Brokaw falsely suggested Oprah hosted Obama as a presidential candidate

Written by Matthew Biedlingmaier

Published

On Meet the Press, citing a New York Post article reporting that Oprah Winfrey will not host Gov. Sarah Palin on her show before the presidential election, Tom Brokaw falsely suggested that Winfrey has hosted Sen. Barack Obama on her show during Obama's campaign for president. However, the Post article Brokaw cited itself reported that Winfrey has not hosted Obama since he began his presidential campaign and that Winfrey said she decided when she endorsed Obama not to use her show “as a platform for any of the candidates.”

On the September 7 edition of NBC's Meet the Press, citing a New York Post article reporting that television talk show host Oprah Winfrey will not host Gov. Sarah Palin on her show before the presidential election, Tom Brokaw falsely suggested that Winfrey has hosted Sen. Barack Obama on her show during Obama's campaign for president. Brokaw stated: “Oprah did come out for Barack Obama, did have him on the show,” then asked Sen. Joe Biden: “Do you think that some people will see that as an elitist position, that, in some ways, Democrats may be afraid of her -- Sarah Palin?” But the Post article Brokaw cited itself reported that Winfrey has not hosted Obama since he began his presidential campaign and that Winfrey said she decided when she endorsed Obama that she would not use her show “as a platform for any of the candidates.”

The Post reported that “Winfrey, who tapes her high-rated daily show in Chicago, has had Obama as a guest twice -- in January 2005 and October 2006. Both occasions were before the Illinois senator officially announced he was running for the White House.” The Post also reported that Winfrey said: “At the beginning of this presidential campaign, when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates.” According to the Post, “Winfrey added 'I agree that Sarah Palin would be a fantastic interview, and I would love to have her on after the campaign is over.' ”

From the September 6 New York Post article:

The daytime-TV talk queen said it was highly unlikely she'd have the self-proclaimed “hockey mom” appear alongside her, even after reports that there had been discussions to have Palin appear on a future show.

“At the beginning of this presidential campaign, when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates,” Winfrey said in a statement.

Winfrey, a big supporter of Barack Obama, has had other politicians on her show before, including Presidents Bush and Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore.

The TV host did leave the door open for a Palin appearance - but only after the Nov. 4 election.

Winfrey added, “I agree that Sarah Palin would be a fantastic interview, and I would love to have her on after the campaign is over.”

Winfrey, who tapes her high-rated daily show in Chicago, has had Obama as a guest twice - in January 2005 and October 2006.

Both occasions were before the Illinois senator officially announced he was running for the White House.

From the September 7 edition of NBC's Meet the Press:

BROKAW: I want to move on in a moment, but here's another headline that appeared in the New York Post -- Oprah Winfrey decided not to have Sarah Palin on the show before the election. “No-Prah!” -- that's the New York Post headline. “TV First Lady's Palin Insult,” as they called it. Oprah did come out for Barack Obama, did have him on the show. Do you think that some people will see that as an elitist position, that, in some ways, Democrats may be afraid of her -- Sarah Palin?

BIDEN: Oh, no, I don't think so. I mean, I think it's -- well, I don't -- look, that's for voters to decide. You're not going to see anything elitist. Look, what you hear immediately from Barack Obama and Joe Biden, “Family's off limits,” and we mean it, that the personal stuff relating to some of the stuff that was popping out on the talk shows is just inappropriate.

This -- she's going to be judged, I assume, the same way I'm going to be judged: What does she know? What does she think? What's her record? What's she going to do? And as I look down the road, that's how I've always debated whoever I've debated, including the really tough women I work with, the smart women in the Senate. So, I really don't view this any differently.

I may be surprised, here, down the road, but, you know, I just looking forward to debating her. I mean, why -- look, she had a great speech, but was -- her silence on the issues was deafening. She didn't mention a word about health care, a word about the environment, a word about the middle-class. That never parted her lips. I mean, so I don't know where she is on those things.

BROKAW: Let's talk about the polls if we can for a moment.

BIDEN: Sure.