[National Security Advisor Thomas Donilon speaking] [...] Fourth, the circumstances arose with the passage of the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, the night before a congressional recess. So he did, even with that, call Congress, those who remained in town on Friday and those who are out of town, on the phone to consult with them. – David Dayen
If the President of the United States thinks he can launch military actions in Libya without officially notifying Congress on the fig leaf that it was a Friday night and nobody was around, Obama obviously believes we’re really dumb. Tina Brown’s Newsweek point out he may have a point.
Newsweek recently queried people to take their “citizenship test.” It’s not shocking that 38% failed. You can take the poll here. A couple of weeks ago Tina Brown’s newsweekly asked who was the most admired woman? The answer was Oprah Winfrey.
The most admired woman in the United States is Oprah Winfrey. One-quarter say Oprah Winfrey is the most admired woman, 17 percent say Hillary Clinton, 12 percent say Michelle Obama and 10 percent say Condoleezza Rice. Nine percent say Laura Bush, 7 percent say Diane Sawyer and 6 percent say Sarah Palin. Republican women say Oprah Winfrey is the most admired woman (33 percent), followed by Sarah Palin (18 percent). Democratic women say Hillary Clinton is the most admired woman (31 percent), followed by Oprah Winfrey (21 percent). Independent women say Oprah Winfrey as well (23 percent), followed by Diane Sawyer (19 percent). – Newsweek Survey: Oprah, Clinton Most Admired Women in America
Did you know Oprah Winfrey helped George W. Bush sell preemptive war in Iraq? Considered the “national anchor” by some, it mattered. This was an exchange that was featured on Bill Moyers’ “Buying the War,” which can be seen in the snippet below (h/t corrente).
Audience member: “I hope it doesn’t offend you… I just don’t know what to believe with the media.”
Oprah: “We’re not trying to propagandize, show you propaganda. We’re just showing you what is.”
Audience member: “I understand that, I’m saying —”
Oprah cuts her off.
Oprah: “OK, but, OK, you have a right to your opinion.”
from Bill Moyers’ “Buying the War”
Obviously, Ms. Winfrey wasn’t the only one on the Iraq war bandwagon, but her impact has also never been discussed. Though when the war went south and she flipped to be against it, she was lauded, while no one logged she was late and had been wrong.
For whatever reason Oprah always gets a pass.
Who can forget the huge moment in the ’08 primaries when Oprah said Barack Obama is “the one”? From CNN:
“I’ve never taken this kind of risk before nor felt compelled to stand up and speak out before because there wasn’t anyone to to stand up and speak up for,” Winfrey told thousands of people in Cedar Rapids Saturday evening.
“We need a president who can bring us all together,” she said. “I know [Barack Obama] is the one.”
Earlier in Des Moines, she focused on world affairs. “These are dangerous times, you can feel it. We need a leader who shows us how to hope again in America as a force for peace,” Winfrey told the enthusiastic crowd.
“I believe Barack Obama will bring statesmanship to the White House,” she said. “He’s a man who knows who we are and knows who we can be.”
Ms. Winfrey’s euphoria is the same type that followed Barack Obama throughout his campaign, which also landed him the Nobel Peace prize.
If anyone knows how dumb we are it’s Oprah Winfrey. She’s been cashing in on it for 25 years.
Though she’s done important shows, including on females in the military, and many others, that’s not what the overwhelming bulk of her shows covered or how she stayed on top. She never intended to follow in Phil Donahue’s shoes, instead going tabloid to beat him in the ratings and never turning away from one trash show after another. Her specialty was always her victim-apalooza shows. Oprah spawned Sally and every other trash TV show after her.
Over her astounding 25-year television career, Ms. Winfrey has also accomplished what no other woman has done before. Not only is she staggeringly wealthy, but someone who got that way through breaking the television trash TV barrier onto daytime long before Jerry Springer’s wild escapades hit. It’s an amazing accomplishment for any entertainment business person, but especially an African American woman raised in the segregated south and she deserves all the credit due for her achievements, including her incredible charitable giving. Her “O” network is a venture I hope will succeed where men have before, but where women have never before ventured.
