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 nominating race for the 2020 presidential 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. AP photo |
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. So 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.
In addition, according to statistics, Rachel's loyal audience is often middle-aged people, people with clear political views. Those who have a close relationship with Rachel Maddow, for example, 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 a chance to anyone who deserves it and has a vision,” said a source who has worked with MSNBC. This means there are no limits to what Rachel Maddow can do on air. “Rachel can be her own boss, 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 offer 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 it,” Maddow said. “And throughout this process, I hope you stay in touch with the public and come back.”
MSNBC is probably among 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, for the first time pushing Fox News' record set in 2001 (1.54 million people/week) into the past. MSNBC even surpassed the monument CNN (975,000 people).
Rachel Maddow's talk show is perhaps the exception in MSNBC's lineup. The progressive-leaning show was the second-most watched on cable for all of 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 the case of Rachel Maddow when the mainstream media is losing its appeal and influence. Users now have many choices for news with supporting technology platforms. Even those who pursue the political game have many tools at their disposal to attract voters' votes.
But Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, is not surprised by this 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 clear political views, and a loyal following that makes watching their shows a daily habit.
Kathleen believes that candidates who appear on the show several times have already won the hearts of this loyal audience. “I don’t call it a primary, I call it a caucus,” says Kathleen Hall Jamieson. “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 show. They want to sit on the stage with her 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.
Candidates can see appearances on the show as a credential, a clear signal of their ultimate goal: making it to the final race, said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist in New York.
“If someone gets here, sits down and debates, they are in the crosshairs 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.” Within hours of appearing on Rachel Maddow’s show, for example, 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 has a remarkable neutrality to her character. She also has a way of prompting guests to introduce themselves at key moments in the show. The latest example is Rachel “challenging” 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./.
