MEDIA

When Left is Right

Rachel Maddow always thought she was an outsider. How did she become a star?

By Julia Baird | NEWSWEEK
Published Nov 22, 2008
From the magazine issue dated Dec 1, 2008

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  • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 11/26/2008 10:21:07 PM

    I wish everyone a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving day!

    • Posted By: Forty4 @ 11/26/2008 11:14:21 PM

      Thanks, and the same for you, lil' Tuffy!

      • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 11/26/2008 11:22:04 PM

        Thank you. While you Reps will be having pie, we Dems will be having our cake and eating it too! Yes, Obama 08! and more than likely, Obama 2012!

        • Posted By: steelers01 @ 02/01/2010 3:34:48 PM

          ah, what a difference a year makes. I can't wait for Novemeber! Rachel the madcow dyke and olberfag willl lose their few dozen viewers after the dems lost 50 or 60 seats.

  • Posted By: Knebz @ 01/31/2009 11:53:07 AM

    My wife and I expanded our DVR to tape Keith AND Rachel every night. She's fantastic. We loved her on Keith's show and were concerned that she wouldn't be as opinionated on her own show and act more like a moderator - but no worries, Rachel's opinions come right on through. Keep it up. Fantastic show.

  • Posted By: greatmidwest @ 12/16/2008 1:00:43 PM


    President-elect Barack Obama and his new administration are MODERATE LIBERALS amidst a LEFT of CENTER America. If the directionless GOP wants to be torn apart by non-progressive figureheads like Palin and clueless noisemakers like Joe the Plumber, Rush Limbaugh, and Bay Buchanan then America's LIBERALS more than welcome a 2 termer Obama followed by a 2 termer Clinton!!! No more Bushsh*t and flushing America down the toilet. God Bless America

  • Posted By: rman56 @ 12/16/2008 10:46:59 AM

    Yeah, okay, this whole article really went flying directly over your head, apparently

    Just me,

    Another gay man, dude, queer, whatever you want to call me, just make sure I'm not late for Rachel's show!

  • Posted By: bpjam @ 11/27/2008 12:38:00 AM

    Anybody else notice the obvious - Maddow is just another dude. He is more of a man than Olbermann who is practically gay himself with all that hair gel and makeup and eyebrow waxing.

    • Posted By: not-fooled-by-slick-talking-charlatans @ 12/02/2008 4:29:23 PM

      Sorry, a "butch d*y*k*e" is not the same as a dude. If Maddow were a transman, you would be correct. But that is not the case. I am aware that teenagers call each other dude all the time, regardless of gender, though something tells me that is not your intention. Regardless, Maddow is still a chick, even if she wears pantsuits and is not sexually attracted to men.

  • Posted By: not-fooled-by-slick-talking-charlatans @ 12/02/2008 4:10:33 PM

    WOW ... I can't believe they printed the word D*Y*K*E but if I type it, (the word after agressive), I get bleeped out. F*ck*ng hilarious!

    • Posted By: not-fooled-by-slick-talking-charlatans @ 12/02/2008 4:23:57 PM

      (This is in reference to a reply at the bottom of the comments page)

  • Posted By: MaxChampion @ 11/22/2008 9:29:43 PM

    I understand that Rachel describes herself as "butch". Question: can someone that pretty really be butch?

    Straight, female, evangelical Christian here. And I love Rachel.

    • Posted By: not-fooled-by-slick-talking-charlatans @ 12/02/2008 4:02:50 PM

      Butch ... Femme ... Androgynous ... Genderqueer .... Genderf*ck*r .... Stud .... Agressive .... *** ....

      These are all terms that a non-heterosexual person might use to define themselves, regardless of beauty. The woman who loves me calls me beautiful, but when I look in the mirror I see an androgynous ***.

    • Posted By: not-fooled-by-slick-talking-charlatans @ 12/02/2008 4:02:19 PM

      Butch ... Femme ... Androgynous ... Genderqueer .... Genderf*ck*r .... Stud .... Agressive .... *** ....

      These are all terms that a non-heterosexual person might use to define themselves, regardless of beauty. The woman who loves me calls me beautiful, but when I look in the mirror I see an androgynous ***.