Oprah has done for women what sports does for men. Make people believe in the financial mountaintop, sometimes through hocus pocus like “The Secret,” but she inspires the sight of dancing dollar bills in her fans’ dreams.
Of course, it’s one of the core problems of this country. Wealth over working to earn it, which Oprah Winfrey would be the first to tell you she worked hard for what she achieved.
So, with women admiring Oprah more than any other woman in America, as our culture also obsesses over Charlie Sheen, and as we blunder yet again into another undeclared military excursion, how can we be surprised that 38% of Americans can’t pass a citizenship test?
But how dumb are we?
Money and fame are our guide.
We don’t gravitate to information or education, though we talk a lot about it. Just look at who represents us and how they do their jobs.
We are suckered by celebrities telling us things made out of cotton candy rhetoric often with no foundational facts available at all.
Oprah’s a blockbuster shopper, hailing “my favorite things,” which makes companies and thrills the women in her audience. Her historic TV show’s tabloid tales reach across the globe. Her spirituality shows have helped rehabilitate her smarmy programming, which cashed in on victimhood as if it were the holy grail of goodness.
I find her historic success on television laudable for the sheer financial power she’s accumulated, but her television show is virtually unwatchable for the most part. I taped her last season for a while, but haven’t been able to watch most episodes. I do admit to enjoying Barbara Streisand and Robert Redford, as well as McGraw and O’Neil, but there’s only so much fluff I can take that doesn’t make me laugh.
Kitty Kelly’s biography, “Oprah,” was so feared by “O” that the media virtually banned her book due to Ms. Winfrey’s power to muzzle Kelly. “Oprah” is an eye-popping page turner of unending revelations compiled in one volume where Kelly constructs a picture of an insecure, binge-eating, control freak who obviously hasn’t taken her spirituality to heart. That Oprah’s fans didn’t read it isn’t surprising, but the complicit nature of the blackout on Kelly’s book is rather historic.
I can’t vouch for anything in the book except to say I’ve read it, but also that Kelly has never been successfully sued and “Oprah” is no exception. Mrs. Kelly is a methodically anal researcher with a gift for getting people on the record, while Oprah refused any contact at all, which is understandable. So there is quite a bit of the book that’s taken from other publications, long before Oprah earned her power. Kelly is an author who is compelled to strip the media story away from her subject then re-compile it slowly, episode by episode.
When Kelly’s book first came out Huffington Post gave her a full airing, as did USA Today and other papers, but television appearances were few and far between.
In America, we like our icons pristine. It’s more important than anything, including information about them that reveals them as imperfect humans. Americans abhor legend busting. On the whole we simply don’t want the facts. To paraphrase a legendary Jack Nicholson character, we simply can’t handle the truth.
Take the experience recounted by Kelly of prizewinning columnist for New Orleans’s Times-Picayune, Chris Rose, who wrote about the traumatic reaction he had after Hurricane Katrina. After 10-hours of “revisiting the emotional wreckage of the hurricane,” here’s a very brief synopsis of what happened when Rose refused to sign one of Oprah’s notorious nondisclosure/confidentiality agreements:
“‘If you don’t sign, we don’t run the segment,’” the producer said.
[...] “I had stuck my hand into a hornet’s next of anti-Oprah sentiment on the Internet that pushed my book from number eleven thousand on Amazon to number eighteen by the end of the day and then on to The New York Times bestseller list. … .. [...] I had no idea there were negative feelings about her and her confidentiality agreements out there, but I received calls and emails from writers all over the country saying they were going to buy my book that day to send her a message.”
Any society afraid of truth is in trouble. That’s us.
