I think Obama may be taken more seriously if Oprah would stick to being a talk show host and let the candidate take care of himself.

Oprah is just ridiculous

No she is doing what she thinks is right! it is America after all! Go for it for he is better than hillary!

Oprah is good at a lot of things. She is a great speaker and if she wants to give her time to Obama's campaign, "god bless her" it's her right as a citizen of this fair country.

I saw the event and here's my thoughts.
AMERICA IS BACK!! We are in the mist of rolling up our sleeves, God be with us when we get together and begin working. We are Americans---and when Americans start walking in a direction together, WE CAN DO ANYTHING! Our time is now. Go Obama, Go!

Ask NOT what Obama can do for your country.. Ask what Oprah can make Obama do for Oprah!

Ask Not what Obama can do for your country....ask what Oprah can make Obama do for Oprah....well....make her an Ambassador of some foreign country. If Obama becomes President, it will be payback time for Obama.
We are not voting for Obama because he is for giving all the illegal aliens amnesty and hasn't done a darn thing of importance including supporting the release of the illegal imprisonment of our Border Patrol Agents Compean and Ramos. Free Compean and Ramos!

Oprah is doing for Obama what Bill Clinton is doing for Hillary. Oprah had both George Bush and Al Gore on her show, and after the show, Bush pools number went up by 10 points. Oprah is an American and she has evry right to support any candidate she likes. Oprah did not tell the audience what they need to think. She told the audience to think!

I see the 'Hate-Bots' from HillaryLand are out in full force. That's what bothers so many people about her campaign and her supporters, they are so negative, and love to attack Barack. I guess that's what Hillary wants them to do, follow their leader. 'Do as I do, and do what I say.' Please continue your negative rants, because it helps voters decide between Hillary's 'attack politics', and Barack's 'Politics of Hope'. Keep it up, 'Hate-bots', we are gaining supporters with each hateful post. Thanks for you help.

It's time for America to vote for a female to be our President.
If Oprah wants Americans to think, then talk for yourself not for someone else & run for the job.
We don't need to vote for anyone that needs to have someone else do the talking for them, we have enough of that now as it is.
Someone needs to run for the job that has money, since everything that is for the president is paid for by the tax payers (the president gets free rental, electricity, phone service, room service, cooks, should I go on).
This way with the money saved maybe the presidents pay could finally go our military servicemen, teachers, police officers & firefighters. America these are the ones that deserve it, and we need to wake up & think about the ones that teach us & keep us safe.
If we can make actors, musicians, & sport players millions on top of millions of dollars with nothing in our pockets to show for it, then why not stop making the rich richer, and make the ones that really care and sacrifice
for America be as important as we treat the ones that are actors, etc.

I have three sons
The oldest one (25) is in Afghanistan for the second time.
The middle son (24) is in Iraq for the second time, both USMC
And the third (19) is in Iraq for the first time, he's in the Army.

Freedom is not Free sacrifice has had to be made to get what we do have.
Now lets use what we have wisely & do something to keep our jobs here in the USA & to make the jobs of the ones that do sacrifice for a better, safer USA earn more than the actors, musicians, & sport players, that we're oh so glad to buy the tickets for.
Thanks to all of you servicemen & women for giving so much of yourself to get so little back.
Militarymom29856

militarymom you are right, we do spend a lot of money on celebrities. We do need to stop & think about our hard earned money & what we're willing to pay to our service workers that do so much everyday.

I think the O' factor will give Obama a boost and the power of it all is the fact that Hillary's attack machine is being held at bay. You can't attack Obama's credibility with Oprah standing at his side.

i think oprah should become president she would do alot more for america than anyone else

I've admired Oprah's marketing savvy and business acumen in managing a media empire. I think her ego is overinflated, but her estimate of her own (opinion shaping) importance is probably not. I'd say if anyone asked that she is probably a good-hearted person and a benign or possible beneficial influence on society. BUT, I also think she is a lightweight; and her Obama rapture moves me not, and hurts a little by association.

this 'news article' gave me no more facts about the issues... we need a revolution against the 'news' media in this country... everyone who reads this article (and any other on this site) needs to look to see if the article deals with FACTS and ISSUES... if it doesn't we need to blog it to death with the word "ISSUES PLEASE"... of course the sole purpose of this article was to talk about celebrity and and fluff.... i call it 'infotainment'... wake up america!

