Rachel Maddow

9/10/2008

The Presidential politics of 2008 has been nothing but conventional - our next White House occupant can be one a black guy, a woman, or a "wringly white dude" (words of the great Paris Hilton), and the guy who looks like Paulie Walnuts from the Sopranos. So then it can't be that surprising to learn that the fastest rising star out of the Primaries and now the general election is not a keynote speaker of any conventions, the spouse of a former president or candidate, or an outspoken religious figure. Instead, it's your big, white, gay - Rachel Maddow!

A Rhodes Scholar political activist from the Bay Area, Maddow is perhaps one of the least likely people to be found on political talk shows - a field where louder often means more correct, and drowning out your opponent is the norm. Maddow is above all that - she is polite, well spoken, and wins her arguments with her deep knowledge of the subjects. Her highlight reels include her debates with Pat Buchanan (who, I have to admit is also very smart, quick, and articulate no matter how much and often I disagree with him) that often end up with him smiling, shaking his head while conceding to her points. While she is a pundit and definitely has an opinion, she does not blindly take one political side over another as she just as harshly criticized Obama for his FISA vote as she does McCain for his almost consistent (and puzzling) voting against veteran rights. Her uncommon personal story (to mainstream media anyway) makes her popularity all that much more reassuring - Americans actually chose substance over another loud, obnoxious TV talking head... at least those who listen to Air America or watch MSNBC.

Maddow got her start as a host on Air America (fellow alumni include Janine Garofalo and Al Franken), and eventually got TV exposure as a political consultant on CNN and MSNBC. This June, when she began to regularly substitute for Keith Olbermann, one of MSNBC's power hitters, it seemed inevitable that she was going to have her own show. No one would have guessed that just two months later in late August it would be announced that The Rachel Maddow Show would be coming to MSNBC on the second Monday of September. Her unlikely rise to the spotlight is definitely the kind of underdog story I love.

What really drew me to Maddow though, is her not being afraid to be a dork and to geek out about anything she's passionate about - the Constitution, comics, whiskey... anything. I really worry though (and she has given me no reason to so far) that being on a major network will gradually cost her the grassroot genuineness that makes her so awesome. Many cult figures before her have also lost their edge once they gain popularity (re: Kevin Smith, Conan O'Brien) and I wouldn't be surprised at all if Maddow ends down that same path. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind if she (as Smith and O'Brien did with theirs) refines her product and gains tons of fame, and makes tons of money. It's just selfishly I wish I'd to be able to listen to the 2006-2008 Rachel Maddow forever.

BTW, pictures of Maddow on this page are borrowed from www.maddowfans.com

Check back this page, I will use it to archive some of my favorite Maddow links, and media