(NewsWorthy.news) – Shortly after she left the Republican National Committee (RNC), political strategist Ronna McDaniel joined NBC News as a contributing commentator, a decision that was promptly belittled by fellow on-air hosts.
McDaniel, who stepped down as the RNC’s chairwoman of six years earlier this month, first appeared in her new role on Sunday, March 24. The Trump supporter was interviewed by Kristen Welker on the weekend’s edition of “Meet the Press.” Following the conversation, Welker debriefed with other media hosts, including the show’s former moderator and current chief political analyst for NBC, Chuck Todd.
The debrief—which also featured Boston Globe’s senior opinion writer Kimberly Atkins Stohr and The Dispatch CEO and editor Steven Hayes—began with Welker asking Todd his “takeaways” from the interview. Todd immediately stated his belief that the NBC News leadership now “owe” Welker “an apology” for having put her “in this situation.”
He also commended Welker for being able to conduct the interview well, although it was what he described as an “impossible situation.” Todd was also quick to criticize McDaniel, saying she has unresolved “credibility issues” that do not go unseen by him or others who agree with his take. During the interview, he argued, the Republican strategist could have considered her answers ahead of time to ensure they aligned with the contract she had signed with the network.
He added that “a lot of journalists” with the news outlet are “uncomfortable” with the situation.
As Welker pointed out on-air, the interview with McDaniel was in the books “weeks before” news broke that she would be joining NBC News as a paid contributor. This move by the network attracted immediate backlash from some who criticized McDaniel’s support of former president Donald Trump and efforts to ensure election integrity during the 2020 presidential race.
Todd’s criticism was joined by MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, who separately called the network’s contract with McDaniel “inexplicable.” The network announced the hiring of the Republican strategist just two weeks after she shared her plans to step down as chair of the RNC.
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