By Jeffrey Katz
During the State of the Union address last
night, we witnessed the real time behavior of some of the Democrat candidates
for the 2020 election. It was hard for
them to hide their feelings; they wore their hearts on their white sleeves. And then there was the Dems' response (more
of a campaign speech for herself) by Stacey Abrams who, though backed heavily
by Oprah Winfrey, lost the Georgia gubernatorial election. But what if Oprah, herself, ran for
President? Would she compete with Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie
Sanders in a race to the left? Would she embrace Medicare for all? Open
borders? Identity politics?
There are many analysts
who believe that Oprah would be a more than viable contender. But would becoming a politician go against
her nature? Many of Oprah’s guiding
principles in life seem eerily similar to those outlined by Maimonides over 800
years ago, described in my book, The Secret Life. These include teaching a man to fish
rather than giving him fish, giving charity anonymously, powering people to
self-sufficiency, creating a cycle of positivity, bringing out the very best in
people, always giving them the benefit of the doubt, and being open to good
ideas and truth, regardless of the source. (And, conversely, not getting
involved in the “blame game,” and always judging people based on substance and
character, as Dr. MLK envisioned, rather than identity politics.)
Oprah has always lived by
the motto, “Excellence is colorblind,” and has tried to bring out the best in
people. Charity, including anonymous charity, have been paramount in her
life, especially in the field of empowering people through education. Her
attitude is always positive and encouraging. Are these devotions of
Oprah’s in tune with the current direction of the left in our country? Would campaigning and/or winning change her
and her legacy?
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