Oprah Winfrey would no doubt be a better president than Donald Trump—though that’s not exactly too hard. And her speech at the Golden Globes on Sunday night was just another reminder of why she is so wildly popular. In it, she spoke about the power of women (and men) to make change when they stand up against injustice. She channeled hope and encouraged us to have faith that harassment and abuse do not have to be the status quo in America.
It was a powerful and moving speech, which could have only been delivered by the woman known as the “Queen of Talk Television.” And it has since been the topic of intense speculation that Oprah might be considering a run for POTUS in 2020. Democrats seem giddy at this idea. Van Jones recently said on CNN that if Oprah were to run, she would destroy any other candidates in front of her. Brad Anderson, the Iowa state director for President Obama’s re-election bid, tweeted out for Oprah to call him. Twitter went wild with calls for her to run—some even speculating that she could draft Michelle Obama as her pick for vice president. The White House responded on Monday that they would “welcome a challenge from Oprah.”
We know that Oprah is a smart, incredibly savvy businesswoman who truly represents a rags-to-riches story. It is true that she is well-liked and has broken barriers time and time again. It is also true that many white women love Oprah and might be able to be convinced to vote for her. And unlike Donald Trump, we also know that Oprah actually is a billionaire. Given that, should she make a run in 2020?
The answer is: absolutely not.
After a year of a Donald Trump presidency, America is starved for leadership—especially the kind that represents morality, dignity, and good sense (or any sense at all). We have forgotten what it sounds like when politicians give thoughtful speeches that invoke hope and change and implore us to be our best selves. And there is almost no one who does this better than Oprah. For more than three decades we have learned from her, cried with her, watched people bare their souls to her, and have been comforted by her. Oh, and there’s that tiny thing she did when she helped a politician from Chicago become the first black American president. There is, simply, no one like her. So in some way, it makes a bit of sense that in this moment when everything feels upside down, we would turn to her in these times of trouble.
Sorry to burst the fantasy bubble, but Oprah is not our best hope for 2020. Not because she isn’t amazing. Not because she couldn’t develop a compassionate vision for America in which everyone thrives. And not because she couldn’t assemble the best and brightest as cabinet members and advisors. She arguably could and would do all of these things. And if we were going to give a shot to someone who has never governed before but has tremendous potential, she might be the one.
But here’s the rub: We should not be in the business of giving away the presidency to people with no experience in government or public policy—period. No exceptions. Not even for Oprah.
If Democrats are serious about repairing all the harm that the Trump presidency has done, it begins with getting serious about who we elect from this point forward. TV stars, actors, singers, and billionaire business owners all have a role to play in our culture. They even have an important voice in politics and can raise awareness around issues of key importance. But we can’t afford to let our obsession with fame and wealth be a substitute for experience. We cannot afford to be distracted by a shiny new toy (or in this case, a shiny new idea). Leading in business is one thing, making millions upon millions and making an indelible mark on our culture is one thing. Yet leading a complex bureaucracy with multiple agencies and departments, agendas, budgets, priorities, and interests for more than 300 million people and our interests around the world is quite another.
Let’s be clear though, it is no more ridiculous to suggest that Oprah run for president than it was for Donald Trump to run. And we see how that turned out. Our democracy is in trouble, in large part, because (in addition to being a completely horrible human being) Trump doesn’t know what he is doing.
If Oprah really wants to run for office, as writer Mikki Kendall suggests, perhaps she could start local.
Yes, other celebs have transitioned from media to politics. Could Winfrey do the same? Absolutely. Local office would be the place to start, whether that be city council, mayor, state senate — any office where she could learn how to govern, just as many personality-driven politicians have before her. By the time Ronald Reagan was elected to the presidency, he had been a union president for two terms and governor of California for eight years. Jesse Ventura started his political career as a mayor before going on to be governor. [...]
Although the Constitution only requires presidents to be natural-born citizens aged 35 and up, it never hurts to expand on criteria established over 200 years ago. After all, the Founding Fathers could never have envisioned the existence of television, much less the power it has over American citizens. The criteria for having access to nuclear weapons should not be “I liked this person on TV,” whether you were watching “The Apprentice” or “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” It should be “this person is qualified, prepared, and wise enough not to treat a potential disaster as a game.”
Better yet, instead of running for office, Oprah would do really well to spend her time and energy helping Democrats win this year. If there is anyone who can raise money for candidates and convince voters to consider a candidacy, it’s Oprah. What if we stopped fantasizing that the really good speech she made at the Golden Globes is her entry into politics and instead implored her to make those same fiery speeches on the campaign trail in support of progressive candidates? What might our chances of gaining seats at local/state levels and in Congress look like then?
Finally, it needs to be said that we have to stop expecting black women to clean up everyone’s mess. Oprah may give us comfort but she isn’t our mammy or wet nurse. There’s this strange fetishizing of black women that happens in our culture, which positions us as saviors and sacrificial lambs instead of full human beings with agency. In the last two months, many Democrats have bought into this narrative as they suddenly have seen the light about how black women are the heart and soul of the party, mostly because black women have been key to some electorally important wins in Trump’s America. Now its all “Rah Rah black women!”
Black women don’t exist to save America. Oprah does not exist to save America. And in spite of America’s behavior, which demonstrates that it doesn’t want or deserve to be saved, black women are still all in. So what if we started treating black women like the human beings we are that are worthy of dignity and respect—and not just because of fame? There are many non-famous black women running for office all over the country. They don’t have Oprah’s money or platform. And they have the required experience for the job. So let’s work to fund their campaigns, get the word out, and elect them. Let’s elevate their leadership in the Democratic Party and work for the change we want to see instead of focusing on a celebrity who makes us feel good about ourselves.
Oprah Winfrey is a remarkable human being. She deserves every success she has rightfully earned. She has changed the world with honest, nuanced storytelling and love and compassion, and for that we should be grateful. She truly is representative of the American Dream. But we should not be sending a message to our children that being on TV or having obscene amounts of fame and money is a substitute for experience and is the only way to lead in this country. If we really want a black woman to run for higher office because we believe in what black women can do, let’s start with the ones who already are.