THR's 35 Most Powerful People in Media
“The pace here is just incredible ... but we are sustaining it, somehow, every day,” says Maddow, 39, after more than 400 installments of her weeknight news and opinion program. The host of MSNBC’s top-rated show — and its lead anchor for political coverage — says she most enjoys the momentum of an election year, when the smallest detail could be an inflection point in the campaign and “end up changing American history.”
PHOTOS: THR's 35 Most Powerful People in Media
Outside of her TV duties, the avid mixologist (she likes to create and taste cocktail recipes) hopes her first book, Drift, about the U.S.’ ever-increasing war-making capabilities, will get Americans to “reconsider decisions” about going to war. “This is a relatively new problem, and a fixable one, but I think this is the right moment to start talking about it,” she says.
PHOTOS: Outtakes from THR's New York Issue Photo Shoots
As for what’s next, Maddow hopes to land a few elusive guests. “I’m going to try giving Virginia [Republican] Gov. Bob McDonnell and every adult member of the Cheney family a seat with their name on it in my studio,” she says. “Gov. McDonnell, if you’re reading this, ‘Hi! I’m buying you a chair!’"
