A surprise: Oprah pays a real cost for supporting Barack Obama

(UPDATE: This Ticket item has aroused so much interest, traffic and hundreds of comments that a new one has been published this morning. After you've read this item and are ready to go to the new one, just click here to read the reactions of hundreds of Oprah fans and former fans. Thanks for reading.)

Most of the attention on the O2 effect -- Obama and Oprah -- has been focused on how much the daytime TV cult leader helped her home state senator by endorsing him and appearing at all those rallies in Iowa and South Carolina with Barack and Michelle.

The 54-year-old Chicago TV hostess certainly helped raise a hefty chunk of change by loaning out her estate for that Obama fundraiser last summer.

Oprah Winfrey has long enjoyed an immense popularity tied to her long-running daytime TV show, which started in 1986, and helped give her favorable ratings around 78% by 1996. So well known is she that one name will suffice, as in our headline.

In one 1999 survey of the most admired and respected 20th-century women, Oprah (26%) came in only second to Mother Teresa (33%), who didn't have her own TV show. And in 2003 a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll found that 60% thought Oprah was a more powerful woman than someone named Hillary Clinton, a former first lady and senator, who drew only 28%.

Fourteen months ago, a Gallup/USA Today poll found 74% of Americans had a favorable view of the TV personality.

Then on May 1 last year, Oprah announced during....

the Larry King show that she was, for the first time, going to throw her considerable weight behind a political candidate -- Obama.  King's suspenders nearly snapped.

“I think," she told old Lar, "that my value to him, my support of him, is probably worth more than any check.” Although, to be honest, her estimated $2.5 billion in wealth could buy an awful lot of TV ads in Indiana. It might even be able to purchase the Hoosier State. 

But little attention has been paid to the effect of Obama on Oprah. Now along comes Costas Panagopoulos, an assistant professor of political science at New York's Fordham University, to ask and answer just that question.

Writing at Politico.com, he suggests the aging empress of TV has paid a price for getting into the dirty business of politics with and for her man Barack. By August last year, a CBS poll found her favorable rating had plunged from 74% to 61%, still twice as good as the president but nearly a 20% drop.

Around Thanksgiving she announced that not only was she supporting Obama, but she would campaign with him and we'd see if her political recommendation carried as much weight as her book recommendations. Oprah's political travels produced a media feeding frenzy and a publicity bonanza with women routinely fainting in the front row. The campaign said her rallies produced 10,000 new volunteers.

Winfrey campaigned for Obama in Iowa, which he won, in South Carolina, where he won, and in New Hampshire, where he lost. We haven't heard much about Winfrey since the voting started. Did she realize something we're just getting?  We heard only that she left the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright's Trinity United Church of Christ several years ago, reportedly over some of his more militant sermons that Obama says he never heard.

But 10 days after the campaign media explosion her favorable rating had dropped further to 55% and her unfavorable ratings for the first time climbed to 1 in 3.

A December ABC/Washington Post poll of Democrats found 8% were persuaded by her Obama endorsement, 82% said it wouldn't matter either way and 10% said her recommendation had turned them off Obama.

Now, Panagopoulos has discovered an AOL TV popularity survey of 1.35 million Americans that found 46% said the daytime TV host who "made their day" was Ellen DeGeneres while only 19% chose Winfrey. Forty-seven percent said they'd like to have dinner with Ellen, while only 14% chose Oprah.

Apparently, neither Ellen nor Oprah were asked who they'd like to dine with.

Panagopoulos draws the conclusion that in these days of pervasive media, in reality, celebrity endorsements run the real risk of costing the celebrity more than they benefit the endorsee. So celebs may want to think twice before hitting the stump.

But then how many hundred million dollars a year does an assistant professor at Fordham pull down?

