Oprah Winfrey’s name has been floated as a possible replacement for Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., in the event the 89-year-old lawmaker retires before the end of her term next year, it was reported this week.
Questions have swirled about Feinstein’s health and her ability to serve in the Senate ever since she returned to Capitol Hill this month after a bout of shingles forced her to stay home in California for 10 weeks.
Feinstein has pledged to retire at the end of her current term, but The Associated Press indicated that several names have already been thrown into the mix should the California Democrat step aside early. One of those is reportedly billionaire TV host Winfrey.
[I cannot fathom why Oprah would agree to it. She’d have no real prep for the job, she would be a lame duck from the moment she arrived, and she’d be the least senior member of a chamber of 100 people. Why do that for 20 months? Surely she has better ways to spend her time. I’m not sure why Newsom would choose Oprah over Karen Bass or Barbara Lee either, even if he felt himself restricted to black women as his options. — Ed]
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