No! I am enjoying my Saturday and surfing the blogs. I don't need Oprah or Bill to tell me whom to vote for.

I'm not watching...I'm not voting for Obama since he decided to keep anti-gay bigot Donnie McClurkin in his campaign...Don't forget about this...Barack is suppose to change politics and give us hope...as a gay man I can tell you that I was disgusted by Obama caving to the anti-gay right wing and the so called "ex-gay" movement by not disavowing McClurkin...instead...Obama made him the emcee of his gospel concert. Don't be fooled by Obama.

If Obama keep rising in Iowa, as he has been for the last week, will the media attribute it to Oprah?

And, hey, if Oprah somehow single-handedly put George Bush in the White House, can she do the same with Obama? ;)

I'm watching Top Chef Holiday Reunion.

Marcel's beard makes him look like Wolverine, but without the hot  arms and ass!

to invite them to a town hall meeting with John Edwards this Wednesday in Des Moines. The special guest will be Tim Robbins. Now that's my kind of celebrity!

I don't get her comments to be frank. What does she mean by its not partisan but personal, but she's out acting in a partisan way. I love Oprah, but I really don't get her comments at all.

Todd - my sense is, listening to her remarks, is that very little of this was written for her. Much of the phrasing is, frankly a little too eloquent and philosophical and reflective, to have made it out of any modern political campaign communications shop.

I'm watching it on C-SPAN. Her remarks were quite powerful and direct. Oprah's never been one to mince words...  Obama just came onto the podium.

Oprah feels that the issues (and one candidate) that she supports trasncend partisanship, but deal with morality. Said she's voted for as many Republicans as Democrats.

I actually think her endorsement will make a difference, especially in South Carolina.

Deborah White
Liberal Politics at About.com

It's not the NH venue, but I am curious if Obama will address Oprah's union opposition.

I think Obama meanders far too much.

wow, now he's screaming...

this seems to be a mix of stump and rally speechifying. on the whole, I think it's pretty effective. But he needs to tighten things up, show a sharper clarity of purpose. That would improve his Presidential profile.

CNN and Fox carried Oprah's remarks live!  That rally is genormous.  I got chills.  And the crowd looks wonderful.  Gosh, I wish I could be there.  So much positive energy and warmth.

This is the best "Oprah's Favorite Things" yet.

"Over the years I have voted for as many Republicans as I have Democrats. "

She clearly doesn't understand the difference between the two parties.

I think that is a line that a lot of regular year in year out caucus goers or primary voters may bristle at.

I think its a line that will play well on Fox and with white voters who may believe this is a race thing.  It also reinforces her credibility to go before such a huge crowd of democrats and say it.

Yes, chills.  I love authentic people and their authenticity radiates even across television.

bruh21...obama had a chance to stand up and say to this country that he wouldn't tolerate anti-gay religious zealots like McClurkin...he didn't do it...he made it worse by keeping McClurkin on the concert stage and having him emcee...that's all i am saying...if we are suppose to judge these candidates on their actions and not just their poll tested themes why can't i be offended by obama? is obama anti-gay...i don't think so at all...did he make a calculated political decision that will keep me from ever voting for him?...YES.

Don't believe the HYPE at Iowa's HY VEE HALL - -

The sound system sucked - - - microphone cut out on several occasions - - - reminded me of Howard Dean screaming into the microphone - - - you'd think with all the Hollywood celebrity money betting on Barack they'd be able to afford a sound system that was Mike Gravel like in quality

    As for Oprah's intro speech - - - First thing you notice is she's flipping pages like George Bush - - - - SCRIPTED - - - looking less sincere

    OBAMA will lose as many votes as he gains off today's BIG EVENT with OPRAH

    He did not look presidential...He did not sound presidential....

    OPRAH + OBAMA=OVER RATED

     Nice "Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" anecdote Divine Miss O, but I'd say that Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X will have a greater impact on American politics than OBAMA ever will....

I think what will resonate about Oprah is her nervousness, slight awkwardness, the fact that she was clearly stepping out of her comfort zone, something she hasn't done before and didn't need to do.  In fact, there's a risk involved for her.  It was like watching a person make their first step into political activism, first making that call to another supporter or first knocking on someone's door to canvass.  It was her as first time caucus goer.  We know that people are very sympathetic to her, that they identify with her, and by doing this I think she may inspire many, many people to step forward.  Obama ends his speech by saying he is here because someone, somewhere had the courage to stand up.  Today, Oprah stood up.

Check out this diary and prove all 5 points wrong:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/8/ 163927/952/474/419557

It shows that Oprah-Obama is a complete fraud

I'm not a big Oprah fan, really, and wondered what she was going to bring to these appearances.  Well, no worries there, that was pretty impressive and consistent with Obama's message throughout the campaign.  Oprah seems to be a genuine benefit, she seemed unsure of herself but fired-up and sincere.

I wouldn't be surprised if this endorsement ended up hurting Obama.

It makes Obama the "Oprah candidate" and that comes with a lot of baggage.

Oprah association further feminizes him. It makes all his talk about "lets hold hands, hug and heal" part of the Oprah/Dr Phil axis of pop psychology. Not exactly Commander in Chief imagery.

And there is nothing shocking about Oprah supporting the black candidate in the race. Pretty predictable.

