A few weeks ago, Oprah Winfrey was quick to shut down an incredible rumor that she might challenge Donald Trump for the presidency in 2020. Speaking in the new issue of People magazine, Oprah explained that there was, in fact, one way she might toss her cap in the ring. She needs a sign from God.
Not just any small throwaway sign, either. Oprah needs a flag of burning bush proportions. The media icon explained that when she found herself in middle of the White House rumor, she turned to her faith, praying:
“God, if you think I’m supposed to run, you gotta tell me, and it has to be so clear that not even I can miss it.”
Unfortunately, Winfrey still hasn’t gotten the sign. What she did get was a huge upswell of support for the idea from every corner of the social media sphere. According to Winfrey, she was also approached by several heavy-hitting investors who volunteered to promote, run, and grow support for her run.
Five years ago, such a notion would have been thought inconceivable, but the United States’ political realm has devolved to a place where experience and qualifications mean precisely nothing compared to the support of an obsessive fan base.
Actually, compared to forty-five, Winfrey seems extremely qualified for the job in addition to commanding a vast fanbase. If the United States has gone temporarily insane with celebrity worship, why not just steer into the skid? Let’s elect someone who made herself popular through inspiration, not denigration, someone who actually started with little and built herself an empire. Going full celebrity doesn’t have to be a catastrophe.
Now, we just need God to cooperate and drop Oprah a line.