Oprah Winfrey says she never thought a presidential run was in the cards for her. That is, until politically inexperienced Donald Trump’s stunning upset in the 2016 election briefly made her reconsider.
“I never considered the question, even a possibility,” Winfrey tells the host of “The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations” during a Wednesday, March 1, appearance. “I thought, ‘Oh gee, I don’t have the experience, I don’t know enough.’ … And now I’m thinking, ‘Oh.'”
During the segment, Rubenstein asked if Winfrey thought she would be able to break the presidential glass ceiling for women, “given the popularity you have.” And while the idea of the OWN network CEO running for the highest office in the land was met with hearty applause from the studio audience, Winfrey shut down the speculation moments later.
“No, that won’t be happening,” she says. “But, I mean, I did used to think you had to know so much more than I thought you had to know.”
Twitter users latched on to the first half of Winfrey’s response, eager to see the former talk show host face off against Trump.
#Oprah2020 vs. #Trump ??? I would PAY to vote in that election! Stedman as the first boyfriend? I love it!!!
— Cubicleclown (@Cubicleclown88) March 2, 2017
If Oprah does decide to run in 2020, I'll be first in line to vote for her. She'll make a fool of Trump on the debates.
— Big Cuse Fan (@biggestcusefan) March 2, 2017
Black Twitter was especially excited about the possibility.
oprah: "well now that trump won maybe i could be president"
black people: pic.twitter.com/Selm3UAsF5— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) March 1, 2017
Oprah would be the first black female president w/ no first family. Hail to independence!!! #WomansHistoryMonth Oprah 2020
— SUGA SHAYNE MOSELY (@ShaneLamontMoss) March 1, 2017
WE ARE ALL GETTING FREE STUFF! #Oprah2020 pic.twitter.com/5SLuFivJAB
— Brittany 👑 (@Queenn_b1) March 1, 2017
Others weren’t as jovial.
https://twitter.com/MarkDice/status/837082446965387266
oprah in 2020…not sure about that
— rick kartchner (@rspudstud) March 2, 2017
