The Pink Flamingo :: Oprah Does South Carolina

“…South Carolina is a potentially different story. In Iowa, Obama is attempting to use Oprah's influence among her mostly white, older women viewers to entice that state's mostly white, older women caucus-goers. The battle in South Carolina is for the black vote, where to the Obama camp's frustration he remains about tied with Clinton for that bloc and far behind among whites, giving her a solid lead overall. Obama's weakness in that state is being attributed to three factors: reluctance to focus heavily on race; familiarity with Clinton and her husband, President Clinton; and an assumption that Clinton is more likely to beat a Republican in the general. Oprah may not be able to sway primary voters on the third, but she can certainly have an effect on the first two. The familiarity point is a no-brainer -- South Carolinians will be inundated with sound and images of the Oprah-Obama rally. The race point is a little more complicated. Activists like Jesse Jackson have complained about Obama's refusal to weigh in on their issues more vocally, but it is almost certainly the case that Obama wouldn't have the support among non-blacks that he has if he were to take up racially divisive rallying cries. When it comes to race, Obama's campaign has mainly stressed unity and transcendence.What better way to drive that point home than with Oprah at his side. The sight of Oprah alongside Obama at this rally will be a tremendous moment for black America….”

Oprah in Iowa.
From the Hutchinson Political Report

“…But after the ogling and touching Oprah, it doesn’t mean they’ll vote for Obama. A Pew Research Center poll after a big Oprah fundraising bash in September found that by a crushing margin respondents said that Oprah’s tout of Obama won’t sway them the least bit. And it shouldn’t, at least not because, Oprah says so. Despite all the talk about Oprah being a transcendental force that supersedes mere celebrity mortals she’s still just that, a celebrity. The thousands that clawed for tickets to rub shoulders with her at her Obama pep rally in Columbia, South Carolina were there precisely because of her star power and the insatiable celebrity mania that grips far to many star struck Americans….”

WHY IS OPRAH GETTING SO MUCH ATTENTION?
Face it, she’s a super-star. There is only one Oprah. She is an icon and a legend in her own time. We’re talking Oprah visiting Iowa and South Carolina. Iowa is fly-over country. I swear the main reason they demand their caucuses be first in the nation is for the attention. Iowa is boring. Every four years or so the whole world comes to Iowa, bringing with them celebrities. This time Oprah is coming. The world is watching. They’re pulling out the Sunday best, cleaning the shoes, doing the make-up, pedicure, manicure, and hair.

It’s the excitement, stupid.

SOUTH CAROLINA IS BORING
I grew up in South Carolina. I spent forty years of my life there. If anyone has a right to say what I am going to say, I do. South Carolina is boring. If you don’t like college football, golf, or water-sports, there is NOTHING else to do there.

I remember, years ago when I was working at the Anderson Mall at the now defunct Meyers Arnold in housewares. A rumor circulated through town that Elvis was looking for property on Lake Hartwell. One of the women who worked with me went bananas and simply ran out of the store in an attempt to track him down. She was followed by several others. People were all over town searching for HIM until one of the local radio stations made an announcement that it was hoax.

South Carolina is “flyover”, drive-through, and ignore country. People constantly made fun of SC – and still do. My mother and I were having drinks in Trader Vics at the Plaza Hotel (may it rest in peace and the developers who destroyed it burn in hell) when these two people sat down at the table next to us and started making fun of people from SC. The man told his wife that my mother and I were obviously New Yorkers because of the way we were dressed. My mother, never shy, looked over and said, “No we are from South Carolina but left the bib-overalls and chewing tabaccy back home in the outhouse.”

Nothing ever happens in South Carolina. You seldom see celebs there, which is the primary reason Oprah (not Obama) is getting the super-star treatment. Not to put her down, but any big name, be it Barbara, Paul McCartney, Toby Keith, Rush, or even Matt Damon would attract the same numbers if a venue was opened for them. It isn’t political. It’s the boredom stupid.

(Heaven only knows what is going to happen when Kevin Costner starts filming down in Charleston shortly).

It is not a good idea to read anything into the large venue and the crowds Oprah is going to attract. She's big and South Carolina rarely attracts "big". She's a super-star and South Carolinians are star-struck. The only 'celebs' I ever knew to frequent SC were the Carters. People went out of their way to IGNORE them. You would see them up around Anderson all the time. No one noticed them. Granted a number of sports celebs are buying property along Lake Keowee, but those are sports celebs. They aren't Oprah! Heck, when one of my best friends dared me into visiting with Davy Jones about a year ago, I mentioned the time back in the late 1960's when the Monkees played Greenville at the old Memorial Auditorium. He started laughing about the crowds, saying "we" were some of the worst they ever encountered! (Yep, I was one of the teenie boppers being chased by the local police as we chased Davey!)

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