# Does Oprah Winfrey's endoresement of Senate Candidate John Fetterman in Pennsylvania really help him? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 4, 2022, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382 "2022-11-04T20:27:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/1 "2022-11-04T20:27:48Z")
John Fetterman (Democrat) is running against Republican Mehmet Oz (Dr. Oz from the Oprah Winfrey Show) for the Senate seat in Pennsylvania. Fetterman suffered a stroke earlier this year and is running neck and neck against Dr. Oz. I think former President Obama and President Biden are planning to join Fetterman on a campaign trail this weekend. Does having Oprah endorse him “move the needle”, or is it more of an expected endorsement from a Democrat celebrity? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/2 "2022-11-04T20:29:44Z")
I would think that there are Oprah fans who typically vote Republican that may be swayed by Oprah’s endorsement. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/3 "2022-11-04T20:30:49Z")
I would think that it’s a bit more than an expected endorsement from a Democrat as Oprah worked with Dr. Oz for years. But I don’t know if it moves the needle. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/4 "2022-11-04T20:31:14Z")
It would probably normally be a given. But the fact that Winfrey and Oz used to work together might have led some people to believe she supported his campaign. I feel Winfrey’s endorsement is a net plus for Fetterman. I think she has influence among many female voters who are fans of her show. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/5 "2022-11-04T20:51:07Z")
I suppose if it’s a dead heat her endorsement could make a difference. It’s interesting that she waited so long to endorse him. I don’t believe she’s planning to join him on the campaign trail, although I would expect her to appear in a TV commercial. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/6 "2022-11-04T20:54:50Z")
I’m skeptical that it will be helpful. It seems like it’s really muddling the waters because now people are just going to be asking “if Oz isn’t worth your endorsement, why the hell did you work with him for years?” It’s more likely to affect peoples’ perception of Oprah than of Oz, it seems, because it’s making her look disloyal, and then Fetterman has the endorsement of…someone disloyal. Maybe this is a leap of logic? Maybe I’m reading too much into it? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/7 "2022-11-04T21:34:14Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > people are just going to be asking “if Oz isn’t worth your endorsement, why the hell did you work with him for years?” I’ve worked with a lot of people who I don’t feel should be a Senator. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/8 "2022-11-04T21:39:10Z")
Too little too late. A lot of people have already voted. She should have done that weeks ago and more forcefully. That might have moved the needle. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/9 "2022-11-04T21:53:05Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’ve worked with a lot of people who I don’t feel should be a Senator. And working with them has given you insights into their abilities and character that allow you to make that conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/10 "2022-11-05T02:50:33Z")
Probably not much, but there is significance because she helped launch the career of Dr. Oz and his quackery that helped him build massive wealth and parlay that into political grifting. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/11 "2022-11-05T02:53:15Z")
Oz’s public and political persona, as well as his supposed principles (which are most likely just opportunistic to ride on the Trump train) are a lot different than when they worked together. A pro-choice Muslim NJ surgeon becoming a MAGA US Senator in PA probably wasn’t on anyone’s radar. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/12 "2022-11-05T03:06:56Z")
As pointed out [here](https://www.thedailybeast.com/oprah-winfrey-turns-on-dr-mehmet-oz-the-grifter-she-created-in-pennsylvania-senate-race), this last-minute endorsement has the ring of Oprah covering her butt. If she’d wanted to have a real impact, she should have made her preference known a long time ago, but passed up the opportunity when Oz announced his candidacy, in favor of a wishy-washy statement about how everyone has the right to run for office. It _might_ have had some impact if, months ago, Oprah had expressed regret for giving quacks a platform on her TV show (citing Oz’s quackery in particular) and urged voters to think twice before electing a con artist. It’s too late now. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/13 "2022-11-05T12:13:53Z")
Oprah’s endorsement may motivate a few Democrats to vote for Fetterman, who otherwise may have sat out the election. But also may motivate some MAGA Republicans to do the same for Oz because she’s a coastal elite Hollywood librul who helped Obummer get elected. So it’s probably a wash. ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/14 "2022-11-05T12:21:46Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > “if Oz isn’t worth your endorsement, why the hell did you work with him for years?” Jeeze, People - there was money in it! Dan ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/15 "2022-11-05T12:47:13Z")
> [@Dandan](#): > > Jeeze, People - there was money in it! That has the appeal of being a reason the Republicans would both understand and respect! ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/16 "2022-11-05T14:45:35Z")
As I said, I don’t think this will move the needle much, but even a few hundred votes can make a difference when you’re in a dead heat. I don’t think her endorsement will hurt him, and the pollsters are saying it’s a statistical tie at the moment, but I have never trusted polls. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-oprah-winfreys-endoresement-of-senate-candidate-john-fetterman-in-pennsylvania-really-help-him/974382/17 "2022-11-05T16:00:15Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > If she’d wanted to have a real impact, she should have made her preference known a long time ago, but passed up the opportunity when Oz announced his candidacy, in favor of a wishy-washy statement about how everyone has the right to run for office. > > It _might_ have had some impact if, months ago, Oprah had expressed regret for giving quacks a platform on her TV show (citing Oz’s quackery in particular) and urged voters to think twice before electing a con artist. And it’s not like Oprah could not have said, “hey, I love ya, Doc, but _for Senate_ I think the other guy’s better”. But yeah, it probably had to do with a hope that people would forget her history of enabling quackery.