JOURNALIST Alex Wagner will replace Rachel Maddow on MSNBC’s coveted 21:00 slot.
Wagner is known for her work on CBS This Morning, but her marriage to former White House chef Sam Kass gets attention with some they call politics’ new “it-couple.”
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“The Rachel Maddow” program was a staple on MSNBC with Maddow as the network’s most watched star.
She will continue to present the program on Mondays and cover news reports while Wagner takes over from Tuesday to Friday.
Wagner’s roots in politics lie deep. She grew up surrounded by the political world while her father worked on Ted Kennedy’s 1980 presidential bid.
She began her journalistic career at Los Angeles music journal Ray Gun, but quickly realized politics is where she belongs. After shifting gears, she joined George Clooney’s anti-genocide organization Not on Our Watch.
When Clooney was asked to work with Wagner, Clooney told Vogue: “Whether we had to testify before the UN Security Council or get stuck in a Land Rover on back roads in Chad for days, she was incorrigible.”
In perfect political fashion, she even met her husband, Sam Kass, at a White House correspondent dinner party. Kass is also a household name in Washington as a contender in the Obama administration.
Kass met the Obamas in Chicago while Barack was a young senator and Michelle was the vice president at the University of Chicago Medical Center. His presence became a staple in their family and it earned him a job at the White House.
Kass’ work in the Obama administration went far beyond his duties as a personal chef. He was a senior adviser on nutrition policy, executive director for Michelle Obama’s campaign against child obesity, and a critical component of the former first lady’s Let’s Move advocacy.
Kass is still active in spreading awareness of food policy. He appeared on a segment of Now This News last year about the urgency of fixing the world’s food systems.
After their introduction by MSNBC commentator Richard Wolffe, Kass was apparently beaten.
They bonded over their love for the Washington Nationals, which prompted Kass to persuade friend Edward Cohen, whose family is the main owner of the Nationals, to open Nats Park for a private date.
The two were married in August 2014. The Obamas were present.
After they got married, Kass decided to resign from his post at the White House to spend more time with Wagner.
He said in his farewell interview: “It was the biggest job of my life and I assume it will be the best job of my life. But I’m going to be with my wife. Once you’m married, you should be quite together. ”
Wagner and Kass have two sons together, Cy and Rafael. Cy was born in July 2017 and Rafael in April 2019.
Their awards have not only attracted the attention of the public, but those who know them are passionate about their compatibility.
Vogue writer Jacob Weisberg remarked: “It is striking how they balance and strengthen each other.
She is at the forefront, sparkling with stories; he hangs back, grumpily attractive, quick with a smile or laugh. ”
As Wagner moves on to host one of the most popular broadcast slots, the couple will surely continue to make news.
The political duo have shown that they are on the rise.