Oprah Won't Publicly Support Obama in 2012 Election

By Rob Shuter Posted Apr 6th 2011 01:48PM

When talk show queen Oprah Winfrey announced she was publicly supporting Barack Obama for president back in 2008, she shocked many TV insiders who had always thought it best for talk show hosts to keep their political views to themselves.

Now as the 2012 election process has officially begun, sources tell me this time around Oprah's support will be much more private.

"For 2012, much has changed for Oprah. She now has own cable channel called OWN that has been struggling to find an audience -- she isn't going to do anything to alienate them," a TV insider tells me. "Unlike in 2008, when a drop in ratings didn't matter as much for the queen of TV, Oprah is now fighting every day to get people to tune into OWN."

Oprah Winfrey's daily talk show ratings dropped in 2008 after her highly publicized political rally for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. An October 2008 Gallup poll before the rallies but after Oprah's public endorsement of Obama found that Oprah's favorable ratings had fallen from 74 to 66 percent while her unfavorable ratings jumped from 17 to 26 percent. Then came news that Oprah's TV ratings showed that her daytime audience, which was nearly 9 million at its height in 2004-05, had fallen to 7.3 million.

As much as Oprah may still love President Obama and may support him behind the scenes, do not expect to see the same public support you saw in 2008. As my source puts it, "Helping a friend keep the most important job in the world is great, but making sure her OWN network thrives is now her priority."

Follow Rob on Twitter for All the Latest Celebrity Dish

Tags: Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey

Comments

(318)

Thursday 07 April

By susan

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Funny about the stainless steel. I also don't like it..When I redid my kitchen over a few years ago the appliance store was shocked I didn't want stainless..I went with solid black..Stainless scratches, shows fingerprints is a pain to keep clean and looking as good as it did when you bought it. Granite is Ok but not a must have..Can make countertops look great with a variety of material, formica, concrete, tile, etc...I am glad there are more like me out there..Individuals with their own sense of style!!

Wednesday 06 April

By Crossfire

Damage is already done. Once a racist, always a racist. Her money does not make her any smarter than anyone else, just her selections alone, tell you how dumb she is. As I have stated before the past election was all about color, hope the American people are smarter this time.

By James

Could not have said it better.

By LALALA

i couldn't agree with you more .. time for us AMERICANS TO WAKE THE BLANK UP ,,,,, and start acting like americans.. stand up for our country ,, and our right,,,as AMERICANS ... ENOUGH IS ENOUGH ALREADY,,,,

By Trind

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Yes, much of the damage was already done...by the Bush Administration. Obviously, you have your choices for President, but you deny her a choice? She dumb, because her choice are not in sync with your's. Oprah is smart enough to make it to the bank.

By carla moore

Well said, and true.

By Beth

Where are all the Obama bumper stickers now? I found it hilarious how all the black celebrities were announcing that they were voting for him simply because he was black (Steve Harvey,Sinbad, etc)and when it was pointed out to them that they should be following Dr. King's advice and look at "not the color of skin, but the content of character", they all got up in arms. Well, I had no problem with a black president, I have a problem with a dumb, lazy one who can't hold a press conference without teleprompters, plays golf all the time, and appoints 'czars' rather than learning the issues and facts for himself. He's a hugs failure and joke, and we need someone who can represent and lead us with dignity and honor, not this jackleg!!!

By Sue

Oprah is smart to consider her viewership. I watched her program faithfully before she came out publicly to support Obama in the last election. I agree that she would not have done that for a white candidate. So why Obama? I was disappointed that she felt it necessary to make it a race issue. As for me, I watched Oprah without seeing the color of her skin. I simply enjoyed her beauty and her brilliant mind and wonderful shows. Somehow, when she 'divided' her audience (for lack of a better term)in terms of race, I no longer felt drawn to her show. I have only recently started viewing it again. I hope she sticks to her guns about being neutral, at least publicly. She's too talented to risk losing her appeal.

Wednesday 13 April

By Vick

How many of Oprah Guest - Book Authors turned out to be Fraud and Con? It's her record, always believe in Con artist & Fraud like Obama...

By doc

what happened did Obozzo stiff Oprah? Did she not get her stimulus check? How could this happen?

By Lazarus Long

Chances are her handlers were looking for some feral government minority grant money for Oprah's new tv network,and when she didn't get it her handlers told her to withdraw her support in order to put pressure on him to give it to her this year.

By ellazls

No matter how much money she has shes still an ignorent pig. I cant stand her I wish she would go away already!!

By jmt

Hmmm...ellazis, I am betting that Oprah knows how to spell "ignorant".

By Bill

Yeah jwblackpride...."its" is a contraction spelled with an apostrophe....."it's",a contraction of "it is". Don't correct others unless you're damn sure you didn't make any mistakes.

Tuesday 19 April

By UNTAMED

Vote down Vote up Report this

Like she really cares what you think - Why is it that no one has anything to say about the fact that the a large number of white women voted for Palin just because she was a white women. Besides, did you all forget that this mess what made by the previous administration and not a mess made by Obama.

It's time to start watching the campaign contributions. I can't imagine how much Oprah will funnel illegally to the Obozzo election. Imagine of Obammie wins again he can make her sect. of state replacing that loser Clinton.....or maybe diplomat to Kenya so she can hide his birth cert.

By nabowman

Put away your sheet and hood.

By Ann

Oprah is correct to keep politics out of entertainment
She is a wise woman whom i respect.
I LOVE OBAMA
Unless you've held the job as a President of a country, express solutions, respect or zip it.

You are absolutely right, Ann. Alot of people criticize when they, themselves, have no solutions. Others think that repeating some childish nickname is proving their intelligence, but actually only makes them appear challenged and obsessed.

By ???

So Ann...did you feel the same way when President Bush was being called names during his presidency?

Page 3 of 16