The two conventions this year, the DNC in Chicago and the RNC in Milwaukee, featured two speakers who captured their respective parties’ aesthetics: television host Oprah Winfrey, for the Democrats, and professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, for the Republicans.  

The Democrats selected Oprah for an obvious reason. She is a star—and a star-maker. For decades, Oprah has curated her image as a compassionate friend, generous hostess, and moral voice. She appears in public immaculately dressed, coiffed, lighted, and staged.

The aesthetics reflect the substance. The Democrats are the party of film, television, media, and advertising. They dominate the production of spectacle and prestige. They can put their own on Oprah’s Book Club. They can turn anyone, even a historically unpopular vice president, into a star.