Oprah’s a private citizen, albeit a very public one. She’s not the host of Meet the Press or even the host of Hardball. She’s the queen of daytime TV or some other cliché. She’s under no obligation to have anyone on her show she doesn’t want to. I think it might be good for Winfrey, Palin and/or the country. Or it might not be. I agree that Gov. Palin seems like a perfectly natural fit for the show personality-wise. But at the end of the day she’s a governor and vice presidential nominee. Oprah is an infotainment diva or some such. But some of the readers emailing me about this seem to think there should be more outrage about this. Outrage? About what? I’m far from a “whom am I to judge†guy, but what standing do we have to express outrage over the fact that she’s making a poor business decision or acting on her political preferences. I’m no more outraged that Oprah won’t have the governor on her show than I would be if Brit Hume refused to interview the Dog Whisperer.
Goldberg is absolutely correct here — at least in the sense that conservatives have no standing in making demands on Oprah and her show. Going such a route, after all, plays into the hands of those who support things like the “Fairness Doctrine, and people who believe in free speech shouldn’t be making any such overtures.
On the other hand, I see nothing wrong with pointing out that Oprah is acting like a partisan hack, using her substantial cultural clout to push a particular political personality and agenda.
— But then, how is that any different than spending the two decades foisting other bits of laughable, new-agey mysticism on those who are looking to fill the holes in their lives with whatever fashionable nonsense that is expertly spoonfed them?
Me, I just fill the hole in my life by choking people, or putting a lot of tension on their radial bone. But I’m old fashioned that way.
So, you think Oprah would oppose the Fairness Doctrine?
Oprah’s a tool and only those who thought she was anything else could be disappointed by this move.
I mean … The Secret? That’s really just a few steps away from Scientology.
Oprah made her pick early on. It’s her choice, and to be fair I doubt she would shy away from telling why.
I’ve got a hunch there’s some crossover between Oprah’s audience and the women cancelling their “Us” magazine subscriptions.
NOprah
The reason why Palin should be a given interview is because her audience is about 99% women, and Palin is … a woman. Palin is running for the second most powerful office in the country (why am I explaining this, you all know this.)
What I’m arguing, is that this isn’t the same as Brit Hume interviewing the Dog Whisperer. It is a tad more relative to her audience. It should be more relevant than all those creepy Hollywood love-fests.
I think a big bunch of her audience will notice the absence of an interview and be pissed.
So, how does Oprah maximize publicity?
Initial denial, then bowing once the pressure mounts.
Sure, the Fairness Doctrine is an additional irritant.
But it boils down to bucks.
Oh, these capitalists!
Man but teh hypocrisy of it all.
If Oprah wants to piss a bunch of women off, that’s OK with me. Also, I’m not really interested in hearing the clamor for an in depth conversation with Joe Biden.
“Also, I’m not really interested in hearing the clamor for an in depth conversation with Joe Biden.”
If it was about Amtrak it might fun but then I’m sort of a train guy.
I’d guess that Biden has a Q Score somewhere to the south of the dessicated corpse of Millard Fillmore.
Really, if she had Palin, she’d have to have Biden as well.
If there is anything more likely to help John McCain and Sarah Palin win this election than having Sarah Palin in front of America as much as possible, it would be having Joe Biden in front of America as much as possible.
Yo, Oprah, feminist much?
“If it was about Amtrak it might fun but then I’m sort of a train guy.”
dre, I just heard they’re going to have a hardware expo of some sort in Washington, that they were measuring the GG-1 in Harrisburg to make sure they could get it there, which is really stupid considering they ran the GG-1 out of Was for umpteen-eleventy years.
“which is really stupid considering they ran the GG-1 out of Was for umpteen-eleventy years”
I guess it doesn’t hurt to make sure. Amtrak is mostly about CYA anyway.
I figure if I go picket outside Oprah’s studios, she’ll try to get rid of me by giving me a whole bunch of that free shit she uses to buy friends and fans. Next stop, ebay!
I see nothing wrong with pointing out that Oprah is acting like a partisan hack, using her substantial cultural clout to push a particular political personality and agenda.
How much money is that exposure worth? How does that fit under campaign finance laws? I seem to recall a couple of local radio jocks getting busted for promoting conservatives a couple of years ago.
The Fairness Doctines is a government solution. Going after Oprah for her stupid decision isn’t. HUGE difference. This is why I think Oprah is being both biased and racist: She does not support Obama because of his positions. She came out in support of him a long time ago. I bet she couldn’t even say with any specificity where Obama and McCain stand on most issues. She supports him, like many others, because of his race. Naturally then you must conclude that she does not support McCain or Palin because of their race. If she lets Obama on her show twice, but does not allow McCain or Palin, this shows she is both biased and racist.
