‘doctor’ Oz and Dopey Phil, would be wise to ask Ms. Winfrey’s current assessment of them. Not that either of those dufii are any worse than old Tom Price. Had that argument with Dean Heller about most of Donnie’s abominable selections. Dumb-Can Dean thought Donnie was entitled to his own picks. Silly me, I thought Congress had a checks and balances responsibility. All the more reason to flip the House and Senate.
For you basketball fans, Dean is being challenged in the NV primary by Danny Tarkanian. For the non sports folks, Danny is the far right match to that little Bang ’em Young punter, Chaffetz. Anyone with spare cash and a follower of Emily’s List any help you can send Democratic candidate Jacky Rosen would be appreciated.
27I agree with this article! All these people saying we shouldn’t run a celebrity, we should run somebody with experience… give us a name. Joe Biden? A war hawk plagiarist who will be 81 at his swearing in? Got any other names? We need a damn winner.
28Jefe, I’ve been pretty flustered by some of your stuff, but I agree with this one. I think Oprah has spent enough time learning how to run a business to make good choices for her cabinet, and I think what Dems need right now more than anything is a well-known, well-liked person at the helm.
While Oprah isn’t perfect, I think she has the skill to remind people that she’s running as a Democrat, the antithesis of the party of Greed Over People, and she has the charisma to help people understand why that matters. *And* she can go head to head with the dotard about how to run a country–she is the Horatio Alger story, she built her empire herself, she runs a good business, and she has strong moral standards.
And unlike the dotard, who probably picked Pence because he was the least likely of the heard to distract people from his hugeness, she’d pick a vice who could take care of a lot of the business of government.
No, she’s not perfect, but she’s certainly attractive, far as I’m concerned.
29How about something more than popular, rich businesswoman?
I’ve been appalled at her promotions of quack medicine, narcissism, and fad dieting.
30The Oprah or no Oprah choice will be made in the primaries, still a way off. First of all we need to clean (the)house. Actually I had envisioned Winfrey as Secretary of Education.
31I subscribe to the perfect is the enemy of the good theorem. You can’t complain about Oprah being a “billionaire celebrity”, “not a politician”, “inexperienced”, so on and so forth without another option who has as much chance to win. The problem is that as you push for your perfect candidate that checks all your boxes, President Pence will be dismantling public education, privatizing social security and medicare, and turning our interstate highway system into toll roads. I want a WINNER who’s not nuts. Period. Of all the candidates, the only Dems who have a chance are Oprah and Biden, and Biden is too old. Call me crazy, but winning is mandatory.
32Could we please get past 2018 and retake the House and Senate before we start worrying about the Presidential race in 2020? Please?!
33I don’t want another TV personality as president, I want someone who has experience in getting things done in our political system. Since when do Democrats latch on to examples like trump? If that makes me old-fashioned, so be it.
And any enthusiasm I might have for Oprah as a politician is effectively done away with, due to her furnishing years of favorable publicity to the anti-vaccination movement. Unforgivable.
34I refrained on the first Oprah post but cannot help myself on the second. No! No! No! Never! Cannot have her as CIC! I would have thought it was a joke except your writing seems heartfelt. True, ¨She’s not a malfunctioning narcissist¨ … she is an extremely high functioning narcissist. I have never resorted to a write-in or third party because I think that is a wasted vote but that name at the top of a ballot would make me do it.
Other than this post, I appreciate your hard work to run this site and almost always agree with your point-of-view. I have lurked on your site for years. Your site and TheObamaDiary bring my daily news.
35How about Gavin Newsome of Ca. for Pres.? WELLLLL connected, experienced in governing and gorgeous.
36