Oprah: "Sick Of Politics As Usual"

Talk Show Host Does Her Best To Rally Votes For Barack Obama

(AP)  The Oprah and Obama tour hit South Carolina Sunday, with the talk show host and media mogul exhorting nearly 30,000 to ignore Barack Obama's detractors and help him capture the Democratic nomination and the presidency.

"South Carolina - January 26th is your moment," Winfrey said, referring to the state Democratic primary date during a campaign stop alongside the Illinois senator. "It's your time to seize the opportunity to support a man who, as the Bible says, loves mercy and does justly."

Obama's campaign said more than 29,000 attended the event at the University of South Carolina's football stadium. It had the feel of a rock concert, with bands playing for early arrivals and campaign supporters yelling "Fire it up!" to the crowd.

Winfrey, who also campaigned for Obama on Saturday in Iowa, offered a touch of talk show-like advice during a 17-minute speech. "There are those who say it's not his time, that he should wait his turn. Think about where you'd be in your life if you'd waited when people told you to," she said.

"I'm sick of politics as usual," Winfrey said. "We need Barack Obama."

A recent AP-Pew Research poll has New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton leading in South Carolina with 45 percent of likely Democratic primary voters, followed by Obama's 31 percent. The two candidates break even on the black vote here, and that's where Winfrey's appeal could become a factor - along with her pull among women.

Obama, during his address, criticized the Bush administration and took several veiled swipes at Clinton, though never referenced his rival by name.

"I'm tired of Democrats thinking the only way to look tough on national security is to act like George Bush," he said. "We need a bold Democratic Party that's going to stand for something, not just posture and pose."

He said if he's the party nominee, an opponent won't be able to say he supported going to war in Iraq, which Clinton did.

"It's not good enough to tell the people what you think they want to hear, instead of what they need to hear. That just won't do. Not this time," he said. "We can't spend all our time triangulating and poll-testing our positions because we're worried about what Mitt or Rudy or Fred or the other Republican nominees are going to say about us."

He said voters will need to cast ballots in favor of a candidate - not against an incumbent who is leaving office.

"The name George W. Bush will not be on the ballot," he said, a remark that brought the crowd to its feet for several minutes.

"The name of my cousin Dick Cheney won't be on the ballot," Obama added, a reference to their more than 300-year-old, distant family connection. "That was some embarrassing stuff when that came out."

Obama was accompanied by his wife, Michelle, and said it was his campaign's biggest crowd. "You know you've got a good program when I'm the third-best speaker on the stage," he said.

The event at Williams-Brice Stadium initially was planned for a smaller venue with a capacity of 18,000, but was moved to the stadium after the campaign gave out all of its free tickets two days after distribution began. Organizers said they did not expect to fill the massive arena, however.

About 8,500 people greeted Obama and Winfrey at their last stop in Manchester, N.H., Sunday night, including Gov. John Lynch and the state's two Democratic members of Congress.

After two days of campaigning, Winfrey said she had overcome her initial nervousness.

"I'm beginning to like this," she said. "I'm beginning to like this because I can feel that you are ready for change."

In a slightly different twist on Obama's frequent argument that a long Washington resume doesn't necessarily make for a good president, Winfrey appealed to the parents in the audience.

"You can't be fooled by this experience question because you know it's not the amount of time you spend with your child, it's the quality of that time," she said.

Obama opened his remarks by acknowledging a labor dispute at the arena where the rally was held. He noted that he usually ensures that union workers are involved in his events but that the arena does not employ union workers as stagehands.

"This is a great facility and we should have union workers in here to make sure the stagehands are getting a fair shake," he said, then repeated three times: "I believe in working people."

Kristen Price, 26, who traveled about 120 miles from Bennington, Vt., to Manchester, said Winfrey was the main draw but she ended up as an Obama supporter.

"She played a big role, I'll admit it, but he held his own just fine," Price said.

Price said she had been torn between supporting Obama or Clinton but now considered herself firmly in Obama's camp.

"It was like a religious experience. It was inspiring," she said. "I feel like now America could do anything."

[cpaide]

Mike Huckabee facts:

1. He will Eliminate the IRS:
This means you will receive 100% of your paycheck.

Posted by GiantRobot2

Will he pardon me if i don''t pay any property taxes? How about sales tax?

[cpaide]

But if you vote for Hillary, you will have someone that is looking out for FAMILIES and the best interest for WOMEN. Men only look out for what is best for THEM. MONEY and POWER.

