Do you think Oprah will really run for President?

[mommyoffive]

What are you thoughts on this?  

 

I swear 3 or so years ago I would have said no way could that happen, but now? 

 

 

[Scarlett]

I doubt it. But stranger things have happened.

 

 

QFT

[Butter]

Who knows.  I could see it.

 

Will Kanye?

[catz]

I hope not.  I like policy makers with years of in the trenches experience with governing preferably with deep educational backgrounds that support it (history, law, economics).  She's a gifted orator and I hope she continues to use that power for good, but I cannot see her as president. 

[itsheresomewhere]

I hope not.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I doubt it. But stranger things have happened.

 

 

 

You aren't kidding  :svengo:   

 

 

I would have said never, ever to some of the things I see now.  Certainly strange.

[6packofun]

I think it's a real possibility but I hope she doesn't.  I think that narcissists who can hide behind more eloquent language can be more dangerous than those whose brash and obvious egos are simply predictable.  And someone who believes in "your truth" rather than objective THE truth about certain things scares the crap out of me.  I know she was referring in her speech mainly to the #metoo women, BUT she uses that phrase a lot.  I don't want a self-help guru as president.

[Ravin]

Edited because I just realized this is on the chat board!

 

I don't really care if Oprah runs for president, and might even vote for her, depending on the platform. I don't make voting decisions based on personality.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Ravin

[OH_Homeschooler]

I think that narcissists who can hide behind more eloquent language can be more dangerous than those whose brash and obvious egos are simply predictable.

 

I don't know, I think inarticulate narcissists are plenty dangerous and not really all that predictable. At least not predictable enough for their babysitters to prevent them from threatening nuclear war on Twitter. 

 

To answer OP's question, I have a gut feeling that she won't run. She has stated that she's not interested. I'm not ruling it out completely, and there's a good chance I'd support her. But I just feel like she won't.

[Scarlett]

I think it's a real possibility but I hope she doesn't.  I think that narcissists who can hide behind more eloquent language can be more dangerous than those whose brash and obvious egos are simply predictable.  And someone who believes in "your truth" rather than objective THE truth about certain things scares the crap out of me.  I know she was referring in her speech mainly to the #metoo women, BUT she uses that phrase a lot.  I don't want a self-help guru as president.

 

I agree with the bolded.  But you think she is a narcissist?

[sassenach]

I think it’s totally possible.

[sassenach]

I agree with the bolded. But you think she is a narcissist?

I don’t, but I do think she thinks pretty highly of herself.

[TCB]

If she runs as a Democrat and makes it past the primary, I'll vote for her in the general election. The offerings of alternatives in the primary would have to be really awful for me to vote for her there. However, she'd make a better president than the one we have now.

 

I think we may be sailing close to the wind with the no politics rule but to me they are both bad choices for President. My mother always says "two wrongs don't make a right!"

[gardenmom5]

no

[SKL]

Someone pointed out that running for prez (for anyone, any party) means half the country will ruthlessly attack you and your popularity / public image is likely to suffer.  In her case, that is a huge asset at risk.  If I were her, I wouldn't risk it.  Besides, I think she would hate the job.

 

But ... you never know.

[Bluegoat]

My sense is she would not enjoy it, and is self-aware enough to know that.  But, that is very much an impression.

 

I can't see her as being particularly qualified - as said above, she thinks like a self-help guru, and promotes people like Dr Oz.  I remember her interviewing people years ago on tv, and she made some pretty illogical comments and didn't seem to be able to understand people who thought differently all that well.

 

Plus, I don't know that she has any expertise in public policy - now, I may be wrong about that, but it doesn't quite seem to be her thing.

[3 ladybugs]

I think she will and will likely win. I am not seeing anyone else that looks serious on the D side of the aisle. I know I have seen Biden but he will be what, 80? And he has more gafts then anyone else in recent memory (sans maybe Prince Philip... but I am talking about in America). That would be fun as a candidate :rolleyes: . Then I have heard of Elizabeth Warren running. I don't know that much about her. I just think that baring some one new taking center stage this year (as 2020 election cycle will start next year), she would be the best hope for the Dems to win in 2020. 

