Obama-backer Oprah says no Sarah Palin on her TV show

Oprah Winfrey, the billionaire TV talk-show diva who is supporting the Democratic presidential nominee, says she will not allow the Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin on her daily show, which is widely viewed by women.

The 44-year-old Palin is the first female nominee on a Republican presidential ticket in the party's 164-year history, though she is little-known outside Alaska, where she was elected a reform governor in 2006.

Palin, a former high school basketball star and beauty pageant contestant, is the mother of five, an outdoorswoman and part owner in her husband Todd's commercial fishing business.

This past year Oprah endorsed Barack Obama for president. It was the first time she became publicly involved in politics.

Oprah emceed numerous rallies for the freshman Democrat senator in key caucus and primary states, drawing large crowds, donations, media coverage and many new volunteers. She also hosted a lucrative fundraiser at one of her homes, near Santa Barbara. But she has so many we can't count 'em.

Oprah's political involvement, as noted previously by...

...The Ticket, hurt her in TV ratings, though she remains clearly the most-watched such show.

Many commentors on Ticket items expressed resentment that Winfrey, who made her fortune off appealing to women, would desert the first serious female candidate to vie for her party's nomination, Hillary Clinton, another Democrat, in favor of a male candidate, Obama. She also did not have Clinton on her program during the campaign.

TMZ, the widely-read celebrity website, asked Winfrey about having Palin on her program to describe her life and views to other American women.

In a post earlier today, TMZ said Winfrey replied, "There has been absolutely no discussion about having Sarah Palin on my show."

According to TMZ, Winfrey also said: "At the beginning of this presidential campaign when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates."

Winfrey also said she would "love" to have the Republican candidate on her show, but only after the Nov. 4 election, which pits the Illinois Democrat Obama against Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain.

Winfrey has had Obama on her program two previous times, in January 2005 and again in the fall of 2006 shortly before he announced his presidential candidacy.

What do Ticket readers think? Is this fair? Would you watch an Oprah show with Palin and/or Obama? Do you still watch Oprah's program in the first place?

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo credits: Associated Press

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Comments

[Sue M]

The National Guard is part of each states protection. The governor is in charge. Example sending them to help hurricane vicims in LA. She sdoes the budget and makes sure that they and their family has what it needs. As for foreign affairs experience, if she becomes President, she can do what Obama did pick a VP with more experience than he has. Oparh has a right not to have her on her show, And I have a right not to watch her or subscribe to her mag any longer. She obviously puts race before women Hilary or Sarah.

[Carolyn]

Who Cares. Sarah Palin is class, class, class. She would outshine her by a mile. Don't watch her show anyway. Couldn't care less what Oprah thinks. I certainly wouldn't cast my vote on her endorsements or opinions. I have a mind of my own.
Sarah will get plenty of exposure on much better TV than some old talk show.

[RickyD]

This is a shining example of how the limousine liberals are just hypocrites and not open to dialog if it's contrary to their points of view. Thank you Oprah for revealing your true colors.

[Real World Bigotry]

Who cares about Oprah. She has shown her true colors by the denial of a white woman that is in opposition to her candidate. That is bigotry. Thanks for turning a lot of women off to your show. See ya...........

[Joyle]

Did any of you even read the article? She hasn't had ANY of these politicians on her show since they announced their presidential bids. She made it clear that she won't have ANY nominee on her show. I don't care for Oprah's views myself, but I'm not fabricating lies by twisting this article around like a lot of these other posters are doing.

[Mary]

What would happen if Oprah would ask Sarah on and Sarah would turn her down? You don't think there would be a media backlash over that? I can hear it now..."who does Sarah Palin think she is", "She's afraid of Oprah", etc., but when Oprah says no to Sarah being on, it's "her right" and on and on. I don't care who any celebrity endorses. The more they talk, the more I don't listen.

[frank]

she should be on the partridge family.oprah was nice when she answer the question larry king says he will take her if she leaves the kids at home

[john]

Oh my God! Can't any of you read?

"Winfrey has had Obama on her program two previous times, in January 2005 and again in the fall of 2006 shortly before he announced his presidential candidacy."

I repeat, "before he announced his presidential candidacy".

Since deciding to back a candidate, she has not had any of them on her show, so as to keep the show un-biased. The only thing she has done is put her support behind a candidate in her own personal time (which I'm pretty sure you're allowed, if not encouraged to do, no matter how much money you make)

[Opies]

Oprah can have whoever she wants to on her show. Palin has more than enough support on the Fox news network.

[Hilary Smith]

Sarah Palin is a complete psycho. Oprah loves America. Why would she invite her to the show?

[Mari]

It's her show.

[Nope]

I hurriedly scrolled down the page so that I did not have to see Sarah Palin's lying face yet again. I am glad Oprah will not give her another platform to spew hatred, tell lies about promote herself as a superwoman.

[Realist]

Let's face it.... Everyone know that this election is going to be be in the hands of the undecided voter. Which just so happen to be women. I believe that the GOP chose Mrs. Palin because she was a woman and because Obama didn't chose Mrs Clinton for the VP spot. It seems like a good strategy but trashy at the same time. How dare she use Hilliary's words in her speech to plead her case!!!! The two of them don't even share any of the same issues.

