Oprah Winfrey mocks JD Vance with shoutout to 'childless cat ladies', urging voters to 'choose common sense' at DNC

22 August 2024, 09:08 | Updated: 22 August 2024, 09:10

Television star Oprah Winfrey took aim at Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance during a surprise speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago.

The billionaire talk show host received roaring applause and a standing ovation on day three of the Democrat convention as she formally endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 Presidential election.

She made a direct plea to independent voters, as one herself, asking "all you independents and undecideds" to "choose common sense over nonsense".

"Decency and respect are on the ballot in 2024," the self-described 'registered independent' told the crowd.

The talk show host then moved on to discuss unity while poking fun at Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance's past comments describing women without children as "childless cat ladies" and "miserable".

"When a house is on fire, we don't ask about the homeowner's race or religion, we don't wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No. We just try to do the best we can to save them," Winfrey said.

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In a swipe at Mr Vance, she continued: "And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out, too."

The comments referred to a 2021 interview in which Mr Vance described Democratic politicians as “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too".

Shelagh Fogarty dismantles JD Vance's 'thick and insulting' comments regarding childless women

Mr Vance claims that the Democrats are 'lying' out the comment's context, telling ABC News: “Do I regret saying it? I regret that the media and the Kamala Harris campaign has, frankly, distorted what I said."

He claims that the comments were intended to argue that the Democrats are "anti-family" and not to 'criticise' people who did not have children.

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Ms Winfrey also praised Michelle and Barack Obama's speeches from the previous night.

"After watching the Obamas last night, that was some epic fire, wasn't it?" She asked the excited crowd. "Some epic fire. We're now so fired up, we can't wait to leave here and do something!"

“It’s good to be home!” Barack Obama announced as he took to the stage in Chicago, Illinois, on Tuesday night.

"Make no mistake, it will be a fight," the former President warned as he took to the stage on day two of the Democratic National Convention.

It followed a rousing speech from wife Michelle, the former First Lady of the United States, who took to the stage before her husband to emphasise that a Trump "sequel" did not bode well for the future of the country.

Ms Winfrey's speech took place alongside a star-studded lineup with a performance from singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder and an appearance by actor Mindy Kaling.