Her Golden Globe award acceptance speech did a lot toward the latter, but one speech does not make a president, although, as with then Illinois State Senator Obama, it does make you take notice.

  And, with Miss Winfrey, notice a familiar entity in another manner.  As a TV personality, Oprah introduced audiences to performers such as Dr. Oz, Jenny McCarthy and Dr. Phil...but not, in my view, the best people to inhabit a presidential administration.

Speaking as someone who's otherwise well left of center myself, I'm tired of having to deal with the messiah seekers amongst us, who only show up every four years and then throw sand in the gear shaft. In 2016, it was Bernie Sanders. In 2008, it was Obama. In 2004, it was Dennis Kucinich. In 2000, it was Bill Bradley.

When are these people ever going to learn that there are no messiahs in politics, and that perfect is always the enemy of the good?

But she has always seemed level-headed.  And she did make her own money on her own.

In this new world of celebrity worship, who knows?

That was a presidential speech.  Its sinking in, Oprah is going to run for president.  I really think she is.

First woman?  I will see you and raise you the first black woman.

Anyone who has not seen it should watch it.  Really.  I'm sure it's everywhere.  I still had it on the DVR.

Los Angeles Times | January 8, 2018
Oprah for president? Have we learned nothing? - "We don't know whether the idea of Oprah Winfrey for president, inspired by Winfrey's eloquent speech Sunday at the Golden Globe Awards, will prove an ephemeral excitation or a movement with staying power. But we find it depressing. We mean no disrespect to Winfrey, who strikes us as much better informed and more intellectually curious and presumably less reckless or dishonest than the incumbent president. But it's bizarre that Americans who are appalled by Trump's oafish and ignorant conduct of the nation's highest office would gravitate to another television star untested in politics. [...] Again, this may just be a passing, Golden-Globes-inspired moment of Twitter hype. But it is also a reminder that when the last out-of-the-blue celebrity candidate entered a presidential race, the media shrugged him off as a joke. [...] Just because the Republicans were foolish enough to travel down this dangerous road -- in the process sacrificing many of their party's best qualities and most valuable principles in a desperate, craven hunt for votes -- doesn't mean the Democrats should follow suit."

Given what's going on on the GOP side of the aisle and in the WH, the push/pull between change and stability will be strong.  People are feeling unsure about what's happening, know that much change is needed, and are struggling, I think to figure out where the balance point is.

So...Oprah.

I think there is a place for her in the political arena, but I don't know that it's at the top of a presidential ticket.  At least, not at the moment.

But she has energy, she can inspire, she can challenge people to get up and out and on their feet.  We need people like that.

As desperate as we are, as the consequences of Trump roll through the landscape, we must resist the temptation to grasp at straws, to mistake the mirage in the desert for an actual oasis.

Villaraigosa may make it a little interesting, but Gavin Newsom is looking really strong now.

Oprah is based in Chicago....Aside from being in entertainment, her connection to California is not all that strong.