We have a former reality show host as a President right now, so why not a former talk show host? No, we're not talking about Maury Povich. According to a new poll, the woman who spent the last 30 years telling you how to think, read, and live would do well in a hypothetical 2020 matchup against the encumbent Donald Trump.
Yeah... I know. But, since this is making some news today, let's discuss it.
Oprah Winfrey is beating President Trump in a hypothetical 2020 election, a new poll finds.
Winfrey receives the support from 47 percent of registered voters, while Trump receives only 40 percent support, a new Public Policy Polling survey shows. Twelve percent of voters are unsure how they’d vote in the hypothetical match-up.
The TV legend has an impressive favorability rating nationwide, with 49 percent having a favorable view of her, while only 33 percent view her unfavorably.
Here's a clip featuring actual footage of the poll's respondents:
A few things:
First, the source. Public Policy Polling is an exclusively Democrat outfit. Their polls traditionally slant way to the left. That's Oprah's home turf, so it's not surprising that she'd do well with PPP's standard crowd.
Second, no one knows if Oprah is seriously interested in the job. Previously, when asked about a White House bid, she'd offer a default "I don't have the experience" answer. Recently, however, that attitude has softened. She was a huge Obama supporter, recently claimed she "couldn't breathe" the night Trump defeated Hillary, and has hinted that - if he can do it - she might be up for a run.
Third, we're a long way from 2020. Trump could become much more, or much less, popular by the time the next election rolls around. If his numbers collapse, the DNC would probably treat Oprah the same way they treated Bernie - pushing her out in favor of an internal candidate who's easier to control. If Trump appears strong, the usual insiders might not want to be the sacrificial lamb, giving someone like Oprah (who's well-connected but not really "one of us") an inroad.
Lastly, being a popular TV host isn't why Trump won. Oprah's celebrity might get her into the race, but she'd still have to sell the country on policy. Given her far-left leanings, she'd obviously take the coasts, but there's no guarantee that she'd be able to sell red-state America on her agenda. That "impressive favorability" would undoubtedly take a hit when she enters an unfamiliar political arena and is forced to defend her plans.
My personal hunch? She won't do it. Oprah has a brand and, unlike Trump's, it's always been built upon the idea that everyone simply has to like her. I doubt she's interested in taking the personal hit that a political foray would virtually guarantee.
