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While talking about the upcoming presidential election might seem like an obvious topic for this panel, Oprah says it's not something she wants to talk about. "I declared back in May of last year that I was not going to use my show as a platform," she says. "I chose as a private citizen to speak out for the candidate of my choice, and made the decision that none of the candidates would be coming on the show."
Gayle says she often encounters critics who say Oprah has "snubbed" Alaska Governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin by refusing to have her as a guest. "It was never a snub," Gayle says. "[Oprah] stated very clearly that once she made her statement [endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama], that no one would be on the show. And when people hear that and say, 'Well, she had Barack Obama on.' I go, 'That was before he declared himself to be a candidate.' People are not making that connection."
"I never snubbed Governor Palin because there never was a discussion about Governor Palin being on the show—there never was a discussion. There was some report on the Internet that said it happened. I said, 'That didn't happen. No, I will not be interviewing her on this show during the election because I'm not interviewing anybody during the election,'" Oprah says. "The week before, I had been asked to interview Michelle Obama ... and I said no for the same reason."
"I don't know, I heard that you were moose hunting in Russia with Sarah Palin and you had a whole conversation about it," Ali jokes.
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