Rachel Maddow, Girl Crush

I have loved Rachel Maddow ever since I listened to her radio show on the short-lived Air America radio network back during the Bush years. That liberal political network, and Rachel, kept me from jumping out of a window.

When she moved up and over to television and MSNBC as the first LGBT woman to ever anchor a news show, I became even more smitten. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy her passion and intelligent reporting, I thought it was cool she was also from the “EB”– in her case, Castro Valley (Hayward and Fremont for me), and that when she’d appear on Jon Stewart, or Letterman, now Bill Maher and Jimmy Fallon, she’d sport the most adorable outfit of shrunken blazer, straight/slightly-slouchy jeans, and colorful (never plain white) running shoes.

And her short hair! Those glasses!

One of her favorite things to do on these shows was to make cocktails. You can see her making one here.

And so I’d have these visions of Rachel and me hanging out, talking politics while sipping a freshly shaken Manhattan she made just for me.

So you can imagine my excitement when I got a Facebook message from an industry friend telling me that Ms. Maddow would be taping “The Rachel Maddow Show” live from the CNBC offices of San Francisco.

I about passed out.

What would I wear? I didn’t want to try too hard of course, but I didn’t want to look bad either, when truth be told, my outfits veer perilously close to crossing over the line from casual chic to seriously slovenly.

So I went with what makes me feel most comfortable: battered skinny jeans, tank, rick owens sneakers. And my trusty yellow headphones.

I make it to Market and Beale and the CNBC building, nervously make my way to security, and am gathered by Bob (the industry friend) to ride the elevator up.

My body sweats while my mouth goes dry. I’m off-balance.

We walk by the office where Rachel is on her knees, feverously reading notes scattered all over the floor.

Bob asks her assistant, stationed at a cubicle outside if he can bring me in to meet her.

“Absolutely not” she says with a tone and face incredulous that Bob would even dare ask.

I’m crestfallen.

But then I see the MSNBC set and desk where Rachel will broadcast her show.
“Can I sit at her desk” I ask Bob. Yeah, quick before they catch you. So I go, and Bob snaps the this pic.

He promises there will be another time to meet her.

Until then, I can watch her dissect the 2016 election with her usual balance of brilliance and wit, and start planning my outfit.

Want to dress like Rachel? Here you go.

1. Liberal Button, Cafe Press. 2. Black blazer, H&M. 3. Levi’s 501s, The Hut. 4. Ray-Ban Wayfarers, Net-A-Porter. 5. Adidas Superstars, Adidas.