I submitted the following remarks to the two NBC executives identified in Robert's post along with the suggestion to contact them:
I find it appalling that NBC would hire an individual who supported an attempted coup, to serve as alleged political analyst or expert whose opinion has any credibility or value.
No media outlet that values the truth, and does not want to be subjected to Donald Trump's retribution and the "Hungary-fication" of the U.S., should provide a platform to Ronna McDaniel.
This election is not one with two equally valid views of how best to pursue U.S. policy. It is one party doing that and the other party under the complete control of a narcissist who has pledged to engage in numerous anti-democratic actions. BTW, have you read Project 2025?
The page of quotes of Ronna McDaniel at BrainyQuote show what you get from her - no analysis or facts - just counter-factual assertions that are demonstrably false.
"The Republican Party is not the party for the wealthy."
"There is no fairness out there. There is no balance in the media."
"It's very unfortunate to see the amount of obstruction the Democrats have put forward...Even when they see their own constituents suffering because of their failing healthcare."
"It's very easy to unite a party around opposition or wanting to get the White House back. That's a unifying message, and you're seeing the Democrats uniting around being the party of 'no' and the party of 'resist.'"
"The future of the Republican Party is female right now." [Citing herself and KellyAnne Conway]
"...I firmly believe our policies and our principles and the way we govern is better for every American."
"Donald Trump is a champion of women."
"Donald Trump has added a whole different factor that we've never seen before, but the audience loves it. We've seen the energy around our state, so many crowds coming; it's good for democracy to have so many people engaged." [OMG!]
This is what you will get from Ronna McDaniel. It's worse than worthless, it is corrosive. Donald Trump attempted a coup and what he is planning for the U.S. if re-elected is horrific. Ronna McDaniel stands with him. DO NOT NORMALIZE THE INSURRECTION.
Ronna McDaniel lied before she joined NBC and smeared NBC’s journalists for telling the truth.
Keeping her from having any formal or informal role at NBC is is imperative.
I used to watch MSNB and NBC. No more. You should be asking of yourself as head of an organization that should be proud of itself how you just lost our confidence and interest. You destroyed your own reputation and your first company (as CEO) in just over a year. You hired a known “insurrectionist” supporter and election denier. Shame shame shame on you.
Then you said: we’ll "see what happen’s”, right out of Trumps dictionary. Well, Rona McDaniels does not deserve this chance. Nor are we interested to “see what happens”. She has already proven who she is, you should believe her.
She lied before she joined NBC and smeared NBC’s journalists for telling the truth. She participated in at least one act designed to overturn the election. She should not be trusted with any news platform that reaches persuadable voters—because we have no reason to believe that she will tell the truth going forward. If you can, just think about your employees that were and are maligned, now have having to work with her.
As a former CEO, I know that what I do becomes part of the culture of my firm. Maybe you haven’t learned that tough lesson yet, Ms. Blumenstein. I’m here to mentor you any time. If you remember your Econometrics, you can calculate the time it takes for services to collapse when they have lost the trust of their clients and public.
One of the best decisions I ever made was to start reading your newsletter, Robert. I wrote Rebecca Blumenstein this morning and feel much better! I am so weary of most corporations and the blind loyalty they demand of their employees and their treachery to whistleblowers. Groupthink was not the blueprint of the Founding Fathers and Mothers, nor should it be ours.
1. Your suggestion that hiring Ronna McDaniel at NBC would "help examine diverse perspectives of American voters" is akin to hiring Charles Manson for his views on population control.
2. Odds are great that any increased viewership experienced will be wiped out by the departing viewers racing for the door.
3. Don't spend that bonus until it hits your account.
Your lack of ethical judgement in hiring a known liar, election obstructor and coup supporter is shockingly damaging to NBC's reputation. For you not to see that providing a platform for corruption and misinformation smears all of your reporters, commentators and employees at NBC is journalistic malpractice.