ISSUES PLEASE!!!

Oprah is not a politician, and I don't think she would ever want to be president. Oprah does have pretty good judgment though, and her heart is in the right place. It seems to me she is using those assets to help America take a step back from self centered, attack machine politics. She is asking you and me to think about the choice at hand. She is asking us to try to peer through the veil of slick politics and political grandstanding to evaluate what candidates are running for the right reasons, what candidates have the right disposition to lead a divided country, and what candidates have the integrity to make the hard decisions. In this light she believes the right candidate is Barack Obama. I do too.

Oprah for pres ? Now there's an idea. A self made millionare vs. someone riding her husband's coattails. May the best woman win.

The fact that Oprah is on the campaign trail at all says so much.
To all the racists, cynics, and members of the hate-team, give it up! America's time is NOW!
Thanks to Oprah for giving her time for this great cause.
OBAMA 08!

"If someone decides to VOTE for Senator Obama as President of the United States, based on what Oprah, has to say, then our country's in a bigger MESS than I previously,thought. I believe Senator Hillary Clinton, will make an OUTSTANDING President of the United States."

Oprah is a private citizen endorsing a very good friend that is running for president. She is doing nothing wrong.

Barack and Oprah have known each other for years. It just so happens Barack has a friend in very high places -- don't fault him.

And he has distant cousins in very high places -- Cheney and Bush are his distant cousins.

Barack is a once in a lifetime candidate that wants to help bring about positive change for America!

I'll take Howdy over Snake any 'ol day.

I think the well-oiled Clinton Volkswagen has just run into a tank.

"Andrea: Yes,and I'm claiming, SUPERMAN is my cousin. Just because Senator Obama acts like Cheney and Bush, doesn't mean they're related."

I'm voting for John Edwards, the ONLY candidate that has bothered to mention the ever increasing poor in this country. Edwards would make a great president, Obama really doesn't stand a chance.

Oprah is just another rich liberal, no different than the other rich liberals who want to make this a socialist country. George Soros, Ted Kennedy, the usual Hollywood wackos, Ted Turner,etc. Why would anyone care what Oprah thinks anyhow? She has about as much qualification as Obama.We have a liberal Congress with an approval rating 12% below that of Bush who has a rating of 38% approval. Pretty sad.

It seems like some of these candidates including Barrack Obama rely on Celebrities to do the work for them.If this is the case why running for President if you cannot handle the tasks of doing the hard work? His rival Hilliary Clinton did the same thing asking her husband Bill for help.So in my mind if these type of candidates cannot go all the way without someone assisting them then something is wrong here.You want to enter the Presidential race because you think you are fit to go the distance without help,now it's beginning to show signs of fatigue and breathing very hard.They are not fit enough for the race.

I think the reason Hillary is running for president is so she can get some more of the furniture Bill and her had to return when they left the Whitehouse the last time. I heard they even siphoned gas out of Air Force One when billy Bob left office. Judicial Watch, a non-partisan group has been trying to obtain information involving Hillary's Whitehouse years but have been stonewalled and told by archivists at the Clinton Library that the information wouldn't be released until after the election...I wonder why? Under the Freedom Of Information Act the information should have been given to Judicial Watch attorneys long ago.

Little does Obama know that the vast majority of the people attending the the Oprah rallies are expecting Oprah to give away some free cars and other free gifts. Oprah is going look pretty stupid once Hillary gets the nomination. A Clinton never looses!

Oprah is an American and she has every right as any other to endorse,campaign and stump hard enough for a candidate she believes in, period.It is her first amendments rights to associate freely and congregate at will.
The same goes for Hillary except that, her supporters are showing their ignorance and envy for the fact that their candidate did not get a buzz like Obama is getteing right now from no mean a personality but the Queen of the Television,Oprah Winfrey.

Superb rallys! Obama was on-fire, as was the audience. This can only help his cause. Thank you Oprah for taking this risk to help Obama overcome the Clinton machine. From what I saw last night he might just pull it off.

If I wanted to attack Obama I don't care who was at his side. Oprah is campaigning for him because he don't know how to campaign for himself and he needs help. I never heard of her going to the southside of Chicago and consoling the mothers of young children that got shot to death. And to me she is not the most admired women only by the people that don't know better. No matter what she does voters have their own minds and she is trying hard to change them. Does she want a job in the white house? I think so. And what happened to run of the mouth Michelle? Didn't say a word. Hillary will win the nomination for the presidency and I hope she laughs in their face after that.

