Winfrey's star power helps Obama win primaries

New York, Aug 6 : Oprah Winfrey's star power has helped presidential candidate Barack Obama win the primaries, say two leading academics.

According to two University of Maryland economists found that Winfrey was able to put 1,015,519 votes in the Obama column through her impact.

Craig Garthwaite and Tim Moore developed complex numerical formulas to calibrate the might of Oprah's star power, based on book sales, TV ratings, voter turnout," reports the New York Post.

Meanwhile, Obama celebrated his 47th birthday, yesterday, amid 850 friends and admirers in a fund rising bash in Boston.

When asked about his birthday gift, Obama asked for a three poll victories in Indiana, Colorado and Virginia' as his present.

ANI