Air America, MSNBC connect on "Race"

Air America Radio's Rachel Maddow, who's radio show is quickly becoming one the networks' most successful, is quickly becoming a TV star via MSNBC. And now, it looks like her TV and radio worlds will collide.

According to Rory O'Connor, MSNBC is in talks with Air America to simulcast their new show, Race for the White House weeknights on both outlets.

Maddow is currently a frequent guest on the show, hosted by MSNBC White House correspondent David Gregory. So far, nothing is confirmed, but if the move goes through, possibly by next week, Maddow will become a regular panelist. The show airs weeknights at 6P ET, and will basically make up the first hour of Maddow's radio show.

Maddow's radio show was recently expanded from two to three hours, extending into the 8-9P ET hour when some affiliates, particularly KTLK in Los Angeles, demanded more Maddow.

O'Connor has a nice profile of Maddow, which can be found here.

(Also thanks to TVNewser and Johnny Dollar for the heads-up.)

In other Air America news, another new show is rumored to be in the planning stages, this one by an actual politician. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is in talks with the network to host his own weekend show. The San Francisco Chronicle says Mayor Newsom has a handshake deal with the network

"They said I could do anything I want, talk - take callers - whatever," the mayor said, adding that his show will probably air Saturday afternoon.

Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross also took suggestions for the name of the new show. Some of the reader submissions include Mayor McDreamy's Neighborhood, Something New (as in New-som) and - the one Matier and Ross liked best - Hair America.