In those glorious days before the former guy took his sham of entry into the highest office, Rachel Maddow was a pleasant and refreshing breath of intelligence on MSNBC, often ending her early programs with a cocktail recipe and toast. As the former guy’s nonsensical but dangerous brand of hate and sleaze worked its way into a rotting of America’s soul, Maddow became a voice of reason and defiance, and her role took on more and more weight as the world struggled to right the sudden proliferation of open and outright racism and evil. Throughout it all, she retained a steady and studied thoughtful guide through those treacherous waters. Her ratings reflected our hunger for such substance and stability, growing and expanding as the right and the reasonable did their best to resist. I’m not sure how we could have made it through that wretchedness without her. She easily earns her first Dazzler of the Day honor for helping keep us all sane at 9 PM.