  • Posted By: nodnarb @ 11/26/2008 10:31:10 PM

    She is a angry liberal phoney/ Have her do a story on why the Gays are not protesting the black and hispanic chruches in California that opposed the Prob 8 ammendment??? Politically correct???? What a phoney. Who ever thought that she was an objective reporter??? MSNBC staff???

    • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 11/26/2008 11:38:40 PM

      Rachel angry? You must be kidding. She's always cool and calm.

      • Posted By: cobalt6 @ 11/27/2008 2:33:20 AM

        Pia: Are yiou kidding? The few times I watched her show even I saw how angry she gets, I was waiting for smoke to start coming out of her head!! Maddow and Olbermann are terrible!!!

        • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 11/27/2008 8:32:18 AM

          I'm sorry you dont like her.

          Cobalt, Happy Thanksgiving!

  • Posted By: cobalt6 @ 11/25/2008 1:58:28 AM

    Rachel Maddow is the worst and totally one sided!! She is worse than Chris Matthews and kieth O. put together!!! I won't even watch MSNBC anymore because these 3 do not know how to be professionals!! MSNBC should fire all 3 of them and hire people who are not so one sided!!!!

    • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 11/25/2008 12:18:22 PM

      Cobalt blue, you and I have switched..I used to watch the gang at Fox, now I dislike them except for Alan Colmes and Bill Hemmer. I'm very glad to be back home with my new old friends on MSNBC. Give it a little time and you will do what I did, I came to my senses after 8 years.

      • Posted By: cobalt6 @ 11/26/2008 12:56:26 AM

        Pia: I have never watched Fow news, and when MSNBC became so one sided with Chris Matthews, Kieth O. and Rachel Maddow I stopped watching!! I did hear about Rachel Maddows show so I watched it a few times, I can't stand her at all!! Way too one sided like the rest of them!! I came to my senses when I stopped watching MSNBC!!! I rather watch neutral media it's much more enjoyable!! But to each his own!!

        • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 11/26/2008 9:48:43 PM

          Cobalt, so sorry, I assumed you did watch Fox. I used to...haven't in over a year.

      • Posted By: hardybear @ 11/25/2008 1:36:52 PM

        They are opinion shows and commentators, not journalists.

        • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 11/25/2008 1:46:06 PM

          Where in my comment did I say that they are journalists?

  • Posted By: VirginiaMom @ 11/24/2008 1:14:17 PM

    Maddow won't reveal the designer of her identical pantsuits for fear of "insulting them"? Self-describes as a "dork"? This woman is LOL funny, smart, and a fine role model for my young daughters. We love Rachel and her brand of lefty reporting! Don't change a thing.

    • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 11/24/2008 7:17:26 PM

      You evidently have started brainwashing your daughters at an early age; how sad for them to have such an uncaring mother.

      • Posted By: Blue in AZ @ 11/25/2008 12:07:26 PM

        While we're talking sad, let's talk about how your fear manifests itself as hatefulness. I love it when people scream brainwashing when the opposing side indoctrinates their children. I guess when you do it, it's "educating them" or "raising them right". Liberals reproduce too, you're just going to have to deal with it.

        • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 11/25/2008 6:43:05 PM

          Yes, but not in the same numbers, since you are all so fond of aborting your children.

          • Posted By: Blue in AZ @ 11/26/2008 1:27:59 PM

            You are proving yourself the village idiot with every post. I've aborted nothing. In fact, we're adopting. I'll bet you can't stand that can you?

            • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 11/26/2008 6:33:28 PM

              Only in the sense the that poor child with receive a left-wing indoctrination (your own words). Hopefully, the child will be independent minded and able to see the truth; that liberalism always produces the exact opposite of its stated intent, and that liberalism is a mental disease.

              • Posted By: Blue in AZ @ 11/26/2008 7:03:08 PM

                I sense you don't have the intelligence to actually reply to posts and instead resort to name calling and blatantly idiotic generalities. Thanks for the diagnosis, Dr. Jimbo.

      • Posted By: hardybear @ 11/25/2008 1:43:21 PM

        Shame on you.