You've proved that NBC is no longer a reliable source of news. We can't believe anything aired on NBC; you've become exactly like FOX News - the only difference is you haven't yet had to pay out 3/4 of a billion dollars for the lies.
Reputations are hard-won and easily destroyed; your failure to understand the stakes in this unique election are evidence that you don't understand or care about the threat to our 235 year old constitutional democracy. Until Ronna McDaniel is completely rejected by NBC, we will not watch your programming, and will reach out to your advertisers to urge that they drop NBC.
Your cowardly inclusion of dishonest insurrectionists on your platform is a major low point for a once-honorable news organization. Huntley, Brinkley, Chancellor, Brokaw etc. must be ashamed; you should be, too.
Boy I needed this this morning. It was all I could do to not smash TV sets upon hearing of Rona MsCoupdeJure McDanniel was hired by NBC. Thanks for those email addresses. Fired off two as incendiary as I could make them emails. Who the actual F do these NBC “news” executives think they are? Still furious. Maybe I’ll write again. Grrrrr
I will be writing the NBC executives as well and thank the reader who provided addresses:
At the most basic level, I have no trust in a news organization that knowingly hires a new employee who lied over many months, helped finance the spreading of that lie, and threw innocent people (e.g., elections workers, journalists) in harm's way in the process.
A NEWS organization? How absurd. Why would anyone believe any broadcaster on NBC now? Is it up to viewers to research your employees’ qualifications and background before we know whether to trust that they are not lying?
Just an absurdly, offensive, bad decision that has put NBC in the same category as FOX.
I am horrified that you have hired her. While she didn't personally participate in the insurrection -- in which several people died and the transfer of power to Joe Biden was at grave risk -- she was a major supporter and apologist. Her excuse that she was just "taking one for the team" rings hollow. She was not some low-level employer who risked being fired and then not being able to pay the rent if she failed to support Trump, she was the leader of the RNC.
I grew up in the era of Chet Huntley, David Brinkley and John Chancellor -- people who covered the news with honesty, integrity and dignity. My has NBC fallen!
The backlash to the McDaniel hiring is instructive in terms of messaging. Sometimes, I think those of us who read these center-left Substack columns tend to be a bit isolated from the political world and that our reactions to political stimuli are not indicative of the larger whole of the body politic. This backlash transcended that notion. In some ways, it validated that the desire to fight for democracy goes beyond politics and that there is a more unified morality in play.
NBC crossed a line at a time when it was unclear there was one. It should instruct our messaging going forward. Heather Cox Richardson’s newsletter this morning put this demarcation in a historical context by comparing it to the backlash to the “yellow journalism” of the 1890s. She marks the shifting tide of that era with the purchase of the New York Times by Adolf Ochs. She concludes: “In an era so much like our own, the national mood had changed.” Let’s hope that this incident will spur the same kind of era of objectivity in journalism. Or, at the very least, helps us to turn the tide in this election year.
MSNBC hiring Ronna6 McDaniel is the equivalent of Fox News hiring James Carvel whose only job would be to say, " That's bullshit" after every comment made. Now that I think about it, that would be perfect.
My sent comments to NBC Blumenstein and the other one:
Utterly outrageous that NBC hired RNC election denier Rona McDaniels for anything much less for her opinion. The attempted coup was the first in our election history. It was stunning. We watched it. She denied it and now says "Oh, well. I had to take one for the team," So lying is acceptable if you are paid to do it.
You now have a contract with her and you were fools to make that agreement. She is a paid liar. Tom Brokaw would be outraged. You should correct your heinous error and fire her and pay the price. We will not turn on NBC for anything. Period.
Carole Ferguson and Jim Conlin5 Day St, S Dartmouth
Robert, wonderfully written. It remains true that lots of women (and men) "care about having their reproductive liberty controlled by religious zealots, allowing weapons of war to be carried in public without a permit, rolling back climate protections after the hottest year on record, disenfranchising Black voters, denying equal dignity to LGBTQ people, or allowing Americans to choose their leaders."
