History of Rachel Maddow in Timeline

Rachel Maddow is an American television news program host and liberal political commentator, most known for hosting 'The Rachel Maddow Show' on MSNBC. She is also the cable network's special event co-anchor. Earlier in her career, she hosted a syndicated talk radio program of the same name on Air America Radio from 2005 to 2010. Maddow is a prominent voice in American political commentary, often associated with liberal viewpoints.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1944: 1944 Sedition Trial

In 1944, the sedition trial happened. Rachel Maddow and MSNBC podcast series “Ultra” chronicling U.S. right-wing extremism during the 1940s and World War II, including the 1944 sedition trial.

April 1, 1973: Rachel Maddow's Birth

On April 1, 1973, Rachel Anne Maddow was born. She would later become a prominent American television news program host and political commentator.

Others born on this day/year

1973: Spiro Agnew Political Scandal

In 1973, the political scandal surrounding Vice President Spiro Agnew occurred. Rachel Maddow's podcast 'Bag Man,' launched in October 2018, focused on this scandal.

1994: Graduation from Stanford

In 1994, Rachel Maddow earned a degree in public policy at Stanford and was awarded the John Gardner Fellowship at graduation.

1995: Recipient of Rhodes Scholarship

In 1995, Rachel Maddow received a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Lincoln College, Oxford, making her the first openly lesbian winner of the scholarship. She turned down a Marshall Scholarship that she had also been awarded.

1999: Maddow meets partner Susan Mikula

In 1999, Rachel Maddow met her partner, artist Susan Mikula, while Maddow was working on her doctoral dissertation.

1999: First Radio Job at WRNX

In 1999, Rachel Maddow's first radio job was at WRNX (100.9 FM) in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where she won a contest to become the second lead for "The Dave in the Morning Show."

2001: Doctorate from the University of Oxford

In 2001, Rachel Maddow earned a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in politics from the University of Oxford, with her thesis focusing on "HIV/AIDS and Health Care Reform in British and American Prisons".

2002: Months-long campaign in 2002

In 2002, months-long campaign directed at the highest levels of government to get us to agree to a war based on something that did not happen the way they said it happened.

2003: Maddow Opposed 2003 Invasion of Iraq

In 2003, Rachel Maddow opposed the invasion of Iraq.

2003: Months-long campaign in 2003

In 2003, months-long campaign directed at the highest levels of government to get us to agree to a war based on something that did not happen the way they said it happened.

2004: Joins Air America Radio

In 2004, Rachel Maddow left her show Big Breakfast on WRSI to join the new Air America radio network.

March 2005: Cancellation of Unfiltered

In March 2005, Rachel Maddow's radio show "Unfiltered" along with Chuck D and Lizz Winstead was cancelled.

April 2005: Debut of The Rachel Maddow Show on Radio

In April 2005, two weeks after the cancellation of "Unfiltered", Rachel Maddow's two-hour weekday radio program, "The Rachel Maddow Show", began airing.

June 2005: Regular Panelist on Tucker

In June 2005, Rachel Maddow became a regular panelist on the MSNBC show "Tucker", hosted by Tucker Carlson.

2005: The Rachel Maddow Show on Air America Radio

In 2005, Rachel Maddow's syndicated talk radio program, "The Rachel Maddow Show", began airing on Air America Radio.

November 2006: Guest on CNN's Paula Zahn Now

During and after the November 2006 election, Rachel Maddow was a guest on CNN's "Paula Zahn Now".

January 2008: MSNBC Political Analyst

In January 2008, Rachel Maddow became an MSNBC political analyst and was a regular panelist on MSNBC's "Race for the White House" with David Gregory and MSNBC's election coverage, as well as a frequent contributor on "Countdown with Keith Olbermann".

March 2008: The Rachel Maddow Show Gains a Third Hour

In March 2008, "The Rachel Maddow Show" on Air America Radio gained a third hour, broadcasting from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

July 2008: Substitute Host for Countdown and Race for the White House

In July 2008, Rachel Maddow filled in for several broadcasts of "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" and also filled in for David Gregory as host of "Race for the White House."

August 2008: Announcement of The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC

In August 2008, MSNBC announced that "The Rachel Maddow Show" would replace "Verdict with Dan Abrams" in the network's 9:00 p.m. slot the following month.

