Surprise (to No One)! Oprah Still Has the Power

Canada

Surprise (to No One)! Oprah Still Has the Power

Thu., Aug. 28, 2008 9:47 AM PDT by Gina Serpe

ABC/CHRIS CHAVIRA

Sure, some of Oprah Winfrey's female contemporaries may be heads of state, chair major financial corporations and be second to none in philanthropic endeavors, but if they don't have a daily talk show, they should just take a number…preferably behind Winfrey.

The daytime diva cum political kingmaker once again made the cut on Forbes' annual list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.

While she did not top the list, coming in at No. 36, she was deemed more powerful than queens Elizabeth II and Rania Al-Abdullah, first lady Laura Bush and billionaire philanthropist Melinda Gates.

Joining the talk host on the list-loving magazine's fifth annual roundup were some more names recognizable to anyone who owns a television, including news mavens Meredith Vieira (61), Katie Couric (62), Barbara Walters (who must be stewing at ranking below former View protégée Vieira at 63) and Diane Sawyer (65).

On the political side, lame duck first lady Bush came in at No. 44, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ranked No. 35, Condoleeza Rice nabbed the No. 7 spot and the ever-newsworthy Hillary Rodham Clinton checked in at No. 28.

For the third consecutive year, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel claimed the top spot.