It began with one post on Oprah Winfrey‘s popular website Oprah.com. A of Hillary Clinton‘s supporter blowing off steam following Barack Obama‘s upset victory over Hillary in the Iowa Caucuses, criticized Oprah for backing Obama over Clinton.
“I cannot believe that women all over this country are not up in arms over Oprah’s backing of Obama,” Hillary’s campaign supporter wrote. “For the first time in history we actually have a shot at putting a woman in the White House and Oprah backs the black MAN. She’s choosing her race over her gender.” That post prompted hundreds of abusive comments from angry white women who consider Oprah a traitor for turning against another white woman.
Well, welcome to the club ladies. For the first time in Oprah’s history she puts her own race over YOU and the black community is rejoicing! We will never forget the scenes from Forsyth County, Georgia 18 years ago of Oprah hugging and kissing racist whites who had earlier hurled racial epithets and stones at our black men.
Oprah’s popularity took a hit in the black community but she continued to focus on issues that were relevant to her white female audience. Her predominantly white female audience made Oprah a billionaire – and she returned the favor many times over. Instead of filling her audience with needy minority families when she gave away millions of dollars worth of her favorite things, the recipients were mostly affluent white women who afford their own favorite things.
Oprah is widely credited with helping Obama in Iowa. But Oprah, dubbed the Queen of All Media, has not campaigned for him since. While Obama’s aides suggest Oprah may return to the campaign trail, her critics believe she is running scared. Isn’t it ironic that the same women who put Oprah in power are now denying her right to support the candidate she believes in?
