Barack Obama has let slip that the revered US talk show host, Oprah Winfrey (pictured with Obama and his wife Michelle), will be hitting the campaign trail for him in Iowa and New Hampshire ahead of the Democratic caucus and primary in each state respectively on 3 and 8 January 2008.

The Chicago Sun-Times cites Obama as saying, “first she’s coming to Iowa” and “we’ll get her up here”, in response to a question in New Hampshire last Tuesday on the involvement of Oprah with his campaign.

Oprah has already endorsed Obama but news of her more active intervention in the race to win the Democratic nomination for the 2008 US presidential election comes as many claim that the Democratic contest, in which Hilary Clinton was once viewed almost as a shoe in, is still wide open.

Though Oprah’s support does not appear to have produced an “Oprah bounce” for Obama yet, she has proved useful in raising money with the Washington Post citing a recent fundraiser she held for him at her California home which raised $3million.