Slamming Obama and Winfrey to praise Clinton

Comedian Roseanne Barr, novelist Anne Rice endorse the senator from New York. With friends like these...

Published January 12, 2008 12:00AM (EST)

Oh, Roseanne.

The most convoluted endorsement of the presidential election season so far burbled up on comedian Roseanne Barr's blog. Wednesday, Barr lauded Hillary Clinton by slinging mud at Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey, who's campaigned for Obama: "Obama sells hope in lieu of TRUTH. Obama votes with Bush constantly funding this terrible endless war. He is completely anti union in his votes, corporately owned as completely as hilary (sic), and this just proves how stupid americans (sic) are, and how they can be tricked so easily by the color of a person's skin ... exactly what MLK hated! Obama doesn't even back reproductive rights for any woman! It is historical that Oprah Winfrey, beloved of women, chooses a flashy man with small credentials over a seasoned woman politician with 35 years experience ... and sells that to the female demographic who look to her for inspiration!"

Then, a few hours later, under the headline "feeling pissed off," Barr writes: "that a woman finally made it through the boys' club alive, to make history and that fact isn't even acknowledged. Hilary (sic) is the only woman who ever made it through this far. I have decided that having a woman president before any man of any color is what these times call for. i am a feminist, and I will die one. It matters that a woman made it through ..."

Two days later, Barr's madly backpedaling, after her site was swamped with traffic from political and celebrity blogs. Now, she's apologizing on her blog to Oprah and pledging that she really, really likes Obama and Oprah, too. Really. She just "got carried away with my preference for Hilary over Obama. I think that she's smarter and better than he is, but any Democrat is better than any Republican, and will get my vote no matter who ends up on top." Gee, any Democrat. How's that for a ringing endorsement? Don't expect to see the Clinton campaign putting out a press release about this one.

Meanwhile, Obama picks up the endorsement of Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, the most prominent Democrat in a state that the Dems are hoping to have a shot at winning this November. While over on YouTube, vampire novelist Anne Rice endorses Clinton, declaring that she's "ecstatic" about Clinton's win in New Hampshire primary. Her dream team: a "Clinton/Obama" ticket.

See for yourself here:


By Katharine Mieszkowski

Katharine Mieszkowski is a senior writer for Salon.

MORE FROM Katharine Mieszkowski


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2008 Elections Barack Obama Broadsheet Hillary Rodham Clinton Love And Sex Oprah Winfrey