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Talk show maven Oprah Winfrey is campaigning today in Iowa for Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

As part of a three-state campaigning blitz, Winfrey will also campaign in New Hampshire and South Carolina, two key states in the Democratic primaries that will help decide whether Obama becomes the party’s presidential candidate.

Political insiders aren’t sure what kind of impact Winfrey will have on the campaign trail, but the American public has already seen the O effect on books, television, publishing and movies. Oprah’s show is viewed by 9 million people every day, most of these people are women and about half are older than 50, a demographic that is very similar to the average Iowa Caucus voter.

People have been abuzz with news of the double O factor. Katharine Q. Seelye of the New York Times asked at the end of November:

“Can the Oprah magic that converts books into best-sellers translate to politics? Will the viewers, mostly women, who follow her advice on daytime television follow it into the voting booth?[Or] Will she alienate her viewers by overtly taking sides in the increasingly intense debate between the man who could become the first black president and the woman who could become the first woman president?”

Robin N. Hamilton of the Huffington Post said Oprah’s presence on the campaign trail could encourage more civic participation from previously uninvolved voters, even if those people don’t end up pulling the lever for Obama.

“What is significant about Oprah is that at the very least, her participation may encourage a sector of the population to engage in political debate, a debate they may otherwise have avoided,” Hamilton said.

But Joe from Vermont, who posted a response to Seelye’s article, said there is one person with even more political clout and power than Oprah.

“As for Oprah and the rest, I don’t think endorsements have much weight,” Joe said. ”I’m sure the crowds will come out to see Oprah and a few will be converted. If you take past campaigns, all the union, press and other endorsements didn’t really change things. It’s the American voter that decides.”