Oprah Winfrey On Point!
OPINON | NEWS
Oprah Winfrey Gives her Unabashed Thumbs Up To Kamala Harris For The 47th President of the United States of America!
Talk show host, producer Oprah Winfrey who is known for her star-power and high celebrity profile as well as being a “King and Queen maker, placed her cards on the record in support of Kamala Harris for president of America. She made a similar appearance for Barack Obama prior to him becoming President Barack Obama.
Article by: Michelle Lynn Smalls, Graduate Student of Journalism
August 27, 2024
The event was set in a grand auditorium, the kind that held the echoes of history and the aspirations of its audience. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as thousands of attendees gathered to hear the latest from Kamala Harris, the vice president of the United States and candidate for the presidency. The room was packed with people who had come to hear concrete plans for their country’s future. Instead, they were greeted by the surprise appearance of Oprah Winfrey, whose entrance was met with roaring applause and cheers.
Oprah, renowned for her influence and charisma, took to the stage with a bright smile and a thumbs-up for Harris’s candidacy. She spoke passionately about Harris’s qualities, her dedication, and her potential to lead the country. The audience was excited and emotionally moved by Oprah’s star power, but as the applause subsided many began to shift uncomfortably in their seats. The cheers for Oprah’s endorsement faded as the crowd’s focus returned to the main reason they were there: Kamala Harris’s vision for the nation.
Oprah Winfrey delivered a powerful speech at the Democratic National Convention that captivated the nation. Her words resonated with audiences as she touched upon important issues facing our country and urged for unity and progress. As a graduate level student, it is important to analyze the key points of her speech and the implications it has on the future of our nation.
One of the central themes of Oprah Winfrey’s speech was the importance of coming together as a nation to address the pressing challenges we face as Americans. She emphasized the need for bipartisanship and collaboration in order to find solutions to issues such as climate change, income , housing, and educational inequalities, and racial injustice. By highlighting the importance of unity, Winfrey underscored the high stakes at hand and the critical need for action.
In a comparative context, Winfrey’s speech can be likened to past speeches made by other influential figures in American history. For example, her call for unity and collaboration mirrors the sentiments expressed by President John F. Kennedy in his famous inaugural address. Kennedy famously declared, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” encouraging Americans to come together for the greater good. Similarly, Winfrey’s message of unity serves as a reminder of the power of collective action and the need for citizens to work together towards a common goal.
Moreover, Winfrey’s speech also addressed the importance of diversity and inclusion in our society. She spoke passionately about the need to create a more equitable and just world for all individuals, regardless of race, gender, or background. By highlighting the significance of diversity, Winfrey shed light on the high stakes at hand and the urgency of addressing systemic inequalities in our society. In Oprah’s speech, one can see a direct parallel between her views and the collective ideologies of all stakeholders within the democratic party including Barack and Michelle Obama, Tim Walz and everyone who spoke at the Democratic Convention. All in line with the vision established by Vice President Kamala for a better and more productive America. .
Oprah said at the DNC that “The women and men who are battling to keep us from going back to a time of desperation and shame and stone-cold fear, they are the new freedom fighters. And make no mistake: They are the best of America”.
As Oprah’s speech concluded, the spotlight shifted to Harris, who took the stage amid a mix of excitement and a palpable sense of anticipation. The crowd had come to hear about Harris’s policies, to understand how she planned to tackle the pressing issues of the day. The event had been heavily promoted as an opportunity for Harris to present her detailed agenda, but now that the moment had arrived, there was a noticeable lack of substance.
Harris began her speech by thanking Oprah for her support, acknowledging the influence and impact of her endorsement. However, the audience’s enthusiasm was quickly tempered by the realization that the evening’s focus seemed to be drifting from the detailed policy discussions they had hoped for.
Harris spoke of her dedication to public service and her accomplishments to date, but her remarks were light on specifics. The crowd listened attentively, waiting for the meat and potatoes of her plans: how she intended to address the economy, tackle border security, improve education, and combat Project 25—a mysterious initiative that had recently emerged in public discourse.
Harris spoke about border security, however, her remarks were general. She emphasized a humane and fair approach to immigration but avoided delving into the specifics of her proposed policies. The audience wanted to hear about how she would handle the complex issues of immigration reform, border control, and the enforcement of laws in a way that balanced security with compassion.
Education was another critical topic that the audience wanted clarification on. Harris’s speech touched on her commitment to improving the education system, but her proposals lacked the depth many in the audience were seeking. People wanted to know more about how she would address funding disparities, support teachers, and ensure that all students had access to quality education.
Finally, there was the matter of Project 25. This initiative, which had been the subject of much speculation and debate, was met with a cautious and somewhat elusive explanation from Harris. She mentioned her intention to combat Project 25’s negative impacts but provided little insight into her strategies or specific actions.
And yes, although Oprah’s star power and message to the audience was amazing and on target, the meat of the actual candidate was again light and lacked real substance. Although, I will be voting for Harris as president, I feel she must do a better job messaging to win the support of the people and defeat the former President Donald Trump. A person who should never again step into the oval office.
We are not out of the woods yet, Kamala must provide material substance as opposed to the gallery of the convention’s star power that delivered entertaining and valued commentary in support of Kamala Harris for president but slowly diminished after the excitement of the party. They wanted to hear “detailed substance” from her, the candidate, as this is the most important election of the century. Hopefully, we will hear Kamala explain her policies in more detail through interviews on some of the key news networks.