Oprahpalooza!

Oprah Winfrey said worry about the direction of her country and a personal belief in Barack Obama pushed her to make her first endorsement in a presidential campaign, invaluable support in a tight race for the Democratic nomination.

The weekend "Oprahpalooza" lends A-list star power to Obama's campaign, drawing huge crowds that Obama hopes will turn into his fans. Tens of thousands were expected to turn out for the media diva's Iowa stops and her Sunday visits to South Carolina and New Hampshire with Obama and his wife. In South Carolina, the campaign ran out of the 18,000 tickets originally available for the biggest event and moved it to the 80,000-seat University of South Carolina football stadium.

In Iowa, spectators lined up hours early. Cameras flashed in the capacity crowd during Winfrey's speech, which opened to loud applause and was frequently interrupted by cries of "We love Oprah."

Winfrey said she felt nervous and "out of my pew" as she addressed a gathering hall packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the largest gathering of Iowans in the campaign this year. But she did not hide her political convictions, making an argument for change from the Bush administration other than another Clinton in the White House.

The talk show queen did not mention the current president or Obama rival Hillary Rodham Clinton by name, but was not subtle about her feelings for Clinton's argument that Obama doesn't have the experience to be president when she voted to authorize the war in Iraq.

"The amount of time you spend in Washington means nothing unless you are accountable for the judgment you made," Winfrey said. She said from the beginning Obama "stood with clarity and conviction against this war in Iraq."

"There are times that I even worry about what happens to our country," Winfrey said, standing on a small stage before a sea of people in the 100,000-square-foot hall. "That is why for the very first time in my life I feel compelled to stand up and speak out for the man who I believe has a new vision for America."

I have heard some of the derogatory remarks made by others about having "Hollywood" get behind a candidate. But Oprah is so much more then just a celebrity. She is a force of nature.

And to have that force of nature feel compelled to break her silence for the first time and use her vast influence to support a candidate that she has complete confidence in at a time when our country is in desperate need of healing, speaks to all of us who have watched the destruction of our once great nation through tear stained eyes. Oprah feels the same despair that we have all felt and if she thinks the antidote is Barack Obama then I have every confidence that she will energize the voting base like never before.

I am fine with Obama being the Democrats choice in 08, I just hope that he offers John Edwards a partnership, as I still feel that is the best possible ticket the Democrats could possibly offer.

And there is no Republican or combination of Republicans that would stand a chance. And you can take that to the bank.