Oprah for President! (and other non-conventional candidates)

[Grifman]

There's a whole lot of buzz about a potential run after her Golden Globes speech:

http://money.cnn.com/2018/01/08/media/o ... index.html

So are liberals prepared to line up behind a liberal amateur just as Republicans lined up behind a conservative amateur? Personally, IMO, if you want to run for president, please run and hold some other office of substance - Congressman, Senator, Governor, Mayor, please something so that you get in idea of how government works. We don't need any more people whose first office is that of President of the US.

[LawBeefaroni]

No way. And she wouldn't want the job anyway.

At least not the job as it was. If it becomes basically a paid tweeting job maybe she'll take it.

[Pyperkub]

There's a whole lot of buzz about a potential run after her Golden Globes speech:

http://money.cnn.com/2018/01/08/media/o ... index.html

So are liberals prepared to line up behind a liberal amateur just as Republicans lined up behind a conservative amateur? Personally, IMO, if you want to run for president, please run and hold some other office of substance - Congressman, Senator, Governor, Mayor, please something so that you get in idea of how government works. We don't need any more people whose first office is that of President of the US.

Eh, I could actually see Mark Cuban doing a pretty good job, but I'd really want to see how his campaign went. Trump's Presidency was reflected in his campaign.

[Defiant]

There's a whole lot of buzz about a potential run after her Golden Globes speech:

I think we know what that buzz really was...

[Holman]

I can think of a lot of politicians I'd support long before Oprah, but at this point I would support her before any Republican anywhere.

[El Guapo]

It seems bonkers for everyone involved. It would annihilate Oprah's brand within a month, and I doubt she'd get anywhere against (say) Sanders.

[Zarathud]

Oprah has more political skills than Trump. She inspires more and has more crossover appeal.

She's also a terror to negotiate against and wielded more influence while on TV. She also ran her show with an iron fist and velvet glove.

She is the anti-Trump. She would destroy Sanders as many older women love her.

[El Guapo]

Oprah has more political skills than Trump. She inspires more and has more crossover appeal.

She's also a terror to negotiate against and wielded more influence while on TV. She also ran her show with an iron fist and velvet glove.

She is the anti-Trump. She would destroy Sanders as many older women love her.

She has crossover appeal for now, until she starts taking positions on things like abortion, free trade, etc. And every kook she paraded out on her show (Dr. Oz, Jenny McCarthy's anti-vax bullshit) would be (rightfully) trotted out. And god knows what other skeletons may be lurking in her closet because no one's looked too closely. Oh, and I can't wait for her to give her opinion on what to do about Syria, or the Yemeni civil war. I'm sure that that would all go great.

[GreenGoo]

I have no doubt that she could win, and no doubt that she would be 100x the president that Drumpf is. She's still not a good candidate for the position though.

You have to actually know stuff, a LOT of stuff, to do the job. It's fun to pretend that anyone can be president one day, and while that's sort of true, we can't pretend that anyone can be a good president one day.

[Enough]

The thought of an Oprah vs Trump election does not take me to my happy place.

[Smoove_B]

Now that nothing matters, I can't wait to see what will unfold over the next ~16 months. It will not surprise me if we never have a "conventional" president ever again.

[Kraken]

I only know that she's a talk-show host and all-around TV personality. Can't say I've ever seen her act. She'd have to do a lot of convincing to get my vote. Unless she is the D nominee running against Trump...then what the hell, she's my gal by default.

One hopes that she doesn't run a third-party vanity campaign.

[El Guapo]

Has since moved up to 2nd.

[Daehawk]

If the Dems want to f their chances in 2020 sure go ahead. Maybe one day they will run a winner and stop tossing stuff against the wall. Hillary came close but I think they need to get back to a strong male congressman. Though right now I cant really pick a good Dem candidate male female gay straight black white .

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I hope she’s not the nominee just because I’d much prefer someone with actual political experience. But if it comes down to her vs Trump, the choice would be easy.

