The Susan Sequel

Oprah. The name needs no introduction, no fan-fare; it’s one of those rare names that stand alone, identifiable with only one person and one place in time (think Elvis, Liberace, Sting, Madonna and Cher).  People love Oprah, adore her actually; however, I am not necessarily one of those people. I grew up watching Oprah, her daily talk show was a staple in our house and the root of many conversations (who could ever forget the wheelbarrow of fat episode; it makes me nauseous just thinking about it). That being said, I am not an Oprah devotee; not one of her legion of adorning fans who drape on her every movement and every word. Before I get labeled a heathen, let me be more specific… I like Oprah, I respect Oprah and I am a fan; however, Oprah does not move me like she does so many other Americans. Accordingly, I have very mixed feelings about the whole Oprah 2020 phenomenon currently sweeping the nation.

If I’m being honest, I fell asleep during Oprah’s Golden Globes speech (my couch and long speeches have that effect on me). Regardless of my need for beauty sleep, I will never dispute that Oprah is an excellent public speaker and that she has the rare ability to captify people with only her words. It’s an exceptionally admirable skill, but does not, on its face, qualify her to be President of the United States. However, given the current political climate and the competency of the fool in the White House, I would consider voting for my golden doodle if I thought she remotely stood a chance of winning (think Riley 2020).  Which is why the Oprah 2020 conversation is not as clear-cut as it may initially sound.

If you didn’t know, I despise Donald Trump. I think he is a racist, a moron, a criminal and a menace to our Democratic way of life (good thing I’m not very opinionated).  Accordingly, in the next Presidential election, I plan to support someone who 1) represents my values 2) is electable and 3) isn’t Donald Trump. Although I don’t know exactly what Oprah stands for yet, she does check off numbers 2 and 3 on my list. And, while I would need to know a lot more about her positions on numerous issues, I am very impressed with many of her intrinsic characteristics: intelligence, humor, class, fortitude, relatability, stability and compassion (just to name a few). These qualities alone make her a thousand times more suited for the Presidency than Donald Trump (unsurprisingly, this is a very low bar). However, her complete lack of political experience alarms me, particularly given the spectacular, spiraling failure of Trump’s “businessman” Presidency.

I, for one, never subscribed to the theory that the country should be run like a business and that the President should act as its CEO. However, even if I did agree, I would never have voted for Trump, who, as CEO of the Trump Organization, took at least six separate businesses to bankruptcy (you don’t need to have a finance degree to realize that this was a bad decision).  I personally think that the business model administration has been a dismal failure thus far and should not be immediately repeated (the vision of Trump as a  “breath of fresh air” is, sadly, completely rancid).  However, if the country is determined to pursue Oprah as a candidate, she is a much more appealing model of a CEO than the current dictator-wannabe.  She is self-made, self-aware and not self-important (at least based on appearances; she hasn’t invited me to lunch just yet). And while most celebrities exhibit a slight degree of narcissism, I don’t think any of us have seen a narcissistic personality disorder the likes of which we are dealing with Donald Trump.  He thinks he is better than everyone (he isn’t), smarter than everyone (he isn’t) and the best suited to make any and all decisions (he isn’t).  For Oprah to be effective, she would not only need to hire the best people to assist her, she would have to actually listen to them (something Trump seems incapable of doing). I have a strong feeling, given her impressive empire, that this is something clearly within her realm of capabilities.

Which brings me to my final point about Oprah… obviously, she is a woman of color. I am personally appalled by the racism and divisiveness of the Trump regime (I don’t care if he said “shithole” or “shithouse”, there are numerous other examples that define his bigotry).  It sounds cliché, but it’s going to take this country a long time to heal the divide that Trump has propagated. Assuming there is a qualified female candidate, I believe that it is way past time for a woman to run this country (quite frankly, she couldn’t do any worse than what we’re experiencing daily). And, if that woman happens to be a woman of color, then more power to her (on that note, I am also a big fan of Senator Kamala Harris). Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to try something new (particularly when the old, white man syndrome doesn’t seem to be working out so well).

Look, until I learn more about Oprah’s views and policies, it’s mere speculation as to whether or not I would support her for the Presidency (something I take very seriously).  I do know that our country is a mess and that I worry daily about its future. The midterms are in November and I hope that everyone reading this is registered to vote and planning on doing so (get those souls to the polls). My son will turn 18 just in time to vote in November and I can’t wait to share the experience with him (I’m a political dork at heart). Until then, eat bread in honor of Oprah and ponder her future with me. I would love to hear your thoughts as well (Riley 2020 anyone)? Cheerio-Oh!