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo credit: Newsday, Archdiocese of Colombo

Comments

[Don't Care Anymore]

I really do not care who Oprah backs as a candidate. For that matter I don't care who anyone backs. The 8% of people who support Obama because she does and the 10% of people who say they are turned off to Obama because of her are the reason our country is the way it is. It is no secret that all of the News Stations and all the Radio Hosts are biased. The problem is taking what they say as fact is what continues to contribute to the mess we are in. What happened to the days where we disagreed but were still civil. All politics are doing is driving a wedge between race lines and religion lines. I don't care what race or religion you are but I have my beliefs and you have yours I respect yours even if I disagree with everything you belive in. Our kids are being killed over these disagreements. When will it end!!! I'm a nobody according to Mr. Malcom (I don't have 2 billion dollars) but I refuse to be a sheep that is going to one day look back and wish I would of stayed with my beliefs. And by the way anyone who belives that Hillary is going to cut the taxes on the "rich" is sadly mistaken. Her and Bill are not going to raise taxes on themselves. If the tax breaks the "rich" receive were so terrible then why don't they pay more taxes the all the other "rich" people. Warren Buffet should do the same.

[Kerry]

I am stunned that the people who watch Oprah somehow missed the fact that she is NOT and never in her professional life has been a Christian. She has ALWAYS been new age, ALWAYS pro-gay, and ALWAYS pro-choice. The fact that she is hypnotized by Obama is not surprise, considering the other fakes and charlatans she's fallen for (James Frey, Marrianne Williamson, Eckhart Tolle). It almost gives credence to the idea that Obama sat for 20 years in the church without hearing a word the Pastor said. Maybe people who gravitate to snake-oil salesmen like Obama and Oprah really don't have any idea what they are selling.

I doubt it, though. I think Oprah fans are just gullible dopes and Obama devotees are the lowest common denominator of the American voting public. He's the new young thing on the radar screen, and he's totally unsuited to be the President. But nobody cares, because he's so (excuse the expression--it is not meant in the religious sense) "charismatic."

Just keep drinking the Flavor-aid, boys and girls. Yum.

[greg]

Obama is finished after the the good rev wright poped up. whites will abandon him. but Hillary is even more hated. get ready for a mccain presidency. then Romney in '12

[John]

the most uplifting part of this article, is that 33% actually chose Mother Teresa. Maybe there is hope for this country yet.

[BobbieG]

Everything has a cost. If it is important enough to you pay it, if not you don't. If celebrity endorsements work I do not know. But I would guess O's audience is rather apolitical at the moment of watching her or they would be watching one of the news channels.

[Eagle35]

None of the math matters when you consider the book 1984 is happening before our very eyes. Now the middle class and upper class are pulling the wagon. Both the Democratic runners are pure Socialists. It appears this country not only can't do math, but will trade their freedom for government programs that have failed miserably elsewhere. Look at our own Social Security and Medicare. They are going broke and the only answer is taking more of our hard earned money. Soon there will be no one to pull the wagon and we will be subservient to the ruling class run by the Hillary's and Obama's of this country.

[Roger]

It is now apparent why education is in need of an overhaul in this country. In several posts it is questioned "since when is a 13% difference equal to 20%". Anyone with any knowledge would understand that the difference of 13% is indeed equal to nearly a 20% drop from he original percentage.

[dennis urbano]

The question here is: What Rverend W knows about BO that give him the power not other person has? Was BO blackmailed from Reverend W?

[Jackie]

Who cares about what a professor or any of the bloggers think about oprah & her support for Obama, she makes more money than the professor and most of the bloggers, she has a life, people are only jealous, racist, becaue they wish they had a quarter of what she has>>.she doesn't care about what these bloggers think, they are need to get a life, most of them are racist anyway, so who cares what comments they make.

[KWinn]

Subject: Some factual information for you to consider

Real Men
In 1961, a young African-American man, after hearing President John F. Kennedy's challenge to, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," gave up his student deferment, left college in Virginia and voluntarily joined the Marines.

In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. (They provide medical assistance to the Marines as well as to Navy personnel.)

The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy's premier medical facility, Bethesda Naval Hospital, as a member of the commander in chief's medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery.

For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation.

What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated.

While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice President Dick Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/ sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate student and one for being a prospective father.

Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections.

Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the country?

After leaving the service of his country, the young African-American finished his final year of college, entered the seminary, was ordained as a minister, and eventually became pastor of a large church in one of America's biggest cities.

This man is Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the retiring pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ.

[kecc]

In response to canuck ... There are many idiots everywhere. Don't believe everything you read and don't believe everything is as simple as described in this or any article. For the most part, people with diverse points of view get along just fine here.

