Oprah"s Post Election Day Special - Show Recap
Original Air Date:
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Special Guests:
Post Election Special - Oprah Unleashed:
Oprah walked out on stage Wednesday waving her American flag, wearing a shirt that said "Hope Won!" and carrying a Wednesday copy of the Chicago Sun Times - "WooHoo"-ing the whole time. Oprah was so excited to walk out and celebrate and the emotion could be felt through the TV screen.
"This is a new day for America!" Oprah cheered - the first few moments of the show were pure celebration.
When the crowd settled, Oprah stated with meaning that she respected the choice of all those who voted and that she understood the disappointment that McCain supports feel on this day.
She went on to say that her deepest hope is that we as a country can come together with a renewed and unified spirit. At the beginning of the presidential race, Oprah chose not to use her show as a platform for any candidate and so only support Senator Barack Obama as a private citizen. She did her best in the last 2 years to keep quiet on the election, but now that it's over she has been unleashed to talk about all aspects of the election.
Post Election Special - Grant Park:
On Tuesday night, Oprah - along with Stedman and Gayle - attended President Elect Barack Obama's speech in Grant Park. An electrifying and emotional event, Oprah ended up crying on a stranger's shoulder - friends called that night to ask her who she was sobbing on.
Oprah wanted to thank "Mr. Man" because she didn't even have a chance that night to get his name.
Oprah's favorite moment of Obama's speech was when he stated to those "whose support I have yet to earn" because she knows that he is a unifier, and is prepared for the work that is ahead of all of us.
Post Election Special - Favorite Political Minds:
Oprah being unleashed didn't translate into her standing and doing all the talking herself, but bringing together some of her favorite political minds to share in the discussion with her. The panel brought together via satellite included: David Gergen, John Lewis, Gloria Steinem, Peggy Noonan and Henry Lewis Gates.
Democratic Congressman from Atlanta, Georgia, John Lewis was first to speak. Lewis, a major player in the American Civil Rights Movement, walking side-by-side with Martin Luther King Jr., was nearly beaten to death in his youth for standing up for justice.
With all that John Lewis has been through in his life, watch Sen. Obama win the election was one of the most moving moments in his life - he stated that he knew once Pennsylvania was called that Obama had won. Throughout the night, Lewis shared that he shed tears, had an out of body experience and embarrassed himself with his celebration. He was reminded of the pain, struggle and suffering people have felt in history and resisted. Seeing the day come when an African-American man was elected was almost too much for him, and he thought of MLK and how Obama's campaign was a spiritual and political movement in itself.
Post Election Special - David Gergen:
CNN analyst, professor and former Presidential advisor, David Gergen was next to speak. Gergen started by saying how he was reminded of MLK's final speech and how Obama's movement captured the youth of the country who are geared to change the country. Gergen shared how Obama was extremely centered during the entire campaign and election process. Barack Obama being elected president, according to Gergen, is not just advancement for African-Americans, but and advancement for the country as a whole - the walls of the past are still coming down.
Post Election Special - Musical Performance and Peggy Noonan:
BeBe and CeCe Winans as well as Wynonna Judd and Vince Gill performed the song "We Need One Another Right Now."
Oprah returned to the panel to speak to conservative columnist Peggy Noonan. Noonan, while watching people celebrate Obama's victory, was reminded of being a girl in 1960 when JFK was elected, also an unlikely candidate. Noonan, while she supported McCain, appreciated Obama's grace when responding to Gov. Palin's daughter's pregnancy when he didn't have to - his response silenced the media. She stated that Obama's biggest challenge will be to change the country while still offering people stability.
Post Election Special - Henry Lewis Gates:
A clip was shown of Henry Lewis Gates reading a segment of an essay he wrote of how this election falls in line with the other transformative moments in history.
On the show Gates expressed that the country has reached the point where the content of character is more important than the color of a person's skin. Gates stressed that the success of Obama's campaign came from focusing on hope and change and not on fear; Obama presented himself as a man of principle.
Post Election Special - Gloria Steinem:
Feminist leader Gloria Steinem was the last of the panel to speak. Steinem wrote a controversial article about Sarah Palin in the LA Times expressed that her point was to state that the women's movement is about content and not about form; not biology but making life better for everyone. Blaming McCain for choosing someone who was unprepared for the office, Steinem stated that she still doesn't want to see a woman publicly ridiculed. Steinem was pleased by Obama and Biden's talk of male responsibility even though she started as a solid Hillary Clinton supporter.
