Nomentum

Matt Lewis | December 10, 2007 11:04 AM

MKH -- You make a good point about Oprah. She's popular because she's deemed trustworthy and "real", so ironically, her popularity may not be transferrable to politics. In fact, getting messed up in politics might hurt her brand.

In the immortal words of Vito Corleone:

It's true, I have a lot of friends in politics, but they wouldn't be friendly very long if they knew my business was drugs instead of gambling, which they rule that as a -- harmless vice. But drugs is a dirty business.

I suspect Oprah's audience wouldn't be as fawning if she were constantly pushing a politician or an agenda (if her business were politics instead of entertainment).

Afternoon talk shows are a harmless vice, but politics is a dirty business...