Oprah Winfrey had a big gathering of celebrities to endorse and promote Kamala Harris for president. We are talking big names like Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, Jennifer Lopez and Meryl Streep. I don’t have the national recognition of Oprah Winfrey. I don’t have her wealth ($3 billion) or influence. I don’t begrudge her. She’s an amazing person. 

Do you relate well to Oprah Winfrey? While you might enjoy her on television, do you think at this point in life that she is able to connect on your level? What about Jennifer Lopez (worth over $400 million) and Julia Roberts (worth $250 million)? There are many Hollywood stars who we would enjoy meeting but how long would that relationship last? How much do you have in common with George Clooney? What about Jeff Bezos ($209 billion) the owner of Amazon or Mark Zuckerberg ($194 billion) the owner of Facebook?

Do you think they ever worry about buying groceries or making the rent payment? Do they know anything about being on food stamps or sitting in the public assistance office hoping government assistance will work out? Do they worry about their Social Security check being taxed even more? I’m sure they had a few knocks on the way to the top, most everyone does – unless you are Kamala Harris. She didn’t have to win a single primary to become the Democratic nominee for president. She is not there quite yet.

Is it important for you to know the opinions of the rich and famous? Do you think they love you, worry about your finances, and health? Or, are they playing monopoly on a whole different level?

I’m not saying Donald Trump, ($6.9 billion) understands your pain any more than they do. He’s a billionaire as well. 

The bottom line is not what the rich and famous tell you to do but what you feel, think, and who you believe will be the best president of the United States. You have your own brain. I trust we will all assimilate the information we have and make our own choices. Voting is private. Oprah won’t be watching. Vote your heart and conscience. 

I’m a registered Republican but I’ve voted Democrat numerous times. Lyndon Johnson came to my home county, Martin County, Kentucky when I was a kid. He cared and he tried to help. I was a child so I couldn’t vote. I did vote for Jimmy Carter. He was a good and decent man. I voted for Bill Clinton. I thought he was a good president. I voted for Barack Obama his first time around. My sick wife of 12 years could not obtain health insurance. We were totally drained and beat down by insurance companies rejecting us because of her pre-existing condition. Obamacare is not great insurance but we would have been thrilled to have it during that time. So, I’ve done something many people refuse to do and that is to vote for the person and not necessarily the party. 

I voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020 and will again very soon. Overall, I think he is the best person for the job. I can’t see Harris as the commander-in-chief. She doesn’t impress me as someone who will visit Kermit, WV, Springfield, Ohio, Aurora, Colorado, or even our southern border. She feels more comfortable with Oprah and surrounded by her celebrity friends. I don’t believe she will ever go to Inez, Kentucky like President Johnson did, drink water out of gourd and sit on the front porch with someone like Tom Fletcher. I’m not saying Trump will either but he has gone to a lot more out of the way places than Harris seems to be willing to go. You and I will have to draw our conclusions and individually cast our votes. 

—  Dr. Glenn Mollette is an author and his column is published in over 600 publications in all 50 states.