Oprah Is Not Interested in Running For President in 2020: ‘I Don’t Have the DNA For It’
Zack Sharf
Oprah Winfrey has officially taken her name out of the running for President of the United States of America. In an interview with InStyle magazine, the television personality and actress admits she just “doesn’t have the DNA” to serve as Commander in Chief.
“I’ve always felt very secure and confident with myself in knowing what I could do and what I could not,” Winfrey said when asked about Oprah 2020. “And so it’s not something that interests me. I don’t have the DNA for it.”
Rumors about Oprah’s potential run for President boomed after she received the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes earlier this month. Oprah’s speech was a powerful call to arms that spoke on behalf of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements in demanding an end to sexual harassment and abuse in Hollywood. Many viewers saw the speech as a test run for Oprah’s political future and the phrase “Oprah 2020” became a trending topic.
Oprah admits she’s aware of how much people would like to see her run for President. Oprah’s best friend and “CBS This Morning” co-anchor Gayle King added more speculation to the rumors when she said Oprah was “intrigued” by the idea of running for President, but Oprah is certain the job just isn’t for her.
“Gayle – who knows me as well as I know myself practically – has been calling me regularly and texting me things, like a woman in the airport saying, ‘When’s Oprah going to run?’ Winfrey said. “So Gayle sends me these things, and then she’ll go, ‘I know, I know, I know! It wouldn’t be good for you – it would be good for everyone else.’ I met with someone the other day who said that they would help me with a campaign. That’s not for me.”
Oprah can next be seen on the big screen in Ava DuVernay’s Disney tentpole “A Wrinkle in Time,” in theaters March 9.
