Should we apply the Donald Trump Theory to Oprah Winfrey? Take her seriously, but not literally — about running for the presidency.
Tea leaves sold out this week as the billionaire media mogul retweeted a New York Post op-ed column by John Podhoretz titled “Democrats’ Best Hope for 2020: Oprah.”
To beat Trump in 2020, he wrote, Democrats need “a grand, outsized fearless star whom Trump can neither intimidate nor outshine.”
Citing her recent “60 Minutes” segment moderating a focus group of Trump and anti-Trump voters, he said Winfrey’s ability to connect with people leaves her “uniquely positioned, should she wish to commit herself, to seek the Democratic nomination for president and challenge Trump in 2020.”
US Magazine said: “Winfrey, 63, who was a strong supporter of former President Barack Obama, said in a March interview with Bloomberg Media’s David Rubenstein she’s never contemplated running for a political position but acknowledged that the election of Donald Trump changed the playing field.”
@jpodhoretz Thanks for your VOTE of confidence!Democrats’ best hope for 2020: Oprah | New York Post https://t.co/tvt82v8cMH
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) September 28, 2017
Quoting The Wrap, Entertainment Weekly said: “Despite the endorsement, Winfrey is not planning to run for office. ‘She was just thanking the reporter, she is not running for office,’” a representative said.
But that didn’t stop the Twitterverse from a 2020 swoon.
So @Oprah thanks @jpodhoretz for his piece arguing she could be the 2020 Democratic Presidential nominee if she wants to be.
She’s running. https://t.co/nVmWi3rLvw
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) September 29, 2017
hilarious. multiple Trumpkins emailing me to say my idea Oprah would be strong in ’20 is crazy because she has no experience.
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) September 28, 2017
Analysis: Oprah would really like for us to talk about her running for president in 2020 https://t.co/40nu7eKr0g
— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 29, 2017
Stop trying to draft Oprah for 2020.
Why would anyone want to be President when they’re already Oprah?
— Regi Brittain (@RegiBrittain) September 29, 2017
If Oprah runs in 2020 … bitch I’m running to the polls. Camping out. Fundraising. Door to door campaigning. Volunteering. All dat!
— Chad H. (@WasItThe_Chad) September 29, 2017