OBAMA DISCUSSES HIS FAITH... IN OPRAH

I dislike Oprah. There. I said it. Yes, I realize I am in her demographic. Stay-at-home (by disability), children, between 30-60, female. But, UGH! She is just so FULL of herself since becoming a TV icon.

The celebrity interviews are insipid. The newsmaker interviews are just a click away from Barbara Walters "fluff" pieces. And her give away surprises make the whole thing look like a used car lot event. Yes, every once in a while a friend emails me to say "so-and-so is going to be Oprah, you have to watch." I tune. And I tune out.

When OPRAH magazine launched and she made herself permanent (airbrushed) cover-girl I felt naseous. About 11 years ago I was part of a group from a national advocacy group who was pitching Oprah's producers to do a show about our shared illness. After a couple months of playing phone-poker with us, they took a pass for a really idiotic reason. Their reason was, the story wasn't "uplifting enough." We were all angry - not because they didn't do our story but because of the insincerity with which it just dripped. I wanted to take a hot shower.

As for Obama, he's a smart man but frankly, he doesn't have the political chops for the Presidency. There really aren't any solid leaders in any party but Obama is the lowest on the rung in terms of hard experience. And there's only one reason Oprah's really backing him. It's a visual thing - and it's petty.

When I read Andy Borowitz today I laughed a lot. His take on it is perfect, and as always, hysterical.

In Speech on Religion, Obama Explains His Faith in Oprah, Calls Belief in Talk Show Hostess a “Personal Matter’
by Andy Borowitz

Under pressure to explain his religious faith to the American people, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama delivered a forty-five minute speech today discussing his belief in Oprah Winfrey.

In an election year that has been dominated by discussions of candidates’ religious faith, perhaps no candidate’s religion has been more controversial than Sen. Obama’s Oprahism.

Speaking to supporters at the University of Iowa, the Illinois senator devoted his entire speech to his religious faith but mentioned Ms. Winfrey only once by name.

“My religion is a personal matter to me,” Sen. Obama told his followers. “Having said that, let me make this clear: I have accepted Oprah as my host.”

Later in the day, Ms. Winfrey toured the state with Mr. Obama and, in a stunning demonstration of her influence, briefly caused a solar eclipse.

“Sun and moon, do my bidding!” she roared, raising her hands above her head and delighting the crowd with the celestial display.

“Oprah is without question the most powerful force in the election right now,” said Carol Foyler, 45, an Obama supporter from Cedar Rapids. “I’d like to see Bill Clinton do that.”

Davis Logsdon, who studies the interrelation between politicians, religion and talk-show hosts at the University of Minnesota, said that Sen. Obama’s worship of Oprah Winfrey puts him in the mainstream of American theological belief.

“Over thirty percent of Americans currently define themselves as Oprahists,” Mr. Logsdon said. “And that number is higher during sweeps.”

Elsewhere, the CIA created more controversy today by acknowledging that it accidentally returned several interrogation tapes to Blockbuster.

SOURCE