MSNBC Eyes Rachel Maddow... YES!

[BklynChick]

Now in Living Rooms, the Host Apparent
Rachel Maddow on the "Countdown" set.

By JACQUES STEINBERG


Rachel Maddow holds up a Keith Olbermann mask as she filled in for him on his show "Countdown."
“At some point, I don’t know when, she should have a show,” said Phil Griffin, hours before he was promoted on Wednesday to president of MSNBC. “She’s on the short list. It’s a very short list. She’s at the top.”

At the moment every slot at night on MSNBC is taken, with David Gregory at 6 handing off to Chris Matthews at 7, and with Dan Abrams at 9 following Mr. Olbermann at 8. But some shuffling could be in the offing; Mr. Matthews’s contract, for example, is up next year.

For her part, Ms. Maddow, who has been a ubiquitous presence as a political analyst on MSNBC this campaign season, said she is ready whenever the call should come. To hasten that process, she recently hired Mr. Olbermann’s agent, Jean Sage.

“They know I would love to do it,” Ms. Maddow, 35, said over a recent lunch below 30 Rockefeller Plaza. “I’m going to let them decide what they want to do about me. I’m saying yes every time they ask me to be on television.”

The steadily rising profile of Ms. Maddow — until earlier this year she was also seen regularly on CNN before she signed an exclusive, one-year agreement with MSNBC — is all the more remarkable considering she does not own a television. (She said she was worried it would be too distracting.) Less than a decade ago she was working odd jobs in western Massachusetts, including one at a Northampton coffee-bean factory where she cleaned out buckets, while finishing a doctoral dissertation on AIDS in prisons.

She appeared on her way to a career as an AIDS-policy advocate when a funny thing happened: on a lark she auditioned to be the news reader and sidekick on a wacky FM morning radio program in the area. She got the job, which had her occasionally donning an inflatable calculator costume at a local Ford dealer. She acknowledged that the work was not exactly what she had in mind when she graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in public policy and from Oxford University, which she attended on a Rhodes Scholarship and where she earned her doctorate.

In 2004 she somehow parlayed her varied academic and drive-time radio experiences into a job as a co-host on a new morning program on Air America. That put her onto the booking lists of any number of cable news programs desperate for a fresh liberal voice.




more.....

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/arts/television/17madd.html?scp=1&sq=rachel%20maddow&st=cse

[anonymous171]

1. Lose Matthews and get Maddow? AWESOME!

[Labors of Hercules]

39. oh HELL YES!!

I :loveya: Rachel!!!! If only I was her type. *sigh*

[Lugnut]

43. That works for me.

I'd choose Rachel over Chris in a heartbeat.

[book_worm]

52. I vote to get rid of that silly David Gregory show--put Maddow in her own show at that slot

[MindMatter]

53. Shoot Gregory first. That little weasel is worthless.

Matthews makes good, thoughtful points from time to time. Gregory is your basic beltway sycophant.

[Cha]

66. Yeah, I don't even watch but from

reading DUers reactions over the years..it seems like tweety has some good moments and when he's bad it's so obvious everyone knows what's up.

And, gregory just seems like your basic weasel.

[quakerboy]

54. I.. dont know what to say..

Yes. Yes please. May we have some more, sir?

[NatBurner]

57. werd

[World Citizen]

64. Hard-of-Hearing Ball aired at 7AM

The guys is a loud mouth...literally and figuratively.

[az chela]

2. Chris matthews need s to go

Rachel would be the best choice to take over his show

[coffeenap]

3. She would be the best thing to happen to TV in a decade! nt

[BklynChick]

4. I'm amazed she actually wants to go mainstream, happy but amazed. I think KO has been an inspiration

to her... you can actually have progressive politics.

[KAZ]

5. YES!

[Blarch]

6. Doesn't tweetys show...

run at 4-5 live and then again at 6-7 ?

6-7 is her slot.

Am I missin something ? I live outside Chicago.

[BklynChick]

7. Matthews is 5-6 and then 7-8, so it could work. I actually like her better in Gregory's slot but

that's at 6. Wouldn't you love to see her replace Joe? Poetic justice.