And just to be clear, I am bitterly opposed to the Fairness Doctrine, McCain-Feingold, or any other laws that give more power to the entrenched. But if we are going to have them, let’s use them. Fairly.
We should be criticizing the MSM and fellow travelers for their obvious bias, to use an understatement.
We should encourage them to amp that baby up to eleventy!
You go, Oprah! Run pell-mell down that path, hard as you can go. Everyone will just love you more!
I haven’t watched her in many years, and didn’t find her rivetting the few times I did, but what puzzles me most about Oprah is that you could turn any one of her TV episodes into a comic book, put it in the grocery line, and people who missed it would buy it. But then, apparently people will buy Coors, too.
To be fair, Oprah had Obama on before he officially declared himself as a candidate for president.
I agree with both Jeff and Jonah and I’d take it a step further. It’s way more entertaining to watch from afar as (again) women descend on Oprah’s website and scream out TEH HYPOCRISY! and, even better, only raises the victimization quotient on Sarah Palin. When one so visible who supports a political viewpoint of promoting the victimization meme to gather votes gets caught in the net, I just want to laugh and laugh!
I’m laughing now, in fact.
I seem to remember reading an article in Martial Arts Journal saying the pressure was on the tighter finger muscle tendon in the forearm that feels like your wrist is breaking in Nikijo. Or was it Sankijo? But yes, it is nice to give someone a focused moment of CLEARITY without the cruelty of making them sit through the compassionate fascism of daytime talk shows. They shake their wrist and get on with their lives.
Jeff, a few weeks ago you promised you were back. Forgive me, but I didn’t know if I should believe you… But, obviously, you are back and gawddamn I missed ya.
I think you’re absolutely right re. Oprah, but I sure do hope that the bad business decisions of this whole election season come back to bite her. Pure spite on my part, admittedly.
“But then, apparently people will buy Coors, too.”
BEERIST
Governor Palin doesn’t need Oprah. Oprah needs Governor Palin. Trust me on this.
Cory I do not think not allowing Palin on her show, and being an Obama voter, qualifies Oprah as a racist. IMHO.
Who is this Oprah everyone keeps talking about?
I’m delighted that Oprah doesn’t want Palin on her show. It’s pissing Oprah’s audience off and taking the bloom off Oprah they so dearly worshiped. Oprah can make her own poor business decisions, who am I to step in the way of that?
I’m tired of politicians having to pander to Oprah. And I hate her show.
I hate Oprah too, so I don’t really care I won’t see Sarcuda on her show. I wouldn’t tune in for … just about any reason. I’m just saying, prolly the big reason Oprah won’t do it is because it would win votes for McCain. It would.
Really. She could have Michael Phelps in his mankini and I wouldn’t tune in.
– But then, how is that any different than spending the two decades foisting other bits of laughable, new-agey mysticism on those who are looking to fill the holes in their lives with whatever fashionable nonsense that is expertly spoonfed them?
Well, I’m not sure. Anyone got any ideas?
stupid html italics
I’d rather not see Governor Palin on these types of shows. They’re demeaning. These talk show hosts are nut jobs. And I NEVER want to see her on Saturday Night Live or on the cover of the friggin Rolling Stone either (Jan Wenner who owns US magazine also owns RS)… Leave that crap in the left’s toilet please….
I’m not sure how what Oprah regularly talks about and what, oh let’s say Rush, talks about are really that different, at least existentially.
I would caution those who think otherwise that Oprah does indeed have a direct impact on certain voters, as does Rush, albeit differently (i.e. directly).
Some enterprising blogger (I’d say journalist, but…you know) could ride Biden’s Amtrak route and video the Amtrak accommodations from Union Station in D.C. to Wilmington. Should be revealing. My guess? Probably not like hobos riding the rails during the Depression, but who knows.
Who is this Oprah everyone keeps talking about?
William F. Buckley once referred to her as “that black lady who is alternately fat and thin, I forget her name.”
Schedule Governor Palin on the Sunday morning shows and run campaign ads showing O! snuggling with Oprah side-by-side with Palin kicking butt on MTP.
This is the case I was referring to:
http://michellemalkin.com/2005/07/09/free-speech-fight-in-washington-state/
anybody know how that turned out?
“Probably not like hobos riding the rails during the Depression, but who knows.”
Nah Joey is riding 1st class Acela.
By taking a defined political position, O!prah has made a terrible mistake that will alienate an ever increasing portion of her audience.