  • Posted By: Lee Holmes @ 11/26/2008 4:36:13 PM

    In a sense,they have. It was Sean Hannity that first broke the Jeremiah Wright mess that had the eventual effect of Obama leaving this church and disavowing his own pastor. The other-than FOX networks refused to acknowlage the ties between the two men until the print media made this unavoidable. FOX also demonstrated concrete ties between Democrat Banking Chairman Chris Dodd and COUNTRYWIDE Loans CEO Angelo Mozilo,now the subject of a federal grand jury probe in Los Angeles. FOX has been the more relentless of the three major cable networks in detailing the federal investigation of House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel[D-NY],who has found this investigation finally,on the front page of todays liberal New York Times,joining a growing call for this man to resign his post.
    Say what one will regarding FOX,it has shown itself to be the source of otherwise unknown hard news,which later developed into a factual condition. Its rather brilliant expose of ''photoshopping'' during the 2006 Lebanon-Israel War was an especial piece of solid investigative journalism that wrecked the reputations of several photojournalists who were guilty of altering pictures and releasing phony reports originating with HEZBOLLAH propagandists.[The ''Tyre Massacre'' being among the most prominant of the hoaxes]. It was an early proponant of the Syrian ''materials/concrete'' factory as being a weapons,''possilbly a nuclear''plant that may have had ''North Korean assistance''. This months IAEA investigation bears out their suspicions. It also reported,alone among the cable news networks,nuclear armed Russian vessels calling at Venezuelan ports. This too has been confirmed by the US State Dept. They may be ''right'' but not always right. But they are not always wrong either.[as both CNN and MSNBC have been already too many times].

  • Posted By: meganephron@att.net @ 11/25/2008 11:38:01 PM

    Rachel Maddow is not a star. She is nothing more than the liberal detris washed in by the tide of Obamamania created in part by Newsweek. Her star will ebb as will Obama's as he spends trillions of our dollars to obtain his dream of America. As he bankrupts our dollar and retirements, His star and that of Ms. Maddow Fade to black, as in void.

    Obama and Ms. Maddow promoted "change you can believe in". Obama has returned us to the 1990's. Let's not forget that the current mortgage crisis is a product of Carter legislation pushed to the max by the Clintons. Let's not forget that Obama has not accomplished anything as a president. He has 57 days to go. He should keep his ego in check until he has to sign that check.

    Geithner at Treasury is like hiring the catain of the Titanic as secretary of the Navy. Clinton as Secretary of State keeps the soap opera alive. Holder at AG is Bill Clinton's chief pardoner as store manager. The more things change the more they remain the same.

    Shame on Newsweek. Journalism is must really be dead

    Ms. Maddow will sing the praises of Obama as we drift towards economic and social oblivion. There are principle and truths in life . Remenber?

    • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 11/26/2008 8:34:48 AM

      Terrific post, and spot on. As I have said many times before, 2008 is the year that journalism died in America. In its place, we have the likes of Maddow, Olbermann, Mathews, etc. How sad.

      • Posted By: Horrible Bastard @ 11/26/2008 12:25:17 PM

        But Limbaugh, Hannity, and O'Rielly have been the cat's *** journalistically, yes?

        • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 11/26/2008 4:18:58 PM

          Limbaugh often describes his show as entertainment, he doesn't pretend otherwise. Hannity and ORielly go out of their way to let their opposition be heard on their shows. How often does that happen with Olbermann? Never. I've seen Maddow have Pat Buchanon on but let's be honest, Pat is past his prime. let's Rachel get away with murder on the show, and is no longer the voice of conservatism.

  • Posted By: BobinVa @ 11/24/2008 2:15:18 PM

    Rachel Maddow's great quality is that she is not quite as despicable as her mentor Keith Olberman.
    And why is she such a winner?...Ratings at MSNBC had nowhere to go but up, and still are woefully behind Fox News. Funny how Newsweak ignores FoxNews and conservative talk radio...there never would be such a fawning profile of any conservative commentator...