With her strong past working for women's and civil rights, Steinem felt that a time came in the last 20-30 years when the fight for a better future died out - she now feels renewed by this campaign and win for Barack Obama's movement focused on hope and change.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Special Guests:
- David Gergen
- John Lewis
- Gloria Steinem
- Peggy Noonan
- Henry Lewis Gates
Post Election Special - Oprah Unleashed:
Oprah walked out on stage Wednesday waving her American flag, wearing a shirt that said "Hope Won!" and carrying a Wednesday copy of the Chicago Sun Times - "WooHoo"-ing the whole time. Oprah was so excited to walk out and celebrate and the emotion could be felt through the TV screen.
"This is a new day for America!" Oprah cheered - the first few moments of the show were pure celebration.
When the crowd settled, Oprah stated with meaning that she respected the choice of all those who voted and that she understood the disappointment that McCain supports feel on this day.
She went on to say that her deepest hope is that we as a country can come together with a renewed and unified spirit. At the beginning of the presidential race, Oprah chose not to use her show as a platform for any candidate and so only support Senator Barack Obama as a private citizen. She did her best in the last 2 years to keep quiet on the election, but now that it's over she has been unleashed to talk about all aspects of the election.
Post Election Special - Grant Park:
On Tuesday night, Oprah - along with Stedman and Gayle - attended President Elect Barack Obama's speech in Grant Park. An electrifying and emotional event, Oprah ended up crying on a stranger's shoulder - friends called that night to ask her who she was sobbing on.
Oprah wanted to thank "Mr. Man" because she didn't even have a chance that night to get his name.
Oprah's favorite moment of Obama's speech was when he stated to those "whose support I have yet to earn" because she knows that he is a unifier, and is prepared for the work that is ahead of all of us.
Post Election Special - Favorite Political Minds:
Oprah being unleashed didn't translate into her standing and doing all the talking herself, but bringing together some of her favorite political minds to share in the discussion with her. The panel brought together via satellite included: David Gergen, John Lewis, Gloria Steinem, Peggy Noonan and Henry Lewis Gates.
Democratic Congressman from Atlanta, Georgia, John Lewis was first to speak. Lewis, a major player in the American Civil Rights Movement, walking side-by-side with Martin Luther King Jr., was nearly beaten to death in his youth for standing up for justice.
With all that John Lewis has been through in his life, watch Sen. Obama win the election was one of the most moving moments in his life - he stated that he knew once Pennsylvania was called that Obama had won. Throughout the night, Lewis shared that he shed tears, had an out of body experience and embarrassed himself with his celebration. He was reminded of the pain, struggle and suffering people have felt in history and resisted. Seeing the day come when an African-American man was elected was almost too much for him, and he thought of MLK and how Obama's campaign was a spiritual and political movement in itself.
Post Election Special - David Gergen:
CNN analyst, professor and former Presidential advisor, David Gergen was next to speak. Gergen started by saying how he was reminded of MLK's final speech and how Obama's movement captured the youth of the country who are geared to change the country. Gergen shared how Obama was extremely centered during the entire campaign and election process. Barack Obama being elected president, according to Gergen, is not just advancement for African-Americans, but and advancement for the country as a whole - the walls of the past are still coming down.
Post Election Special - Musical Performance and Peggy Noonan:
BeBe and CeCe Winans as well as Wynonna Judd and Vince Gill performed the song "We Need One Another Right Now."
Oprah returned to the panel to speak to conservative columnist Peggy Noonan. Noonan, while watching people celebrate Obama's victory, was reminded of being a girl in 1960 when JFK was elected, also an unlikely candidate. Noonan, while she supported McCain, appreciated Obama's grace when responding to Gov. Palin's daughter's pregnancy when he didn't have to - his response silenced the media. She stated that Obama's biggest challenge will be to change the country while still offering people stability.
Post Election Special - Henry Lewis Gates:
A clip was shown of Henry Lewis Gates reading a segment of an essay he wrote of how this election falls in line with the other transformative moments in history.
On the show Gates expressed that the country has reached the point where the content of character is more important than the color of a person's skin. Gates stressed that the success of Obama's campaign came from focusing on hope and change and not on fear; Obama presented himself as a man of principle.
Post Election Special - Gloria Steinem:
Feminist leader Gloria Steinem was the last of the panel to speak. Steinem wrote a controversial article about Sarah Palin in the LA Times expressed that her point was to state that the women's movement is about content and not about form; not biology but making life better for everyone. Blaming McCain for choosing someone who was unprepared for the office, Steinem stated that she still doesn't want to see a woman publicly ridiculed. Steinem was pleased by Obama and Biden's talk of male responsibility even though she started as a solid Hillary Clinton supporter.
With her strong past working for women's and civil rights, Steinem felt that a time came in the last 20-30 years when the fight for a better future died out - she now feels renewed by this campaign and win for Barack Obama's movement focused on hope and change.
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