 

I good sign that she might be running is if she starts showing that she is interested in international affairs. I think this is her BIGGEST weakness. She is well known here and maybe as a talk show host overseas, but I don't think I remember her being well versed (or even marginally well versed) in international politics. Something that she can't even say "Well my businesses took me international" yeah she made a girls school in Africa but I would hope to see more in any candidate. I also can't remember her taking any interest in the military. Maybe I am wrong, I really haven't paid attention to her since I was a kid, but this is what I see. Now she could overcome this by saying from the git go that she would appoint former president Obama to her VP or Secretary of State position should she win (presidency or nomination), but that would be a whole other story! 

 

I am saying this as a libertarian leaning conservative. 

[Butter]

Now she could overcome this by saying from the git go that she would appoint former president Obama to her VP

 

That's something she almost definitely can't do.  He has been elected president twice, therefore he is now prohibited from running for president ever again according to the 22nd amendment.  According to the 12th amendment, anyone Constitutionally prohibited from running for president is also prohibited from running for vice president.  It gets sticky and untested because of the wording of the 22nd amendment.  It says no one can be elected to the office of president more than twice.  Obama has already been elected twice.  The question is what if he wasn't elected but rose to the position of president from VP due to the president no longer being able to serve as president.  The 22nd amendment would make it so he could only serve 2 additional years in addition to the 8 he already served, but it doesn't necessarily mean he never can be VP.  It would likely go to the Supreme Court to determine if a former president who served two terms could later return as VP or not.  General consensus is no, but there is some dissent to that because the 12th and 22nd amendments are not totally clear when taken together, and the fact is, we don't know how the SC would interpret the Constitution on that particular situation.

 

(As for serving as Secretary of State, he could do that.  He would almost definitely not be eligible for the line of succession for the above reasons if he did, though.  Not that we've ever gotten beyond VP in the line of succession.)

[3 ladybugs]

That's something she almost definitely can't do.  He has been elected president twice, therefore he is now prohibited from running for president ever again according to the 22nd amendment.  According to the 12th amendment, anyone Constitutionally prohibited from running for president is also prohibited from running for vice president.  It gets sticky and untested because of the wording of the 22nd amendment.  It says no one can be elected to the office of president more than twice.  Obama has already been elected twice.  The question is what if he wasn't elected but rose to the position of president from VP due to the president no longer being able to serve as president.  The 22nd amendment would make it so he could only serve 2 additional years in addition to the 8 he already served, but it doesn't necessarily mean he never can be VP.  It would likely go to the Supreme Court to determine if a former president who served two terms could later return as VP or not.  General consensus is no, but there is some dissent to that because the 12th and 22nd amendments are not totally clear when taken together, and the fact is, we don't know how the SC would interpret the Constitution on that particular situation.

 

(As for serving as Secretary of State, he could do that.  He would almost definitely not be eligible for the line of succession for the above reasons if he did, though.  Not that we've ever gotten beyond VP in the line of succession.)

Nope it doesn't say anything about VP.

 

SECTION 1

  

No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

At least I am not seeing it. Also you run into issues if you say that the VP is "running for president" as we have had several VP's that served for 8 years then ran for president on their own. Gore, Bush 41 come to mind. 

Look I am NOT an Obama fan (I will say right now I would NEVER vote for this ticket) but I don't see anything to stop him from being VP. Though I do think this issue would go to the supreme court and they may not see things as clearly as I do. 

[Butter]

Yes, that is the text of the 22nd amendment.  The problem is when you look at the 12th AND 22nd together.

 

It's the end of the 12th amendment:

"But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."

 

Obama is Constitutionally ineligible to be elected to the office of President (according to the 22nd amendment) because he was elected twice as president.  In 1804 when the 12th amendment was ratified, the requirements for president were only about age and citizenship, but that changed in 1951 when the 22nd was ratified adding term limits to the requirements for running for president.  The confusion comes in when you put those two amendments together.  In the case of a VP rising to the office of president, they are not elected to the office making it theoretically possible that he could serve an additional 2 years (making the 10 year max according to the 22nd amendment).  But that hasn't been Constitutionally tested because no former president has been a running mate and, because it involves interpretation of the Constitution, it would have to be decided by the Supreme Court.

[Butter]

Blah never mind. My brain passed gas just now. Carry on :o

 

LOL I was very puzzled.  Brain farts happen to all of us.

