One of the most famous faces ever to appear on Spanish-language TV is getting political. Journalist Cristina Saralegui, who for 21 years hosted “El Show de Cristina” on Univision, is endorsing President Obama in a new campaign commercial.
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Her Univision show ended in 2010, and she subsequently signed on to host a weekly program on competitor Telemundo. Last month, Saralegui announced that her Telemundo program would not be returning for another season.
The Cuban-born Saralegui began her career as a journalist, though her Univision talk show was so succesful it drew comparisons between her and Oprah Winfrey. She has historically left her personal politics at the door during her career, though without a regular show, she may feel she has more flexibility than she once did.
The Miami Herald has more on the significance of the endorsement:
It is the first-ever presidential endorsement for the popular Miami media figure, often called the “Hispanic Oprah” for her two-decade run on Univisión… She is “one of the most trusted names in the Hispanic community and we’re honored to have Cristina be a spokesperson for the campaign, speaking directly to Hispanic voters about the President’s accomplishments,” said campaign spokesman Jim Messina.