2008: Time Profile

A 2008 Time profile described Rachel Maddow as a "whip-smart, button-cute leftie" who radiates an essential decency.

2008: No Formal Support of any Presidential Candidate

During the 2008 presidential election, Rachel Maddow did not formally support any candidate. Concerning Barack Obama's candidacy, Maddow said: "I have never and still don't think of myself as an Obama supporter, either professionally or actually."

2009: The Rachel Maddow Radio Show Moved to a One-Hour Timeslot

In 2009, after renewing her contract with Air America, Rachel Maddow's radio show was moved to a one-hour timeslot at 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time, featuring audio from her MSNBC television show.

January 2010: Maddow interviews Tracey Ullman on her show

In January 2010, Rachel Maddow invited Tracey Ullman, who played her in the Showtime comedy series Tracey Ullman's State of the Union, onto her show for an interview.

January 21, 2010: End of The Rachel Maddow Show on Air America

On January 21, 2010, Rachel Maddow's radio show ended when Air America ceased operations.

2010: Political Views

In 2010, Rachel Maddow described herself as undoubtedly a liberal, aligning with the Eisenhower-era Republican Party platform.

2010: Maddow voices Vesper Fairchild in Batwoman series and writes Batwoman: Elegy introduction

In 2010, Rachel Maddow voiced the character Vesper Fairchild in the television series Batwoman. Also in March of 2010, she wrote the introduction to the Batwoman: Elegy trade paperback, expressing her appreciation for writer Greg Rucka's work.

Batwoman: Elegy

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2010: End of The Rachel Maddow Show on Air America Radio

In 2010, Rachel Maddow's talk radio program, "The Rachel Maddow Show", ended its run on Air America Radio.

2010: Speculation of Maddow Running for Senate

In 2010, Republican Senator Scott Brown speculated that Rachel Maddow was going to run against him in the 2012 Senate election, although Maddow repeatedly denied this.

2011: Hollywood Reporter and Newsweek Profiles

In 2011, Rachel Maddow was profiled by The Hollywood Reporter and Newsweek, with varying opinions on her delivery of news and ideological debates.

2012: Elizabeth Warren Defeats Scott Brown

In 2012, Elizabeth Warren ultimately ran for Senate defeating Scott Brown, after speculation that Rachel Maddow would run against him.

2012: Publication of Drift

In 2012, Rachel Maddow wrote and published "Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power", which reached the first position on The New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover nonfiction upon its release.

Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power

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2012: Maddow discusses her cyclical depression in interview

In a 2012 interview, Rachel Maddow spoke about dealing with cyclical depression since puberty and how it is a part of her everyday life, while also emphasizing that it doesn't diminish her joy, work, or energy.

February 2013: Maddow's Comments on the 2003 Invasion of Iraq

In February 2013, Rachel Maddow reflected on the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

November 3, 2013: Maddow appears on The Simpsons

On November 3, 2013, Rachel Maddow appeared as a character on "The Simpsons" episode titled "Four Regrettings and a Funeral".

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December 2013: Monthly Opinion Column for The Washington Post

In December 2013, The Washington Post announced that Rachel Maddow would write a monthly opinion column for the paper, contributing one article per month over a period of six months.

2016: Maddow suggests Trump-Russia collusion continued past 2016 election

In 2016, Rachel Maddow suggested that the alleged Trump-Russia collusion continued beyond the 2016 presidential election, raising concerns about foreign interference.

March 2017: Maddow blames Russia for WikiLeaks' Vault 7 disclosure of CIA's hacking tools

In March 2017, Rachel Maddow blamed Russia for WikiLeaks' Vault 7 disclosure of the CIA's hacking tools, suggesting that Putin aimed to undermine the CIA's cyber war and spying capabilities.

May 2017: The Rachel Maddow Show Ranks No. 1

In mid-May 2017, amidst controversies surrounding the Trump administration, MSNBC surpassed CNN and Fox News in the news ratings. The Rachel Maddow Show was the No. 1 non-sports program on cable for the week of May 15.

