In a surprising turn of events during a live broadcast of NBC’s “Meet the Press” this Sunday, former host Chuck Todd openly criticized the network for its recent decision to bring on Ronna McDaniel, the ex-chair of the Republican National Committee, as a political analyst. Todd, who had steered the show for nearly a decade, voiced his dissatisfaction during a panel discussion, pointing out what he sees as McDaniel’s “credibility issues.”
Todd expressed his concern, stating, “A number of us at NBC News are uneasy about this decision. Our professional interactions with the RNC over the past six years have often been fraught with gaslighting and character attacks.” He questioned the value McDaniel brings to NBC News, given the network’s decision to associate its credibility with her.
Earlier in the program, McDaniel, in a one-on-one interview with the current host Kristen Welker, made her appearance, which had been scheduled weeks before her official hiring by the network was announced. Welker made it clear at the outset, “This is a news interview, and I played no part in her recruitment.”
During the interview, McDaniel addressed various topics, including the events of January 6, 2021, her strained relationship with former President Donald Trump, and her persistent, yet unsubstantiated, claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Despite lacking evidence, McDaniel has long insisted that the election, which saw Joe Biden emerge as the victor, was flawed.
Kristen Welker, who succeeded Todd as moderator of “Meet the Press” after an 11-year tenure as NBC’s White House correspondent, found herself in a challenging position later in the show. Todd addressed what he termed “the elephant in the room,” stating, “I believe our bosses owe you an apology for placing you in this predicament. Given her new role as a paid contributor for NBC News, it’s hard to discern the authenticity of her responses, wondering if they were influenced by her contractual obligations.”
The hiring of political figures by news outlets isn’t new, yet McDaniel’s comments on the 2020 election have drawn recent criticism. NBC News, when approached by USA TODAY for a comment, chose not to respond.
Carrie Budoff Brown, NBC’s Senior Vice President of political coverage, underscored the significance of McDaniel’s addition to the team in a memo to the New York Times, stating, “At such a crucial time, having Ronna’s perspective on our team is invaluable.”