Rachel Maddow: The "kingmaker" of the US Democratic Party
(Baonghean) - The race for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination has begun with campaigns and public appearances. But to know who is leading the race, the public will have to ask a TV host: Rachel Maddow, the current host of MSNBC's number 1 talk show.
The Democratic Party's "Wizard" for the 2020 Election
On Wednesday night, January 2, 2019, the Democratic Party's presidential nominating contest for the 2020 election officially kicked off, but not with a grand opening ceremony or a party.
It took place at the MSNBC studio in New York, where Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren sat down to chat with Rachel Maddow on a talk show.
This seems very logical when just 3 years ago, billionaire Donald Trump's ability to "cover" news channels helped him jump from the position of a political outsider in the Republican Party straight to the gates of the White House.
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| Rachel Maddow's talk show ranked second in terms of viewership on US network television in 2018 with 2.9 million viewers. Photo AP |
And now, with MSNBC's ratings soaring, political and media strategists say that primetime on the left-leaning network, and especially on Rachel Maddow's show, may be the best way for candidates to position themselves for the final round.
“You can skyrocket politically if you’re a guest on her show. That means they must be really serious about the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination process.”
“Rachel knows how to get that person [straight] to the convention,” said Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic political analyst in South Carolina who advised Hillary Clinton in 2016. “She knows how to get that person [straight] to the convention,” said another consultant.
In addition, according to statistics, Rachel's loyal audience tends to be older people with clear political views. Those who have a close relationship with Rachel Maddow, such as Senator Warren - who chose Maddow for her first interview after announcing her intention to run for President - can receive many benefits from this.
Maddow, who has very progressive political views, would have no problem giving candidates more room to showcase their abilities on air. This has been confirmed.
“The network’s philosophy is to give opportunities to anyone who deserves it and has a vision,” said a source who has worked with MSNBC. That means there are no limits to what Rachel Maddow can do on air. “Rachel can be her own person, and that’s the beauty of the show.”
Back on MSNBC's New Year's Eve show, Maddow's most important piece of information for Warren came at the end of the show. The host made an informal suggestion and invited her to appear on the air again.
“I think your campaign is going to be a very tough one, as far as I’ve seen,” Maddow said. “And throughout this process, I hope you stay in touch with the public and come back.”
MSNBC is probably one of the most watched TV channels in the US right now, or rather, it is entering a golden period of viewership explosion. It is considered the choice of Democrats and those who oppose President Donald Trump.
Statistics from market research firm Nielsen show that MSNBC's average audience during the week of December 17-21, 2018 reached 1.56 million people, surpassing Fox News' record set in 2001 (1.54 million people/week) for the first time. MSNBC even surpassed CNN (975,000 people).
Rachel Maddow's talk show is perhaps the exception to MSNBC's schedule. The progressive-leaning show was the second-most watched on cable throughout 2018, with 2.9 million viewers per night.
On average, Maddow also has a loyal audience of 1 million more than other famous colleagues who host similar shows, such as Lawrence O'Donnell or Chris Hayes.
Rachel Maddow's “Power”
It is difficult to explain Rachel Maddow’s situation when the mainstream media is losing its appeal and influence. Users now have many options for news with the support of technology platforms. Even those who pursue the political game have many tools at their disposal to attract voters.
But Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, isn’t surprised by the phenomenon. Kathleen has studied how talk show host Rush Limbaugh became a Republican political communicator who pushed candidates to the forefront of public attention.
The two have a lot in common. Limbaugh and Maddow have very clear political views, and a very loyal following that makes watching their shows a daily habit.
Kathleen Hall Jamieson said the candidates who appeared on the show several times were likely to win over the hearts of this loyal audience. “I wouldn’t call it a primary, I would call it a caucus to choose the best candidate,” she said. “The important thing is that you’re seeing one person, not a bunch of people.”
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| Rachel Maddow chats with Senator Elizabeth Warren on the New Year's show. Photo: NBC News |
Democrats who are planning to run in 2020 are really “crazy” about Rachel Maddow and her TV show. They want to sit on the stage with Rachel not only because of the coverage of the show but also because of the credibility that comes with the Rachel Maddow brand in the eyes of progressive activists and donors.
Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist in New York, commented: Candidates can see appearances on the show as a credential, a clear signal of their ultimate goal: making it to the final race.
“If someone gets here, sits down and debates, they are going to be on the radar of people who are actually interested in politics, people who are on the Left, Center Left, people who hate Trump, or people who have no problem with sexism.”
“It’s safe for people who are considered to be on the radical left,” he said. “All they have to do is show off.” For example, within hours of appearing on Rachel Maddow’s show, Elizabeth Warren tweeted the video, which immediately received 132,000 views.
For Democratic candidates, on the other hand, Rachel Maddow’s show is a low-risk space, with a sympathetic host and high ratings. Rachel, unlike Hannity, has a close relationship with President Trump, even appearing at a Trump campaign event.
She’s also been remarkably neutral. She’s also been known to prompt guests to share their backgrounds at key moments in the show, most recently when Rachel “challenged” Senator Elizabeth Warren with a question about her decision to take a DNA test, in response to criticism of her earlier claims of Native American heritage.
Seawright, a political expert in South Carolina, said that Rachel Maddow’s influence has gone beyond the scope of a television show. Having witnessed Rachel moderate a forum of Democratic candidates in South Carolina just before the 2016 presidential election, he exclaimed that “people came from all over the country” not only to see the Democratic candidates, but also because they saw a TV star./.
