Renowned media mogul Oprah Winfrey is responding to claims raised in a new biography involving Sen. Mitt Romney.
According to the biography, Oprah had ambitions to vie for the presidency in 2020 and had approached Romney to be her running mate. However, a representative for Oprah spoke to The Hollywood Reporter, categorically denying these allegations.
The spokesperson clarified: "In November 2019, Ms. Winfrey reached out to Senator Romney, urging him to stand as an Independent candidate. Contrary to the biography's claims, she had no intention of joining the ticket and never contemplated a presidential run herself."
News platform Axios was the first to shed light on this excerpt from the book. Oprah's political inclinations and associations are no secret to the public.
She shares a close bond with Barack and Michelle Obama. Not only did she endorse Barack during his presidential campaign, but she has also conducted numerous interviews with the power couple, including a recent special for Netflix.
Moreover, in the 2020 Pennsylvania Senate race, Oprah's political leanings were apparent when she endorsed John Fetterman over Dr. Mehmet Oz.
Interestingly, Dr. Oz owes his fame and household name status largely to Oprah. He was a frequent guest on her daytime talk show, which paved the way for the launch of his show.
Historically, rumors and speculations surrounding Oprah's potential political aspirations have made the rounds.
What added fuel to this fire was Romney's assertion, which indicated Oprah's purported interest in the presidential run was stronger than earlier perceived. Despite these swirling rumors, Oprah, who is affiliated with the Democratic Party, put all speculations to rest during a 2018 segment on 60 Minutes.
Addressing the topic, Oprah revealed, "I received calls from numerous affluent men offering to manage my campaign and pledging to raise $1 billion for the cause."
She continued with a sense of humility, "I'm genuinely humbled that people envision me as a potential leader of the free world. However, pursuing the presidency doesn't resonate with my inner self... it's simply not in my DNA."rey