NBC Plans To Drop Ronna McDaniel From ‘Sacred Airwaves’ After Uproar Within Network: Report
The ex-RNC chair was hired less than a week ago by the network, and is reportedly exploring her legal options in the event that she is fired.
NBC News is planning to drop Ronna McDaniel after an internal revolt, as hosts criticized their own network for putting the former head of the Republican National Committee on its payroll.
Ms. MsDaniel, the niece of Senator Romney, is said to be exploring her legal options in the event that she is fired, Axios is reporting, following an initial report about the network’s plan from Puck News.
Although the network leadership originally welcomed Ms. McDaniel, saying that she would bring a much-needed “insider’s perspective” during coverage about the election and where the Republican party is heading, an internal revolt has apparently been successful.
A slew of program hosts criticized their bosses on air over the weekend for the decision to hire Ms. McDaniel, including Rachel Maddow, who called it “inexplicable.”
“You wouldn’t hire a made man like a mobster to work at a DA’s office. You wouldn’t hire a pickpocket to work as a TSA screener,” she said, adding that she hoped the network would “reverse their decision.”
Former host Chuck Todd also slammed the network for bringing Ms. McDaniel on as a paid contributor.
“There’s a reason why there are a lot of journalists at NBC News uncomfortable with this, because many of our professional dealings with the RNC over the last six years have been met with gaslighting, have been met with character assassination,” he said.
Much of the criticism was centered around Ms. McDaniel’s view of the 2020 election, in which she has said that President Biden didn’t win fairly.
“In this instance, NBC News, either wittingly or unwittingly is teaching election deniers that what they can do stretches well beyond appearing on our air and interviews to peddle lies about the sanctity and integrity of our elections,” host Nicolle Wallace said, adding that now, “they can do that as one of us, as badge carrying employees of NBC News, as paid contributors to our sacred airwaves.”
Ms. McDaniel had been hired as a contributor to the network after recently resigning from her position at the RNC, following pressure from President Trump for new party leadership.
