I have a crush on Rachel Maddow.

No, not that kind of crush. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that!) It’s more of a “I-wish-I-were-more like-her” kind of crush. You know, those rare people in life who give you a brain buzz, raise the bar to make you want to stretch, and have an unassuming strong sense of self. They also tend to have an easy rapport with everyone they meet. It’s that’s kind of crush.

I especially love Rachel, though, because:

She educates me
I learn every time I listen to her. Her intelligence and knowledge are readily apparent whether she is reporting or interviewing. And when there are errors on her show, she corrects them. A few weeks ago, following her interview with Pat Buchanan, she devoted an entire segment to (politely) correcting numerous factual misstatements he passionately asserted. It’s no surprise that she is a Rhodes Scholar and has a doctoral degree in her repertoire. See what I mean - she's awesome!

She can disagree without being disagreeable
Rachel interviewed Tom Ridge last week and they disagreed on nearly every topic they discussed. Yet, she showed him the dignity and respect he deserves despite challenging his views, historical decisions and passages in his new book. He acknowledged the same at the end of their 3-segment interview. She’s like that with everyone. She treats them with respect and they mirror her manner.

She defies convention
Rachel is an openly gay, exceptionally tall woman who likes her hair short, wears minimal makeup and, sometimes, even glasses – an unlikely combination for any television star. And she doesn’t hide who she is. In fact, she’s quite candid: “I’m a big lesbian who looks like a man,” she said recently on The View. Her candor and easy humor make her sexual orientation the non-issue that it should be. Finally.

Simply put, Rachel is refreshing and I want to be more like her. After all, she’s my crush.

Shine on, Rachel.