Today after taking a hike to Keystone Canyon Trail, I went to the grocery store before heading to the scrapbooking store to get materials for an Italy scrapbook. When I was at the grocery store, I decided to pick up the latest issue of Globe. The cover had a picture of would-be political kingmaker Oprah Winfrey with the headline, "Oprah in Love with a Married Man!"
I didn't buy the tabloid to find out who she was in love with; instead, I wanted to read about the late Tammy Faye Messner. Still, I had to find out who is Oprah's alleged object of her affection. I got a kick out of the article, written by Pat Gregor, which may actually have a little grain of truth to it.
A snip for posterity:
The media mogul admitted she'd never before endorsed a political candidate "because I didn't know anybody well enough to be able to say: 'I believe in this person.'"
But Oprah's backing reportedly has to do more with her personal feelings for him than his views about the nation's future.
Which is anybody's guess, given his shifting political positions.
More:
"The truth is it's not about politics," the insider says. "It's about an attractive man she's got a huge crush on."(page 28)
As for Obama's wife, "Oprah has made a point of including her in their public meetings, but she has shown a few signs that she'd rather not have Michelle around," notes the source.
Anyway, it's clear Oprah made Obama the big hit he is today with the media. His keynote address at the 2004 Democratic convention made waves, of course, although his oratory falls far short of a Barbara Jordan or a Mario Cuomo. Then he became the political version of American Idol thanks to Oprah. I for one never understood the appeal, and I still don't. The more he talks, the more he sounds like the Democrats' version of George W. Bush.
A billionaire like Oprah has clout, or thinks she does, and when she says to support her candidate, millions of suckers will do just that.
An older article mentions Oprah's influence re Barack. (Charlie Rex Arbogast / AP; Win McNamee / Getty via Time.com)
