It is on Oprah Winfrey show, back in 1988, that the real estate billionaire Donald Trump first predicted his potential success if he ever decided to run for the White House. "I think I'd win. I tell you what: I wouldn't go in to lose. I've never gone in to lose in my life. And if I did decide to do it, I would say I'd have a hell of a chance of winning. I think people are tired of seeing the country ripped off," Donald Trump told Oprah Winfrey then.
When Oprah asked him whether he intended to run, Donald Trump ruled out the possibility, while leaving the door open.
"Probably not," Trump responded at the time. "But I do get tired of seeing the country ripped off. I just don't think I have the inclination to do it."
Then Oprah remarked: "Also it doesn't pay as well!". To which Donald Trump responded: "It doesn't, and I just probably wouldn't do it, Oprah. But I do get tired of seeing what's happening with this country, and if it got so bad I would never want to rule it out totally.".
Yes, Donald Trump has finally ruled the possibility in and is the leading candidate on the Republican side.
That is where the African American billionaire talk show host and network owner Oprah Winfrey comes in.
In June 2015, after he announced that he was running for the Republican presidential nomination, Donald Trump hinted that he would consider Oprah Winfrey as a running mate.
"I think Oprah would be great. I'd love to have Oprah," Trump told ABC's George Stephanopoulos. "I think we'd win easily, actually."
George Stephanopoulos asked Trump while referring to a previous statement when he, for the first time, mentioned Oprah Winfrey as a possible running mate back in 1999. After the June 2015 statement, speculations have been running wild. In 1999, Oprah Winfrey said she was not interested; "not in this life", she said. But, her recent political action has fueled the speculations. In 2008, Oprah Winfrey, who had so far avoided being actively engage in politics, endorsed President Barack Obama and actively campaigned for him.
Then, in 2012, she not only very timidly endorsed President Obama for the second term, but almost completely remained absent from the campaign. This absence and Donald Trump's statements in June 2015 about entertaining the idea of Oprah Winfrey as a running mate has revived the speculations.
Now, as the campaign for the Republican nomination is favoring Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey's name has resurfaced, with persistent rumors that Donald Trump and his closest aides are courting Oprah Winfrey to reconsider her stance and run with him in "this life". With Oprah Winfrey, according to observers, Donald Trump would be able to counter the perception that he is anti-minorities, as he gets ready to face Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders.
Will Donald Trump - Oprah Winfrey ticket become a reality? We will know in less than 6 months.
