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had to move. Cindy asked why, pointing out there was no room, and Stevie Wonder was about to perform. Another guard came over and told Bob they had to move or leave. Bob said they had come with the Obamas and they were not moving or leaving. This all happened within earshot of everyone on adjacent blankets, who were watching, except for Oprah and Stedman, who sat with their backs to Cindy and Bob as if they didn’t know what was going on. One would think a hostess would have her security guards stand down to avoid escalating an unpleasant situation. But no. The guards then took out notebooks and wrote down their names, repeatedly asking for the spelling of Moelis as if to loudly embarrass them into leaving. They stayed for the performance.… The event was fantastic, except for Oprah making two people feel very unwelcome.”

Such moments become indelible because some people expected Oprah to be at all times what she appeared to be on the air—a woman of enveloping warmth, charm, and affability.

“She was fabulous when she took the microphone and introduced Barack,” said another guest. “She was passionate, gracious, and intoxicating in her remarks.”

She began by saying that her home in Montecito was sacred to her, explaining that she called it “The Promised Land” because she was living Martin Luther King’s dream. For that reason she said she would not open it for just any event. “This is where Stedman and I lead our private life,” she said. “I haven’t participated in politics because no one inspired me until now.… After all of my years in business I don’t trust many people, but I have learned to trust my own instincts.… I believe we have a man here who can make a difference and bring dignity back to the people of the United States.… I believe in destiny. If someone has a calling, there is nothing that can stop that destiny.” For that reason she said she had committed herself totally to Obama and was willing to take whatever the media hurled at her for doing so. She also mentioned the $2,300 price tag for the event and said that no one, “not even my best friend, Gayle,” got in without paying.

Oprah understood her worth to Obama. When she talked about her endorsement on Larry King Live, she said, “I think my value to him, my support of him, is probably worth more than any check that I could write.” Federal Election Commission records show that she wrote only one—for $2,300. Yet she raised more than $3 million for him in California, and in Chicago some of her employees provided additional funds:

Jill Adams, Harpo producer $ 250

Judith Banks-Johnson, Harpo producer 500

William L. Becker, Harpo, Inc., general counsel 300

Timothy Bennett, Harpo, Inc., president 2,300

Tracey Carter, Harpo associate producer 250

Amy Coleman, Harpo supervising producer 2,000

Lisa Erspamer, Harpo co-executive producer 2,300

John Gehron, Harpo Radio general manager 250

Aaron Heeter, Harpo Studios freelance production 250

Dianne A. Hudson, Harpo Studios special advisor 2,300

John Keith, Harpo Radio producer 250

Lindsey Kotler, Harpo executive assistant 250

Joseph Lecz, Harpo production manager 250

Elizabeth E. Moore, Harpo chief of staff 2,300

Irma Norris, Harpo production manager 3,300

Ellen S. Rakieten, Harpo executive vice president 2,300

Davida Rice, Harpo attorney 4,500

Hilary Robe, Harpo senior associate producer 500

Sheri Salata, Harpo co-executive producer 2,300

Harriet Seitler, Harpo executive vice president 4,600

James Slanger, Harpo Studios audio engineer 500

Erin Dailey Smith, Harpo researcher 250

Stacy Strazis, Harpo producer 500

Oprah Winfrey, self-employed, Harpo 2,300

Andrea Wishom Young, Harpo producer 2,000

TOTAL: $36,800

After endorsing Obama, Oprah experienced repercussions from viewers, who lashed out on her message boards:

“Oprah is a traitor!!!!”

“In bad taste.”

“I will never watch your show again.”

In 2008 the Harris poll announced that Ellen DeGeneres had beaten Oprah as America’s Favorite TV Personality, a position Oprah had held for the previous five years.

Twelve weeks after her California