There are reports out there that Hillary Clinton is facing a wave of defections by supporters to Barack Obama. See todays UK Times article.

Oprah need to stay out of Obama's way and out of sight!! I feel it would be in the harm's way.

I have no problem with a black man being in office, but not THIS black man. I'm sure he's all good and fine, but he doesn't say the pledge of allegiance, he doesn't face the flag, he stands with his back nearly to the flag with his hands folded!

I think using celebrities like this is really just taking away or trying to aviod issues and is a mind game to play with peoples intelligents. If any one is persauded to vote for a canidate just because he's got some big celebrity endorsing him, then I got a bridge to sell you.

I value my right to vote to much to let a snake oil salesman (celebrity) tell me how to spend it. After all, I have more at stake than the rich, over hyped celebrities who have their own agenda's. So enjoy the show, but never let anyone tell you who to vote for.

A Barack Obama presidency represents a huge fundamental change in US politics. Just the basics are significant -- Barack is of mixed race, has a Muslim father, has an Arabic name, and lived overseas for several years as a child. These facts, even on the surface, will make America look entirely different to the rest of the world. It will be much more difficult for those who hate America to claim we are the enemy of the Islamic and Arabic world when our president's name is Barack Hussein Obama. Plus he has limited inside the beltway experience, few connections to the lobbyists and special interests that have influenced the White house during the past few decades and has an inspirational, uplifting, charismatic style that we have not seen since JFK. This is the kind of change many are looking for and this is the change America needs now.

It's clearly obvious that she is doing this because he is black. Now she does have that right but this is what's wrong with this country is that people vote for canidates because of their race, gender, religious beliefs, etc Instead of that canidates qualifications for the most important job in the world.... By their own admission, NONE of the presidential canidates even have a plan to get us out of Iraq, at least not in their first term in office,

I'm not going to comment on race because I really don't think it matters, at least not to me. But what I will comment on is Oprah.. and Oprah only does what benefits Oprah. She has built an empire on Oprah. She is the only one that has ever been on the cover of 'O'. And as tempting as it may be to put yourself on every cover of your own magazine.. it's nothing more than narcissistic.

I don't believer the political arena is where she belongs.. that is unless she is running for Czar of USA.

She should just stick to her regular job of being a talk show host, pimping out school girls in Africa, and turning electricians into doctors.

It is a part of the campaign that those of affluence try to persuade others to follow them.
However, Obama may `one' day make a good President, I do not know. I do know he has little to offer middle America and Traditional America. He has words of emotion for the ails of the very present, but without sound long term logic. I find him wanting to lead but without and idea of where.

I have less respect for Obama and Oprah now. Using her fans/fame to get votes. I guess he's scared of losing. I don't know what it means but it's tipical politician behavior to use people for their own agenda. Oh well they r in their right to do as they please. These elections r going to make history one way or the other.

I feel Oprah has the right to do anything she wants, no matter how irresponsible it may be. I realize she is the queen of day-time and has a huge following. I only hope that her blind sheep ar'nt deaf and dumb as well. What we need in this country is not more hollywood glitz and glamore, but someone who is a proven fighter. Do you think the next four years are going to be easy? It wont be a carnival like atmosphere. There are dire consequences at stake here and its not a circus we are looking for, but a platform of change coupled with experience and wisdom. If people want the excitement of an amusement park go to disneyworld and leave serious politics to those who can ration and think for them selves. If I had wanted to see an over hyped hollywood drama I would have gone to the movies.

I agree that Joe Biden would be the best man to run for office. He has all the right answers and solutions not to mention the experience but the last time I checked, he was not running. As about Oprah, I think she is infatuated with Obama. She is in LUUUVE.

OK.. the problem with having less "hollywood glitz and glamore [glamor], but someone who is a proven fighter" in politics is.. the older people that are proven fighters are dying off. The boomers are phasing in soon the child stars of the 80's will be in office.

I'm not so worried about the boomers phasing in because maybe someone will start caring about the environment.. but if you look at our media rich society today... in 20-30 years that is what our government will look like.

Gone (or at least going quickly) are the people that are proven fighters from the era where a war was a war and work was working, and in comes the the people who have never had to fight for anything but their High Score on Pac-Man and 'working' means how many forms you need to fill out before the Government gives you a check.

Osama Obama and Oprah! A perfect fit. Maybe Oprah can run as vice president to complete this fiasco and insult to our intelligence. Both losers.

Support Project HARPOON
{ref. "Harpo" for more information}

Oprah is nothing more than a narcissistic television "personality" and if that's the type of support Obama wants, pity him. If any voter is swayed because of Oprah, we're in bigger trouble than I thought.

Clinton lead in NH down to 3 points (within MOE) in latest Mason-Dixon. This is a huge development! This is the closest Barack has been since the polling began in NH. And this is even before the Oprah effect. Things are looking up for Obama and for America!

What has Obama accomplished that makes him qualified to be president? Nothing. Stop holding Obama up like some savior! A vote for Obama is a vote for Mitt, Huckabee or Guliani!!

I'm sure Oprah thought long and hard before she decided to campaign for him.

Hillary is the by far the riskiest Dem candidate. Even congressional Demcorats are concerned about their reelection if Hillary is the nominee. See NY Times article Dec 4th "Vulnerable Democrats See Fates Tied to Clinton".

And the lines between politics, entertainment, and idiocy blur more and more.

I'm one of those few people who sincerely hate Oprah's holier-than-thou attitude and the fact that she is endorsing Obama has officially crossed him off my list of candidates to urge my parents to consider.

I just can't stand that woman.

Sorry Obama, Oprah just lost you two votes

Support: HARPOON (No-Oprah)

“I’m not here to tell you what to think,” she said. “I’m here to ask you to think.”

Bush supporters (GOP stand in liners) weren't thinking too well when George II commanded them to support a misguided war, which lead to a public hanging, the image of the phony cowboyism of this administration.

American voters "thought" very well when they voted Republicans out of office in 2006, a vote which guided us out of the trenches filled with neoconistic evangelical political failures.

Oprah's success can guide more minds away from the clinched limited dark thinking of the last seven years and towards an openness and the freedoms that America can build for all people.

Oprah needs to SHUT UP and stick to her talk show!

How do you "Speak for someone else?"
I don't get that...It's ONLY beacuse he is black!

So tell me what has Mrs Clinton done besides being married to Pres. Clinton that makes her deserve this.

leave oprah and barack do their jobs alone, you have a choice either to recycle used and tired polticans like billary and co.or go for a fresh start with new ideas,oprah and barack are simply amazing human beings.go barack!!!!!

Oprah who? Using other peoples misfortunes and problems for her own gain is pure evil. She's a Jerry Springer wanna be. Look at that school fiasco. Giving more money to other nations just like the current administration. And then making a big deal about her weight problems. Who cares! What about America? Obama cannot be trusted. Its obvious he is hiding something he doesn't want anyone to know about. He is just all talk and no action like many of the other politicians in office. He doesn't care about America, he just cares about his own personal gain.
Clinton has my vote. She has experience and look how good things were for the country when Bill was in office. Having him as 'the first man' would improve foreign relations once again since other countries look to him as a celebrity. They like him for some reason while no countries like Bush.

Thanks Oprah you convinced me that my vote goes to Hillary!!!!

Obama is a great PHILOSOPHER - we need a STRONG President and he ain't it!!!

When you Vote remember:
We live in the greatest country God has ever blessed

Obama wanna what? He reminds me of a kid that got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. But instead of a cookie jar he will be caught with his hand in the social security.

Sorry Obama but your pretty speeches are better suited to motivational seminars - not the Presidency. Thanks Oprah you just solidified my support for HIllary.

This country needs a change!

SC event about to start. Great weather. Massive turnout expected. It is taking on a carnival-like festive atmosphere -- the media is all over, musicians, bands, famous personalities, it may be the biggest political event in SC history. This WILL make a difference.

Everything is fine

I've been Bushwhacked and Clintonized all I can stand! This country needs a change!

I loved the news story ABC did about the Obama / Oprah story in Iowa. Kudos ABC.

obama has wisdom ? i don't think so - he speaks so stridently it is hard to listen to him - wise people speak gently as they know the truth and have nothing to 'sell' - a black man (or woman) can be president but not this one -

Oh! Come on Oprah. Be honest. Obama gets your motor running.
Are we to believe your apolitical opinions have suddenly turned political?
Since your rise to fame in 1984 there have been 8 presidential elections and what, a hundred candidates? Now we have the first black candidate and you come alive with much passion. Obama is handsome, smart, young, slick, and let’s face it, he is everything you never had.

i was there in Cedar Rapids. And it was wonderful to see all walks of life. Children were there with their parents. Gay, straight, black, hispanic, muslim, old, young, white--we all came to support. And that's what America is about, bringing EVERYONE together to bring change and make a better America. Maybe Obama doesnt have the most experience in politics but he was the first African American President of Harvard Law and being the president he could of walked out of there making millions but he chose to work with the poor in S. Chicago..Doesn't that count for experience?

I think all these people who have said, "What is in it for her" are right. Remember, she only does for money.. what she has done for people in the past is good, however, I do believe she is in this for a position and for the good of herself.

Barack is America's FUTURE, Hillary is HISTORY.

In this column, I read most of the comments centered on taking sides of or attacking at the candidates, or doing the black - white thing.

Shouldn't we debate issues instead?

After reading a number of comments on this blog, a few things become crystal clear. American women want a woman President, come hell or high water, forget about qualifications, leadership ability, and National security. American African and many women support Obama because they see him as the "great savior" of their oppression

This is my first year voting. With what I have seen thus far, Obama will definitely not be getting my vote come election day. This i-need-oprah-to-get-a-vote tactic just sealed that.

Obama, is not saying anything so radical or different from every other democrat on the campaign trail! The color of his skin makes no difference to me (i'm black), nor does Condi Rice's ethnicity. I'm 26, and none of the issues that concern me are talked about: welfare, homelessness, gangs, drugs/alcohol, domestic abuse/issues at large (things that affected my young inner city upbringing). It seems like this whole spectacle is a diversion from American's truly want to hear... I want Hillary to win! She is History :) ...next year I could for a republican or a democrat... thats how poor a choice of candidates we have (as usually we (america) vote for the lesser of two evils).

Who is running for president, Barack Obama or Oprah?

Black, white, male, female, this isn't what the presidential campaign is over. It's about the issues, it's about which candidate is going to turn our country around, which candidate will bring back the American dream, which candidate can bring positive change to our country. For seven years now, we've been trapped in the Bush administration, entered an unnecessary war, and seen our country plunge for the worst. What we need now is a candidate who brings hope for American citizens, hope that we can turn our country around again. What we need is Obama! Obama '08! Fired up, ready to go!

If Oprah believes that Obama has more life experience than Clinton, then please, look for yourself at the age difference and Clinton's life experience. Her experience outweighs that of BABY OBAMA'S. If Oprah is going to say that Obama is really the best candidate, then please, tell me why? Don't just use the popularity of Oprah for Obama. If Oprah is going to use her popularity, it just shows how desperate Obama is for popularity. It makes sense that Clinton is using her husband, because at least he has a political background. Are you voting for Obama because he is the best candidate, or are you voting for Obama because you like Oprah? If it is the latter, vote for Oprah, not Obama. Voting for Obama because of Oprah's support shows your ignorance.

She will turn OFF as many people as she brings into the circus of Obama's campaign. One must think this is more of a media event than a positive for his Campaign but it does bring him needed publicity.

Oprah for Obama is different from Bill for Hillary or Elizabeth for John Edwards. You would expect a spouse and their children & other family members to campaign for them and wonder about any canidate that family doesn't support them. I expect Bill Clinton to campaign for his wife just like Elizabeth Edwards campaigns for her husband, since he's a former president it seems like a former president is campaigning and not a spouse, it's the media which makes more to this than it is. Oprah's support for Obama only turns me off. He seems to ride the fence when it comes to voting in the senate, and using Oprah is like putting a mask on his campaign to hide the real issues.

Militarymom, I support the military and families' but your comment is extremely ridiculous and sexist. This isn't 1940 or even 1960. This country has changed and it's sad to see you support her just because you believe we need a female president. Why not a black one or hispanic one if you want to go down into sex and race. It's not about sex or race it's about is that person going to beat the GOP in the general and work with and not talking down to them when that person is president.

Oprah-Oprah-Oprah.Just tell us WHY? you Never would endors any political figure,Never!

Now is the time for all "Americans" to think beyond race think beyond self interest groups and vote for the future of this great democracy. We need to evaluate canidates on integrity, leadership and wisdom. Oprah is calling on us all to think just think.