Maddow was born in Castro Valley, California. Asked about her political views by the Valley Advocate, Maddow replied, 'I'm undoubtedly a liberal, which means that I'm in almost total agreement with the Eisenhower-era Republican Party platform.' Maddow holds a bachelor's degree in public policy from Stanford University and a doctorate in political science from the University of Oxford and is the first openly lesbian anchor to host a major prime-time news program in the United States. Maddow has received multiple Emmy Awards for her broadcasting work and in 2021 received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for her book Blowout (2019).

Her syndicated talk radio program of the same name aired on Air America Radio from 2005 to 2010. Maddow hosts The Rachel Maddow Show, a weekly television show on MSNBC, and serves as the cable network's special event co-anchor.

Rachel Anne Maddow ( / ˈ m æ d oʊ/ ( listen), MAD-oh born April 1, 1973) is an American television news program host and liberal political commentator.

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