    • Posted By: cinesimon @ 11/24/2008 6:15:03 PM

      Fox's total ratings are hugely bolstered by people over the age of 55 years: O'Reilly's loyal audience of bitter old white people.. Rachel and Keith consistently beat him in the all-important 25-54 age demographic, leading to O'Reilly's accusation that Neilson Ratings are leading a conspiracy against him - classic Billo!
      While MSNBC ratings continue to climb, despite being higher overall(again, bolstered by the golden oldies)Fox's continues to free fall.
      And despite the angry rhetoric from Fox and their supporters, MSNBC are seen as a far more balanced and a 'different idea-friendly' channel - they're not constantly looking for an attack angle, and distorting news to manipulate their viewers' political beliefs, heighten their fears of other cultures, of different political opinions, of one politician over another.

      • Posted By: cinesimon @ 11/24/2008 6:17:06 PM

        Fox's guest selection, and the unbalanced way they present guests, is all telling. Fox say they're fair and balanced because of their practice of having someone from both sides to discuss an issue. However the liberal aspect is bullied, shouted down and riduculed, while the repubvlican ideas are touted, praised and held up as the 'reasonable' idea - the liberal idea is for 'radicals'. Another example is Billo's schoolkid stalker reporter Jesse's disgusting portrayal of San Fransisco - by presenting only footage of bums, junkies, transvestites & the like, Jesse gave Billo exactly what he wanted - amunition against the 'radical left agenda'. His argument that the country may turn into a nation of homeless, junkie, gay, out of control people if Obama's left wing liberal radical anti-American agenda is forfilled.
        O'Reiily and Fox have shown America the easily-prejudiced, non-thinking, outright attack-hack style of 'news'. And America is bored & fed up with it, ready for intelligent discussuion of different ideas. Hannity, O'Reilly, Coulter, Ingram etc simply aren't equipped mentally to have a respectful discussion with those they disagree with - Rachel Maddow & Chris Mathews most certainly do, regardless of what you think of their personal issues.
        Of course there will always be a market for Fox, where blame will be thrown wherever is politically convenient, and the O'Reillys & Hannitys of the world, screaming at (and ocassionally calling for the death of)whoever the disagree with on the day, will always be available on Fox News.
        For the rest of us, we'll be having a respectful, honest discussion about how to improve our world. Sure it'll be heated from time to time, but we won't be falling back on race, religion, socio-economic background, sexual orientation, or any number of immature and unintelligent weapons that Fox uses many times a day. The public has been duped for too long by the right wing, and we choose now to condemn those that use Lee Atwater style PR to manipulate us. Rachel Maddow's success is a direct result of Fox using prejudice & fear as a weapon.
        But remember, we're still talking about cable - who collectively have nothing on the Networks. And in my opinion. NBC is incredibly balanced news. They're taken to task by both the left and the right - to me that means they're doing their job admirably. I hope with all my heart that Rachel's show gets to be screened on NBC..

        • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 11/24/2008 7:16:11 PM

          Your endless rant still doesn't address the basic fact that Fox goes out of its way to present both sides of any issue before any of their commentators weigh in, and MSNBC goes out of its way to be the voice of the snarling, intolerant left-wing extremists.

          • Posted By: 40YearR @ 11/24/2008 7:34:20 PM



            Right "jimbo": Fox is great, and ever so fastidious about presenting both sides fairly.

            That's where we heard 'terrorist fist bump?' to our ever-so-carefully-balanced point of view delight, right?

            And how many times did we learn, only on Fox of course, that "Obama is all too comfortable in the fashionable salons of our enemies in Europe". Where else could I get such conscientiously 'balanced' reporting?

            And if we wanted to learn more about Obama just before the election, they ran on their homepage for a week an article on Obama right next to about a 1/2 page picture of Karl Marx.

            And then, on their blogs, if you posted a link to the debunks like on the birth cerificate lie that the posters kept 'talking' about, they blocked you/me out immediately.

            "Fair and balanced" my a$$.

            A 40 year republican

            • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 11/24/2008 7:48:29 PM

              Why just this morning, on the radio, I heard a politician from Kenya commenting on how "tourism is up in Kenya because people want to see where Obama was born". Of course the MSM commentator on the show failed to follow up on this issue. And you sure won't be hearing this story on MSNBC.

