Rich Lowry explains at National Review Online why he believes it would be a mistake to discount the prospect of a presidential bid from media superstar Oprah Winfrey.
If Hillary Clinton could deliver a political speech half as effectively as Oprah Winfrey, she might be president today.
The actress, media mogul, and erstwhile queen of daytime TV gave what, if she ever becomes president, will be known to history as the Golden Globes Address. The first de facto convention speech ever delivered at an awards show, it brought down the house and predictably stoked talk of Oprah 2020, with people close to her fueling the speculation.
In the era Before Trump, this would have been risible. Once upon a time, military service, political experience, a policy portfolio, and national-security chops were mandatory to plausibly run for president. That time feels like a long time ago. Now, when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who has mused about running himself, stood and applauded Oprah’s speech, you could see the early pecking order of a potential Democratic nomination battle establishing itself (“The Rock” would be a second-tier candidate).
What Donald Trump proved is that a celebrity with charisma, performative ability, and gobs of free media can, in the right circumstances, stomp conventional politicians who lack all three.
