News reports of late indicate Oprah’s market shares show signs of slippage.
Some observers attributed the decline to Oprah’s announcement on The Larry King Show in May of 2007 that she was throwing her support behind her long time friend, Senator Barrack Obama. Here are some facts and figures:
January 2007, 74 percent of Americans reported favorable impressions of Oprah in a Gallop/USA Today poll.
August 2007 CBS News Poll showed only 61 percent of Americans were favorably disposed by her.
October 2007 Gallop/USA Today Poll, Showed a higher 66 percent favorably, but still reflected a drop.
Some segments of Oprah’s viewers have expressed their displeasure over Oprah’s endorsement of Barack Obama. Another man-v-the first woman.
In Oprah’s case, And from my perspective alone, I do not believe Race is trumping Gender if you happen to view the situation in such terms. Nor do I agree that Oprah can only entertain Us, via Harpo productions, the Big Give or Satellite Radio and ”O” Magazine but otherwise she should stay silent on political matters. Stay in the shadows? Keep her politics private? Or go with the women candidate? So that she remains popular among them to keep the peace?
There are numerous articles on the web and in other quarters, that suggest Oprah has become anti-christian, and now embrace some ”New Aged” religious beliefs. I guess her critics would be happier if she were still a member of Trinity? Trinity being the Obama’s former church in Chicago where the famous words of Rev. Wright will live on in infamy. “Naw,Naw,Naw, I will leave it there.
The bottom line here is: ”Oprah is not just a Black Women,” like she told a crowd in South Carolina, as she campaigned for Barrack Obama, She said: “I am not Just a Black Woman, I am a Free Black Woman.” Those words carried power and truth.
Telling all women they are also just as free to choose the candidate of their choice.
In our great land, of America. We are endowed, with certain inalienable rights, which allows freedom of choice in determining our individual choices.
Therefore, I am curious to know who thought they could pressure Oprah to support Hillary Clinton if it was not Oprah’s own decision? I know I ask more questions than I may answer but I believe the questions are worth asking.
Simply because Hillary Clinton happens to be the first viable woman candidate some individuals are pushing back from Oprah and company. Simply because she endorsed for the first time and her endorsement was not for the first lady.
If Maya Angelou being a black women, can support Hillary, not because Maya Angelou is a black woman, but because she is a free black woman. A free black woman who freely supported the woman candidate Hillary Clinton. Who happens to be white.
Despite the fact that many blacks would have assumed the opposite would be true. Maya Angelou to have supported Obama and Oprah would have supported Hillary Clinton satisfying groups like NOW and other women splinter groups.
Therefore, the backlash in terms of Oprah’s Neilsen Ratings with her American audience is symbolic of the fact that Freedom is not free. We all must pay for all we do and say. Another writer said it like this: “You may not get all you pay for in This World, but you Must Certainly pay for all you get.” By Frederick Douglas.
