Original Air Date:
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Special Guests:
- Daughtry
- Tyler Perry
- James Carville
- Mary Matalin
- Elisabeth Hasselbeck
- Whoopi Goldberg
Election Day Voting Party :
Fred Armisen as Sen. Barack Obama and Darrell Hammond as Sen. John McCain from SNL opened the Oprah Show voting party with a message from the "candidates" - ending with "Live from Chicago, it's Oprah!"
Oprah entered the stage to the music of Daughtry, her house band for the day, performing "Feels Like Tonight." Oprah was so excited as she entered the stage, sharing how she couldn't sleep the night before since she has been counting down the days and it was finally here! For the first time ever, Oprah told viewers that if they were watching her show and haven't voted yet to turn off the tv and get to the polls!
Election Day Voting Party - Audience Declare:
Wearing special shirts from The Gap, the entire Oprah audience had white shirts stating "Vote for ____" with each person stating what they personally were voting for. Oprah went around the audience and announced the different messages, which included:
- Victory
- Justice
- Change
- Me & You
- More Jobs
- A Bold New World (Oprah's)
- Life Long Learning
- Truth
- Health & Prosperity
- Support
- Healthcare
- Unity
- Goals
- Love
- Strength
- As well as many, many others.
Stating that this election is unlike anything we have seen in our lifetime, Oprah shared that people should not watch alone - so she visited Skypers throwing parties.
Election Day Voting Party - Party, The View & First Time Voters:
Lisa and Steve as well as a few of their friends appeared via Skype from DC to share their election night party plans. Planning on 3- guests, Lisa and Steve planned their menu around the candidates including deep dish pizza and kielbasa from Chicago and moose meat sliders and salmon from Alaska.
Next up, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Whoopi Goldberg appeared to tell voters that while they don't agree on many things, one thing that they do agree on is that everyone needs to get out and use their right to vote - no more excuses.
Oprah then talked to a section of the audience filled with excited first time voters.
Election Day Voting Party - Daughtry & The League of First Time Voters:
Daughtry was up next with the song they recorded for The League of First Time Voters and performed at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions - "Feels Like the First Time" was dedicated to all the first time voters. After the performance, the 5 members of the band including lead singer Chris Daughtry shared that they were thrilled to team up with the LFTV to get the message out to people to vote, regardless of which candidate they support.
Election Day Voting Party - Tyler Perry:
Tyler Perry, a good friend of Oprah, announced that he had never voted before which surprised many people. Oprah's cameras went along with Perry to his polling place in Atlanta to record his experience and get his take on deciding to share his trip with others. While driving to the polling place, Perry shared that he wanted to set a better example for others and help people who felt like him to understand that their vote really does matter. Talking to people who were waiting in line to vote, Perry was thrilled to see everyone's dedication to the election. After he voted he shared, "this is power."
Election Day Voting Party - Nettie Whittington:
To encourage viewers to appreciate their right to vote, Oprah introduced a filmed segment introducing Nettie Whittington, an African-American woman born in 1899 in Mississippi who didn't get the right to vote until 1965. At 109 years old, Nettie is surrounded by her 11 children, 39 grandchildren, 47 great grandchildren, and 7 great great grandchildren - to whom she has passed down a passion for voting. The family looks at Nettie as living history and as example for why voting is so important for every American of age. Nettie's grandson shared that voting isn't a race or party issue, but an American issue.
Election Day Voting Party - New American Citizens:
Some Americans are voting for the first time because they have just recently received the right by becoming citizens. Oprah's camera followed Viorica from the former Soviet Union, who has been in the US for the last 17 years but became a citizen this past summer, and Natalie from Rwanda, who has been in the US for 20 years and became a citizen this past March, as well as Farnaz from Iran, who after living in the US for 14 years became a citizen in April of 2006. Each of these women were moved and emotional as they voted for the first time.
Afer the clip ended, Oprah was on stage with around 20 people who voted for the first time after recently becoming American Citizens, including 2 men from Sudan who were part of the Lost Boys. Each of them shared how excited and emotional they were to be able to have freedom in America and make their voices heard.
Election Day Voting Party - Carville & Matalin:
Oprah then moved to a piece with the couple James Carville and Mary Matalin who shared that while they support different parties, they strive to resolve what they disagree on and share that ideal with their 2 daughters.
Election Day Voting Party - Party & Daughtry:
Before closing out the show, Oprah made one last drop in via Skype to another party in North Carolina with sisters Ekiti and Zavier who voted early and planned a party for 40 guests with election themed food. Their menu included items such as "lipstick on pigs in a blanket," "Democratic deviled eggs, and "Chili for Change."
Daughtry them performed their hit song, "What About Now" and Oprah provided viewers with the number to call in case of problems voting - 1.866.OUR.VOTE. Daughtry then closed the show by perform their song "Home."
