Republicans Whine Over Oprah Winfrey's Sarah Palin Snub

Oprah Winfrey has "f--- you" money, and she has said that to the Republicans at the Fox News Channel and the Drudge Report. The controversy comes from Winfrey's refusal to interview John McCain's vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin on her show. A significant portion of Winfrey's viewers are women, and the publishing industry's courting of Oprah's Book Club demonstrates the economic clout Winfrey's audience has. Her audience has significant political clout as well. The exposure and support Winfrey provided to Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential primary undoubtedly aided him in his victory.

Ever since John McCain became the clear victor in the Republican presidential primary, the big story at the Fox News Channel has been the liberal media bias that favors Barack Obama over John McCain. Liberal media bias has been a truth among conservatives ever since Bernard Goldberg produced his scientific study entitled Bias, and journalists took pictures of George W. Bush walking with Goldberg's book cradled in his arm. News broadcasts have given more time to Barack Obama, giving him more face time and exposure to the voting public. Is it liberal media bias that leads to more coverage of Barack Obama? People want to see Barack Obama. He exudes a level of charisma from the podium not seen since Bill Clinton. The golden idol of television news rooms is ratings--not Barack Obama. Viewers want to see Barack Obama, and the news casts give the people what they want.

For Oprah to have Palin on her show does not make sense when it might hurt her Barack Obama. The storm over Oprah's snub of Palin is another entry in the saga of Republican attempts to drive a wedge among women voters. The offensive began strongly during the Democratic National Convention when advertisements showed Hillary supporters for McCain and members of PUMA (Party Unity My A--) made the rounds of the news shows. Clearly, McCain's appealing to the women angry over Hillary's failure to win the Democratic nomination. The selection of Sarah Palin was another tactic in the strategy. A Palin appearance on Oprah would aid McCain the battle. Most likely, Winfrey would avoid controversies about Palin's political retributions and exactly which library books she wanted to ban.

Republicans should quit whining over Oprah's apparent media bias because she won't have Palin on her show before the election. Oprah has said she thinks Palin would be a great interview, but she won't have her on as a guest until after the election. By that time, however, Palin might be a little too big for Oprah's britches, unless she has something to sell to the American public on behalf of the President. Oprah can do whatever she wants with her show, and sometimes that makes some white people angry. They will get over it eventually. The Florida Federation of Republican Women's boycott of Winfrey will merely slow the rate at which she makes money while she sleeps. Not all of us can be as fair and balanced as Fox News Channel.