[tim lawlor]

You have to have a few screws loose in the ole noggin to really care what these idiots think or do. If you're impressed by an oprah, you should meet my dog Ripley.

[Amused]

>"By August last year, a CBS poll found her favorable rating had plunged from 74% to 61%, still twice as good as the president but nearly a 20% drop."<

Reading the posts on this board serves as a perfect example of the FAILURE of the US education system as well as the STUPIDITY of the average viewer of this site.

The writer did not state that her favorable ratings had dropped 20 PERCENTAGE POINTS but rather that her ratings had dropped 20 PERCENT! DUH

Think about this real hard and get out your calculators, hopefully you will better understand by lunch.

[Jane Krysiak]

I totally agree with those of you who bring up Oprah's new religion stuff. EVERYONE has a limit where power goes to their head whether or not they want to admit it or not. Her lower ratings have nothing to do with Obama. As a Christian I find it very offensive the remarks she has made about God and her concept of our spirits. We wouldn't have a spirit without God and he wants us to look to him. The Bible is for searching out the truth.

[Carl]

Oprah backed Obama for one reason:

She is the most influential woman in the world but would become #2 once Hillary came to power.

She's using her black make-up to hide this real truth. Hey, only one queen bee allowed.

[Barry]

With regards to the Rev. Wiright. Doesn't anyone remember when Michelle ran her mouth with her racist and anti-us rhetoric. That shows that they have been indoctrinated by the most Rev. Wright. This reminds me of Teresa Heinz when she ran her yap while John boy was running. You notice that she was very quiet and absent from the public for a period after her bout with diarreah of the mouth.
By the way, to become a Rev, can you get that online?

[Rob]

Since when does 74% - 61% round to "nearly a 20% drop"?

Overall I thought the article might have had something to say that was credible, but that obvious slant skews the rest of verbiage out of bounds.

[USA and Proud]

To Canuck:

Boy, am I glad you don't live in the US of A!

[Robert Dalziel]

"[H]er favorable rating had plunged from 74% to 61%...but nearly a 20% drop." Since when is 13% near 20%? It is nearly ten! I stopped reading this article after reading that stupidity, as I can see that not only are you spinning, but you are --frankly -- stupid.

[Doghouse Riley]

Back when I was in school the difference between 0.74 and 0.61 was 0.13, and 0.13/0.74 rounded to 18%.

Is 18% nearly 20%? Was Hillary nearly shot by Bosnian snipers in1996? Was Al Gore nearly President in 2000? Did the Cubs nearly win the pennant in 2003? I guess it all depends on what you mean by "nearly"

[Get Real]

C'mon, People...it's Oprah, for god's sake. She is not a goddess, she is a savvy (but perhaps nots as savvy as we thought) business woman. Who cares if her popularity is declining, other than Harpo productions? She is merely another media personality.

Obama is finally getting the attention he deserves, and some of his supporters aren't happy about this. But, a complete vetting of the candidates is a necessary thing, and if you associate yourself with hate mongers, then you pay the price.

[Dwight Wannabe]

After seeing footage of Ophrey stumping on the campaign trail, I clicked over to the TiVo settings and deleted her longheld "to be recorded" slot from my television.

Not because of WHO she endorsed, but because she transmorphed into a political entitiy at all.

If you've watched the show for any length of time, there was no surprise about Ophrey's political affiliations or her opinions on race in America. We knew.

But I'm not going to stand by support yet another celebrity giving me their political middle finger.

Buh-bye, Ophrey. It has been four months and I don't miss you as much as I thought I would.

[Mike]

Posted by: Maria | April 09, 2008 at 09:16 AM
No one is saying that she CAN'T support Obama, or anyone else. But, those who don't agree with her are also free to quit 'supporting' her.

Posted by: f7dd87 | April 09, 2008 at 01:57 PM
Who gives a damn what the rest of the world thinks about our political process??

[numberz]

For all you math types, a drop of 74% to 61% is indeed an 18% drop, as well as a 13 point drop. As as example, an increase in sales tax from 5% to 6% is not a 1% increase. It is a 20% increase, as well as a 1 point increase.

[Steve]

Oprah's support for Obama, if anything, is helping her image.

Oprah's promotion of her new-age, deceptive, counterfeit religion is quickly - VERY quickly - destroying it.