              Thank God there is one network left that has not been taken over by the liberal thought police.

              • Posted By: 40YearR @ 11/24/2008 8:17:28 PM




                "jimbo": You really don't know how pathetic your posts are, do you?

                You "heard" on the radio today that tourism is up in Kenya because that's Obama's birth place, and, of course, the MSM aren't going to report that to us are they..........................

                No, not even Fox is that far gone, although it's probably still rampant on it's blogs.

                There are many debunks of that really old smear email. Here's a link to photos of Obama's birth certificate showing his birth in Hawaii, with a shot of the authenticity certificate: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html

                Just think about it. Hillary started with $100 million. McC had many millions. The RNC has many millions. They're all lawyered up the whazoo, and they're going to stand back and do nothing in spite of all the howling spew that was circulating incessantly before the election?

                Are they stupid, or is it you dupes who are?

                Stupid is as stupid does...

                My impulse is to feel sorry for you, but your incessant repetition keeps me from it.

                • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 11/24/2008 9:09:03 PM

                  "Here are links to photos of Obama's birth certificate"...yep, links from some left-winger site to a photo of a document...yeah, that sure proves everything nice and legal doesn't it?

                  What, no pearls of wisdom like "obviating any possibility of your other statements having even verisimilitude." in this one? LOL, you are a joke.

                  • Posted By: Blue in AZ @ 11/25/2008 12:23:22 PM

                    So, you scream and scream for evidence, but when evidence is presented it doesn't actually prove anything because it's " a left winger site"? I guess you won't be happy until you can carbon-date the original. Or until Fox News declares it as truth.

                    In your own words dear, "you are a joke."

                    • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 11/25/2008 6:46:18 PM

                      Please show me the post where I "scream and scream for evidence" (your exact words). Good luck, it isn't there.

                      Wow, proving you to be a baldfaced liar took all of 15 seconds.

                      • Posted By: Blue in AZ @ 11/26/2008 1:25:52 PM

                        I never said that you said anything. I said that you are demanding evidence that when is given, you choose to ignore.

                        You see, I was implying. You were taking it literally. I hope you understand the big words I'm using.

                        • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 11/26/2008 4:09:23 PM

                          "I said that you are demanding evidence" - OK, then please show me that post. Except you can"t because it doesn't exist either.

                          This is getting easier; today it only took me 10 seconds to prove you as a liar.

          • Posted By: mcleodmn @ 11/24/2008 7:24:41 PM

            Fox News biggest competition is Comedy Central. The difference is, people watching Comedy Central know it's a joke.

            • Posted By: hardybear @ 11/25/2008 1:41:35 PM

              I Love that. I do laugh while catching a Fox show, but it's that uneasy anxious kind of chuckle rooted in disbelief.

          • Posted By: hardybear @ 11/25/2008 1:38:46 PM

            snarl.

    • Posted By: Horrible Bastard @ 11/24/2008 2:22:48 PM

      "there never would be such a fawning profile of any conservative commentator..."

      Well, there was the coverage of Bill O'Rielly, when he was harrassing a female employee over the phone...while he had an "adult toy" halfway up his ***. Does that count?

  • Posted By: oc194278 @ 11/25/2008 12:19:08 PM

    i hate Rachel Maddow and i am a liberal. She is nothing more than a partisan hack.

    • Posted By: Horrible Bastard @ 11/26/2008 12:29:19 PM

      " and i am a liberal"

      Of course you are.

  • Posted By: trogers @ 11/25/2008 11:12:30 PM

    I like Rachel and I don't care if she sleeps with women. Just as long as she doesn't fall asleep at the wheel while the new administration starts acting like the old one. President Obama can't stop the gravy train known as Congress. They are creatures addicted to government spending by themselves for themselves. We needed to change more than Presidents. We still have the worst offenders in power when many of them belong in jail. The media, including Rachel, need to focus on the corruption among the members of Congress on both sides. Until they are exposed and eliminated; no President will be able to really change anything for the better.