 

Interestingly, a lot of historians, etc. talked about whether a former president elected twice could be a VP running mate because of Hillary Clinton.  For some reason, some people expected her to pick her husband as a running mate and the question was could she.  The answer was immediately no, but for a different reason.  The presidential and vice presidential candidates on the same ticket must be from two different states (hence why in 2000 Cheney changed his residency to Wyoming I think it was where he had previously lived rather than Texas where he had been living).

[IfIOnly]

Why Narcissists Become President: http://bigthink.com/think-tank/why-narcissists-get-elected-president-with-jeffrey-kluger

 

Author calls out both parties' former presidents. Reading up on this topic from a variety of sources has been fascinating.

Edited January 10, 2018 by IfIOnly

[Guest]

Someone pointed out that running for prez (for anyone, any party) means half the country will ruthlessly attack you and your popularity / public image is likely to suffer. In her case, that is a huge asset at risk. If I were her, I wouldn't risk it. Besides, I think she would hate the job.

 

But ... you never know.

That didn’t seem to bother You-Know-Who.

[Scarlett]

Why Narcissists Become President: http://bigthink.com/think-tank/why-narcissists-get-elected-president-with-jeffrey-kluger

 

Author calls out both parties' former presidents. Reading up on this topic from a variety of sources has been fascinating.

 

That was interesting.  

The presidential and vice presidential candidates on the same ticket must be from two different states 

 

 

That's not exactly correct.  The two candidates may be from the same state, but electoral college voters can't vote for both presidential and vice-presidential candidates if they are both from the voter's state.  That is, if two candidates are from Wyoming, only the Wyoming electoral college electors are prohibited from voting for both.  

 

If the vice-presidential candidate cleared 270 electoral vote, that would win the office.  If not, then the Senate would get to elect the vice president.

Edited January 10, 2018 by GGardner

[AmandaVT]

I don't want her to run, but I've been entertaining myself for a couple of days now thinking about President Oprah. Picturing her giving a State of the Union address with a "vision board" for the US. Turning diplomatic meetings into self-help sessions. Middle east peace negotiations in front of a live studio audience. If she signed a tax reform bill - "and you get a tax cut, and you get a tax cut!"  :lol:

[Scarlett]

I don't want her to run, but I've been entertaining myself for a couple of days now thinking about President Oprah. Picturing her giving a State of the Union address with a "vision board" for the US. Turning diplomatic meetings into self-help sessions. Middle east peace negotiations in front of a live studio audience. If she signed a tax reform bill - "and you get a tax cut, and you get a tax cut!"  :lol:

 

 

 

:lol: 

[AmandaVT]

Hahaha! I don’t even like Oprah but this made me smile.

 

I'm not a fan either, but the thought of a President Oprah Book Club is also cracking me up. I can totally picture a big announcement on the 1st of each month for our national book of the month.   :lol:

[SKL]

That didn’t seem to bother You-Know-Who.

 

I think the value and nature of the assets were different though.

[SKL]

I'm not a fan either, but the thought of a President Oprah Book Club is also cracking me up. I can totally picture a big announcement on the 1st of each month for our national book of the month.   :lol:

 

Thinking way ahead, the Presidential Library of Oprah Winfrey ....

 

[Garga]

Ack! I don’t have any opinions about Oprah either way, but can we please have someone who has a reasonably high IQ and who has spent years, if not decades, of their life in studying and “doing†things governmental? Please? Just someone who actually knows how things work? Someone who understands the constitution and our laws?

 

I want someone experienced in government as our leader and that is not too much to ask for.

[lauraw4321]

If she does, and wins, then for me it means democracy has officially jumped the shark.

[Zebra]

Can you imagine traveling back in time 10 years and telling yourself, "(the current president) and Oprah are running against each other."

 

I wouldn't believe myself  :lol: !

 

 

[poppy]

If she does, and wins, then for me it means democracy has officially jumped the shark.

 

I don't' know if you heard, but Donald Trump won last time!!    aka that guy from  Home Alone 2 and a reality TV show.

[poppy]

I don't think she has any intention of running,  but I can think of a lot worse possibilities, from both parties.

 

[Elizabeth86]

Honestly yeah. I would have said no several years back, but Trump is our president, so who knows anymore??

[Guest]

Ack! I don’t have any opinions about Oprah either way, but can we please have someone who has a reasonably high IQ and who has spent years, if not decades, of their life in studying and “doing†things governmental? Please? Just someone who actually knows how things work? Someone who understands the constitution and our laws?

 

I want someone experienced in government as our leader and that is not too much to ask for.

