Oprah’s Latest Favorite Thing.

From books to robes to fuzzy slippers and automobiles, whatever Oprah talks about sells. When Oprah had James Frey on to talk about his book, A Million Little Pieces, it sold millions. When it came out that the latest edition to her book club was a work of fiction, Oprah was devastated. She eventually came out against Frey, but lost some credibility in the process. How could she put her seal of approval on something that was wrong? Why didn’t Oprah’s powerful show and capable staff research this book and its author before offering their endorsement?

In November 2003, Oprah had Dr. Jan Adams on her show talking about plastic surgery. Her implicit endorsement surely increased Dr. Adams’ fame. Who knows if his association with Oprah led him to work on Kanye West’s mom… but it did reportedly lead some other patients to seek him out. While other doctors turned Donda West down, Dr. Jan Adams agreed to perform her tummy tuck and breast reduction, cosmetic surgeries that led to her death. A background check on Dr. Jan Adams would have turned up a number of malpractice accusations, DUI charges, a restraining order, and his lack of board certification. But Oprah and her staff failed to do a background check on a man who benefited from her celebrity. Once again an endorsement from Oprah comes into question.

Now Oprah is on the campaign trail for Barack Obama. With a couple poor endorsements in her recent past, you have to wonder how much did Oprah investigate the candidate who she now is campaigning for? Did Oprah look into Barack’s past and research his policy positions? Did Oprah consider other alternatives and research the person whose candidacy she has now endorsed? Or is her support of Barack Obama just like her support of James Frey and Dr. Jan Adams… misguided and ill-informed? Like the author and doctor before him, you have to wonder if Barack Obama will also turn out to be a fraud.

After these two glaring failures should Oprah’s endorsement of anything, especially a person for high office, be taken seriously? If she can’t bother to check into the background of a surgeon she holds in esteem or an author she helps make millions, you have to question how much she knows about the man she hopes will become President.

I for one am not blinded by her celebrity, and I hope no one else is any longer. If she doesn’t take the time to research surgeons she promotes who have people’s lives in their hands, then how much time has she spent understanding the problems that face average Americans and what Barack Obama will do to fix them? Oprah seems to be a great woman with a big heart, but celebrity does not make her a political advisor or expert. Quite the contrary, her celebrity might just be what blinds her to the truth and is why her latest “Favorite Thing” should not be anyone’s other than her’s.

If you want to support Barack Obama, fine. But don’t take Oprah’s word for it.

Do your own research because chances are, Oprah hasn’t.