March 2, 2018: Publication of NY Times Crossword Puzzle

On March 2, 2018, The New York Times published Rachel Maddow's first crossword puzzle, in collaboration with Joe DiPietro.

October 2018: Maddow questions Trump's Saudi business ties after Khashoggi murder

Following the October 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi, Rachel Maddow argued that Donald Trump's business ties to Saudi Arabia were raising troubling questions.

October 2018: Launch of Bag Man Podcast

In October 2018, Rachel Maddow launched the podcast "Bag Man", produced with MSNBC, focusing on the 1973 political scandal surrounding Vice President Spiro Agnew.

December 2018: Maddow criticizes Trump's decision to withdraw troops from Syria

In December 2018, Rachel Maddow criticized President Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.

September 10, 2019: OAN Sues Maddow for "Paid Russian Propaganda" Comment

On September 10, 2019, the One America News Network (OAN) filed a $10 million suit against Rachel Maddow for describing the network as "paid Russian propaganda" on her program on July 22.

October 2019: Publication of Blowout

In October 2019, Rachel Maddow's second book, Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth, was published.

Summary and Analysis of Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth: A Companion to The Book by Rachel Maddow

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2019: Publication of Blowout

In 2019, Rachel Maddow published "Blowout".

May 22, 2020: Dismissal of OAN Lawsuit Against Maddow

On May 22, 2020, Judge Cynthia Bashant dismissed the case filed by OAN against Rachel Maddow, stating that the contested statement was an opinion and could not be the basis for defamation.

July 2020: Maddow's unemployment figures prediction named incorrect prognostication of the year

In July 2020, Rachel Maddow predicted dire unemployment figures, but the subsequent report showed the largest growth in employment in a single month in U.S. history, leading Politico to name Maddow's prediction one of "the most audacious, confident and spectacularly incorrect prognostications about the year".

December 2020: Publication of Bag Man

In December 2020, Rachel Maddow's third book, Bag Man: The Wild Crimes, Audacious Cover-up, and Spectacular Downfall of a Brazen Crook in the White House, written with Michael Yarvitz, was published.

Bag Man: The Wild Crimes, Audacious Cover-Up, and Spectacular Downfall of a Brazen Crook in the White House

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March 2021: Grammy Award for Blowout Audiobook

In March 2021, the audiobook version of Rachel Maddow's book "Blowout", recorded by her, won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.

May 2021: Maddow named in book about private intelligence sources

In May 2021, former New York Times reporter Barry Meier published "Spooked: The Trump Dossier, Black Cube, and the Rise of Private Spies", citing Rachel Maddow as an example of how reporters can be manipulated by private intelligence sources.

Spooked: The Trump Dossier, Black Cube, and the Rise of Private Spies

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August 2021: Affirmation of Decision in Favor of Maddow in OAN Lawsuit

In August 2021, the United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the decision in favor of Rachel Maddow after Herring's appeal, in the lawsuit filed by OAN. The court also affirmed the ruling that Herring must pay Maddow's attorneys' fees.

2021: Advocacy for Vaccination During COVID-19 Pandemic

During 2021, Rachel Maddow was an outspoken advocate for vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic, encouraging people to get vaccinated for their own benefit and that of others.

2021: Grammy Award for Blowout Audiobook

In 2021, Rachel Maddow received a Grammy Award for the audiobook version of her book, Blowout.

2021: Maddow has surgery to remove cancerous skin growth

In 2021, Rachel Maddow underwent surgery to remove a cancerous skin growth from her neck.

April 2022: Hiatus from The Rachel Maddow Show

In April 2022, Rachel Maddow took a hiatus from her show to coincide with production on the film adaptation of Bag Man.

May 2022: The Rachel Maddow Show Moves to Weekly Broadcast

As of May 2022, The Rachel Maddow Show has moved to a weekly broadcast on Mondays.

October 2022: Launch of Ultra Podcast Series

In October 2022, Rachel Maddow and MSNBC launched "Ultra", a podcast series chronicling U.S. right-wing extremism during the 1940s and World War II.

2022: Film Adaptation of Bag Man

In 2022, a film adaptation of Rachel Maddow's podcast Bag Man was announced to be in production, with Ben Stiller attached to direct and Lorne Michaels to produce, with Maddow set to be an executive producer.