I don’t understand all the brouhaha about Oprah refusing to allow Palin on her show. Drudge was saying the staff was divided but Oprah nixed it, Oprah says that’s not true, there was never any discussion, blah blah blah.
I know Oprah is an Obama supporter. I know she cried her eyelashes off during the DNC convention. I know she can’t wait to vote in November.
I don’t care. It’s her bloody show, she has full discretion over what guests she has and which ones she doesn’t. And last I checked, the Fairness Doctrine was no longer law, so she can have Obama on five days a week until the election. She’s not a journalist, she’s a talk show host/philanthropist/book promoter. She doesn’t have to project an air of objectivity.
Seriously, conservative pundits, whoever you are, shut the hell up. It doesn’t matter if Oprah has Palin on her show or not. Her show, her choice.
Complete agreement here. I mean, it would be nice if Oprah did have Palin on the show, and frankly I think she should, for a number of reasons, but she’s certainly not in any way obliged to.
I need the Straight Dope here. I thought her position was not to have Obama on between now and the election either. Her quote was: “Not use my show as a political soapbox” or some such. Is that not the case?
ETA: And I love how more tha half of that “Oprah/Palin” headline is all about Troopergate! haha.
I think she’s had Obama on a few times (and Hillary once or twice.) I believe she pulled back some of her more obvious support during the Rev Wright thing (IIRC, Oprah used to attend that church as well, but she left) but she still supports him. Good for her.
If Oprah were anchor of a national nightly news show I could see the conflict. But she’s not, so I’m a bit why this is a “controversy.”
I think it’s a tempest in a teapot, and should die an ignominious death.
Like the OP, I believe that Oprah has the right to run her show to suit herself. As long as she delivers the audience, I don’t even think she has to defend her choices to anyone else.
As for why this is an issue? Because Oprah is a popular figure, and probably better known, and more trusted, than many political pundits who have shows where the McCain campaign might get some exposure. It’s a totally self-serving complaint on their part, and I think that any news media giving it more than Page Six coverage is playing along. For newspapers, and internet media, that’s fine. But radio, TV, and cable news is nominally chartered to be in the public interest, and really shouldn’t be so willing to pass on any press-release they’re handed.
Yes, that particular boat has sailed, hit the iceberg, and sunk with all hands. I will still mourn it’s passing.
I’m amazed at how everyone seems to see this as an Obama vs. Palin race. It’s as if McCain already retired. Poor Joe, he doesn’t have anyone to campaign against.
She’s said that she wanted to keep her personal political belief separate from her show and is not having any candidates as guests.
[quote]
According to TMZ, Winfrey also said: “At the beginning of this presidential campaign when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates.”
Yeah, I don’t get the right wing blubbering about this. They’re saying she’s “biased.” Well, duh. She endorsed a candidate. When has she ever claimed she isn’t biased? She’s totally up front about it. She isn’t a journalist and she isn’t try to pose like she’s objective.
Anyway, she hasn’t even had Obama on in since he’s been a candidate. I think the last time he was on was like two years ago. Why does anyone think that Palin is entitled to something that Obama’s not even getting?
Plus, the McCain campaign isn’t letting the press ask Palin any questions, so it’s pretty brassy of them to act like they’re entitled to fluff appearances.
I hope it’s not true that she’s going to be on SNL. She doesn’t deserve anything like that until she does some hardcore interviews with the news media. Obama went on O’Reilly. Let’s see Palin go on Hardball or on Olbermann’s show…hell, even The Daily Show.
I heard Oprah was planning on having Palin on her show but then sh’ed have to expect … the Spanish Inquisition
:smack: oh … that’s a different Palin. Okay never mind.
I apologize, considering this might be the millionth SDMB posting about references to Sarah Palin being taken (humourosly) as references to Michael Palin.
It’s not just the pundits. And I won’t return your statement and tell you to shut up. In fact, I encourage you to go over to her site and tell her viewers that. Oprah.com
She took a large ratings hit for supporting Obama. She’ll take another for this. All the better.
I am not going to try to debate the woman who watch Oprah religiously. I’ve watched her show on occasion, got The Gift of Fear from seeing Gavin de Becker, and I think she does good work for charity.
Why do you want her to take a ratings hit? I can imagine some people getting upset because Oprah dared have an opinion on a political candidate, but it’s her show, she does wield some influence, and if this is how she chooses to use it, fine. I’m sorry that the women who watch her show regularly don’t want to discuss anything more substantive than hoarders or celebrities who jump up and down on her couch. But that’s a failing on them, not her.
Somewhere apparently there are legions of people who think that because Oprah is a woman who has a show “for women,” she’s required to invite all notorious women on her show.
The idea disgusts me. Next up, what will Sarah Palin wear on “the View,” and will Joyce say something catty about it. barfy rolleyes
But complaining that Oprah won’t have her on the show feeds that whole conservative paranoia that they are not accepted everywhere and might even be disapproved of by some. Damn that independent thinking. Why do they think they’re entitled to fee publicity re Oprah? I think she’s right to not have any pol on during an election cycle.
What she should do is have Hillary on now. Heheheheheheheheh.
Maybe those posts will be a wake-up call for her. She might be shocked to realize that many of her fans don’t share her political views. Or her religious views. Or her social and cultural views. Or anything but a love for shoes, and the latest spiritual fad.
So? I bet she gets excellent demographics information. I suspect she got where she is from doing things her way, not conducting polls about who her next guest should be. Maybe she feels strongly enough to do the right thing, not the expedient thing?
Not that I know Oprah personally, but that would be my guess. She’s hugely powerful and hugely successful, and she didn’t get that way by ducking her head and just doing whatever she was told. Even if she loses viewers because they don’t agree with her politics, she’s probably not going to really “feel” it.
Am I the only one that remembers the absolute fawning interview she did of George W. and Laura? I’m convinced that marked a turning point in the Bush campaign in 2000. It’s not that she doesn’t like Republicans. It’s not that she won’t have them on her show. But she stands to gain nothing by inviting Palin on her show. If she gives her softball questions and chats about what it means to be a hockey mom, people will (rightly) accuse her of selling out. Worse than that, she’d be giving a forum to the side that she doesn’t support. If she invites Palin and remembers her background as an actual journalist, she’ll tear Palin absolutely to shreds and that won’t help the bottom line either. From where Oprah stands, she has nothing to gain.
why this is a “controversy.”