"I'm a national security liberal, which I tell people because it's meant to sound absurd"

Rachel Maddow's quote is a funny way of expressing her political beliefs. By calling herself a "nationwide security liberal," she is highlighting her commitment to both liberal values and national security. She is suggesting that these two worths are not equally exclusive, and that it is possible to be both a liberal and a fan of nationwide security. By saying that it is implied to sound absurd, she is poking fun at the idea that one can not be both a liberal and an advocate of nationwide security. She is likewise highlighting the reality that many individuals see these 2 worths as incompatible. In doing so, she is challenging the idea that a person needs to pick in between liberal values and nationwide security.