Where in the HELL is Oprah during this heathcare reform crisis!

[onehandle]

I was catching up on Rachel Maddow from last week and she had Bill Maher as a guest.

He was lamenting the fact that healthcare was being overshadowed by nutzo gun toting teabaggers and by Obama's White House's apparent weakness.

He asked, "Where's Oprah?"

That's what I want to know. She basically introduced Obama to America. She pushed for this. Now what?

Why isn't she using her power to fight this cause?

Is she just back to bashing "men who can't commit?" Is she afraid to piss off her insurance and big pharma sponsors?

Where in the HELL is Oprah!

[Dover]

1. In Oz.

[Deja Q]

3. You know, I thought Oz would be in her...

http://www.oprah.com/contributor/health/droz

[akbacchus_BC]

56. That was funny! I get the feeling that Dr. Oz is a repug and always

wondered why him of all people he is constantly on her show. Having said that, Oprah doesn't seem like a political figure and am not too sure if she can have a show right now, most of her shows are reruns. The new season starts in the fall, well after Congress meets.

I do recall that she once had a very wealthy couple who lived very frugally, almost on the streets (I may be wrong), on her show and if their experience was not enough to get health care reform, I have no idea what it will take. That interview was during the Bush years.

[babylonsister]

2. "Recess"? nt

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

4. once burned twice shy - she spoke out about tainted beef on a show

and ended up doing to court. That is when she met "Dr. Phil" who
gave her training and advice.

[QC]

8. Dr. Phil is a crime against humanity.

He and his discoverer should both be sent to The Hague.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

35. ...

[Seldona]

49. I don't know if I would take it that far,

but I agree with your basic premise.

[QC]

50. OK, no Hague.

Caning, maybe?

[QC]

5. She's got good insurance. n/t

[bbinacan]

6. Who cares where

Oprah is. She's a fucking talk show host.

[cherokeeprogressive]

9. Hear! Hear! Huzaaaa! Huzaaaa! Hip Hip Hooray!!! She's a talk show host and NOTHING more.

[earth mom]

65. If you don't think Oprah was instrumental in getting Obama elected, you are wearing blinders. nt

[onehandle]

10. I am far from a fan of hers, but she put herself out there last year. Where is she now?

She's a phony. Period.

[progressoid]

30. And Rush Limbaugh is just a radio talk show host.

Don't underestimate their impact

[MissDeeds]

32. Agreed n/t

[muffin1]

33. She's also a talk show host who can mention a product she likes,

and that item sells out the next day. She praises a book, and it becomes a best seller.
Couldn't hurt.

[Cha]

7. Yeah, let's blame Oprah..

Why don't you ask her?

Scroll down..
https://www.oprah.com/plugform.jsp?plugId=220

[onehandle]

12. Where did I blame Oprah?

She has nothing to do with this.

That's the point.

She was out there last year when it was getting her ratings.

Now what?

[dflprincess]

11. As a rule Oprah avoids taking any political positions

endorsing Obama was the big exception. I suppose the wrong postion might cut into her empire.

If Phil Donahue still had his original talk show (not the short lived one on MSNBC) he would have done some good shows on health care. And I'd be he would have supported Medicare for All.

[onehandle]

13. Then she should have Never gotten into it.

To Hell with her "rules."

[Orsino]

40. She has been perfectly willing to join humanitarian causes in the past.

I expect her to speak up.

[Raine1967]

45. Personally-- Health Care shouldn't be political...

But well, we have what we have. Oprah SHOULD so a show on the underinsured in America.

[Cass]

55. I still miss the orginal Phil Donahue show.

I cried when they took that show off the air and I keep hoping he will be back on TV again.

[Captain Hilts]

14. Insured men are really dominating the debate. nt

[msongs]

15. she's busy making money off the miseries of other people lol nt

[Politicub]

16. Hanging with Deepak Chopra or Eckhart Tole getting her new age healing on

And enjoying her rich life. Why should she worry her beautiful mind over the plight of the uninsured?

IMHO she is immoral if she doesn't use her clout to help the cause. Otherwise, she's an empty suit.

[Clio the Leo]

17. Oprah is NOT the one we've been waiting for ........

.... and she did NOT introduce Obama to America.

[flyarm]

18. Having another fight with her boyfriend????? That is what it said at the cash register at the

grocery store!!..sorry I had to wait a long time ..people were stocking up for the storm that never came !!

[saltpoint]

19. I'd have the White House folks arrange a Ted Kennedy interview,

from the compound, with Oprah.

It would reach gazillions of voters.

It would be very persuasive.

Oprah's a star and then some. Senator Kennedy is the health care lion.

Somebody should make this happen.

