Oprah Winfrey’s Website Draws Criticism for Obama Support

Authored by Scott Goldberg on December 28, 2007 - 5:36am.

Celebrity support for presidential candidates is nothing new, nor is the negative impact such support can often garner. It has led some of the 2008 candidates to form looser ties with celebrities than in years past, but one celebrity and her choice for president – Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama – have formed a bond in the last several months that would lead observers to question whether the two are considering a Prez-VP run at the Oval Office.

Obama has climbed in recent weeks in what was considered not long ago an onslaught for Hillary Clinton, and Winfrey deserves at least some of the credit. But now even fans of the media mogul are lashing out at Winfrey on her website, Oprah.com, the LA Times points out.

One commenter called Winfrey a traitor, which created a message string with over 12,000 views as of yesterday. Another post asked Winfrey to “stop pushing Obama down our throats,” a string that attracted 3,000 views.

One comment summarized the opinion of the dissenters succinctly: "First of all I want to say that I am a HUGE Oprah fan. I love what she stands for. She is a strong woman changing the world. However, I have been extremely disappointed with her recent touring with Barack Obama. It is a manipulation and an abuse of her power and influence on the American culture. Let the American people form their own opinion, Oprah."

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Comments

I too am a hugh Oprah fan,

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on December 28, 2007 - 6:45am.

I too am a hugh Oprah fan, and I am proud that she has stepped out of a longstanding tradition of not endorsing political candidates to step up and endorse Obama - somebody she really believes has the power to change this nation for the good. Up to now, you haven't been forming your own opinion. If she says read a book, you read it. Everything she touches turns to gold, she has had an direct impact on many people's fame because of the power of her influence. Now you think she's cramming Obama down people's throats because she endorses his candidacy? Did you feel like that when she endorsed Dr. Phil or Suze Orman? Would you feel like that if she endorsed Hillary? I wonder...

obama

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on January 10, 2008 - 9:59am.

I am a hugh Oprah fan and have been for many years. One of the things that I always respected her for was she said this is a paraphrase not a quote: I will never support publicly a policitial canaditite I consider what this would be an abuse of my power. Now she is. and also she said tht I want the world to know that I am a woman who happens to be black not a black woman I believe that these thing s have changed in recent years and I am dissapointed.

Oprah

Submitted by Bill Whitfield (not verified) on December 29, 2007 - 10:33pm.

I used to be a huge Oprah fan but not anymore. let her sell books and movies but she needs to keep her nose out of politics. The only reason she supports Osama, I mean Obama, is because he is black. It doesn't matter that he has no expericence, just the fact that he is black, that is all that matters to Oprah!

Oprah never went to college

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on January 3, 2008 - 4:45pm.

Oprah never went to college is that what you want in a vice president? some of the things she says on her show is indicative of her lack of education. i hope people dont follow her blindly.

Get out of Politics

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on January 4, 2008 - 6:39am.

You have no idea what you are doing! Complaints are made about all candidates, but Obama is the first one, which has so much against his background, he can not possibly be what we want as President of the USA!!! WE do not want anyone who may have the slightest ties to those Mideasterns.. Get off the Obama wagon. You are lowering yourself daily as it is now, with lots of your guests on your show and what you are showing all the time.

Oprah's education

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on January 21, 2008 - 4:41pm.

Someone wrote: Oprah never went to college is that what you want in a vice president? Please be informed that Oprah received a college scholarship to Tennessee State. After graduating, she was hired by ABC News in Baltimore going on to become a billionaire, one of the most influential persons in the world, and hasn't looked back. VP or not.

OPRAH HAS EVERY RIGHT TO ENDORSE WHO EVER SHE PLEASES

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on February 13, 2008 - 5:05pm.

Contrary to what we all feel here. All I read are people who are afraid of what may become of this. The truth of the matter is that if we all just read each candidates credential and honestly choose the one that they feel comfortable with then we will all be fine with who ever wins. Oprah has contribute so much to everyone that has reached out to her I think we owe it to her to respect her decision. When it time to go and vote again remember to say a little prayer before going into the voting booth because when I walked into it in the primary's I was surprise to see who I chose. I stand by my vote 100%. May the best candidate win. This has to be a difficult task. I mean who would want to be the president of the united states. Who ever wins is going to need more the four years to clear up all the mess that Bush has cause. I just home that who ever man or woman democrate or republican will bring some humility into the equation. Maybe we will then have a standing chance. All I want to tell everyone is to go out and vote. God bless America

Freewill

Submitted by Cynthia McCuan (not verified) on February 16, 2008 - 6:59am.

The fact is we all have free will in our own decisions. I rarely, in my busy schedule, have time to watch the Opray show. With that said, I respect every individual in this country to have the right to endorse which candidate they feel will serve our country the best. There will always be differences in opinions, no matter who endorses who. This lady just happens to be famous and many feel her endorsement will sway the numbers. That is not saying much for fellow countrymen is it? Sounds to me there are many underlying issues being voiced here besides the lady being who she is or endorsing a candidate she believes in.

nomination

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on March 7, 2008 - 5:39pm.

I feel the voice of the American people (aka ME) will not be heard for the democratic nomination. The math is off therefore the party will make the decision through superdelegates. PS: Are the superdelegates permitted to vote in their state primaries...if so won't they be voting twice.

Who cares who Oprah

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on March 9, 2008 - 7:24am.

Who cares who Oprah endorses. She is an American individual with an opinion. If we follow Oprah just because she is a household name, then we need to take a good look at our ownselves. Alot of blacks are just suppoorting Odama because he is a black man, that is ridiculous, so the research vote for the best candidate not beacause he is black. We never even herad of him before all of the Presidential nomination, as it is with most candidates, you don't know anything about them until they need your support. I think he is playing on the Black, the Poor and the Ignorant. I have not seen anything in him that stands him out above the other candidates. We always hear about change and what they are going to do, for the most part the iddle class and the poor suffer not matter who you put in there. They all are just making promises we've seen it over and over again. One thing for certain we need a real change form Bush.