Rachel Maddow: My unrequited lesbian love

Posted by Dan October 2nd, 2008 at 12:35pm In The Gays

Back in 2004, during that nightmarish period known as the Bush-Kerry election, I found spiritual inspiration for my junior liberal self by listening to Air America Radio (which, I think, still exists). My favorite show was called Unfiltered, featuring a bizarre trio of Lizz Winstead (creator of The Daily Show), Public Enemy’s Chuck D and a woman I’d never heard of named Rachel Maddow.

Maddow was and is a Rhodes Scholar, a lesbian and an uncommonly likable brainiac. She’s also the host of her own new show on MSNBC. During these final breathless moments at the end of the election cycle, she’s a life preserver in the middle of a sea of ridiculous punditry.

Make no mistake, she’s a fire-breathing liberal and a pundit at heart. She’s not around as much to change peoples’ minds as she is to reaffirm the beliefs of people who already agree with her. However, when you’re (read: I’m) listening to her talk, it’s amazing to hear someone articulate everything you’ve (I’ve) been thinking but haven’t been able to cobble together.

There’s been a bit of controversy in the gay blogosphere about MSNBC’s attempts to femme her up — an idea that, to me, sounds just as bizarre as it does wrong.  Rachel wearing a dress would be just as strange as me wearing a dress. However, they seem to have struck a happy, Ellen-ish medium with some foundation and a Hillary Clinton-style pantsuit.

In any case, check out Rachel Maddow as a delicious counterpoint to Lou Dobbs, Glenn Beck and the FOX News psychos.