Oprah Winfrey considered as Obama replacement

Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has told a US television show that he considered appointing Oprah Winfrey to the empty US Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

He told "Good Morning America" that the idea of nominating the talk show host came to him as he explored potential candidates for the job that federal prosecutors allege he tried to sell to the highest bidder.

Blagojevich says "she was obviously someone with a much broader bully pulpit than other senators."

The governor says he worried that the appointment of Winfrey might come across as a gimmick and the talk show host was unlikely to accept.