Maddow and Navarro Will Speak at Smith on 2016 Election

Two leading television commentators—MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and CNN’s Ana Navarro—will offer reflections on the 2016 presidential election in Presidential Colloquia at the end of January. 

Maddow’s talk (at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 23) and Navarro’s talk (at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24) will take place in John M. Greene Hall. Both events are open to the public at no charge, and no tickets are required. 

Note: Audio of Rachel Maddow’s talk and Ana Navarro’s talk is available online NEPR’s College Connection.

President Kathleen McCartney said these two colloquia provide an opportunity to hear about a transformative event—the 2016 presidential election—from two different perspectives.

“We have a rare opportunity to hear from two prominent and insightful political commentators—one a leading liberal voice, and the other a leading conservative voice—about events that will have a profound effect on our world, especially for women,” McCartney said. “Sparking discussion around differing points of view is one of the greatest public goods that a college can serve,” she added. “I look forward to the conversations.”

About Rachel Maddow

Maddow is the popular host of MSNBC’s Emmy Award-winning The Rachel Maddow Show, which features Maddow’s take on the biggest stories of the day, political and otherwise, as well as in-depth analysis and lively debate with guests from all sides of the issues.

She also is the author of DRIFT: The Unmooring of American Military Power, which debuted at number one on the New York Times bestsellers list in March 2012.

Currently a resident of both Western Massachusetts and New York, Maddow began her radio career on WRNX in Holyoke, Mass., in 1999 when she won a contest to find a new sidekick for the host of a morning show. She went on to host Big Breakfast on WRSI in Northampton before leaving to join Air America. She has been with MSNBC since 2005, and has hosted her own show for the network since 2008.

Maddow earned her undergraduate degree in public policy from Stanford, then studied at Lincoln College, Oxford, on a Rhodes Scholarship. In 2001, she received her D. Phil. degree in politics from Oxford; her thesis was on HIV/AIDS and Health Care Reform in British and American Prisons.

More information about Maddow is available at http://www.rachelmaddow.com/.

About Ana Navarro

Ana Navarro, an American political strategist and commentator, is one of the leading Hispanic Republican political voices in the United States.

A political commentator on CNN, ABC and Telemundo and a Republican strategist with vast expertise on Latin America, Florida and Hispanic issues, Navarro frequently comments on political issues and current affairs in national and international print media. She is known for her honest and blunt commentary, often delivered with humor.

Navarro was the National Hispanic Co-Chair for John McCain’s 2008 Presidential Campaign. She has advised numerous federal and state campaigns in Florida and nationally. In 2012, she served as National Hispanic Co-Chair for Gov. Jon Huntsman’s Presidential Campaign. In 2013, she was a Fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics.

Navarro served in Gov. Jeb Bush’s Transition Team and Administration in 1998-99, and she supported him in the 2016 presidential election.

In the private sector, Navarro provides strategic political and communications advice to private and public clients.

Navarro has served on the board of civic and charitable organizations, including Boy Scouts of South Florida, Miami Dade College Foundation and National Immigration Forum. In 2001, Navarro served as Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission.

Born in Nicaragua, Navarro immigrated to the United States in 1980, when she was 8 years old. She currently lives in Miami. A graduate of the University of Miami, Navarro holds a J.D. degree from the University of St. Thomas Law School.

Her official biography notes that “she has no hobbies or activities requiring significant attention span or physical exertion.”

Navarro is active on twitter at https://twitter.com/ananavarro, and more information is online at http://www.cnn.com/profiles/ana-navarro.

Ticket and Seating Information

Smith alumnae and members of the community are invited to attend these events. No tickets are required, and there is no admission charge.The events will not be live streamed, but podcasts will be available; see top of story for links. For Rachel Maddow’s January 23 talk, floor seats are reserved for Smith College faculty, students, staff and alumnae with Smith IDs. Members of the general public will will offered balcony seating. Doors will open at 9 a.m.