After she endorsed O! during the South Carolina Primaries, her ratings appreciable declined. Previously the highest rated daytime yak show, she slipped to second place behind Ellen DeGeneres. How low can she go now…?
A large percentage of Americans, particularly women, are pre-disposed to view the media as actively trying to help O!; the obverse of this is that they are inherently being unfair to Palin. Also, a large number of Hillary’s crew perceives the media as O!‘s fifth column. O!prah risks being lumped into this category by association as well as the fact that she betrayed her gender by endorsing O!…
Who knows what the superposition of these bad feelings and perceived slights will yield. If US magazine is any indication, then it could be bad news for O!prah. And, the associated identity politics slight, re-opening many newly healed PUMA wounds as well as reinforcing the NO O! resoluteness of others, should bode well for McMav and ‘Cuda…
I wonder if Rove! was somehow involved in all this..? According to many on the left, it would amount to a calculus that only he could cipher…
All I can say is that, to me, schadenfreude tastes like an understated Sardinian Rose…
Maverick, you magnificent bastard !
I used to wear one of those. Actually, they used to be smaller. I didn’t quite have the muscular definition, though. I couldn’t slap my spinal column before a race like he does, either.
I don’t look quite that good in a mankini, anymore. Three decades takes its toll, you know.
The idea that one would demand that someone be allowed on the Okrah show really elevates her enterprise to a level of esteem it does not deserve. She’s Maury fucking Povitch in a later time slot. Its one step up from Jerry Springer.
As a private citizen, Oprah is certainly entitled to have anyone on her show that she wishes; I have no disagreement with her there. Of course, she has to realize that this choice may have an effect on her ratings depending on how her audience interprets it. If she is rejected, it will have nothing to do with racism–these viewers have made her a billionaire–and everything to do with her politics. Radical Leftism just isn’t that popular, regardless of how fashionable it is at the moment. The media is just finding this out. Oprah has seen the peak of her popularity.
The irony is that, twenty years ago, Oprah had very much the appeal of Sarah Palin. She was unique, an original, and a breath of fresh air. I used to enjoy watching Oprah, but she exceeded her term limits and is now a hack. Let’s hope this doesn’t happen to Palin.
Quit trying to heap the guilt onto Ophrah because she is partisan and can freely decide who she pimps. Maybe she speaks to a demographic you can’t own. But it’s her venue, and she owes neither you, nor anyone else in the Fairness Doctrine dispute, any favors.
Well, in full disclosure, I spelled Oprah’s name wrong.
Maybe she speaks to a demographic you can’t own.
One that’s shrinking every day, apparently.
Can you describe that demographic? Or does it change as convenient?
On second thought Kathleen, I won’t take you home again.
Who is this disaffected bunch of (presumably female) voters who hang on Oprah’s every feature, and who are also potential Palinistas? I’m trying to figure a Venn diagram here.
Can you describe that demographic?
The shrinking one that has put her in second place to Ellen DeGeneres, as mentioned above.
T. spies?etc: What the hell are you talking about? I misssed the previous lesbian reference. And of course, that could only come from YOU. Boo!
misssed the previous lesbian reference.
What the hell are you smoking? I said nothing about lesbianism.
Let me spell it out for you very simply.
1) Oprah had the #1 rated show for years.
2) Now she doesn’t.
3) Therefore, her demographic is shrinking.
It has nothing to do with anyone’s sexual preference.
Jeezus Christ, cynn.
OOOpps.
Lying again, like there is no intertubes.
cynn; read throiug the badeness you=ccandoies it.l ahndjhf;afieh9f;p
that’s not Kathleen it’s someone deranged make it stop
BTW, if Ellen is as smart as I think she is, her people are doing their best to get Palin on the show right now.
hf
I knew it wasn’t Kathleen from the git-go. Sparkle is a friend and fellow Cotillion sister.
And she never uses the word “crap.”
I have to agree with JeffG. Oprah’s show, Oprah’s call. If people want to NOT watch it, let Oprah’s ratings fall where they may.
Yes. It’s just we’re all full up on crazy at the moment.
1) Oprah had the #1 rated show for years.
2) Now she doesn’t.
3) Therefore, her demographic is shrinking.
I’m not sure that follows, SBP. Oprah’s ratings are going down, but that might mean the same demographic is just tuning her out, not necessarily that there are fewer of those classes of people (whatever they may be) around. Nice, conservative gals might now be waking up to the soft-focus agit-prop they’ve been fed and are deciding they don’t need it anymore.
Also watching daytime tv is inherently sad. I don’t care if you tivo it. It’s pitiful.
Who is this directed at, cynn?
I thought I kinda went all free market in the post.
