Free Republic

She’s unqualified, but she has what might matter most: ratings.Here is an error I will confess: Having long expected a celebrity-driven personality-cult presidential campaign to emerge among Democrats, I did not fully appreciate how much more powerful a celebrity-driven personality-cult presidential campaign would be among Republicans. The origins of my error are obvious in retrospect: Because Democrats have a much cozier relationship with Hollywood and the other foundries of celebrity, it seemed natural that a celebrity–political alliance would take root on the left. But I failed to account for the fact that Republicans are no less vulnerable to celebrity than...

If, that is, she is truly interested in a presidential run.If Hillary Clinton could deliver a political speech half as effectively as Oprah Winfrey, she might be president today. The actress, media mogul, and erstwhile queen of daytime TV gave what, if she ever becomes president, will be known to history as the Golden Globes Address. The first de facto convention speech ever delivered at an awards show, it brought down the house and predictably stoked talk of Oprah 2020, with people close to her fueling the speculation. In the era Before Trump, this would have been risible. Once upon...

Have we learned nothing? One speech at the Golden Globes — admittedly a barn-burner — and here comes the drumbeat for a billionaire celebrity with no governing experience to run for president. “I’m on the bus with Oprah,” Jimmy Kimmel said. “She’s running,” tweeted former “Hamilton” star Leslie Odom Jr. “A new day is on the way.” Even a major network endorsed her. “Nothing but respect for OUR future president,” read a tweet on NBC’s verified account (since deleted). Oprah, who until Sunday night insisted she would never run for president — “I will never run for public office,” she...