(image via smh)
Oprah Winfrey, not usually someone who we consider particularly political, has waded neck deep into the 2008 election. Entirely unexpected, this. Not only has the talk show billionaire wholeheartedly endorsed Senator Barack Obama from her native Illinois for President, but she is now weighing in on a particular piece of Senate business that is a bete noir of the right. It involves protecting children from exploitation, a topic close to her heart.
The move is, to be sure, fraught with risk. Oprah was always post-political, promoting opaque New Age-y spiritualism that operated in the ethers above the political fray. In that arena, conservatives and liberals could both come to worship at the temple of Oprah and that ever-nebulous cult of "Self-Esteem." There is no doubt that a significant amount of the members of The Oprah Nation are politically right of center, and we wonder, quite frankly, how she will justify this next move to them. From TheHill:
"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), spurred on by activists and TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey, is planning round two against his nemesis: Tom Coburn, aka 'Senator No.'
"Reid’s office has sent word to Senate Democrats that it would like to bring the so-called Coburn omnibus bill to the floor soon, setting up a rematch with the conservative Oklahoma Republican who has often brought the Senate to gridlock.
"Coburn won the last round, but this time Reid has Winfrey on his side. The daytime TV star, who draws 44 million viewers weekly, was not seen as much of a political activist until she threw her support behind Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.).
"Now Winfrey has squared off against Coburn, who has blocked S. 1738, the Combating Child Exploitation Act.
"Winfrey asked her viewers Monday to call and write the Senate to demand their support for the legislation, sponsored by Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden (Del.).
"Winfrey, herself a victim of sexual abuse, has asked viewers to sign and send a letter posted on her website calling for action on the bill."
Will keep you updated on how the fight goes.
No comments:
Post a Comment