I'm not saying she isn't qualified, I am just disgusted in the tactics the Republicans have revert to. Now they want Oprah to put her on the show to give here a broader and bigger audience. It's not about Oprah begin racist or anything of the sort. Mrs. Palin come out of nowhere and she jump right on the show. I don't think so!!! Let's see....Obama is from Chicago and Oprah show is film there. I am sure they have had lunch before and she knew him before he was ask to come on the show. GOP sleazy move! Leave Oprah out of this!!!!! She doesn't care about getting taxed and she love to give!!!!

[SWD]

Ms. Oprah can do what she wants because, after all, her show is mindless entertainment. So ultimately, it does not matter. The election is supposed to be about governing, not about who appears on a popular show. But in publicly refusing to invite a female VP candidate, Oprah does open herself to charges of bias, racism, and ignoring the segment of the population that made her rich and famous. So what? This is all pretty insignificant. It's interesting only because it exposes something in an American famous talk show host: hypocrisy.

[Lexi]

What happened Oprah? I thought women could be strong and do everything?! Hmmm, guess your bias excludes conservative women.

You just have to take a look at the message boards on Oprah.com to see that her viewers do NOT agree with her on this one. She has lost a lot of viewers with her bias.

[Lexi]

Posted by: Hana | September 05, 2008 at 09:10 PM
"Palin would not appear on the show anyway--she might have to answer actual questions, not just read a speech off of a telepropter."

Hana, guess you didn't hear that Mrs. Palin's teleprompter was BROKEN!! That goes to show how she can think on her feet. Now on the other hand, your Obama can't construct a complete sentence without a teleprompter. Ahhhh, ummmmm, ahhhh, ummm - Please!!

[Stefanie]

Hey Oprah - I am a woman and I don't like your show or magazine. I love Jesus and I will be voting for McCain and Palin. So there!! And why don't you use some of your billions to help those in Chicago housing??

[Mark Koenig]

What if Condy Rice had been chosen by McCain. Do you think she'd have gotten air time with Orpah?

[albertype]

Such astonishing racism and ignorance from white readers and viewers. The issue is not Oprah, it's about the cynical selection of a patently under qualified Vice Presidential candidate. Ms. Palin may be a fine mother and small town governor, but she was selected to stir up precisely the kind of culture war that you seem to be having on this site. Please stick to the real issues. Our country is in serious trouble. We need a PRESIDENT who will take our Foreign and Domestic policies seriously and not run a campaign that resembles the Jerry Springer Show. Do you really want someone so completely unqualified in the 2nd most powerful job in the country? This is the real world. These are our children dying in Iraq. These are our husbands and wives, unemployed. This is our constitution, our promise not to torture. This is NOT television.

[Andrea]

Oprah is no journalist and a lousy talk show host as well. Why? Because a decent talk show host would be concerned about ratings and Palin would bring sky high ratings. This woman does not care about her audience. Oprah cares about Oprah. She is a self serving, ecomaniac who uses people to the point that it borders on abuse. She is a narcissist and because of all these things must be a very lonely, isolated person. I would feel sorry for her, but I am too mad for that at the moment. I feel duped. I have been defending her, but there is no defence. Her bias and selfishness is just so obvious, as to be shameful. She had BO on the show, cleverly early as to appear non partisan. Yet, plans were well underway to have this man to be on the presidential ticket. She is NOT fooling anyone but herself. Americans are not stuipid people and this is insulting. I say, avoid her show, her magazine and her sponsors. There are plenty of great sales going on right now...lots of good choices. And ladies, check out a GREAT magazine called "More."
I guess Oprah is pistol packing too...cause she has shot herself in the food. Bye bye Oprah...can you hear the universal click?

[Cecilia]

If someone votes for a female candidate just because she is female, that doesn't show a whole lot of respect for the female candidate's intellect. If women and men are truly equal, then we should all vote for the best candidate--regardless of their gender. Just because Oprah favored Obama over Clinton does not mean she does not support women's rights. Nor does the fact that she does not want Palin to appear on her show.

We all have bias. That's what makes us human. I agree that journalists have a responsibility to report without bias...but Oprah's not a journalist. She's a TV talk show host.

We need to stop obsessing about race and gender. We're all human beings.

[50centsaday]

Oprah shows her true colors, shows how fake she really is.
Although Obama had not announced before going on Oprah, it was a foregone conclusioin that he would enter the race.
Oprah is just another member of the media that intends to do whatever they can, above or below board, to get a man who's got nothing but pretty words, elected.
Shame, sham.
I hope Palin tells Oprah later, "thanks, but no thanks."
Boycott Oprah.

[Darci]

Readers seemed to have missed the point that Oprah is not allowing ANY candidates on her show- including Obama. Did everyone just miss the point that Obama has not been on show either AFTER he announced that he was running?

[Reeshemah]

Silly. All those people who claim to be upset over who Oparah votes for are JUST SILLY and PETTY. Get a life! Everyone deserves to endorse and vote for whomever they want.

[Richey]

Oprah is obviously a communist. She is a billionaire who is using her television show to propose her agenda. She is spreading a one sided view which is contrary. Could you imagine if Oprah was white and she would not allow Obama not to appear? She would be called a racist. But, since she is black - it will be forgotten tomorrow. Oprah is obviously NOT a supporter of women unless they are black or democratic woman.