[mucifer]

14. AAR has the first hour of Rachel show as a simulcast of "race to the white house"

I think AAR is preparing to simulcast a real Rachel hosted TV show after the Nov election.

Just a theory.

[JerseygirlCT]

55. Yup - we don't need it twice in one night. IMO. nt

[LisaM]

8. Maybe they could dump some of those creepy true-crime shows they're always running

to make room for her.

As someone on the West Coast, though, I have to add: DON'T HAVE HER COME ON TOO EARLY!

[elkston]

12. LOL. - Yeah, either that or cut one hour of "Lockup" reruns n/t

[JerseygirlCT]

56. Oh man. I hate the weekends and holidays

Someone there has a real "true crime" obsession, and it bores the heck out of me.

[elkston]

9. I say punt on Gregory's show and put Maddow instead.

I think the "Race for the Whitehouse" format is pretty stale if you ask me.

[Barack_America]

50. Second.

That show is god awful.

[Cleita]

10. I don't think they'll dump Tweety unless he signs a deal with another

network. However, I wouldn't mind seeing her replace Joe Scarborough.

[high density]

30. Scarborough just reupped recently for years. 2011 I think.

[Cleita]

33. Groan...too bad!! n/t

[Overseas]

11. Go Rachel !!

It would be fun to see her design her own show.

[BklynChick]

13. I actually like Matthews' show. Yes, he annoys me and pisses me off at times, but he has good guests

They need to lose Joe and Gregory. Or put her in the 9pm slot, right in between Keith and Keith rerun.

[ReverendDeuce]

15. She's gotta lose the mole! And WTF? Matthews is great!

Okay, two issues:

1. Maddow has got to get that mole removed. It drives my girlfriend and I absolutely CRAZY! We can't watch her because of it. Rachel's is not a beauty mark, it's a gruesome distraction! She also should dress differently as her clothing is functional at best, it's not very flattering. (Keith is the best-dressed man on news, and Dan Abrams isn't bad either. If she wants to fit in, she needs some fancy duds!)

2. Why should Matthews be gone? I love him! He's a complete tool!

[BklynChick]

16. well, obviously a wardrobe upgrade would be in order, but I like the mole. Her face is perfect.

[mucifer]

20. I want her to dress like she wants to. As Rachel herself has said she

pretty much dresses like a 12yo boy. On tv they make her dress weird and paint on tons of makeup.

[ReverendDeuce]

24. They don't do a good job of it then...

I swear. She looks like she never has ANY make-up on.

I've seen her side profile as well. It's funny because she'll wear jeans and sneakers with a blazer on... LOL!

[ReverendDeuce]

21. Her face is very nice, I agree -- but the mole on her neck is... unflattering.

She has a very nice face and appropriate hair. Of course, we ALL could use a little "network TV anchor" touch-ups. Not saying I or anyone else is perfect. Rachel just seems to be... She looks like an anchor from your local "independent" TV station. Like they had no budget and just slapped something on her and patted her down with Max Factor... Dewey-look be damned!

[Hieronymus]

61. Nooooooo

[anonymous171]

18. Matthews is annoying and focuses on the stupidest things.

[ReverendDeuce]

23. But he is fun! We love watching him spittle all over his chin like Carville...

He gets so worked up about stuff! We really do like him. And his crazy "HAAAAAH!!" laugh.

[KAZ]

25. She kind of reminds me of Fred Savage (Wonder Years).

But when she gets to speaking, well, my heart goes pitty-pat, and the camera goes soft-focus. I really, really like Rachel. Mind over mole, my friend. :)

[snowbear]

41. You can't watch her because of a mole ReverendDeuce?

I didn't even know she had a mole.

Wow. Sounds a bit shallow.

[az chela]

59. I think she is cute as a button.I just love her.

[sandnsea]

67. What mole? I never noticed

Grow up. That is one of the dumbest posts ever.

