Nov 19, 2009 8:56 pm US/Central
Daley: Media Partly To Blame For Oprah's Decision
Chicago Mayor Says Winfrey May Be The Most Successful Woman Ever In The U.S.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Mayor Daley had words of admiration for Oprah Winfrey on Thursday and suggested unfair criticism about her closure of Michigan Avenue may have expedited her departure from Chicago.
CBS
Oprah Winfrey's expected announcement that she'll end her show -- and the prospect that she'll say goodbye to Chicago – has Mayor Daley placing some blame on the media.
CBS 2's Mike Parker reports.
Daley said Thursday evening he's going to call Oprah to get the real story. But he's obviously concerned that if she says farewell to this city it'll be a blow to Chicago's image.
"I think she was the most successful woman that we will ever know in the history of this country," Daley said at a fundraising event for United Negro College Fund.
The mayor says it was the flap over the show's season opener on Michigan Avenue in September that may have helped set Oprah's travel plans in stone. There was criticism about shutting down the Magnificent Mile for days for the taping. She reimbursed the city for costs related to the closure.
"That became a big rhubarb in the Chicago press -- beat up Oprah," Daley told reporters. "So you keep kicking people, people will leave, simple as that."
Pressed about whether the media really caused Oprah to flee, Daley added: "I'm just saying that when someone's doing something like that, most cities would love it. … It's just amazing. I don't know why it became so controversial."
Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper joked on todays CBS 2 Morning News: "I think he's officially lost his mind. I think Richie has gone over the deep end."
There were plenty of Winfrey fans at Thursday's fundraising event. One of them said she could understand why Oprah might want to switch gears.
"You have to start living for yourself and doing some of the things you really want to do," Faye Watson said. "Because it's not promised or guaranteed that you'll be around. (Oprah should) enjoy some of her billions and relieve herself of the stress."
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