She will definitely help Obama. Her support helps particularly in recruiting more female votes. Obviously, many females lean toward Clinton, but many women will re-think as Oprah is highly respected and very influential. Her viewing population is reported as 70% female.

I think most voters untimately make their decision based on the character, magenticism, or "likability" of a candidate... I guess appealing more to the heart. Obviously, their stance on issues matters significantly as well, but I feel ultimately the intangibles make the difference.

I recently read Freakonomics, and there's an interesting part discussing the data regarding election outcomes in relation to the campaigns ability to generate funds. The data reviewed suggested that whether people liked the candidate as a person mattered more than their campaigns ability to generate funds(taking into account self-funded candidates also).

Aloha Mallika

First do you think George Bush won the last two elections?

Democracy has to be practiced at the deepest level. Oprah is just a space-time probe like the rest of us fractals. It is like the Chinese koan, of what is the sound of one hand clapping. America is imploding upon herself, which is a good thing because it is inside out.

Oprah's drug is image... Why do you think she wouldn't put Esther Hicks channeling Abraham on her television show? She thought people would perceive Esther Hicks channeling Abraham as weird. Abraham explained to Oprah it wasn’t about the viewers thought. Oprah had no problem promoting The Secret. It is like Marianne Williams shares it is our Light that we fear the most.

Your dad has my vote. Love patty

Oh here is a copy of:

OUR DEEPEST FEAR ...
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

----from A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.

love patty

gezzz sorry for leaving out the son... in Marianne's last name:) Be the Light:)

love patty

Oprah is someone in the media that a lot of people feel they can trust. I believe her opinion will have great influence in this election.

I would trust Mallika's opinion before Oprah.

Taking all of this a step further.
Until I see some women out there speaking of higher consciousness and receiving the respect Deepak or The Dalai Lama get for their knowledge and views spirituality even secular has to be questioned. Sure there is Marriane Williamson and a few others but society doesn't elevate them to the same extent. This fact puts a black eye on higher awareness and secular spirituality.
I find it hard to believe God preserves his secrets for men only. Profit, power and authority has always been a game played by men.

It shows how racist Oprah, she has lost her credibility. She doesnt deserve all the hype she gets.

It shows how racist Oprah is, she has lost her credibility. She doesnt deserve all the hype she gets.

Aloha

Here is a great video to watch... http://www.storyofstuff.com/

For those who don't have the time to watch or unable too
at is the Story of Stuff?

From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

In essence it shows after World War II America’s government partners with Corporate America. The government is no longer for the people. It shows Bush telling everyone to shop after the Towers were hit. Were does the sources and goods come from? Whose people and environments are effected? America takes up 5% of the world and uses up over 30% of the world’s resources.

Oprah is a symbol of a large part of that stuff. Obama went to the most expensive school here in Hawaii. It is time to recycle and take back our government. Elect no one president.

love patty

Hello Mallika and Everyone

I think people make voting decisions for all of the above that you mentioned and probably other factors beside the ones you mentioned.

I think Oprah will give a Barack Obama's campaign a lift with her influence but I do not think it will be enough to take him to the nomination.

I think, by now, most Americans realize that truth is optional when it comes to Washington politics...and.. that, no matter, how much a candidate says they are going to tell the truth, the whole truth and nuttin but the truth, well, we say, "it's a nice thought."

Really, if Oprah took Barack Obama to the finish line I think I would fall of this chair, I am sitting on, I would be so shocked, and, not at all comfortable with the fact that Oprah would have that kind of influence, but anything can happen so we'll see..

have a great day everyone, ruth(the orig)

Among the 70% women audience of Oprah, 50% are with high school or lower education. Such women generally don't vote, and many even don't know the names of the candidates running for the office of the president.

Personally, I never cared for the Oprah show (that big mouth - you know, what I cannot accept in me :-). I think she is too pushy for my taste. Therefore, I don't watch her show. However, being a woman with 70% of women behind her, I suppose she would have some influence on women. Oprah is very popular anyway, so she has some influence. I'm voting for a young male and so far Barack Obama fits that description, as well as having what I think is important in a president - he cares about people and did some really good things for the down and under in his community. Plus, he honest and real from what I have seen. BTW: I don't follow the stuff much until we get to the end as I believe that it naturally comes to pass, for which I don't have the time anyway to keep up with it all. The US President is already chosen, but just has not taken place yet. Well, that's my take.

Love, Char

Oprah is influential no doubt. She's already a factor in Obama's campaign.

I read a post over at HuffPo where it was also pointed out that Oprah is having an influence on the debate about the Iraq War: she is totally in favor of ending it and bringing our troops home.

I agree with him that this is more important to me.

There's problems with Obama, but if he turns out to be only electable candidate that will end the war, I'll vote for him. None of the Republicans except Ron Paul will end the war, and it looks like Hillary wouldn't end it either.

The main nthing the Dems have to do is construct a politcal machine that will be able to deal with the GOP machine.

Make no mistake about it, if the GOP loses in 2008, they will regroup, retreat to their think tanks, and go to their racist and fundamentalist base to get more money.

The Rove machine we still be operating behind the scenes, and the hard-core GOPpers still love people like Dick Cheney and John Bolton.

The Oprah endorsement is good push for Obama. But he has to ramp it up to deal with the Military/Industrial/Polical complex, which is going to be plotting to destroy him by any means possible if he becomes the nominee, or President.

If Oprah was on the stump all weekend for a right leaning candidate it would have been all over the press her promo for a show last week in where she was asking doctor oz if a women could be allergic to her husbands semen. That was in the promo, which plays all day, not just the show.
What qualifies Oprah's endorsement as special? That she paved the way for talk shows to give out gifts to the audience?