Yes, we used to consider those qualities manifestly necessary.

 

I don’t get behind the “oh, we want an Outsider!†bandwagon. When I need my shower door fixed or my fence repaired, I don’t go looking for an interesting person who has never worked in construction. I look for someone who has experience in construction. Seems obvious to me...

[Guest]

Can you imagine traveling back in time 10 years and telling yourself, "(the current president) and Oprah are running against each other."

 

I wouldn't believe myself :lol: !

It’s like that scene in Back to the Future when Doc Brown asks McFly who is President and he answers, “Ronald Regan.†This convinces Doc further that this “Future Boy†is crazy.

[lauraw4321]

I don't' know if you heard, but Donald Trump won last time!!    aka that guy from  Home Alone 2 and a reality TV show.

 

There is always a fluke. That's what I'm hoping.

[Caroline]

It’s like that scene in Back to the Future when Doc Brown asks McFly who is President and he answers, “Ronald Regan.†This convinces Doc further that this “Future Boy†is crazy.

Slaughterhouse 5, by Kurt Vonnegut has a bumper sticker in it that says Ronald Reagan for President. That book was published in 1969. I read it in high school in the 1980’s, and none of us caught that until our teacher pointed it out.

[LMD]

Slaughterhouse 5, by Kurt Vonnegut has a bumper sticker in it that says Ronald Reagan for President. That book was published in 1969. I read it in high school in the 1980’s, and none of us caught that until our teacher pointed it out.

The Simpsons predicted Trump!

[MFG]

Slaughterhouse 5, by Kurt Vonnegut has a bumper sticker in it that says Ronald Reagan for President. That book was published in 1969. I read it in high school in the 1980’s, and none of us caught that until our teacher pointed it out.

In 1969 Reagan was already Governor of California.

[Seasider]

Someone pointed out that running for prez (for anyone, any party) means half the country will ruthlessly attack you and your popularity / public image is likely to suffer. In her case, that is a huge asset at risk. If I were her, I wouldn't risk it. Besides, I think she would hate the job.

 

But ... you never know.

Right now she has freedom to exert her influence and put her wealth (and rainmaking capabilities) to broad use. I imagine the office of the presidency would be...confining.

[momacacia]

At this point, anything can happen. Next up, Kim Kardashian. We'll be in a roll.

[Jenny in Florida]

Can you imagine traveling back in time 10 years and telling yourself, "(the current president) and Oprah are running against each other."

 

I wouldn't believe myself  :lol: !

 

I can't be the only person hearing Doc Brown from Back to the Future in my head right about now:

 

"Ronald Regan? The actor?"

[poppy]

I do suspect the next female Democratic candidate will be a black woman.   Just, a different black woman.  Kamala Harris.   (Her parents are immigrants , from Indian and Jamaica).

I don't know if she'll win. But if she's not on the ticket I'll.... well I don't have a hat to eat. I'll do 20 sit-ups.

[Caroline]

In 1969 Reagan was already Governor of California.

I know that.

[Elizabeth86]

Can you imagine traveling back in time 10 years and telling yourself, "(the current president) and Oprah are running against each other."

 

I wouldn't believe myself :lol: !

I know, right?

[luuknam]

Yes, that is the text of the 22nd amendment.  The problem is when you look at the 12th AND 22nd together.

 

It's the end of the 12th amendment:

"But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."

 

Obama is Constitutionally ineligible to be elected to the office of President (according to the 22nd amendment) because he was elected twice as president.  

 

 

Okay, but he's constitutionally ineligible to be *elected* President, not constitutionally ineligible to the office of the President. I.e., if he gets there some other way, there's no conflict, therefore, he'd be eligible to run for VP. 

 

Or, at least that's how I read it. 

 

Not that I think him running as VP would be a great idea. Nor Oprah. I like Reich, but he's getting too old... Saving Capitalism is a great documentary though. I really do wonder who on earth might run. 

[Butter]

Okay, but he's constitutionally ineligible to be *elected* President, not constitutionally ineligible to the office of the President. I.e., if he gets there some other way, there's no conflict, therefore, he'd be eligible to run for VP. 

 

Or, at least that's how I read it. 

 

That's why it's a maybe.  He wouldn't be able to take over as president more than 2 years since 10 years is the max.  The Supreme Court would be the ones to interpret the two amendments together if a former president tried to become the VP.