Donald Trump once really, really wanted Oprah to be his running mate

After Oprah Winfrey’s speech at last year’s Golden Globes, she was inundated with calls to run for president.

Many people felt that Winfrey would be the antithesis of current president Donald Trump. Though perhaps the two TV stars, who now seem at opposite ends of the political spectrum, aren’t as different as you’d think.

Trump certainly used to think so. As well as appearing on Oprah’s talk show in 1988 and 2011, he has often praised her – even calling her a “winner” in 2012.

While contemplating a run for president as an independent in 1999, Trump even told Larry King that Winfrey would be his first choice for running mate. He said:

Oprah. I love Oprah. Oprah would always be my first choice.

If she’d do it, she’d be fantastic. I mean, she’s popular, she’s brilliant, she’s a wonderful woman. I mean, if she would ever do it. I don’t know that she would ever do it. She’s got, you know. She would be sort of like me.

Fifteen years later, he started saying it again right after he announced his campaign in 2015.

I think Oprah would be great. I’d love to have Oprah.

I think we’d win easily, actually.

Though given Oprah's support for Democratic candidates in the 2018 mid term elections, a political union with Trump seems extremely unlikely.

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