    • Posted By: Lee Holmes @ 11/26/2008 11:49:32 AM

      Good points. As we have seen,not one moment of airtime on CNN or MSNBC ,let alone NEWSWEAK[which has printed no articles on the subject],has dwelt with the federal income tax evasion and corruption investigation of House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel[D-NY] despite the fact that Ways and Means is a key legislative committee which will have a major role of responsibility in the bailout,and dispersion of government funding.

  • Posted By: meganephron@att.net @ 11/25/2008 11:36:50 PM

    Rachel Maddow is not a star. She is nothing more than the liberal detris washed in by the tide of Obamamania created in part by Newsweek. Her star will ebb as will Obama's as he spends trillions of our dollars to obtain his dream of America. As he bankrupts our dollar and retirements, His star and that of Ms. Maddow Fade to black, as in void.

    Obama and Ms. Maddow promoted "change you can believe in". Obama has returned us to the 1990's. Let's not forget that the current mortgage crisis is a product of Carter legislation pushed to the max by the Clintons. Let's not forget that Obama has not accomplished anything as a president. He has 57 days to go. He should keep his ego in check until he has to sign that check.

    Geithner at Treasury is like hiring the catain of the Titanic as secretary of the Navy. Clinton as Secretary of State keeps the soap opera alive. Holder at AG is Bill Clinton's chief pardoner as store manager. The more things change the more they remain the same.

    Shame on Newsweek. Journalism is must really be dead

    Ms. Maddow will sing the praises of Obama as we drift towards economic and social oblivion. There are principle and truths in life . Remenber?

  • Posted By: meganephron@att.net @ 11/25/2008 11:17:21 PM

    Rachel Maddow is not a star but just another bit of detris carried in with the tide of Obamamania. She will surely ebb as the Obama tide recedes. As Obama spends trillions of dollars of our money to make his dream of America become true, our dollar wil erode and our savings and retirements will evaporate. Ms. Maddow is a merely the spokesperson for the setting of the American sun.

    We elected the media's choice for president. Ms. Maddow just rode the wave. Her insight is woefully lacking inthat there is a total lack of objectivity. Lke her soulmate Chris Matthews, Obamma sends a thrill up her leg when he speaks. At least she has an anatomic, but not moral ground, to enjoy that on.

  • Posted By: marley07 @ 11/25/2008 10:56:32 PM

    I hope that anyone who watches her or any news station for that matter is doing it for entertainment purposes and not factual information. I hope that people are not getting their ideas and opinions from any of these hosts, anchors, whatever. I don't care it if it is Fox, MSNBC, CNN, any of them as they all have an agenda and very little facutal information comes out of them. I hope Americans still think for themselves or at least if they listen to these people they follow up with thier own reserach to for their own opinion. These people are a joke with an agenda.

  • Posted By: notroubleatall1963 @ 11/25/2008 5:27:00 PM

    I used to like CNN on weeknights, but I got really hooked on Olbermann and then Maddow - it's the most entertaining news programming during and AFTER the elections. I still like Anderson Cooper, and I also watch Larry King (both on CNN) but I get more of a rise and a giggle watching MSNBC's news shows now instead.

    Rachel is great - she's fresh, attractive and funnyl By contrast, look at CNN's Lou Dobbs - surely this guy should be retired soon? No offense, but he's so boring and serious and I find his opinions hard to follow and predict - he's an independent but he's sometimes more of a republican (immigration rants). He had the head /founder of CNN on his show recently and even HE said Lou was boring!

    I also like Rachel because the majority of female news anchors all look like bimbos - Maddow does not yet she is still very appealing in her appearance. I don't like that everyone has long hair, flipped up or curled under, and they all look alike - like Stepford Anchors. Why can't some of these ladies crop their hair short, look more serious and less stupid? Even the ones on CNN look rather dim. I can't think of one who has short punky hair or who looks any different from the mold.

    • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 11/25/2008 7:12:24 PM

      Wow, you sure seem interested in discussing the hairstyles of the various anchorwomen...hmm, very interesting, now what does this imply?

      OMG, I crack myself up.

  • Posted By: varacefan @ 11/25/2008 4:20:35 PM

    Never heard of her!! I'm not kidding! Are you sure a loved one didn't just name a star after her? You know that is a great honor! lol

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