[GreenGoo]

It would be fun to tell Pence that he's got as much chance of being president as Oprah.

[El Guapo]

It would be fun to tell Pence that he's got as much chance of being president as Oprah.

Too late.

[GreenGoo]

I mean tell him. Personally.

[Holman]

I think the Oprah-for-president buzz is just a reaction to seeing someone give a great and inspiring speech in the era of Trump. I really doubt we'll be talking this way in a week.

Actual political candidates clearly need to get out there and give great speeches.

[Rip]

Says a lot about the lack of any Democrat politicians with the appeal to run.

[Carpet_pissr]

Says a lot about the current turd in office as well. Anyone, even no political experience Oprah, is pounced on as a potential compared to Der ‘Stable Genius’

[YellowKing]

I hate this feeling that we need an "outsider" in government. NO WE DON'T. WE NEED SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THE FUCK THEY ARE DOING.

You wouldn't look at resumes for CEO of your company and go "You know, we need someone with no experience running this type of company just to shake things up a bit."

And it pains me to say that, because having The Rock as President would kick ass.

[RunningMn9]

So are liberals prepared to line up behind a liberal amateur just as Republicans lined up behind a conservative amateur?

Depends on how dumb liberals are. You cannot have the most powerful job in the world in the hands of someone that has absolutely no idea what they are doing. Oprah is as grossly unqualified as Trump. She's almost certainly infinitely more competent, because I doubt that she earnestly believes that she is the world's foremost expert on every conceivable topic.

[$iljanus]

If the electorate is going to choose leaders solely on their media personality there's only one viable option:

Josiah Bartlet is the only choice especially if CJ is going to be in his cabinet.

[hepcat]

Says a lot about the lack of any Democrat politicians with the appeal to run.

You lost the high ground on that argument the moment you voted for a reality TV star.

[Rip]

Says a lot about the lack of any Democrat politicians with the appeal to run.

You lost the high ground on that argument the moment you voted for a reality TV star.

Star, please. He was no more a star than Honey Boo Boo or Uncle Si.

I only voted for him because too many of my party brothers wouldn't vote for Rand Paul or Ted Cruz.

That said I would have voted for Roseanne over Hillary.

[El Guapo]

I mean tell him. Personally.

Oh, that would be fun. I'm just saying that (if PredictIt.com is to be believed) he does not have as much of a chance of being elected as Oprah.

[hepcat]

Star, please. He was no more a star than Honey Boo Boo or Uncle Si.

I will now wait for the outraged tweets from your president.

[El Guapo]

I think the Oprah-for-president buzz is just a reaction to seeing someone give a great and inspiring speech in the era of Trump. I really doubt we'll be talking this way in a week.

Actual political candidates clearly need to get out there and give great speeches.

I agree. And I think it would be such a terrible decision for her personally that I really doubt that she would run.

Still, it was interesting to read the stuff that Nate Silver has been posting on an Oprah run. He's a little more bullish on her chances of success (if she runs) than I was expecting. I also didn't realize just how high her approval rating is:



Though again that would immediately decline if she become a political candidate, it's just a matter of how much. But it would be a decline from a very, very high number.

[hepcat]

Star, please. He was no more a star than Honey Boo Boo or Uncle Si.

I will now wait for the outraged tweets from your president.

[Kurth]

I can think of a lot of politicians I'd support long before Oprah, but at this point I would support her before any Republican anywhere.

We get what we deserve.

[Smoove_B]

We get what we deserve.

If one party is willing to put an inexperienced TV personality up for election - and they win because STIGGIN IT - how on earth could any other party think they can run a traditional candidate and compete? People would vote for Oprah because of her persona. They probably know more about her than 95% of the people in government. We likely only know about Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan because they're evil. I'd imagine people outside of NJ know about Cory Booker because while serving as mayor, he carried a neighbor from a burning house. This election changed everything in that it demonstrated people were willing to elect a personality to the highest office in our nation. Nothing matters anymore.

[Kurth]

We get what we deserve.