Posted by erasmus6

Billary are a lawyer and a politician. They are only looking out for themself and their own best interests. S/he like money and power too--are half man, after all.

[giantrobot2]

Mike Huckabee facts:

1. He will Eliminate the IRS:
This means you will receive 100% of your paycheck.

2. He will drastically reduce Gas prices:
Switch to alternative fuels, changing supply/demand.

3. He will reduce global warming.
Switch to alternative fuels, no carbon dioxides.

4. He will reduce threat of terrorism.
New fuels cause middle east gov. crack down on them.

5. He will reduce rising Health care costs.
New programs that prevent diseases, not just fix them.

6. He will lead up not just hard right or hard left.
Excellent communicator, will bring parties together.

7. He will lead with principles rather than money.
He cares everybody not just those on Wall Street.

8. He will give Hope to America and enthusiasm.
He plays bass guitar in a band, dynamic personality.

9. He will carry out his goals, not talk about them.
Lost 110 pounds, kept it off, ran 4 Marathons-26.2m

10. He knows the American people is the real boss.
As Governor, his picture frame only shows citizens.

Vote for Mike Huckabee, otherwise you will not be able to enjoy these benefits

Since the other candidates don''''t have anything to say on what they can do for America, they take the easy road and resort to taking cheap shots at Mike. Don%u2019t fall into their trap any longer with negative attacks, let''''s show the critics and the naysayers that Americans have pride and we are ready to elect an honest, humble, trustworthy man for US President.

[samthetvcat]

lars LOL!

bobmarisol, I didn''t mean it in the sense of the race being over - like you raised Repub strengths and Dem weaknesses to counter me raising Repub weaknesses and Dem strengths, but I brought up those things in the first place because people kept pointing to Barack''s weaknesses. So my point was that relatively speaking Barack''s weaknesses are small in comparison to the Repub''s. I based the strength of the Dem position relative to the Repubs on a couple of polls from the right-leaning Rasmussen Reports:

1. 59% want troops home within a year - that numbers been roughly the same since polling began mid-August when the surge was actually increasing violence. Amongst independents (the swing-votes for the next election), they want out 52% to 36%.

2. In candidate match-ups, Hillary, Barack, and John Edwards ALL beat ALL of the Repub candidates in head to head matches.

Even though the violence has gone down in Iraq, doesn''t it seem like most people think the costs (which we can no longer afford) are VASTLY outweighing the gains in terms of combatting terrorism and winning ''hearts and minds''? And don''t people think it''s the Repubs who are weak because they can''t do what needs to be done to move us forward?

Like in no way did I mean to say that it''s ever good to underestimate the competition or underestimate their appeal to people, or that any candidate can stop listening and thinking and putting themselves out there.

[kansas1946]

I like Oprah, she is smart, very smart. But even more than that, I really like Barack Obama. I am a white woman, I am thrilled to have a woman so prominent and running, but it is just not the right woman for me to vote for. I like Obama better. If you are only voting gender or race, you are doing yourself and your country a disservice. I think in this case that Obama is the best candidate, Democrat or Republican.

[rhs648]

I dont know who "lars" is. I am just a concerned Democrat. I''''m concerned because if Iraq keeps getting more stable then people will like the Republicans and will vote against us in 08.

Posted by bobmarisol

Good point. If the war in Iraq goes well and the economy holds its own, Americans may decide to support a Republican candidate. People have short memories and even shorter attention spans. Not all voters are dogmatic, especially those who claim to be independant. In all liklihood, Americans will be split almost equally with a winner holding a small majority. Some people were surprised when President Bush won a second term.

[bobmarisol]

I dont know who "lars" is. I am just a concerned Democrat. I''m concerned because if Iraq keeps getting more stable then people will like the Republicans and will vote against us in 08.

[rhs648]

"She says that ''''''''''''''''now is the time''''''''''''''''. How transparent. She really means ''''''''''''''''finally, an african-American''''''''''''''''."

Posted by KRENZ4

Oprah is extremely popular as a talk host. Another CBS article stated that only 1 per cent of Democratic voters feel that Oprah has helped Obama (paraphrased and from memory, hopefully correctly) Perhaps, Americans are not impressed with Hollywood biggies supporting candidates

[iceman_1960]

"...and despite our efforts to abandon Iraq, the Republicans have turned the war around and now the USA is winning..."

Those words gave you away, lars.

Sorry.

