The impact of celebrity endorsements in political campaigns has long been a topic of debate. But for Vice President Harris’ campaign, the value of such endorsements was quite clear—at least financially. On October 15, the Harris campaign paid Oprah Winfrey’s production company a hefty $1 million. This payment came just weeks after Winfrey publicly endorsed Harris and appeared alongside her at multiple events.
During her endorsement, Winfrey declared, “We’re voting for values and integrity.” However, she left out a key detail: the “value” in question included a million-dollar payment.
While it’s no surprise that Winfrey, known for her progressive stances, would support Harris, she has historically been selective in her political endorsements. Her backing of Barack Obama in 2008 was a rare exception. So, what was the driving force behind her decision in 2024?
The question arises: would Winfrey have made this endorsement without the enticing $1 million payment? Given her status as one of the wealthiest women in the world, it’s not as though she needed the money. If she were truly devoted to Harris’ campaign, she could have just as easily donated the sum herself.
Adding to the mix, reports suggest that Alex Cooper, host of the Call Her Daddy podcast, also received a six-figure payment in connection with Harris’ appearance on her show. This raises eyebrows about whether the interview was simply a paid promotion rather than an authentic endorsement.
Regardless of whether Winfrey and Cooper would have supported Harris without financial compensation, the nature of these transactions casts a shadow over the credibility of their endorsements. Instead of being seen as genuine acts of support, they come across as transactional, tarnishing the appeal and authenticity of the campaign. Worse still, the high-profile events tied to these endorsements failed to boost Harris’ poll numbers or sway the electorate. In the end, the endorsements proved to be ineffective and, arguably, a waste of money.
This mismanagement of campaign funds might explain another troubling issue. Despite raising over $1 billion for a brief 90-day campaign run, Harris’ team reportedly ran out of money before Election Day and had to take out loans to stay afloat.
In hindsight, neither the endorsers nor the campaign comes away unscathed from this fiasco. The endorsements lacked credibility, the expenditures were ineffective, and the campaign’s financial woes only added to the overall embarrassment.
So, there it is.
