“If I just want to 'start a conversation,' I don't need to run for office. As a matter of fact, it could be argued that many people are more open to hearing you if you're not running for office.”

American self-help author, speaker, and political activist

Marianne Williamson is an American self-help author, speaker, and political activist. She began her career as a spiritual leader at the Church of Today, a Unity church in Warren, Michigan, and later became widely known in the 1990s through her appearances on Oprah Winfrey's show. She wrote several self-help books, including A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles, published in 1992 and later a New York Times best seller. She was also known as Winfrey's spiritual advisor, and her work often circles around spirituality, healing, and personal transformation.