Decked out head to toe in purple, Oprah Winfrey took the stage on the third night of the Democratic National Convention and delivered a rousing speech in which she called for unity and formally endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris.
Describing herself as politically independent, the beloved celebrity said Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, are the “common sense” choice for voters. “I’m calling on all you independents and all you undecideds,” Winfrey said, addressing those at home rather than on the convention floor. “You know I’m telling you the truth that values and character matter, most of all, in leadership and in life, and more than anything — you know, this is true — that decency and respect are on the ballot in 2024.”
In continuing with the night’s theme of freedom, Oprah also highlighted that bodily autonomy is on the line this election. She praised those who took the stage this week and shared their stories of being denied abortion care, saying they spoke publicly about their “most private pain” in an attempt to prevent anyone else from suffering. “The women and men who are battling to keep us from going back to a time of desperation and shame and stone-cold fear, they are the new freedom fighters,” she said. “And make no mistake: They are the best of America.”
The longtime host, who has spoken candidly about her decision not to marry or have children, also took a swipe at J.D. Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate, for saying the country is run by “childless cat ladies who are miserable in their own lives and the choices that they’ve made.”
She emphasized that voters are more alike than people like Trump would want them to believe. “Despite what some would have you think, we are not so different from our neighbors. When a house is on fire, we don’t ask about the homeowner’s race or religion. We don’t wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No, we just try to do the best we can to save them,” she said, before riffing on Vance’s remarks. “And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out too.”
Closing out her speech, Oprah asked voters to choose “truth” and “joy” this election. “Let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday,” she said. “We won’t go back. We won’t be sent back, pushed back, bullied back, kicked back. We’re not going back.”