One year ago when Ms. Kelly’s book was released it caused a firestorm due to the personal revelations revealed by Oprah’s relatives, which is the stuff of stunning tabloid juiciness. It rivals anything in “Game Change,” which is going to be an HBO movie. Your heart breaks for Winfrey, as revelations of being a prostitute are discussed for her memoir that never was done and all sorts of sordid contested details are unloaded. The saddest part of the saga is that for all Oprah’s public religiosity the picture portrayed by Kelly is one of paranoid megalomaniac. However, what wafts from the pages of Kelly’s book helps you understand why Oprah chose the path she did on daytime, churning the swamp of human indignities for ratings and financial reward’s sake.
It’s likely no one in this country could explain how dumb we are better than Winfrey.
The worship of Oprah seems even weirder when you juxtapose Oprah with what’s happening with women around the world, especially as the women of the Middle East rise up to change their countries that includes a place for them in their country’s future.
Perhaps it’s the privilege of women in America that makes Oprah’s fans worship her, without caring about the underlying reality that doesn’t match the legendary “O” marketing.
For whatever reason, Oprah has never gotten the national scrutiny for how she’s impacted our culture, but also the dumb factor in our country. Over 25 years of daytime programming on “Oprah” represents why we’re dumb.
Of course, Oprah’s not the only one to blame or maybe she’s not to blame at all. After all you can change the channel. However, when it’s seen as blasphemy to ask the same questions of Oprah that were asked of Geraldo Rivera there’s a willful ignorance being applied, especially where women are concerned.
So, if you want to know how dumb are we, ask Oprah. She’s become the richest woman in America, rivaling men around the world, by betting on American ignorance.
This column has been updated and cross-posted at TheModerateVoice.
Taylor, I think your giving Oprah to much credit…I honestly, stop watching her show eleven years ago and was shocked to find out it was still on the air. I found her boring and superficial but for some reason people love this woman. Her so called power reminds me of what people say Sarah Palin has over the tea party.
Both women are dangerous to American interest…but the public at large can not get enough of hearing these two speak. I can already assume a certain portion of people blame Oprah for Obama winning the election in 2008, never mind that he was running against grandpa McCain and lost in space aka Sarah Palin. It was Obama year and time in history to win that election.
As for Ms. Winfrey and the stupid of America…She has already gone on record saying we are not http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/22/oprah-talks-palin-2012/
Hi Marie205 – Isn’t Taylor’s whole point that there is a huge # of dumbed-down Americans… that do pay attention to Oprah?
I also never saw her appeal (except in some movies)… I have rarely watched her show… but her fan base speaks volumes… and that a poll shows Oprah as the most admired woman in the US? Really… what does this say about us???
“a poll shows Oprah as the most admired woman in the US? Really… what does this say about us???”-whitepaw
I don’t think that poll really says to much…perhaps that maybe people who were polled in that group like Oprah. I am more concerned about polls that show Sarah Palin as most admired woman http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/97324/20110104/winfrey-falls-behind-sarah-palin-in-most-admired-women-list.htm
Honestly though both Oprah and Palin are a threat…the only difference is one of them is not making plans to run for president in 2012.
Marie,
What is it that you hate or fear so much about Sarah Palin??? You are always slandering her, but, I never see you give any real reason for it. Is it because she has the knowledge and expertise to reduce the deficit? Is it because she is not afraid of taking on the establishment? or big oil? Is it because she actually has solutions to the problems? Is it because she has grace, class and beauty?
How is she dangerous? Is it because she has empathy for special needs people?
Or have you just been listening to the malicious, slanderous, libelous hit pieces spat out by the shrill and crazy left? They have broadcast the lies about her so much, they actually believe them.
Hillary Clinton lost in 2008, because she let Bill Clinton and all his crony, nasty men friends run her campaign. And that was one helluva SLEAZY bunch!
Female politicians think they need to act like men to win. They will keep on losing until they lead as women. I will never forgive any Democrat who voted to invade Iraq. NEVER!!!
