Celebrities Cheer Obama Victory
Elizabeth Hasselbeck, Oprah Winfrey, and George Clooney
Daytime talk show hosts and celebs across the country are voicing their sentiments on Tuesday's historic victory for President-Elect Barack Obama.
Right off the bat, morning show hosts Regis Philbin and a very patriotic Kelly Ripa (wearing an American flag dress) had the crowds on their feet. "Let's hear it for our new president," shouted Regis to get the audience going. "It's time, really, for everyone to unite behind this young guy and wish him the best and best thoughts and even, may I say on American television, your prayers. He's got a big load ahead of him."
Ripa revealed that during Obama's victory speech, she broke down crying. "It doesn't matter where you fall on the political spectrum, what happened last night was history, and it's something we can all be proud of."
Over at The View, the ladies shared in a very emotional moment. A beaming Whoopi Goldberg began the show saying, "Last night history was made when Barack Obama was voted 44th President of the United States." The co-host also admitted that despite being an American, it was the first time she felt she was a truly part of the country. "I could put my suitcase down, finally."
As Barbara Walters called it, "all eyes" were on Elizabeth Hasselbeck's reaction — and it surprised many viewers. "God knows I fought hard on the other side but today is a victory for this country," said Hasselbeck. "I will get in a long line of supporters...and support our president." The feisty conservative even gave Joy Behar a fist bump to show there's no ill blood between the two.
But the emotions spilled over when Sherri Shepherd broke down while recollecting how she was looking at her son and finally was able to say there are "no limitations" for him because of his race — much different than the message Shepherd heard growing up.
One of Obama's biggest supporters, Oprah Winfrey, told BBC News, "It feels like hope won. It feels like it's not just victory for Barack Obama. It feels like America did the right thing." But the real celebration came Wednesday during her post-election special. "He will unify and bring this country together," the daytime diva announced before bringing out her expert political panel via satellite to discuss Obama and his victory. After several clips, montages and a collaborated performance of Bebe Winans, CeCe Winans, Vince Gill and Wynonna Judd singing "We Need Each Other Right Now," Winfrey concluded the show with the comment, "This is what democracy really feels like."
More Celebrity Reactions:
- George Clooney (from Access Hollywood): "I congratulate President-elect Obama on his historic victory, and now it's time to begin unifying the country so we can take on the extraordinary challenges that this generation faces."
- Madonna: "This is a historical evening! ... We are lucky to be sharing it with each other!"
- Jamie Lee Curtis: "Thank you Barack Obama. Thank you for four years ago making me say out loud 'Why can't he be our candidate?' Thank you for blowing away the ether of complacency. Thank you for beating that maver-"ICK" and his running date. Thank you for being patient with this insane process we call democracy."
- Singer Usher (from Access Hollywood): "This will go down in history, in black history, for all of the sacrifices that the great Joseph Lowery and Martin Luther King made, this actually pays off for their sacrifice. ... I'm speechless. I don't even know what to say."
- Diddy (from AP): "I felt like my vote was the vote that put him into office. ... And that may not be true but that's how much power it felt like I had."
- Former Secretary of State Colin Powell: "We're very, very proud to have a new American president who also happens to be African-American ... As I watched [the news anchors call the election] — pretty moving moment. Everybody cried ... I am overjoyed."