. Oprah’s ratings are going down, but that might mean the same demographic is just tuning her out
Well, that’s a fine point of semantics — if they’re not watching her show any more, are they really “her” demographic? I’d argue that her demographic is the women (and some men, of course) who watch her show. That group is either tuning out or defecting to Ellen DeGeneres.
By the way, the person posting as Sparkle is in Texas and is using the email address daphne3120@gmail.com
cynn
Maybe she speaks to a demographic you can’t own.
Who wants to “own” a demographic? Palin appeals to women, even those that don’t agree down the line with everything she believes, because Sarah is genuine and confident enough to not care if someone is trashing her hair.
Oprah lost her genuineness long ago.
JeffG
From Texas? I betcha it’s Chips!! Hey, Doritos, is that you? Are you still stalking Sparkle?
You did, Jeff. Cynn’s on a second box, I’m guessing.
daphne? Well, zoinks! Scooby needs to “sniff” this one out.
That’s probably Michelle, our internationalist RWS stalker. Banned for being utterly useless.
RWS posts as RWS. Plus, she’s coherent. That ain’t her.
Michelle is from Texas. She’s my guess.
The ESL teacher? Yeah, she’s nuts. Nothing to see there. Throw her a half eaten blue gill and be done with her.
Michelle = Doritos
She had/has as many handles as nishi
Also Kazuo.
I’m at work and I have 5 minutes before leaving so I need to be quick; and possibly pointless and redundant.
But, arent’t Oprah and Alice Walker “friends”. So, why would they want to have someone, like Palin, on that destroys their ideology?
It’s not so much that they won’t have Palin on as it is “why” they won’t have her on for me.
And I’m spent…..
I’m seeing a parallel here…
In the eighties, Oprah wheeled a red wagon full of blubber onstage to make a point…
In 2008, she wheeled Obama out onto the stage to make a point.
Not sure what the point is, maybe she needed to “pimp” Cynn’s word) O! in order to secure some biz in Johannesburg or Zimbabwe, or something.
That’s how they do business in them parts I hear: kickbacks, kickbacks, kickbacks…bribes, and more kickbacks.
Like, “If ya wanna get the permits to build your schools in Aprica, Oprah, ya better do something for Aprica first. Stick it to da Man, Ms. O!, get Hussein elected, and then we’ll talk about lettin’ you educate our kids.”
Oprah is harmless I swear. An utterly innocuous woman.
IT’S TIME FOR AMERICA TO DENY OPRAH ACCESS TO OUR TELEVISION SETS
Oprah gives advice on relationships, but has a boy friend who is a
door mat … gives advice on marriage, but has never been married …
gives advice on child rearing, but has no children … gives advice on
Obama, but was a member of Jeremiah Wright’s anti-American racist
church for several years. Now, her white women’s audience, which made
Oprah rich, wants to know more about Sarah Palin, but Oprah says NO.
No Oprah, No Wright, no Farrakahn, no Ayers, no Rezko,
no mean Michelle, NOBAMA
“an utterly innocuous woman.”
Even beyond “utterly innocuous” imo.
Oprah could do so much good. She has an audience that truly appears clueless about anything that isn’t covered in People or Us magazines. I always thought how great it would be if you could toggle a little switch inside the O!brain that would allow her to enlighten the sheeple on Islamic terrorism. She might have to give out some free keffiyehs (who the fuck knows if the plural is right) and olives and dates and shit in order to keep the audience focused and above all make it fun…cause that’s what really counts.
#49
Her demographic is mostly white, middle aged, housewives. You know. The ones that vote.
Quit trying to heap the guilt onto Ophrah because she is partisan and can freely decide who she pimps.
The Fairness Doctrine is government imposition on the First Amendment, that would be a ‘bad thing.’
Citizens voicing their disappointment with Oprah’s decision is the embodyment of the First Amendment, aka a ‘good thing.’
If, by citizens voicing their disappointment, Oprah’s naked partisanship is made more apparent, to the point where its existence becomes her only viable line of defense, well that’s a good thing also.
Oprah’s a big girl, she can take her lumps.
I’ll bet the Obama team desperately wishes Oprah hadn’t done this. I makes their candidate look like he needs protection from the competition.
Her demographic is mostly white, middle aged, housewives. You know. The ones that vote.
And they want them some Sarah, By God!
#81
Doesn’t he? He’s not coming across as a guy that can stand up for himself. Metrosexual I’m thinkin’, Michelle carries the stones. In a liitle bag. In her purse. OK. I’m done.
I just thought that Oprah was concerned about the dead-air time after the first “moose” reference.
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