[Raine]

82. Huh????

Honestly I never noticed it, geesh. WTF! :wow:

[givemebackmycountry]

17. It's about freaking time...

I am so tired of listening to all of the right wing handjobs that permeate the airwaves each and every day.
Rachel would be a refreshing change of pace.
Maybe (yeah, I know I'm dreaming) some will see her and realize what a bunch of tools Bill-O and Hannity and Scarborough are.
Who was the clown that said that the "liberal left loves Scarborough" the other day?
I caught this show this morning for about two hours.
All Mika does is say stuff like "wow" and 'sheesh" and rolls her eyes.
And Tiki Barber?
Ugh.

Get with the program - the left is the true "surge" and you better get on the bus now.

[City Lights]

19. The first one to go should be Gregory.

He sucks, up, down, and sideways.

[ReverendDeuce]

22. Amen! He is TERRIBLE...

He NEVER has control of his own show! The guests run wild and leave him in the dust.

Whenver he is on with the five-way panel split, he always looks like the guest that nobody is asking anything of.

He needs to step the fuck up if he doesn't want to get canned.

[KAZ]

27. 2nd

[Robeson]

28. Agreed.

[opihimoimoi]

26. Reason and Reality Returns to haunt them Pubs...I love it

If McFeeble were to ever debate Rachel on current issues concerning the Nation and Planet...McFeeble would be reduced to empty language and Fluff....which would not pass....he would be eaten alive.

[rasputin1952]

29. Rachel is a brilliant young woman, a show of her own would be

wonderful.

She's about as down to earth as one can get on TV, and her wit and wisdom are fantastic. He insights are usually dead on, and she just doesn't spout off w/generalities, she gets facts, then uses them in the way she discusses a situation.

It is all what is behind those eyes...it is that wonderful mind.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

84. Mm hmm

I loves me some Rachel Maddow, in a purely platonic way, of course! Smart as a treeful of owls, great, likable on-air presence and a wonderfully incisive interviewer. She rules! :bounce:

[NattPang]

31. I like David Gregory even less than Matthews.

I want that Race to the White House show cancelled ASAP,
or have Gregory replaced by Maddow.

Let's get some letters of disatifaction out on Gregory,
and quicken the decision MSNBC needs to make.

[TheDonkey]

46. lol. I fully agree. RttWH is a complete waste of space. Replace it immedietly with Maddow

[progdog]

49. You are so right.

They should get rid of Gregory now.

[KT2000]

32. A natural talent

and she knows how to ask questions and get answers.
Deinitely a keeper.

[katty]

34. this was predictable, wish she would replace Tweety

[HughMoran]

35. Wow, she's got quite the inspiring story

She's literally come from doing odd jobs to being a possible nightly show host in a little over 4 years - impressive!

[safeinOhio]

40. How about possible

Presidents press secretary, come January?

[HughMoran]

44. I remember how impressed I was at her abilty to pull on her vast knowledge base on her radio show

She just seemed a cut above the rest - non-reactionary with logical, well-reasoned arguments - a rare find indeed. I'd be happy to see her in any position in the media or in an Obama administration.

[LBJDemocrat]

36. I like Matthews, don't like Maddow (so far)

Matthews may be annoying, but he has a good show; and he's also amusing.

Maddow seemed like a poor man's Olbermann when she filled in. That could obviously be simply because it was his show, but she didn't seem to have much character of her own. Or it could just be me. :shrug:

[mucifer]

38. Listen to her radio show right now

www.airamericararadio.com you can stream it. It's on for another hour and a half.

She starts EVERY show with "life during wartime" where she discusses Iraq. She is more to the left on the radio than TV. Give it a try.

[annabanana]

42. Oh she's her own voice alright... Try to catch her daily radio

program.

[PCIntern]

48. It's you.

If I had to post a contrary argument to completion, we'd run out of bandwidth.

[Hieronymus]

62. It's just you.

[iconicgnom]

37. clap clap clap YAY! Rachel is totally wicked.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

45. I adore Rachel! I really really hope she does get her own show on MSNBC

[Phx_Dem]

47. Rachel should replace Scarborough

He is, IMO, the absolute worst MSNBC has to offer. :puke: David Gregory is right behind him.

