HERO: RACHEL MADDOW
Television personality and commentator
Ph.D. from Stanford
Rhodes Scholar

Every weekday night from 9:00 to 10:00 PM, Anita and I watch the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. We like Maddow for a number of reasons:

• She is well educated and well informed. She earned a degree in public policy from Stanford University in 1994 and at graduation was awarded a John Gardner fellowship.

• She was the recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship and earned a doctorate of philosophy degree in political science from the University of Oxford. She was the first openly gay American to win a Rhodes scholarship and the first openly gay anchor to host a prime-time news program in the United States.

• At thirty-six years of age, she is a very attractive anchor with a marvelous sense of humor. Unlike many television anchors, she does not get mean or make personal attacks on her guests who may have a point of view that is different from hers. She treats all her guests with respect and often with humor. There never any shouting or meanness that characterizes the shows of many other anchors.

• During the 2008 presidential election, Maddow did not formally support any candidate. Concerning Barack Obama's candidacy and later presidency Maddow said, “I have never and still don't think of myself as an Obama supporter, either professionally or actually.” When she disagrees with Obama’s view on an issue she says so. For example, she takes the president to task for not supporting prosecution of those who designed and ordered the torture of prisoners.

How refreshing it is to watch a thoroughly enjoyable and informative television talk show without having to turn down the volume when hosts and guests try to outshout one another.

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