Rachel Maddow received a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Stanford University. She earned her doctorate in political science at Oxford University, which she attended on a Rhodes Scholarship.
As a teen, Maddow competed on the swimming, volleyball and basketball teams at Castro Valley High School, but a sports injury to her shoulder led her to abandon sports. Maddow devoted the opening in her schedule to volunteer at a local AIDS clinic.
In 1999 Maddow landed a job as co-host on WRNX Radio's The Dave in the Morning Show. Her next job was a two-year stint as host of WRSI's morning show Big Breakfast.
In 2004 she auditioned for Air America, a newly founded liberal radio network, and held a co-host position until the show was cancelled in 2005. The cancellation turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Maddow, when Air America offered her her own liberal political radio show, The Rachel Maddow Show.
Although the radio show has changed time slots several times, dedicated listeners have continued to tune in, making the nationally syndicated show one of Air America’s highest-rated programs.
Learn about liberal political journalist Rachel Maddow on Biography.com.
Trending Now: Tax story puts spotlight on MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.
With a single tweet, she set in motion a social media storm, compelled the White House to undercut her by releasing some of President Donald Trump’s tax return information, was accused of breaking the law, was attacked by Fox News Channel and likely drew one of her biggest audiences. Get more scoop at MercuryNews.com.