As far as Oprah, she’s just an entertainer. I don’t watch or listen to her. I have zero feelings for her and I don’t know why an entire thread was wasted on her fat $ss.
I don’t need led by entertainers. Unfortunately, the majority of America does.
Ronc99… The unfortunate reality is that there are so many US citizens… voters.. who do pay attention to the Oprahs of this world…
Also — kinda crass… your post… in my opinion..
Oprah has never been criticized like the other women on that list. I still can’t believe she beat Hillary Clinton, who is working her a** off as SOS and doing a damm good job. Oprah is a entertainer and billionare, who owns her own network called OWN LOL !!
One I was happy to score a 95% on the test and angry with myself for blowing one question.
As for Oprah……She is the posterperson for the frontal lobatomy of the American viewing audience.
Agree Sec..
Here’s the kind of news that *concerns* me: http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=37537&Cat=9. Got that — we commited a drone *revenge* attack after saving that murderous CIA thug which kills MORE children in Pakistan. You know, because America is a nation founded on Christianity!
BTW, I despise Tina Brown, she’s the female version of Andrew Sullivan AKA Corporatist, Low-Down, Dirty Rotten HO.
I also refuse to read Newsweek after that war profiteering, Congress critter hag, Jane Harman, who’s husband bought that rag.
HO? Call me old school… but WTF? Not saying I love her… but…
You know Ron~ Not all successful people are bad nor do they all have bad motives. Some are just super smart and good at playing on the field as it is….that is where I would put Tina Brown. I dare say she has given her readers,through the years far,far more substance than Oprah ever thought of doing.
You’re correct, whitepaw.
As for the comment above about Tina Brown, it isn’t about you being “old school.” The comment re: Brown is reprehensible.
Taylor,
Tina Brown is a corporatist and if you find that reprehensible, then so are you!
I couldn’t care less what you think about me. I don’t operate on the good opinion of others.
However, anyone calling Tina Brown or any other woman a “HO” needs to apologize or consider him or herself not welcome around here.
Ms. Marsh…I luvz ya, ya KNOWZ I does…but even if I didn’t, I would now for saying “I couldn’t care less” one of my pet drive me CRRRRAZY things is people dumb enough to say “I could care less” WTF?!!!!
Well, you don’t run this site and this isn’t your business. I have different responsibilities, secularh. I will continue to do them as I see fit.
I also never waste an opportunity to repeat my favorite Dr. Wayne Dyerism in the hopes that others will get the message, too.
**smooch**
?
Michael Lind today at Salon *nails it* as far as Libya:
***People are free, if they wish, to propose a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would read as follows: “The President of the United States shall have power to initiate war on his own authority, without the prior approval of Congress; provided, however, that Congress may refuse to appropriate funding for the continuation of a war the president has begun.” Such an amendment would create the situation that many people falsely claim to be the case today. Until such an amendment is ratified and goes into effect, however, the law of the land remains what it has always been, and President Obama’s war in Libya, even if it is moral, prudent and legally authorized under international law by the Security Council, is plainly unconstitutional.***
Taylor~ Really good piece! So glad to see someone willing to take a look at Ms. Winfrey and her audience. IMHO her audience is symbolic of why we are in such a mess. People prefer to stay in this soft,stupid,cocoon of warm and fuzzy half truths and untruths and material awesomeness-” maybe someday I will be sitting in her audience and she will give me something wonderful”- I always am embarassed for the people you see in clips acting like they are having a religious experience because lady bountiful has given them something….serf mentality.
Serf mentality elects corportists and believes that if we just worhip at the alter of rich people they will provide for us.
While I don’t at all begrudge her success I do question her power and credibility. I was stunned recently when she told Piers Morgan that she had never had therapy! With all the armchair therapy she does on her show! Jeez~
Hey LLady, thanks.
Would it be snarky to point out one of the signs of Oprah and dumbing of America was her endorsement of Obama? Like a freaking TV tabloid/hack’s preferance matters to anyone else but her?
