Oprah Winfrey’s Golden Globes speech triggers speculation about US presidential bid
Soon after the speech, however, Oprah Winfrey said that she does not plan to run.
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Media mogul Oprah Winfrey’s rousing speech on race and gender at the Golden Globes Awards ceremony on Monday has led to rampant speculation and calls for her to consider a presidential bid in the United States in 2020.
“For too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dare speak the truth to the power of those men,” Winfrey said, leading to a standing ovation. “But their time is up. Their time is up.” Time’s Up is also the name of the movement that has been launched to legally fight sexual harassment and rape following the revelations against Harvey Weinstein.
Winfrey, who won the Cecil B DeMille Award for lifetime achievement on Monday, is the first black woman to be given the honour.
Soon after the speech, Winfrey told Bloomberg that she does not plan to run. “I don’t...I don’t,” the 63-year-old billionaire said when she was told that “Oprah 2020” and “Oprah For President” were trending on Twitter.
However, her longtime partner Stedman Graham said “she would absolutely do it”, according to The Los Angeles Times. “It’s up to the people,” Graham said.
Actress Meryl Streep also endorsed Winfrey. “She launched a rocket tonight. I want her to run for president,” Streep told The Washington Post. “I don’t think she had any intention [of declaring]. But now she doesn’t have a choice.”
“She’s overwhelmed by the groundswell of support, the absolute avalanche of hashtags and phone calls about running for president,” Winfrey’s friend Richard Sher, considered to be a part of her inner circle, said. “If she set out to do it, she would win.”
Sher, however, added: “But at this point’s it’s other people, not her, that’s talking about it. She’s just taking it all in and happy that what she had to say struck such a chord around the country.”
Many people on social media were enthusiastic about the idea.
As I sit here in tears...I have never ever seen such a speech. @Oprah, my friend. Please run for President. This world needs more of THAT. WOW.
— Billy Gilman (@BillyGilman) January 8, 2018
I was never one to jump on the #Oprah for President bandwagon cause I love her too much to put that burden on her. But now I am convinced that she can right these wrongs and turn this beautiful American ship around. Frankly, I'm convinced she can walk on water. #GoldenGlobes
— Girls Really Rule. (@girlsreallyrule) January 8, 2018
Can someone make Oprah president please
— Jo Boaler (@joboaler) January 8, 2018
Dear Oprah, run for president please!
— Sara Sampaio (@SaraSampaio) January 8, 2018
Oprah isn't running for U.S. president, guys. Why in the hell would she do that to herself?*
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) January 8, 2018
*She's running for galaxy president.
Why couldn't our first TV show president have been Oprah Winfrey. Why. #GoldenGlobes
— Aisha Sultan (@AishaS) January 8, 2018
Some others, however, were not so happy with the idea.
I get that a lot of people like Oprah, but I really really really don't think that embracing the celebrity-for-president trend is a healthy response to recent events.
— RoBitcoin WigglesChain (@RobinWigg) January 8, 2018
yall want oprah to be president without realizing that also means you want oprah calling in drone strikes
— Desus Nice (@desusnice) January 8, 2018
Oprah is lovely, she isn't qualified to be President though. Can we stop with the cult of personality approach to politics?
— Mikki Kendall (@Karnythia) January 8, 2018