OPINION: Oprah 2020, Joke or Possibility?

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The night of the Golden Globes was historic to say the least, with calls for change, surprising wins, and…A possible presidential candidate?

The night started out with a joke from the host, comedian Seth Meyers, as he hinted towards a joke he made during the White House Correspondents Dinner, which may have convinced Trump to run. He directed this towards Winfrey, “Some have said that night convinced him to run. So, if that’s true, I just want to say: Oprah, you will never be president! You do not have what it takes. And Hanks! Where’s Hanks? You will never be vice president. You are too mean and unrelatable. Now we just wait and see.”

As expected this was a huge hit with the audience, but resonated with viewers across the United States. The sentiment only increased after Oprah’s speech (in acceptance of the Cecil B. Demille Award) was deemed downright presidential by many on the twitter.

Charlotte Clymer tweeted, “I mean, it’s been fun to joke about Oprah running for president, but that speech really was presidential. That was phenomenal, even by her standards.” Followed by #GoldenGlobes and #TimesUp

Taylor Twellman tweeted, “Did I just watch @Oprah first campaign speech?! #GoldenGlobes.”

Even NBC was picking up the vibes, tweeting, “Nothing but respect for OUR future president. #GoldenGlobes.”

As far-fetched as these claims may seem, is it really that unrealistic? We have to remember that the man who won the 2016 election also starred in The Apprentice. Oprah, in comparison to Trump, already has more support than he did at the beginning of his campaign. Not to mention, she’s held in higher regard. You just have to look at her Wikipedia page to know.

You also only need to look at the public. A poll from Rasmussen Reports finds that 48% of americans would vote for Winkfrey, compared to 38% who would reelect President Trump. Politico states it best, “Most importantly, Winfrey’s career is built upon an enormous, and diverse, fan base which has followed her exploration of social issues and the challenges of everyday life for decades. Few people know better than Winfrey how to connect with everyday Americans, including the white working-class voters who have been slipping away from Democrats.” Even though the race is a long time off, at 8/1, Oprah’s implied odds of winning the presidency are 11%, a solid position in what’s expected to be a crowded field.

However, it’s unclear whether Oprah will actually run. She’s hinted at it in the past but no decision has been made yet. One thing for sure, the possibility of Oprah 2020 shouldn’t be discredited.