In the city where she first became a household name, Oprah Winfrey took the stage at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election. This marked a significant moment for Winfrey, who prefers to stay out of politics but said she felt compelled to use her platform to urge Americans to choose “optimism over cynicism” and “inclusion over retribution.”
“I feel like we all have to do our part. We all have to do something, and I feel that we all have been in multiple conversations about what's gonna happen. What should we do? What can be done? And now that we have this opportunity, I felt like I should grab this opportunity,” she told “CBS Mornings” co-host Tony Dokoupil in an exclusive interview shortly after her speech.
Winfrey's appearance was considered one of the night's biggest surprises. She said she recognized that her decision came with risks, but she believed it was worth it because of her deep concern for the country.
“A lot of things are at stake,” she said, particularly abortion rights, which she views as essential, especially for women.
“The bottom line for me is that decency and respect are on the ballot. And that's why I was willing to do it. And let me just tell you the big risk was when I don't have anything to lose. Now, I don't have a show ... It's not what, what is it gonna cost me other than knowing that I had to do whatever I could to speak,” she added.
When asked about the significance of Harris potentially becoming the first female president of the United States, Winfrey became emotional.
“It will mean that the glass ceiling has been shattered,” and noted that it would send a powerful message to women and girls everywhere.
“Women all over the world will be weeping in the streets. It will mean that actually anything is possible because this is her mother, her father, to immigrants coming to the United States ... only in America could Kamala Harris's story be possible. And I'm here because only in America. Could my story be possible?” she said.
“When a house is on fire, we don't ask about the homeowners' race or religion,” Winfrey said. “We don't wonder who their partner is or how they voted no. We just try to do the best we can to save them. And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out, too. 'Cause we are a country of people who work hard for the money. We wish our brothers and sisters well. And we pray for peace.”
The comments referred to a 2021 interview in which Mr Vance described Democratic politicians as “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too”.
Winfrey ended her speech by urging people to see the 2024 election beyond a partisan dynamic and to embrace the patriotism and responsibility of participating in democracy. “There are choices to be made when we cast our ballot,” she said.
“Now, there’s a certain candidate that says, if we just go to the polls this one time, then we’ll never have to do it again,” she alluded to Trump again. “Well, you know what? You’re looking at a registered Independent who’s proud to vote again and again and again. Because I’m an American, and that’s what Americans do.”
Oprah Winfrey, who is proudly unmarried and without children, and owns dogs, added: “And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out too.”
Winfrey recalled the speeches from the previous night by former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. “That was some epic fire, wasn’t it?” she said. “We’re now so fired up we can’t wait to leave here and do something,” she said, referencing Barack Obama’s “fired up, ready to go” chant and Michelle Obama’s “do something” call to action. “And what we’re going to do is to elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States.”
Winfrey's remarks about “childless cat ladies” came after a heated exchange between Vance and a CBS News reporter last week, where the reporter criticized him for using the phrase, saying it was a “derogatory term.” Vance defended his comments, claiming that they were not directed at any one person and were intended to be a critique of the Democratic Party, but his words were widely condemned as being sexist and insulting.
Winfrey's speech was well-received by the crowd, who gave her a standing ovation. Her words resonated with many Americans who are looking for a leader who will unite the country and bring about positive change. Winfrey's endorsement of Harris is a major boost for the Democratic ticket, and her decision to speak out against Vance's comments is a sign of the increasing attention being paid to the issue of sexism in American politics.