There are lots of people out there who are turned off by Oprah's simplistic views about everything that ails the world and Obama's "why can't we all get along" message is part of the same simplistic mindset that says we can overcome deep partisan divisions over issues simply by holding hands and singing kumbaya.

"that was pretty impressive and consistent with Obama's message throughout the campaign."

Yes, it was a message that turned me off.

It boils down to this; all these deep partisan divisions in the country boils down to personality. All we need is someone with good intentions and willing to extend a hand to the other side and all these bitter disputes will be resolved. Democrats and republicans will hug, agree on solutions to divisive problems and treat each other with respect. After Obama gets elected president the Right Wing Noise Machine will voluntarily shut down and we will live happily ever after.

I thought this message was a complete bs based on simplistic thinking and turned me off the Obama campaign. He has only gotten worse.

She said she had voted for as many Republicans as Deomcrats, I wonder if one of them was GW Bush, she was very pleased to have him on her program in 2000.

I only wish we could donate more than $4,600.  I may have to start my own 527.

continues apace.

Listening to Republicans, it's hard to see how compromise and consensus is presently possible.

This is not Harvard Law Review, and the powers that be will not cede power so easily.

I may not like Clinton's ties to power, but at least I know she will fight.

To me, Obama seems too eager to negotiate against himself, and I think this will not translate into the kind of change necessary.

In addition, he has started to adopt conservative frames.  The way he engaged in McClurkinism was far from a new and different way to engage in politics, not to mention the principle of equality and tolerance.

As Krugman said:

"And now, having been caught out on the facts, the Obama people respond with a personal attack, lifting quotes out of context to pretend that I never had problems with the plan. Something is very wrong here."

The way he responded to Krugman stinks.  It is often the way his supporters act on the blogs.

Now, he is having a union not picket for a day so he can cross what would have been a picket line.  Is this pro-Union?  I guess it is in an Orwellian sense.

Yes, I know his record.  But what about his actions?  Yes, who care?  The show must go on.  There are profits to be made and a prize to be won.  At what cost?

I am losing hope that Americans have the capacity to make independent, intelligent choices rather than showing just how easily, yet badly manipulated we are.

I live in Washington DC and am sick of the partisanship.  Dems and repubs used to have friendships that would lead to legislative breakthroughs.  Since the 90's everything is a fight.  Obama offers a chance at restoring civility so we can get on with improving people's lives.

I have no doubt that restoring the Clintons will only widen the partisan divide and possibly put the new dem congressional majority at stake.  

As for the Obama rally, all three network evening newscasts led with it and reported on the enormous crowd and energy.  A lot of people said they of course came out to see Oprah but were glad to get to here Obama.  After showing the event of the day, ABC showed Clinton dragging her mother and daughter around.  It looked rather sad.

You know how I know the Clinton supporters are scared? Because they are spinning and attacking more than usual. They only do that when they are afraid.

When was the last time AN Obama supporter (as in ONE), much less all of them, went this ape-shiz over someone endorsing Hillary? She's had enough of them.

Yet here they are. Just be good sports and congradulate the Obama people on a good endorsement. Instead, you are living up to your reputations as being petty and mean spirited by behaving this way.

I'll be so glad when Obama defeats Hillary in the primaries.

Will Obama be able to rise to Oprah's vision of what he should be? Can be? For America?

I love them both, but this is msm-orgasmatic at best.

It's going to be a long week on cable news :(

Oprah is not running for President and she was not parroting anything, she had guests on her show.  Here is what someone who is running for President said:

"As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I firmly believe that the issue of Iraq is not about politics. It's about national security. We know that for at least 20 years, Saddam Hussein has obsessively sought weapons of mass destruction through every means available. We know that he has chemical and biological weapons today. He has used them in the past, and he is doing everything he can to build more. Each day he inches closer to his longtime goal of nuclear capability -- a capability that could be less than a year away."

...

"The path of confronting Saddam is full of hazards. But the path of inaction is far more dangerous. This week, a week where we remember the sacrifice of thousands of innocent Americans made on 9-11, the choice could not be starker. Had we known that such attacks were imminent, we surely would have used every means at our disposal to prevent them and take out the plotters. We cannot wait for such a terrible event -- or, if weapons of mass destruction are used, one far worse -- to address the clear and present danger posed by Saddam Hussein's Iraq."

How did she shut down criticism?  She had someone express an opposing opinion to one of her guests and said we are not trying to propagandize and the woman is entitled to her opinion.  She's running an interview show.  Are now all these interview hosts somehow responsible for whatever lies their guests tell?  How was she to know representatives of the Government would lie?  This is a ridiculous argument.  

And to what aim are your comments?  Here we have a person who has for years tried to take a non-partial, removed position finally stepping forward and saying this campaign is so important, the country is in such trouble, that all of us must take an active step that perhaps we haven't done before.  It is the Democratic Party which stands to gain from that.  Even if Obama loses, it is quite possible that she will have brought people into the community and into a mode of political action which can be very useful.  To criticize this is a display of just how absurdly partisan for partisan sake certain people are trying to steer Progressive politics.  This folks is exactly what Obama is referring to in his criticism of 60's politics.  This is SDS turning on the Black Panthers turning on the feminists turning on and on and on and on and on.  What is the end of it?  Failure and driving good people back to their non-political lives.