[iceman_1960]

"One comment said "Democrats have "08 in the bag" -- as a lifelong Democrat, I"m not so sure. We won Congress b/c of how things were going in Iraq. But since we took power, our Congress has gotten little if anything done. We are still in the war, and despite our efforts to abandon Iraq, the Republicans have turned the war around and now the USA is winning -- THIS IS BAD FOR US AS DEMOCRATS BECAUSE NOW THE REPUBLICANS WILL GET CREDIT FOR WINNING THE WAR AND WE WILL BE SEEN AS WEAK IN THE WAR ON TERROR. I"m afraid we have convinced the American people to vote Republican even though most people don"t like Bush."
- Posted by bobmarisol at 04:43 PM : Dec 10, 2007


LOL !!!!!!

lars, when did you get back ?

[bobmarisol]

One comment said "Democrats have ''''''''08 in the bag" -- as a lifelong Democrat, I''''''''m not so sure. We won Congress b/c of how things were going in Iraq. But since we took power, our Congress has gotten little if anything done. We are still in the war, and despite our efforts to abandon Iraq, the Republicans have turned the war around and now the USA is winning -- THIS IS BAD FOR US AS DEMOCRATS BECAUSE NOW THE REPUBLICANS WILL GET CREDIT FOR WINNING THE WAR AND WE WILL BE SEEN AS WEAK IN THE WAR ON TERROR. I''''''''m afraid we have convinced the American people to vote Republican even though most people don''''''''t like Bush.

[iceman_1960]

OK...OK... I may have quoted Mitt Romney out of context there.

As a blogger at that website pointed out, "Romney didn''t say he would consult lawyers about whether to go to war, he said he would consult them about whether he had to consult Congress."

I admit, that sounds a little better, if Romney meant "Constitutional Experts" when he said "lawyers."

[krenz4]

Funny that Oprah has waited for years until now to support a candidate for a party''''''''s nomination for the presidency. What has been the problem? Does it have ANYTHING to do with Obama''''''''s skin color?
Posted by sbb2221::
There have been many fine people that have been candidates for the Democrat party. She NEVER showed any support for them.

She says that ''''''''now is the time''''''''. How transparent. She really means ''''''''finally, an african-American''''''''.

I am not racist, but it appears that Oprah is.

Here we go. Why is it that so many white folk are offended when black people vote for their own, simply because they are blacK? Isnt that what most whites are going to do? Never vote for a black man as long as THEY can vote for their own? regardless of who is qualified, or not qualified. Most people are going to vote for one of their own color! Face it!! Why are blacks held to a different standard? And Your comment about You not being racist but Oprah is, is too much of a laugh to be real. Im showing that one to my coworkers! (P.s Oprah can afford to be racist, like any other rich person. why should she let being black hold her back? )

[nirak2-2009]

It was defiantly Romney who would ask his lawyers before attacking Iran. POSITIVE!!!!

[iceman_1960]

From the horse"s mouth:

Mitt Romney: I"d have to check with my lawyers before defending the country.

(God help Barack Obama if he ever said anything like that)

Source:

http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2007/10/romney_all_business_well_have.html

[iceman_1960]

I believe it was Mitt ["Foot-in-Mouth"] Romney who said he"d check with his lawyers before taking action against Iran.

Not Barack Obama.

[iceman_1960]

"well so far..obama had recommended that lawyers should run this country..that the white man is the cause of all the problems in the black community"
- Posted by libsluvsuvs at 03:43 PM : Dec 10, 2007

When did he say that ? 10 minutes ago ?

Because none of his very tough rivals have cited that quote in a speech or political ad yet.

So it must have been like, 5-10 minutes ago.

[libsluvsuvs]

and they said that Hollywood does not play politics..

[libsluvsuvs]

It drives me up the wall when people toss off thoughtless comments like "Obama is a do-nothing Senator" without even bothering to check the facts.

Barack Obama is a fine man, and honors graduate of Harvard Law School and a very energetic and diligent member of the Senate.

America could do a lot worse than President Barack Obama.



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Posted by Iceman_1960 at 02:47 PM : Dec 10, 2007
+ report abuse

********************

well so far..obama had recommended that lawyers should run this country..that the white man is the cause of all the problems in the black community

[erasmus6]

"THINK people. You have all the power in one flip of a switch." posted by donnapm1

You people have no POWER at all, if you don''t get rid of those corrupt VOTING MACHINES. That should be your first priority before the next election. GET BUSY!