Oprah Friday Live in Chicago with George Stephanopoulos - Show Recap
Original Air Date:
Friday, November 7, 2008
Friday Live in Chicago - The Panel Talk Politics:
After months of keeping quiet about the election, Oprah was finally unleashed to talk about politics on Wednesday's episode and on this Friday Live, she was able to talk with the panel - Ali, Mark and Gayle - openly about how they felt during the process and with the results.
Mark shared that he was in North Carolina before Tuesday celebrating his father's 70th birthday and his dad spoke at the party about coming to America in 1948 at 10 years old from Mexico and shared with his family his feeling that this country will give you everything if you're willing to work hard for it.
Watching the election unfold, Mark said his son looked at him and understood by watching that what his grandfather had talked about really was true.
Ali shared that she watched the election and her husband George Stephanopoulos with her daughter in bed. Her 6 year old daughter was really enthused by the process and followed a map as the states were announced.
Gayle read the opening paragraph from an article in Time magazine that was written by Nancy Gibbs that stated:
"Some princes are born in palaces. Some are born in mangers. But a few are born in the imagination, out of scraps of history and hope. Barack Obama never talks about how people see him: I'm not the one making history, he said every chance he got. You are. Yet as he looked out Tuesday night through the bulletproof glass, in a park named for a Civil War general, he had to see the truth on people's faces. We are the ones we've been waiting for, he liked to say, but people were waiting for him, waiting for someone to finish what a King began."
Friday Live in Chicago - Mr. Man:
Oprah talked about "Mr. Man" on Wednesday's episode - in Grant Park on Tuesday night, Oprah sobbed on a stranger's shoulder; she didn't even know his name. Since then, the media has been on a search to find out who "Mr. Man" actually was. To Oprah, the stranger represented the feeling that was in the air in Grant Park that night - unity, support and hope. Oprah's team received a letter from a friend of the man and Sam Perry was able to be introduced to the world.
Friday Live in Chicago - George Stephanopoulos:
Ali's husband and political journalist, George Stephanopoulos, appeared on the show via Skype from their home in DC. Ali shared how George had called the election last spring and he declared that he knew because of the state of the country and how traditionally it's hard for the same party to get back into the White House when a president is disliked.
George shared how this election went beyond the issues that held us back in the past - especially race; which 80% of people said didn't matter to their decision. The turning point, George felt, for McCain's race was when he stated the economy was strong on Sept. 15.
Friday Live in Chicago - George on Palin:
George moved on to comment on Sarah Palin and the rough time she has had since McCain's concession speech. Different groups are looking into the spending on designer clothing for Palin to wear on the campaign trail. It appears that part truth and part negativity has come out from anonymous Republicans who became fed up with Palin. George feels that this is not the last people will see of Sarah Palin as Senator Stevens may be forced to resign in Alaska, leaving the position open for Palin to run.
Friday Live in Chicago - Presidential Transition:
Since George worked with the transition into the White House with Clinton, Oprah asked what Obama's team should do differently. George commented that Obama's team has already learned from other's mistakes and has since appointed Representative Rahm Emanuel as his Chief-of-Staff, a man Obama knows has his back.
Many people don't know that Ali was raised in DC with her mother serving as the White House Social Secretary during the Reagan administration. Ali shared that DC has become polarized by parties, but that she feels that Obama will make the change to bring different ideas together again.
Ali went on to state that she would love to be a fly on the wall to see how President Bush and President-Elect Obama sit down during the debriefing. Obama is taking over the country as we are experiencing so many problems with war, jobs, healthcare and a poor housing market - yet he still wants the job. The panel expressed hope that the country is patient with Obama as he has so much to mop up and an enormous debt to decrease.
Friday Live in Chicago - will.i.am:
will.i.am was also a special guest on the show and premiered a new song/video that he created for Obama. After creating the "Yes We Can" video with celebrity friends from the New Hampshire speech, will.i.am has received attention for his support of Obama. His new song and video, "It's A New Day" only took a few days to create after will.i.am experienced Obama's speech in Grant Park. He performed the song for the first time on Oprah's stage. Afterwards, he shared that he couldn't put into words how he felt seeing Obama give his speech in Grant Park, but it was obvious that it moved him tremendously. Oprah ended by saying that she is full of hope for the future and for the country to come together.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Friday Live in Chicago - The Panel Talk Politics:
After months of keeping quiet about the election, Oprah was finally unleashed to talk about politics on Wednesday's episode and on this Friday Live, she was able to talk with the panel - Ali, Mark and Gayle - openly about how they felt during the process and with the results.
