Alright, hear me out. Oprah is a G, there’s no doubt about it. Yes, I heard her speech at the Golden Globes just barely. Definitely cried nearly the entire time. She is the quintessence of class and elegance. Her words sound like what cinnamon smells like, freshly printed paper feels like, and what home should be like. Yes, I heard her speech, and it was absolutely lovely.
But does speaking nicely into a microphone make you qualified to run an entire country? Sure, that’s not all Oprah does. She went to Tennessee State University, and graduated with a degree in Speech Communications and Performing Arts. She is the CEO of Harpo Productions, and of her own brand. She is a philanthropist. She is a TV personality, hosting one of the most televised daytime shows. She is the center of the universe for Josh Peck’s character on Drake and Josh. Yeah, it seems to me she definitely has all you need to be president: money and fame.
Doesn’t that sound familiar? “A celebrity cannot be president.” That’s exactly what a majority of the public said about Donald Trump. That’s exactly what I said about Donald Trump. Yet a considerable amount of people are selectively letting go of this rationale for Oprah. What makes another celebrity any different? “Hey, we think our current TV president is a garbage man, him and his small hands, so let’s stick another celebrity in his place! This time it’ll be okay, because she’s Oprah.” Sure, let’s assume her intentions are benevolent, and not fueled by corporations whispering in her ear, but a good moral compass isn’t the only thing that makes a good president. The same people who criticized Trump for his lack of qualifications, are the same people who are ignoring that of Oprah’s. The recent reactions to the rumors behind her candidacy are hypocritical at best.
Now, this isn’t just a rant article. It has a few purposes; one, to bring light to the fact that we should not run our country into a mess similar to where it is now; two, to spread awareness of potential candidates that are more than qualified to run our country; and three, to encourage deeper research into people who already serve our country every day, against systems of oppression and bigotry.
Here are just a few examples of great people who could fill the position of the Democratic Presidential Candidate, and all it took was looking up recent/current senators, their voting records, and campaigns which feature the main goals they want to accomplish. All it took was rising above the frenzied noise of pop culture, and delving deep below the surface of what makes our country function (even with a “like, really smart” guy as president).
Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris was an attorney general, and is the current senator of California. She’s consistent in her votes that support universal healthcare, are pro-disaster relief, are pro-criminal justice reform, and fight Trump’s policies. Click here for more info.
Karen Bass
Karen Bass has been the House representative for California for seven years. Her votes have been consistently pro-choice, pro-universal healthcare, and against Trump policy. She has also been on the committee of foreign affairs, which means she could potentially handle being Commander in Chief and general foreign relations. Click here for more info.
Kevin de León
Kevin de León is the current Senate President Pro Tempore for the Democratic party and was Senate Majority Leader beforehand. He has been a senator for eight years. consistently pro-LGBTQ (in particular, he voted to recognize nonbinary as a legal gender), against biased incarceration, and pro-choice. Just look at how fresh my boy Kevin looks in Planned Parenthood scarf. Click here for more info.
Alex Padilla
Alex Padilla is the current Californian Secretary of State (3 years), former senator (8 years). consistently pro-environment, pro-education (aka diminishing marginalization in education), and pro-gun control. Click here for more info.
Again, these are just a handful of fantastic candidates that already meet the needs that people want Oprah to fulfill. They have credibility, experience, and wisdom. Please, take this into account before you run off tweeting, “Beyonce 2020” or something else just as bogus.