The notion of Oprah Winfrey running for president is the sort of thing that dramatically shakes up the American political world and stirs a reaction in just about everybody.

She seems very nice, and many Americans look up to her in an almost quasi-religious reverence. If she runs, I’ll be able to re-use all of my “Munificent Sun-King” and “he stepped down into the presidency” jokes from the Obama years. The gif of her joyously screaming, “You get a car! And you get a car! And you get a car!” will be ubiquitous.

Spare a moment to pity the likes of, say, Colorado governor John Hickenlooper. I’d never vote for the guy, but as far as Democrats go, he’s not that bad. His state’s voters seem to like him. He’s got a job approval of 54 percent and disapproval of 30 percent. During his two terms, the state legalized marijuana and same-sex marriage, approving in-state tuition for students who are illegal immigrants and limits on the size of ammunition magazines. He’s pushing for bills on green spaces and apprenticeships.

In short, he’s done all of the things that a Democrat with presidential ambitions is supposed to do and won two terms in a purple ...

January 09 2018

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Our Future: Twin Cults of Personality, Battling on Twitter Forever

Jim Geraghty

The notion of Oprah Winfrey running for president is the sort of thing that dramatically shakes up the American political world and stirs a reaction in just about everybody.

She seems very nice, and many Americans look up to her in an almost quasi-religious reverence. If she runs, I’ll be able to re-use all of my “Munificent Sun-King” and “he stepped down into the presidency” jokes from the Obama years. The gif of her joyously screaming, “You get a car! And you get a car! And you get a car!” will be ubiquitous.

Spare a moment to pity the likes of, say, Colorado governor John Hickenlooper. I’d never vote for the guy, but as far as Democrats go, he’s not that bad. His state’s voters seem to like him. He’s got a job approval of 54 percent and disapproval of 30 percent. During his two terms, the state legalized marijuana and same-sex marriage, approving in-state tuition for students who are illegal immigrants and limits on the size of ammunition magazines. He’s pushing for bills on green spaces and apprenticeships.

In short, he’s done all of the things that a Democrat with presidential ambitions is supposed to do and won two terms in a purple ...

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