If one party is willing to put an inexperienced TV personality up for election - and they win because STIGGIN IT - how on earth could any other party think they can run a traditional candidate and compete? People would vote for Oprah because of her persona. They probably know more about her than 95% of the people in government. We likely only know about Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan because they're evil. I'd imagine people outside of NJ know about Cory Booker because while serving as mayor, he carried a neighbor from a burning house. This election changed everything in that it demonstrated people were willing to elect a personality to the highest office in our nation. Nothing matters anymore.

Yep. Plus reflexive, unthinking tribalism.

[ImLawBoy]

Living in a state that is being ineptly run by an inexperienced non-politician businessman and in a country that is being ineptly run by an inexperienced non-politician businessman/celebrity, I'm kind of hankering for an experienced politician. I mean, my 3.5 year old twins would do a better job of running the country than Trump (and they spend half their day picking their noses and/or calling for us to look at their poop in the toilet), so I'd take Oprah if that's what it came down to, but I'd really rather have someone who knows something about and has some experience with governing.

[Smoove_B]

I'm kind of hankering for an experienced politician.

Here's the thing - I know a few mid-to high level experienced public servants. Individuals that have decades of knowledge in working with the budgetary process, policy creation and policy implementation - fundamentals. At the end of the day, no one cares about them or what they're doing because it's public service. They're not making waves, they're maintaining forward motion. It's not exciting by any means. But Oprah? Trump? Suddenly people are interested. Never mind the details, I like what Trump says about Mexicans! I like that Oprah is a very giving individual! The goalposts have moved. Or been lowered (depending on how depressed you are over the situation).

[Daehawk]

I hope she’s not the nominee just because I’d much prefer someone with actual political experience. But if it comes down to her vs Trump, the choice would be easy.

DING! DING!

[Kraken]

I hate this feeling that we need an "outsider" in government. NO WE DON'T. WE NEED SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THE FUCK THEY ARE DOING.

The "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" style of populism is seductive -- an Every(wo)man who will bring honesty, common sense, and principles to the job, fight for the interests of us little people, and then go back to the farm after eight years. Somehow Trump managed to con a lot of people into thinking that he was that person. Since it's now obvious to everyone that he never was and never could be, do voters really want to try again? If so, billionaire celebrities are not the place to look for Everyman.

Unless, that is, the government is a reality show and the president's job is to entertain us. Is this the new path to the oval office?

I'm with YK this time -- we need professionals clean up after this den of amateur liars and thieves. The Mr Smith moment has passed.

[Holman]

Neither Trump nor Oprah fit the Mr. Smith model. Trump wasn't was Everyman, and none of his supporters wanted him to be: he sold himself as a Master of the Universe who knew better than the pencil pushers in D.C. because he knew how to get out there and compete and win. He was going to run government like a business and make us profit once and for all.

Oprah is the same way. Unlike Trump she really is a self-made billionaire, but she's still no Everywoman. Rather, she's a champion of empathy. Oprah's brand is Caring. Where Trump was supposed to be the master businessman, Oprah would be the mistress of compassion.

Compassion might actually sell to liberals as well as business savvy sells to the right, but I'm not sure how it translates into expertise at government.

[Rip]

Free new cars for everybody!

[Jeff V]

Oprah has more political skills than Trump. She inspires more and has more crossover appeal.

She's also a terror to negotiate against and wielded more influence while on TV. She also ran her show with an iron fist and velvet glove.

She is the anti-Trump. She would destroy Sanders as many older women love her.

I used to work with a network engineer who nearly got fired because he habitually came in late because he'd stay home to watch Oprah.

I met her, twice. I think she would comport herself with Obama-like class but be a stronger force in pursuing her agenda. I would wait and see who she selects as advisors before going all-in behind her, but she's certainly the most impressive name to be mentioned so far as a democratic candidate.

Now, her lack of political experience should not be an issue if she is running against Trump. But what if, for whatever reason, Trump isn't the candidate? She could suffer if the tide turns back towards the establishment and people value experienced politicians.