What's happening in the political world:
President Oprah?
-- Oprah Winfrey made her mark in the entertainment industry and has also had success in the business world, but is she ready to enter the political arena?
CNN reported two of Winfrey's close friends said the former talk show host is "actively thinking" about a potential 2020 presidential bid.
The possibility of a Winfrey presidential run was raised after she accepted a lifetime achievement award at Sunday night's Golden Globe Awards show.
As some political strategists have pointed out in the past year, Winfrey's fame and wealth could make her a formidable Democratic Party candidate. But insiders have their doubts too: Would Americans really choose a TV star as president twice in a row?
For now, it's all just talk. But her fans demonstrated a lot of wishful thinking on Twitter and Facebook after her speech.
Watch @Oprah's full Cecil B. DeMille Award acceptance speech at the 75th #GoldenGlobes. #TIMESUP pic.twitter.com/4MDm2aRlEi
— O The Oprah Magazine (@O_Magazine) January 8, 2018
Although Winfrey has deflected questions about a presidential run in the past, she has also acknowledged that President Trump's election upended assumptions about how to pursue political office.
After the speech, Winfrey's longtime partner Stedman Graham was quoted saying a run is certainly a possibility.
"It's up to the people," Graham told a Los Angeles Times reporter. "She would absolutely do it."
Billionaire won't run for office, plans to help Democrats in House races
-- California billionaire and Democratic Party supporter Tom Steyer announced Monday that he would not be running for a Senate seat or for California governor, but he said he would help Democrats in this year's midterm elections.
Steyer said that running for office is "not where I can make the greatest difference." Instead, he will put in $30 million to mobilize voters and assist Democrats in retaking the House.
I believe 2018 will be a battle for the soul of America, and our mission is clear: we have to take back the House. pic.twitter.com/Nmafp83zAn
— Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) January 8, 2018
To that end, we'll be putting $30 million behind our youth organizing program in ten states, and redoubling our efforts with the Need to Impeach campaign -- already over 4 million strong.
— Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) January 8, 2018
Last year, Steyer spent over $10 million in a nationwide ad campaign that called for President Trump's impeachment.
Over the last two election cycles, Steyer has donated more than $150 million to California democrats.
Ex-Trump campaign staffer: "Mistake" to give author White House access
-- A former adviser to Donald Trump's presidential campaign said that the decision to give White House access to the author of a bombshell book about the Trump administration was a mistake.
Michael Caputo told CNN's "New Day" that Michael Wolff's book, "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," is "trash."
"You guys let him in. You guys opened the door," "New Day" co-host Chris Cuomo said, referring to the interviews and White House access granted to Wolff.
"That was a mistake," Caputo replied.
"And you gave him tons of access, including the President who spoke to him about the book, so shame on you, not Michael Wolff, right?" Cuomo continued.
"No doubt," Caputo said.
Trump's morning tweet(s)
-- The president spoke on minority unemployment rates on his Twitter timeline Monday morning:
African American unemployment is the lowest ever recorded in our country. The Hispanic unemployment rate dropped a full point in the last year and is close to the lowest in recorded history. Dems did nothing for you but get your vote! #NeverForget @foxandfriends
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018
CNN contributed to this report