[Bonn1997]

51. So MSNBC will be our "Fox News"?

I'm not sure that's a good thing even though I love Dr. Maddow

[NattPang]

58. How's that? I don't see that at all!

Fox lies,
Rachel and Keith O don't.

get it?

[Bonn1997]

60. Good luck selling that argument

I don't disagree but the public will view MSNBC as the left's Fox News. I'm not saying that's a bad thing; I'm just surprised no one's considering it.

[merh]

65. I'm just curious, how did you come to that conclusion

based on this article about Maddow?

[anonymous171]

63. I'm fine with it, actually.

[goodgd_yall]

83. Same here

I actually see it that way now. Got to have some antidote to that right-wing, divisive, POS.

[Undercurrent]

68. Great!

Out with Chris The Spitter Mathews, and in with intelligent, educated, and witty Rachel!

[Roxy66]

69. My guess is ....she will take the second showing of Hardball spot..right before Keith.

[EffieBlack]

70. She would be a welcome break from the White Men Only cable show hosting club

Maybe one day, they might even let a black person host a show . . .

[Imagevision]

71. Mathews is losing points to Blitzer in that time slot, Rachel could make a difference...

[flpoljunkie]

74. Or, put her on at 9PM to replace Dan Abrams, opposite Larry King. Or, even 10PM opposite AC360

Abrams is insufferable with his 'winners and losers' shtick and Anderson is as dumb as a box of rocks.

[jillan]

72. I have to confess - I got so used to her doing Countdown that I was sad when Keith came back.

I hope she gets her own show...and soon!

[BklynChick]

75. she really found her stride on his show, didn't she? she was great!

[shireen]

73. for whatever it's worth

Rachel, i am VERY VERY proud of you!

:applause:

:yourock:

[seafan]

76. "Has anybody ever heard of Rachel Maddow?" ---Rush Limbaugh

Why, yes, Rush, we have.



July 27, 2006

EDGE: You use an audio clip of Rush Limbaugh saying ’Has anybody ever heard of Rachel Maddow’ on your show. How did that come about?

Rachel Maddow: I was on Joe Scarborough’s show on MSNBC, and he was trying to get me to condemn a Democrat who had compared what was going on in prisoner abuse with the ’just following orders’ defense that Nazis gave during the Second World War. I said, yes, I agree that Democrats shouldn’t make comparisons with Nazis when they’re talking about American politics; but I wasn’t just going to condemn Democrats for that; Republicans do it all the time. Rush Limbaugh still calls feminist ’femi-Nazis;’ and I used that as an example; and he took me to task on his radio show.

Now in Living Rooms, the Host Apparent, NY Times, July 17, 2008

For clues about who might be next to get a show on MSNBC, viewers need not have looked further than “Countdown” earlier this month. For eight nights beginning just before the Fourth of July, Rachel Maddow, the host of a program on Air America, the liberal talk-radio network, served as a substitute for the vacationing Keith Olbermann.

“At some point, I don’t know when, she should have a show,” said Phil Griffin, hours before he was promoted on Wednesday to president of MSNBC. “She’s on the short list. It’s a very short list. She’s at the top.”

.....

Here's a hanky, Rush.

[blogslut]

77. I don't watch teevee anymore but I am all for more Maddow!

She deserves her own show. Hopefully they'll put her in a lively time slot.

[Eurobabe]

78. How does one contact MSNBC?

I just looked on their rat maze of a website for an email address to write in support of Rachel getting her own show. TIA. :hi:

[eleny]

79. Matthews is on twice here

In Mountain Time at 3 and again at 5. She can have either one or both, as far as I'm concerned.

[druidity33]

80. yeah! she's a local hero!

I work in Northampton, Mass and she's the talk of the town! I know lots of folk who went to school with her and recall her early days as a radio host. I myself am a new convert. Love her!

to Rachel!

:toast:

[Raine]

81. Love Rachel

I hope she gets her own show and gets it soon! :thumbsup: