Quick Hit

NBC faces backlash from its own stars over Ronna McDaniel's hiring. Chuck Todd, Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, and Nicolle Wallace criticize the move, citing credibility and democracy concerns.

Key Details

• Internal Criticism: NBC stars, including Chuck Todd and the "Morning Joe" co-hosts, publicly denounce the hiring of Ronna McDaniel, former RNC chair, as an analyst.
• Credibility Concerns: Critics point to McDaniel's involvement in Trump's "fake elector scheme" and efforts to undermine election certification.
• Democracy at Stake: Nicolle Wallace questions the network's role in possibly endorsing election denial by employing McDaniel.

Diving Deeper

During an appearance on "Meet The Press," Todd expressed his disapproval of the decision, stating that network bosses owe an apology for putting other journalists in a difficult position. He questioned McDaniel's credibility and whether her responses during interviews would be influenced by her new contract with NBC.

McDaniel, who resigned as the Republican National Committee chair earlier this month, was announced as a paid contributor to NBC News and its platforms on Friday. The decision has sparked controversy both within and outside the network, with many questioning the value McDaniel brings to NBC News. Todd suggested that the decision was made for access, either to an audience or an individual, but questioned whether this was a defensible decision.

Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, co-hosts of Morning Joe, publicly criticized the network's decision on Monday's broadcast. Scarborough, a former GOP congressman, expressed his disapproval of McDaniel's hiring, citing her involvement in Donald Trump's "fake elector scheme" and her attempts to pressure election officials not to certify election results. Brzezinski echoed these sentiments, arguing that the issue with McDaniel was not her ideology, but her credibility.

The Morning Joe co-hosts were not alone in their criticism. Nicolle Wallace, a former George W. Bush spokesperson-turned-MSNBC host, also lambasted McDaniel's hiring, suggesting it posed a threat to democracy. Wallace questioned whether NBC News was "wittingly or unwittingly teaching election deniers" by adding McDaniel to their payroll.

Despite the backlash, NBC News currently employs other political figures such as former top Biden White House staffers Jen Psaki and Symone Sanders, as well as ex-RNC chair Michael Steele and former George W. Bush aide Nicolle Wallace. However, Todd did not mention these individuals in his criticism.