I always blame Oprah for giving us Bush (the horrible) by putting her imprimatur on him and Laura. She made them seem funny and nice and not scary. (We know how that worked out) And if she didn’t learn from that she did the Obama Dance. Then I found out about how Stedman and that Armstrong Williams were/are business partners. (Remember Armstrong Williams admitted he was paid a quarter of a million dollars by the Bush people for being used as a pipeline to spew propaganda from Bush to the people about Education and promote No Child Left Behind) I guess Oprah was not such an apolitical neophyte as she wanted us to believe. She has poisoned this country in many ways.
At the end of her show when she interviewed Bush and Laura she said, “It doesn’t matter who you vote for, as long as you just vote”!!!! And we know how that turned out. How could any thinking person make that statement???? She is either dumb as dirt or she is complicit in the dumbing down of this country. ( And I don’t think she is dumb)
Actually Oprah probably did more to try to stop the war in Iraq than anyone else in media.
While it’s true she was initially afraid to give that anti-Iraq war audience member too much time after the criticism Oprah endured for opposing the war in Afghanistan, Oprah very quickly jumped off the Iraq-war bandwagon too, and while the rest of the media was praising Colin Powell’s pivotal UN speech which made the case for invasion, Oprah hosted a TWO DAY anti-war show the day after that historic speech, which was so controversial there were allegedly attempts to block it from airing:
Not only that, but 48 hours before the Iraq war began Oprah invited Michael Moore and Fawas Gergez to make one final attempt to prevent the war in Iraq. Michael Moore was so blown away he begged Oprah to run for president in his book “Dude Where’s My Country”.
So it’s incorrect to say Oprah turned against the war when the war went South. On the contrary, she devoted several shows to trying to stop it before it even began, and was perhaps the only mainstream broadcast media to do so.
Actually here’s a link to the TWO DAY anti-war show Oprah did the day after Colin Powell’s UN speech:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hoYisRDBWI
I tried to embed it and it worked in the preview but not when posted.
“I always blame Oprah for giving us Bush (the horrible) by putting her imprimatur on him and Laura.”
Oprah never put her imprimatur on Bush. She had both Bush and Gore on her show, and was actually nicer to Gore, calling him a “fun, funny guy”.
Oprah was actually a little tough on Bush. She asked him “Were there many times you felt you weren’t smart enough?” Then Oprah said “My sense is that Americans want a president who is like us, has had the same experiences we’ve had, but also who is smarter than we are. Do you feel you meet both criteria?”
Oprah then followed up with a show a week later criticising Bush for the death penalty.
And unlike Donahue who campaigned for Ralf Nader, Oprah refused to have Nader on in 2000 because she knew it would just divide Gore’s vote and hand the presidency to Bush.
One could argue that Oprah’s actually made the culture smarter. Before Oprah there was only Donahue discussing provocative topics, but after the success of Oprah, daytime TV exploded into an entire industry of provocative talk shows, each one breaking taboos on homosexuality, drag queens, addiction, abusive relationships, molestaion. At the time these shows were dismissed as trash TV, but the book FREAKS TALK BACK shows that so-called trashy talk shows popularized by Oprah did more to bring gays into the mainstream than any other 20th century development. Oprah got America to talk about their feelings, by confessing so much of her own painful history in such an intimate way.
Also, Oprah’s book club did more to get Americans off the couch and into the book stores than anything else I can think of, and despite the stereotype, most Oprah books are by quality authors (Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Cormac McCarthy, Tolstoy etc).
Even the feel-good spitituality that Oprah is mocked for was instrumental in getting Americans to question organized religion and find a more inclusive, less dogmactic secular alternative.
Oprah also gave us Dr. Oz, and a talk show hosted by a Middle Eastern Harvard educated doctor giving health advice is the opposite of dumbing down America.
For anyone interested…George Carlin has something to say about “the absence of critical thinking”.
George Carlin- “Who Really Controls America” available for your viewing pleasure on You Tube.