Gayle King: Oprah Winfrey not considering 2020 bid, but is 'intrigued’ by idea

WASHINGTON — “CBS This Morning” host Gayle King said she does not think that her best friend Oprah Winfrey has changed her mind about running for president. Publicly, she has dismissed the idea.

King said she talked to Winfrey on Monday, after a day of speculation about her intentions following her speech at the Golden Globes Awards. The response was so great, it generated talk in traditional and social media throughout the day on the possibility of her running in 2020.

“I absolutely don’t think her position has changed,” King said on “CBS This Morning.” “I was up talking to her late last night. I do think she was intrigued by the idea. I do think that. I also know that after years of watching the ‘Oprah show,’ you always have the right to change your mind. I don’t think at this point she is actually considering it.”

King also tried to explain what Winfrey’s longtime partner, Stedman Graham, meant when he told the Los Angeles Times that “it’s up to the people. She would absolutely do it.”

See photos of Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey together:

King said Graham thought the reporter was asking, “would she make a good president?”

“And he said, ‘Absolutely, she would,'” King said. “That is how he interpreted the question. Because here’s the thing: Stedman would never so cavalierly say, ‘Absolutely she would do it. It’s up to the people.’ He would never just throw it out there like that.”

King added, “She loves this country and would like to be in service in some way, but I don’t think she is actively considering it.”

Watch Gayle King discuss Oprah Winfrey's prospects of running for president below:

Winfrey campaigned for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, and while much of the media focus on Monday was on the possibility of her entering the race and her strengths and weaknesses, it also came with a dose of skepticism that she would actually take the plunge.

When asked about a political bid in October, Winfrey told “CBS This Morning,” “There will be no running for office of any kind for me.”

See photos of Oprah Winfrey at the 2018 Golden Globes:

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