Even the tabloids see Michelle Obama's decision to keep Oprah on a short leash as more smart politics and perception-management than evidence of a cat fight.
In the November 24th edition of GLOBE, Jim Nelson reports that Michelle is again - the first time was the DNC - making sure that the Queen of Talk doesn't steal the spotlight from the President-elect Barack. At the DNC, we all remember that Oprah was way back there in the peanut gallery instead of on stage with other players such as Susan Eisenhower and Everyman who wanted W to care as much for Barney Smith as he did after Smith Barney. The gossip gurus went crazy speculating who was keeping Oprah on a short leash. Now, we seem to know.
According to Nelson, sources say that the future First Lady "believes Oprah is taking far too much credit for getting Barack elected and is already trying to have way too much say in his administration." It irks Michelle that Oprah has even begun to gush about what she's wearing to the Inauguration.
My hunch is that we will see Oprah packed off to be the ambassador of a far-off nation or cut out the loop completely. Michelle's political and public relations instincts are right up there with Karl Rove's. Barack seems to realize that and will cave to what Michelle advises in The Oprah Issue.
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