Obama Owes Her Big Time

Winfrey's endorsement gave candidate huge boost, especially during primaries

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 6, 2008 2:07 PM CST

(Newser) – As an early backer of Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey may have made the difference in the close primary contest against Hillary Clinton, Jake Tapper writes for ABC’s Nightline. One statistician estimates Winfrey—whose choices for her book club, for example, have an astronomical impact on book sales—delivered between 400,000 and 1.6 million primary votes for Obama. She laid low for the rest of the campaign, but now that he's won, expect a more open role.

For her, it was just another reason to be ecstatic as she lifted her freeze on political discussion on her TV show yesterday, bounding on stage waving an American flag and wearing a "Hope Won" T-shirt. Winfrey acknowledged that her viewers might not all share her enthusiasm: “Trust me, I know,” she said. “If it had turned out differently, we'd be doing the show today from Northwestern Hospital with a drip.”

Oprah Winfrey waits with Stedman Graham at the election night party for President-elect Barack Obama at Grant Park in Chicago, Tuesday night, Nov. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

In this Dec. 9, 2007 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., reacts as Oprah Winfrey introduces him to the crowd at a rally in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

Oprah Winfrey speaks at a rally for Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in Columbia, S.C., Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

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Obama Owes Her Big Time

Winfrey's endorsement gave candidate huge boost, especially during primaries

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White House to Budge on Birth-Control Mandate

'Accommodation' for religious employers will likely be announced today

Small Donors Gave 48% of Obama's 2011 Donations

That's more than double the proportion from 2007: analysis

No Child Left Behind Waiver Granted to 10 States

At least 28 more plan to seek one

Barack Obama: Luckiest Man Alive?

It certainly appears so, based on re-election prospects: Dana Milbank

Now Obama Gives Blessing to Democratic Super PAC

President switches position so as not to give GOP the advantage

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Obama Owes Her Big Time

Winfrey's endorsement gave candidate huge boost, especially during primaries

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

television • Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • Oprah Winfrey • presidential race • Oprah's Book Club • Election 2008 • President Obama

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

White House to Budge on Birth-Control Mandate

'Accommodation' for religious employers will likely be announced today

Small Donors Gave 48% of Obama's 2011 Donations

That's more than double the proportion from 2007: analysis

No Child Left Behind Waiver Granted to 10 States

At least 28 more plan to seek one

Barack Obama: Luckiest Man Alive?

It certainly appears so, based on re-election prospects: Dana Milbank

Now Obama Gives Blessing to Democratic Super PAC

President switches position so as not to give GOP the advantage

About Us

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Newser By Users

Community

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What is Newser?