[mnhtnbb]

20. She's probably hiding out at a weight reduction clinic.

[QC]

21. She's out shopping for $10,000 handbags. n/t

[wroberts189]

22. It would not hurt if she had a special show on health care. nt

[saltpoint]

23. Agree. And it would likely help. A lot.

[wroberts189]

24. Can you give it a rec? I just did +4 ..one more to greatest... thx. nt

[saltpoint]

25. Done.

[wroberts189]

26. thanks :) ..and another kick for the OP . We could use you Oprah! nt

[onehandle]

37. How about a week worth of shows?

Flex that muscle you used to start this Oprah.

[wildflower]

27. The Obama team felt she hurt them (him)

Last year when she came out to support him. If I remember correctly from Richard Wolffe's book.

[rhett o rick]

28. Posing for the cover of her magazine. nm

[Manifestor_of_Light]

29. I wish she'd talk about her low thyroid and obesity.

There are 20 or 30 million of us out there that are waiting for a major public figure to talk about hypothyroidism. They never talk about it in the media, but every other disease gets their time in the spotlight.

[ruggerson]

31. plotting how to best murder Kathy Griffin

I would imagine

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Autumn]

36. If we have to depend on Oprah

to help get out the word on health care reform , we are truly fucked.

[comtec]

47. Yes we are!

and that's teh point.
Sadly... only Oprah can reach the redneak birthers that are going nuts.

Believe me they are buying her bullshit.

The GoP wins so often because they know how to frame the message no matter how utterly fucked up it is... and people buy it.

If oprah got off her considerable ass and did something useful with her toxic show for once... I think we just might win... but remember Oprah is the most powerful woman on TV for a good reason and it has nothing to do with morals.

[tammywammy]

38. WTF? Oprah?

If that's the saving grace of health care, then all is lost. She's a freaking talk show host, next are we going to demand Tyra Banks start speaking up as well?

[Orsino]

39. America listens to celebrities.

When Oprah allows the lies to stand, she becomes part of the problem.

She's on TV; she can help or hinder.

[tammywammy]

41. You know, when we start demanding that celebrities

stand in for our elected officials it's a sad state of affairs.

If it's Oprah that's needed to pass health care reform, that's a pathetic indictment on our democratic leaders.

[Orsino]

42. Yes, it's a sad state of affairs...

...but the idea that Oprah can save us single-handedly is oversimplification.

I hope that when she is asked what she did in the health-care wars, she has a substantive answer.

[onehandle]

43. She sold Obama to many.

Time for her to stop counting her money and step up.

[sufrommich]

44. Oprah?? Who cares where she is ?

She's as much a part of the idiocracy as FOX is.

[KingFlorez]

46. She made it clear that she wouldn't be taking a large role

When she endorsed Obama, she said that she wouldn't be taking a large role in politics and she has kept her word.

[onehandle]

51. Oh, what a good citizen she is.

Because she kept her word.

She got what she wanted for herself. She's done.

[earth mom]

66. Yep-it was ALL about Oprah-screw the rest of us. nt

[Liberation Angel]

48. And where he Hell is Obama? In Martha's Vineyard?

This pisses me off so much.

with the shit hitting the fan he runs to Bill Clinton's waspy watering hole and makes all of us sweat this out?

see my post here:

---
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[onehandle]

53. Well, at least he isn't spending half his Presidency at a defunct pig farm...

...while airliners are crashing into skyscrapers.

[ellacott]

54. Your logic is amazing

He won't be like Bush, he will be working while on vacation. Martha's Vineyard also has an historic African American population and they are not all elites.

I see why we can't sustain any progress we make. We love to whine and complain.

Amazing........

[treestar]

52. Good thought. She could have him on now as well as before the election

And do a show on health care and people who didn't get it and the consequences.

Granted she is not required too, but she could.

[Forkboy]

57. How fucked is this country when we're waiting for Oprah to do something?

[ruggerson]

58. WWOD?

[Forkboy]

59. It doesn't say much for us a country when we need pep talks from tv hosts to do what's right.

I do understand her influence, I just think it's sad that it's come to this.

[QC]

60. But she has a mystical bond with The Leader. n/t

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

63. Very? nt

[Teaser]

61. AND WHERE IS RICKI LAKE???

.

[QC]

62. Only Sally Jessy can save us now!

[earth mom]

64. I've been saying Where the Hell is Oprah for awhile now myself.

It's disappointing as hell, but mark my word, she will not speak ONE word against Obama.

[onehandle]

68. I'm not looking for her to speak against Obama, but to support his efforts.

She won't even do that.

Oprah got hers. She's done.

[barbiegeek]

67. Show on free clinics like the one in LA, she did katrina stuff 4 a yr

I mean the free clinic like doctors without borders who normally do 3rd world countries but did the USA because we're so desperate a week or 2 ago. She could do a show on that--non political just FYI or expose

[Honeycombe8]

69. She's an entertainer. She endorsed Obama. She's not a politician or spokesperson for issues.

But since you asked, she's having dinner with the Obamas in Martha's Vineyard this week.