There are pundits out there begging Oprah Winfrey not to run in 2020. We don't need another celebrity presidency, they have urged in countless op-eds.
Yet, the rumors are out there after Winfrey brought the house down with a powerful speech at last Sunday's Golden Globes. Political analyst Juan Williams admits that like his colleagues he was skeptical at first, but he now thinks she should give it a go.
Williams shares his thoughts in a new Hill op-ed: "The case for Oprah."
"Oprah is the greatest threat to Trump’s reelection other than the president himself," Williams declares.
First, he breaks down the favorable demographics. Should she run, she can count on both white and minority women support - voters Hillary Clinton failed to reach.
In contrast to Clinton, Oprah’s central appeal has always been her bond with white women. They formed the audience base of her daytime talk show for decades. She is a trusted, confident, credible and comforting figure for women. She helped them make sense of the most controversial social and political issues of the time on that show.
"Saturday Night Live" made the same point over the weekend. It may be have been part of a comedic skit, but it seemed to have a grain of truth.
"I need to get white women back on track," SNL's Oprah said.
Williams also just simply thinks Oprah is a good person - more than he can say for the current White House occupant.
"President Trump, sir, you are no Oprah."
Paul Waldman of The Washington Post has a similar high opinion of the billionaire talk show host, but he believes her running is a very bad idea. "Get a grip people. Oprah should not run for president," his straightforward headline read.
A Daily Beast opinion writer shared a similar sentiment.
"Being a celebrity shouldn’t be a prerequisite for running our country," Ira Madison III writes.
The conversation about whether or not Oprah should run for president has always left a sour taste in my mouth. Yes, Oprah electrifies America but that is what we expect her to do as an artist. The idea that this vigor must translate into a political career seems as shortsighted as it does selfish. Does Oprah herself even want to run for president?
According to her team, no.
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