Mark shared that he was in North Carolina before Tuesday celebrating his father's 70th birthday and his dad spoke at the party about coming to America in 1948 at 10 years old from Mexico and shared with his family his feeling that this country will give you everything if you're willing to work hard for it.
Watching the election unfold, Mark said his son looked at him and understood by watching that what his grandfather had talked about really was true.
Ali shared that she watched the election and her husband George Stephanopoulos with her daughter in bed. Her 6 year old daughter was really enthused by the process and followed a map as the states were announced.
Gayle read the opening paragraph from an article in Time magazine that was written by Nancy Gibbs that stated:
"Some princes are born in palaces. Some are born in mangers. But a few are born in the imagination, out of scraps of history and hope. Barack Obama never talks about how people see him: I'm not the one making history, he said every chance he got. You are. Yet as he looked out Tuesday night through the bulletproof glass, in a park named for a Civil War general, he had to see the truth on people's faces. We are the ones we've been waiting for, he liked to say, but people were waiting for him, waiting for someone to finish what a King began."
Friday Live in Chicago - Mr. Man:
Oprah talked about "Mr. Man" on Wednesday's episode - in Grant Park on Tuesday night, Oprah sobbed on a stranger's shoulder; she didn't even know his name. Since then, the media has been on a search to find out who "Mr. Man" actually was. To Oprah, the stranger represented the feeling that was in the air in Grant Park that night - unity, support and hope. Oprah's team received a letter from a friend of the man and Sam Perry was able to be introduced to the world.
Friday Live in Chicago - George Stephanopoulos:
Ali's husband and political journalist, George Stephanopoulos, appeared on the show via Skype from their home in DC. Ali shared how George had called the election last spring and he declared that he knew because of the state of the country and how traditionally it's hard for the same party to get back into the White House when a president is disliked.
George shared how this election went beyond the issues that held us back in the past - especially race; which 80% of people said didn't matter to their decision. The turning point, George felt, for McCain's race was when he stated the economy was strong on Sept. 15.
Friday Live in Chicago - George on Palin:
George moved on to comment on Sarah Palin and the rough time she has had since McCain's concession speech. Different groups are looking into the spending on designer clothing for Palin to wear on the campaign trail. It appears that part truth and part negativity has come out from anonymous Republicans who became fed up with Palin. George feels that this is not the last people will see of Sarah Palin as Senator Stevens may be forced to resign in Alaska, leaving the position open for Palin to run.
Friday Live in Chicago - Presidential Transition:
Since George worked with the transition into the White House with Clinton, Oprah asked what Obama's team should do differently. George commented that Obama's team has already learned from other's mistakes and has since appointed Representative Rahm Emanuel as his Chief-of-Staff, a man Obama knows has his back.
Many people don't know that Ali was raised in DC with her mother serving as the White House Social Secretary during the Reagan administration. Ali shared that DC has become polarized by parties, but that she feels that Obama will make the change to bring different ideas together again.
Ali went on to state that she would love to be a fly on the wall to see how President Bush and President-Elect Obama sit down during the debriefing. Obama is taking over the country as we are experiencing so many problems with war, jobs, healthcare and a poor housing market - yet he still wants the job. The panel expressed hope that the country is patient with Obama as he has so much to mop up and an enormous debt to decrease.
Friday Live in Chicago - will.i.am:
will.i.am was also a special guest on the show and premiered a new song/video that he created for Obama. After creating the "Yes We Can" video with celebrity friends from the New Hampshire speech, will.i.am has received attention for his support of Obama. His new song and video, "It's A New Day" only took a few days to create after will.i.am experienced Obama's speech in Grant Park. He performed the song for the first time on Oprah's stage. Afterwards, he shared that he couldn't put into words how he felt seeing Obama give his speech in Grant Park, but it was obvious that it moved him tremendously. Oprah ended by saying that she is full of hope for the future and for the country to come together.
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