Thread by @cmclymer

Not that I don't loooooove the racist and sexist erasure of Oprah's extraordinary accomplishments in comparing her to Trump, but let's get ALL the facts straight between the two... (thread)

Oprah was born to an unmarried teenager mother, a domestic worker. She was raised in rural poverty. She literally wore dresses made of potato sacks.

Trump was born to a millionaire real estate developer. He never wanted for anything material. He attended private school.

Oprah earned a full scholarship to Tenn St., where she worked part-time jobs to keep herself afloat and earned a BA in Comms.

Trump's daddy paid for him to screw around at Fordham and after a transfer--supposedly for the real estate program--at UPenn's Wharton School.

Oprah worked her way up through local media in Nashville, Baltimore, and Chicago for seven years, earning her stripes. Despite setbacks, it paid off: she was hired to host AM Chicago in 1983. Within months, she took it from last place to the highest-rated talk show in the city.

Trump received five deferments from service in the Vietnam War, the last being a medical excuse for "heel spurs". Despite supposedly being in excellent shape and having no apparent political opposition to Vietnam, he failed to serve his country. What a patriot.

Within years, Oprah created the most successful daytime talk show in history, #1 in ratings for 25 years, ranked by TV Guide as the 19th greatest television show ever.

Trump started out w/ a $1 million loan from his father. Later: loans from his siblings. Has had 6 bankruptcies.

Oprah's show won 47 Emmys over its run. It would have won more, but she took it out of contention starting in 2000. So, about 13-14 seasons.

Trump never won an Emmy over 13 seasons total. Sad!

Oprah is worth just under $3 billion, long ranking her among Forbes' Richest Americans. It'd be more, but she's also been among the 50 Most Generous Americans, giving more $400m to charitable causes, notably education. Oh, yeah: Forbes gave her a self-made score of "10". Highest.

Trump is worth just over $3 billion. He fell out of the Forbes 400 on several occasions due to his numerous bankruptcies and lawsuits. He's repeatedly lied about his charitable giving (including to veterans groups) and even funneled cash away from St. Jude's Hospital (really).

Oprah can articulate complete, eloquent sentences (even whole paragraphs!) that indicate consistent and varied thought rooted in a sound system of personal beliefs and ethics. She is widely acknowledged as uncommonly brilliant in honest communications.

Trump... well... you know.

Oprah has not sexually assaulted or harassed another human being.

Oprah has never RT'd white supremacists.

Oprah has never asked us to listen to Nazis.

*sips coffee*

Oprah has never mocked a person with a disability or called Mexicans rapists or lied an avg. of six times a day to the press for an entire year or bragged about sexual assault or made creepy, sexual remarks toward children or encouraged violence against people of color...

*ahem*

Look, I think only folks with substantial experience in the realities of governing should be president and there are valid critiques of Oprah, but as god is my witness, I will not hear the patently absurd idea that Oprah is "just another celebrity billionaire like Trump".

If you wish to hold Oprah accountable on the merits of her policy views and/or vision of our political system, that is your obligation as a citizen, but to dismiss her accomplishments as comparable to Trump's career is entirely slanderous.

This is a Black Woman in America who came from nothing but a hard-working mother and grandmother, and through grit, empathy, and humor, established an unrivaled personal media empire. She is Trump's business opposite, in terms of race, sure, but mostly: in terms of SUCCESS.

Call your shots as a citizen, but don't disregard the truth for a tidy narrative. /thread