Oprah Winfrey Sets The Record Straight On Her 2020 Presidential Run
By Mustafa GatollariUpdated
Recently there was a bunch of speculation surrounding a possible Presidential run from longtime TV host, actress, and general force-to-be-reckoned with Oprah Winfrey.
She's just revealed that no, she will not be gunning for the Oval Office.
Oprah 2020? “I’ve always felt very secure and confident with myself in knowing what I could do and what I could not. And so it’s not something that interests me. I don’t have the DNA for it,” March cover star @Oprah tells @LauraBrown99. https://t.co/iszoxFeChp pic.twitter.com/FkrWJt9lQn
— InStyle (@InStyle) January 25, 2018
In an interview with InStyle, Oprah said that she wasn't interested in becoming the leader of the free world, in that it's not in her DNA to do so.
“I met with someone the other day who said that they would help with a campaign. That’s not for me.”
— InStyle (@InStyle) January 25, 2018
That doesn't mean there aren't tons of people who think she should run, and could probably win.
“@GayleKing—who knows me as well as I know myself practically—has been calling me regularly and texting me things, like a woman in the airport saying ‘When’s #Oprah going to run?’”
— InStyle (@InStyle) January 25, 2018
“So Gayle sends me these things, and then she’ll go, ‘I know, I know, I know! It wouldn’t be good for you—it would be good for everyone else.’” Read @Oprah’s full interview: https://t.co/iszoxFeChp
— InStyle (@InStyle) January 25, 2018
But ultimately it's a race she's not interested in running and for the most part, people are breathing sighs of relief. Because think about it.
NOPE-RAH:https://t.co/GqFjEz7Upd#oprah2020
— Gabrielle Levy (@gabbilevy) January 25, 2018
That isn't to say she can't inspire people, nor is that to say she can't lend a voice to the disenfranchised - she totally can.
Oprah Winfrey puts the kibosh on any presidential run. Good for her. She explains perfectly - the blood sport of politics is not in her DNA.
— A L Katz (@boyndog) January 25, 2018
That doesn't mean she can't have a hand in giving more diversity and more diverse voices the biggest platform possible... I bet she does.
Honestly good for her. She doesn’t need to put herself through the slog of running for president. Let’s focus on finding a proven female leader in the Dem party who can take us to victory. https://t.co/RSf5vaN2Ea
— Bryn Behrenshausen (@brynbehr) January 25, 2018
What we need in the White House is someone who's actually dedicated their lives to how this country's run - its laws, its grievances, its problems, its issues, and wants to figure out how to make it better for the majority of Americans.
I wish Oprah had said, “in 2020, I’m ready to have someone in the White House who has made a career in politics & has worked their whole lives to be in the White House. Someone who knows what they’re doing.” https://t.co/au7ddBn2Nj
— Justin Mikita (@JustinMikita) January 25, 2018
In fact, Oprah's been pretty vocal about not running for president, but once a rumor starts, it is difficult to quell it. In fact, the sensationalism lent to people who have no business running for president who do run for president, is what oftentimes, gets them far in the race to begin with.
Oprah had to tell InStyle magazine she’s not running for president, even though she’s been saying that for 25 years, because your faves wrote whole thinkpieces based on nothing but a minutes long acceptance speech.
— Ashley C. Ford (@iSmashFizzle) January 25, 2018
People will still keep on speculating that she will, however.
so she's running https://t.co/QPiPs9aVV2
— Colin Campbell (@colincampbell) January 25, 2018
OK so maybe that's a joke, but still.
Now some may argue that the US has had some successful Presidents who've never had previous experience as an elected political official. But there are a lot of problems with that.
Take Zachary Taylor, 12th President of the United States, for instance.
He didn't hold a public office, but he was a decorated military war general in the Mexican-American War.
Ulysses S. Grant wasn't too bad as a commander-in-chief, either. But he was also a general in the American Civil War. Let's not forget about Dwight D. Eisenhower, who lead the successful American offensive during World War 2.
As for Herbert Hoover, he was no general, but he was appointed as secretary of commerce. So yeah, they might've not held elected positions, but they did work closely with their governments and did perform civil service work prior to running for office. Let's not make the same mistake twice, ladies and gentlemen.