Oprah for President!

Oprah For President!

Impossible Dream or Unconventional Reality?

by Peggy Butler

Oscar- winning actress Geena Davis isn't president of
The free world, but she does play the chief executive on TV.
Davis stars in Commander-in-Chief, as the female vice
president who ascends to the oval office when the president is rendered incapacitated.
The show is so popular, it's prompting many to ask, " Is
America ready for a woman to lead the country?" According
to a poll conducted by the White House Project, a
non-partisan organization, it is. The survey found that 79%
of Americans would accept a woman as president and 63% think
that a female could occupy the White House within 10
years.

Now imagine what would happen if one of America's most
powerful women, Oprah Wifrey, became president. Imagine the
drama and
gamut of emotions of those who believe that the presidency
is limited to
individuals of the male persuasion. Now, before you
unleash your gender fury, read the scenario below.

The year is 2016 and President Oprah Winfrey is seated at
her desk analyzing the latest unemployment figures, when
she is interrupted by a knock at the door. Opening the
massive portal, the former talk show mogul is greeted by
the Attorney General who wryly informs her; "President
Winfrey your constituents want to know when they can start
capitalizing on those promises you made four years ago?"

Adjusting her skirt, the president gestures toward a stack
of documents on her desk. "Exactly what promises are those,"
she asked. "Oh come on Madam President. Don't you remember
telling your constituents that you would put them on Easy
Street?" the Attorney General stammered. "Well I reduced
taxes, cut unemployment by 50% and increased the minimum
wage to $17.50," the president explained. "What else do
they want?"

"Hey you know I've got your back Madam President. But they
say if you don't solve all their problems within the next
two years, they are going to run you down the road." "They
can't run me," said the president incredulously. "This is
my second term in office. And you know by law I'm
forbidden to seek a third term." "Yes I know that and you
know that" said the Attorney General with a strained
frown, "but they say you are not taking care of business on
the j-o-b."

Before she could address the Attorney General, the president
heard loud voices from outside. Visibly agitated, Winfrey
rose from her desk and went to the window to see what all
the commotion was about. Staring out the window, the
president spotted dozens of protesters carrying signs. One
poster which read "Winfrey is Funked up with the Tunkromp,"
caught her eye. Laughing, the president turned to the
Attorney General. "You didn't hear a peep out of voters
when George W. Bush nearly put Americans in the poorhouse.
It was as though they were invisible," she said irritably.
"Yet, they torment and rip me to shreds. What's up with
that?"

Moving toward his friend of 15 years the Attorney General
murmured, "When it comes to voters one thing is certain."
"What's that?" asked the President. "No matter what you do
for them, they still find something to complain about."
Moving from the window, Oprah Winfrey began the long walk to
her desk. Then the Tennessee native smiled as she thought
about what the Attorney General said. "I hate to admit it
A.G. but you are absolutely right," said the president
extending her hand. "If I were a man they would not
subject me to this anguish; but since I'm a woman, they
figure I'm easy pickings."


Okay, allow me to play Devil's Advocate. Suppose by some
miracle that a women is elected president. As soon as she
entered the White House, those
thoughts would quickly turn to such verbal tirade as
"She thinks just like a woman," or "She's not strong
enough to handle such virile issues as war and terrorism."
And at the slightest hint of a crisis, they would denounce
her with the disclaimer: "See I told you, only a man is
capable of wearing the presidential mantle."

To reiterate, if by some miracle a woman is elected
president, her greatest crisis won't come from terrorists
or military warfare. Rather, it will come at the hands of
people who for too long have convinced themselves that men
have a monopoly on the chief executive throne. So to
readers viewing this commentary, Good night Madam.
President, or should I say Rock On Lady P?