Is Oprah Biased? Host Won't Interview Palin

Sept. 5, 2008 — -- She may have let Tom Cruise jump all over her couch, but Oprah Winfrey says that Sarah Palin can't even sit on it.

At least not until after the presidential election, that is.

Responding to media reports first publicized on Matt Drudge's "The Drudge Report" claiming there was turmoil at Winfrey's Harpo Studios about whether to book the GOP vice presidential nominee on the popular talk show, Winfrey's camp said today that while she has nothing against Palin, the veep hopeful won't appear on the show anytime soon.

"The item in today's 'Drudge Report' is categorically untrue," Winfrey said in a written statement provided to ABCNews.com. "There has been absolutely no discussion about having Sarah Palin on my show.

"At the beginning of the presidential campaign, when I decided that I was going to take my first public stance in support of a candidate, I made the decision not to use my show as a platform for any of the candidates," Winfrey wrote.

"I agree that Sarah Palin would be a fantastic interview, and I would love to have her on after the campaign is over."

But Winfrey, who publicly endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in May 2008, is being widely criticized by some fans of the show who say she's being unfair and biased.

"She's being two-faced," said Dr. Cindy Grossman-Green, a pediatrician and Oprah fan from outside Philadelphia. "She initially had Obama on her show, but now that she's decided [to support him], she won't have any other political candidates on."

Grossman-Green is referring to the two times Obama appeared on Winfrey's show prior to announcing his plans to run for the presidency, once in January 2005 and, more recently, in October 2006.

Some Winfrey fans say that Obama's appearance on the show at all -- regardless of the timing and his political aspirations during his visits -- are irrelevant and that Winfrey's decision to blacklist Palin from her show could very well backfire.

"I don't think most people even care about the timing [of when Obama went on the show]," Grossman-Green said. "They just know Winfrey is pro-Obama and that she had him on.

Is Oprah Politically Biased?

"Once she brings Obama on and opens the door to political people [on her show], it's only fair to bring both Republicans and Democrats on," she added.

But, according to mother and Winfrey fan Donna Chaffins, when Obama appeared on the show does matter.

"Personally, as long as she claims she will not use her show as a platform and as long as she doesn't campaign for him on the show, I have no problem with her waiting to have Palin on the show," Chaffins said.

Chaffins said that she "would have an issue" if, now that nominations have been decided, Winfrey had only the Democratic candidates on and not the Republicans.

"I want her to be fair," said Chaffins, who is undecided on whom she will vote for come November.

Can Oprah Balance Her Support for Obama With Her Support for Women?

While Winfrey's endorsement of Obama is here to stay, why she will not invite Palin on her show, as one of the powerful women she often features, is unclear to many fans who said that regardless of her policies, Palin is making history.

"Whether you agree with Sarah Palin and her positions or not, the fact that she's the first female Republican vice presidential candidate is historical," said Joanne Bamberger, who runs the blog Punditmom1.blogspot.com.

"I'd have to imagine her audience would really want to see Palin," said Bamberger, who said that she is voting Democratic but still would love to see Palin interviewed by Winfrey. "It seems to me that Winfrey's show is all about empowering women."

By not having Palin on the show, Grossman-Green says that Winfrey is actually doing a disservice to her predominantly female audience, many of whom look for inspiration in the guests who appear on the show.

"She's doing an injustice to women by not having Palin on," Grossman-Green said. "Palin is a wonderful role model of what we're all trying to do as working women -- which is everything."

But not everyone thinks that it would make sense for Oprah to counter her support for Obama by allowing Palin to appear on her show.

Oprah and Politics

"Having Palin on the show would be a conflict of interest," said Elwood Watson, a professor of history and African-American studies at East Tennessee State University and co-author of "The Oprah Phenomenon."

"She's made up her mind, and she's not going to sway from it," said Watson, when asked whether it would be plausible for Winfrey to simultaneously support Obama and interview Palin on her show, which could be interpreted as an endorsement. "How can you endorse two people?"

With almost 1,000 comments on her community message board dedicated to a possible Palin interview, Winfrey is already garnering strong reaction among her fans -- both those who are pleased with her decision and those who are not, such as Grossman-Green.

"I'm actually pretty angry with her right now because of this," she said. "I don't think I will be a gung-ho supporter right now.

"I'd think twice about switching her on or even buying her magazine."