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."

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Tags: Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey

Comments

(318)

Thursday 07 April

By viviglam

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Seriously get over yourself.

Wednesday 06 April

By Scott

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Its really to bad he has renigged on all his campaign promises. The only change I have seen is all negative change as in bad for everyone.

By debbie

Maybe everyone got their eyes opened and they now know Obama is full of hot air and makes promises he doesn't intend to keep!!!!!

By the_fool

I'm guessing she has some kind of direct deposit that she will be funneling his way. ( Likely with a trade off that he will support her OWN network and give her some kind of tax break or loop hole to recover some of her 187 million dollars per year salary).

By turbogtrmstr

KS.......................At least Bush didn't go out of the country and apologize for his people. Obama is a joke.

Why is Obama a wonderful man?
Is it because he lied about giving us a choice in medical.
Is it because he lied about closing Gitmo then leaving it open, no close, no open.
Is it because he does not like the people of America just Golf. He is a snakeoil saleman.

By rose

considering that he has done NOTHING he promised to do and just the opposite in many cases, can you blame her? Privately she must be disapointed that he appointed almost no one except the old cronies from previous administrations, initiated war actions (Libya), sent more troops to Afganistan almost immediately after taking office instead of getting us out like he promised, and on and on. So dispointing that there really has not been any positive actions from this man.

By alisha

African-American people thought that Obama was going to be a president that would help them but he turned out to be a president for illegal immigrants and homosexuals.

By coup

maybe oprah isn't to fond of obama these days, it's not like he's doing much for all the african americans like he promised.

By voter

The sad truth is the majority of African Americans voted him in because he is black. People will give all kinds of explanations on why they elected him, but the bottom line is, because he was black. Its sad to see that. I would have voted for Colin Powell - he is colorless to me and a truly great American. That being said, Obama has kept none of his promises to any race of people he represents. Yet because of his skin color - he will be elected again. Look at that loser in D.C., Marion Barry. With all of his drug convictions and the tape shown around the world of "the bit** set me up", he continued to be elected as Mayor of Washington DC. Why? Do we need an explanation? Now he is elected time and time again as a City Councilman in the SE District. Worst neighborhood in the District. And if his name goes on the ballot again, he will be elected. Same as Mr. Obama. If the man had kept just one of his promises, if he had fulfilled one iota of our expectations for him, I would vote for him in a heartbeat. But black or white, he is just another politician, but the worst kind of politician. Making the working American work harder for those who won't.

By Laurie

She must be really scared of ratings dropping on that new TV channel.She should have keeped her opions last time to herself.

By Eldoret

When Obama bowed to The Lobby and used the US veto against the majority supported UN resolution last month condemning Israel's illegal settlement policy - he automatically condemned himself to a one term presidency.

Neither Oprah nor AIPAC nor anyone else can rescue him. Once he made clear that he was the puppet of a minority political pressure group that is unrepresentative of the electorate of 300+ Americans - he blew himself out of the water and out of the White House. How sad. Goodbye BO!

By MiMi

Too little, too late....you should have also asked to see
the birth certificate while you had the chance...

By fischer

If I have to show my child's birth certificate in order for him to start kindergarden. The Pesident can show us his!!!!!!!

By Jacko

I actually spent time reading these. I need to get a life!

By Bill

You and me both. I must be desperate for something to do. I'd put it right up there with watching paint dry. I'm outta here!

Sunday 10 April

By RB

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This is all bull.... we need to learn to pray and ask God for help, the only way out of all this mess ... as you can see man can't do anything ... God is the answer in all this mess, try Him

By Kookie

Bush was a President that was for the people and he is one of us. The muslim Obama hates the American people and is doing everything possible to make enemies and ruin the Country.
Is Oprah African OR American?

By bobo

Like she really has to declare publicly who she supports?
Everybody knows whose she would kiss!

WHERE IS OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE. HE HAS SIGNED UP FOR CAMPAIGNING AND STILL HAS NOT SHOWN HE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF ANY OTHER RECORDS. IS HE GOING TO GET AWAY WITH IT AGAIN?

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