Oprah Winfrey He showed up unexpectedly and fired up the crowd of Democrats, who vociferously supported Harris.
“We’re so excited right now and we can’t wait to get out here and do something,” she said. “What we’re trying to do is elect Kamala Haria as the next president of the United States.”
Winfrey warned about politicians seeking to sow division and push a message of fear in the country, but called on Americans to come together.
“If we unite, we are impossible to conquer,” she said.
Winfrey quoted the late Rep. John Lewis (D-Calif.) in speaking about the ongoing effort to protect freedom.
“When a house is on fire, we don’t ask what race or religion the people in the house are. We don’t care who their partner is or how they voted. We just do our best to save them,” she said. “And if the house happens to be a childless cat-loving home, we try to get the cats out, too.”
Winfrey’s comments were a reference to remarks made by Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance on television in 2021, in which he lamented that the country is run by “childless, cat-loving women.”
The iconic talk show host accused Trump of using “old tricks and metaphors” to distract the American people.
“But we’ve moved beyond the stupid tweets and the lies and the stupidity,” she said. “These are complicated times and we need to have an adult conversation.”
Winfrey’s speech evoked emotions among convention attendees, with cameras showing delegates wiping away tears and chanting “USA.”
“Soon we’ll be teaching our daughters and sons how an idealistic immigrant child of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father became the 47th president of the United States,” she said. “That’s the best part of America.”
Winfrey denounced Trump’s comments about the election and made a direct appeal to independents and undecided voters to show the importance of voting: “You all know I speak to the truth that what matters most in leadership and in life is values and character.”
She said the November vote will be about “civility and respect” and common sense.
“We are Americans. Let us choose loyalty to the Constitution over loyalty to individuals. That is America at its best. Let us choose optimism over cynicism. That is America at its best. Let us choose inclusion over retaliation. Let us choose common sense over nonsense. That is America at its best. Let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday,” she said.
Winfrey continued, “We’re not going to back down. We’re not going to back down, we’re not going to be pushed back, we’re not going to be bullied or kicked back. We’re not going to back down. Let’s choose truth, let’s choose honor, let’s choose joy, because that’s what America is best at.”
She ended by calling on voters to elect Harris as the next president in November.
