One source says Oprah Winfrey is considering a presidential bid in 2020 while another says the broadcast legend has no interest in entering politics. Speculation abounds and political analysis hovers somewhere between anticipation and outright encouragement.
At this point, only two things are certain. First, the Winfrey vs. Trump debate would be some of the greatest live television ever broadcast. Second, Winfrey is the second most likely person to be sworn in as president in January 2021, after the current president himself.
According to prediction markets, Winfrey has a 7.8 percent chance of winning the general election. Vice President Mike Pence trails by just half a percentage point at 7.3 percent. But it’s not even close. Before Winfrey addressed the Golden Globes, the star had just a 2.3 percent chance, meaning that one speech has catapulted her from a potential contender to a very real threat.
Whether or not these numbers will last the next three years, and whether Winfrey would even want to leave her palace for politics, remains to be seen. But the numbers should make this administration, along with every other Democratic contender, very nervous.
