Rachel Maddow, Host Apparent: Analyst "At The Top" Of "Very Short List" For Next MSNBC Opening

New York Times:

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."

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."

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[ndulik]

04:52 PM on 07/21/2008

Rachel has a great face for radio!

[BetterDays]

11:41 PM on 07/20/2008

Finally, a woman might get a chance at MSNBC besides Morning Joe's sidekick. Rachael is bright, competant, and can hold her own without being offensive and loud. She would be perfect.

[gintheb]

09:59 PM on 07/20/2008

David Gregory sucks! Why not let Rachel replace him? I love the woman.

[qi4all]

02:26 PM on 07/20/2008

Why not put her in the 4:00 PM slot opposite The Situation Room. MSNBC has ceded this slot to CNN for far too long and we need to hear from someone who can provide an intelligen­t alternativ­e to the MSM hack Wolf Blitzer. Or better yet, put her in the 1:00PM slot so Andrea Mitchell can start doing lunch with her Washington cronies again.

[irkthesmirk]

08:49 PM on 07/20/2008

Both of those scenarios would work for me but I would really like to see someone up against "Fluff Witless" I feel brains leaking out of my head every time I am forced to watch his show.

[Skippy3000]

11:05 AM on 07/20/2008

That was Racheal Maddow filling in for Olberman? And all this time I thought that it was Dan Abrams....­..

[yallerdog]

10:44 AM on 07/20/2008

I think it will be great to have a new personalit­y like Rachel hosting a show on a major news outlet though I would much prefer Taylor Marsh.
The downside if she does land the job will probably be the inordinate increase in the number of fannypacks and Ziggy Stardust haircuts among the staff of 30 Rock.

[tinarm]

09:19 AM on 07/19/2008

I have an idea why doesn't MSNBC just let Rachel take over David Gregory's awful show "Race for the White House." Has anyone watched this hideous program. It's awful, he doesn't let anyone finish and his timing is awful, or Andrea Mitchel's time slot she's horrilbe to. How hard can it be to ask questions and let people finish their answers with equal time. I can't stand either of those shows. The one thing I like about Chris Matthews is that at least he tries most of the time to be even and then I know what I'm going to get with Keith, but David Gregory's show is just down right stupid. Let's have Rachel take that slot.

[SouthPrairie]

10:12 PM on 07/19/2008

I hate that show too, mostly due to his analysis. It seems inept. WE WANT RACHEL!!

[filo]

08:23 AM on 07/19/2008

Rachel is very smart, well informed, does her research, doesn't get too excited and be would great.

Hire her MSNBC before someone else does.

[flydoghead]

02:24 AM on 07/19/2008

Would anyone miss Chris Matthews if he just went away ..........­?

Love Rachel

[wbramh]

02:59 AM on 07/19/2008

The Peace & Quiet would be deafening.

[SouthPrairie]

10:14 PM on 07/19/2008

And with Rachel, both men AND women would be treated decently.

[wbramh]

01:22 AM on 07/19/2008

I believe that MSNBC needs to open new slots for News and Opinion shows and get rid of the repeats along with those God Awful Lock-up and Predator dramas. The crime shows belong on another Network - ANY other Network. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see a Network cultivate future Bill Moyers rather than future Joe Scarboroug­hs.
To MSNBC: It may take years, but If you build it, they will watch.

[SouthPrairie]

10:15 PM on 07/19/2008

So true, so true. I always watch MSNBC EXCEPT when those creepy shows are on!

[Zoolie]

06:15 PM on 07/18/2008

GOOD!! i've written MSNBC several times to say the almost all shows improve when she subs.

[IRepTheKing]

03:53 PM on 07/18/2008

I think she should replace Dan Abrams actually. He seems to let Tucker get away with a bunch of BS on his show.

[SouthPrairie]

10:17 PM on 07/19/2008

NO WAY! I love Abrams. And now he's added Contessa! You can't lose with that team. Abrams must stay. He's second only to Keith!

[bigsioux]

03:35 PM on 07/18/2008

Gregory is auditionin­g to be McCain's Press Secretary. He has also proven surprising­ly dull on his show

[Candace8383]

07:30 AM on 07/20/2008

he was different but they gave him a show and he just faded to mush
it seems as though he thinks he has to swing right
odd
and a shame

[OneLiberalLady]

03:06 PM on 07/18/2008

Somebody who actually deserves it is to be offered a top slot on mainstream broadcast media? This might take a little getting used to.
Rachel is smart, educated and savvy. She also possesses the ability to communicat­e complex issues extremely effectivel­y.
I have been a fan of Rachel's for a long time, and can't wait for the next chapter.

[SandWedge]

02:31 PM on 07/18/2008

She's okay but a little smug for my taste. I'd prefer Harold Ford Jr be given a show.

[editorjuno]

02:44 PM on 07/18/2008

Ford doesn't speak well enough to host imo -- he's intelligen­t (in a DLCish way), but as dull as dishwater.

[zizyphus]

04:53 PM on 07/19/2008

Ford would look good, if he wouldn't say anything.