I sent the following message to Ms Blumenstein and Ms Budoff.
Huntley, Brinkley, Chancellor, Cronkite, Murrow and every other TV journalist who ever graced the air in the service of informing the public and supporting democracy in the battle to eradicate fascism are surely rolling in their graves.
Sever all ties with Ronna McDaniel. She has no place “on the air” at NBC or any legitimate media outlet. She is an unethical liar and she may be subjected to criminal prosecution. She is a cancer that is poisoning the body politic and should be condemned, not rewarded and hired, for promoting the lies that the events of January 6, 2021 reflected “legitimate political discourse.”
McDaniel should not be trusted with any news platform that reaches persuadable voters—because we have no reason to believe that she will tell the truth going forward. Stop contributing to the unconscionable, immoral divisiveness that is undermining truth and justice in America.
SO fun! I just sent off an email to NBC and echoed what everyone else here is saying: that (1) this is not a game and (2) McDaniel would still be spewing lies and supporting MAGA if she hadn't basically been fired by Trump from the RNC. I also suggested they might spend time more profitably -- both bottom-line and democracy-holding -- by presenting analyses, discussion, what-have-you about the Trump Crime Family (Kushner et al. in particular) for which there are clear documented facts and Project 2025 which lays out very neatly how MAGA intends to transform American democracy into White Christian Nationalism. Thanks for providing the contact information.
I submitted the following remarks to the two NBC executives identified in Robert's post along with the suggestion to contact them:
I find it appalling that NBC would hire an individual who supported an attempted coup, to serve as alleged political analyst or expert whose opinion has any credibility or value.
No media outlet that values the truth, and does not want to be subjected to Donald Trump's retribution and the "Hungary-fication" of the U.S., should provide a platform to Ronna McDaniel.
This election is not one with two equally valid views of how best to pursue U.S. policy. It is one party doing that and the other party under the complete control of a narcissist who has pledged to engage in numerous anti-democratic actions. BTW, have you read Project 2025?
The page of quotes of Ronna McDaniel at BrainyQuote show what you get from her - no analysis or facts - just counter-factual assertions that are demonstrably false.
"The Republican Party is not the party for the wealthy."
"There is no fairness out there. There is no balance in the media."
"It's very unfortunate to see the amount of obstruction the Democrats have put forward...Even when they see their own constituents suffering because of their failing healthcare."
"It's very easy to unite a party around opposition or wanting to get the White House back. That's a unifying message, and you're seeing the Democrats uniting around being the party of 'no' and the party of 'resist.'"
"The future of the Republican Party is female right now." [Citing herself and KellyAnne Conway]
"...I firmly believe our policies and our principles and the way we govern is better for every American."
"Donald Trump is a champion of women."
"Donald Trump has added a whole different factor that we've never seen before, but the audience loves it. We've seen the energy around our state, so many crowds coming; it's good for democracy to have so many people engaged." [OMG!]
This is what you will get from Ronna McDaniel. It's worse than worthless, it is corrosive. Donald Trump attempted a coup and what he is planning for the U.S. if re-elected is horrific. Ronna McDaniel stands with him. DO NOT NORMALIZE THE INSURRECTION.
Ronna McDaniel lied before she joined NBC and smeared NBC’s journalists for telling the truth.
Keeping her from having any formal or informal role at NBC is is imperative.
Here are my comments to Ms. Blumenstein:
I used to watch MSNB and NBC. No more. You should be asking of yourself as head of an organization that should be proud of itself how you just lost our confidence and interest. You destroyed your own reputation and your first company (as CEO) in just over a year. You hired a known “insurrectionist” supporter and election denier. Shame shame shame on you.
Then you said: we’ll "see what happen’s”, right out of Trumps dictionary. Well, Rona McDaniels does not deserve this chance. Nor are we interested to “see what happens”. She has already proven who she is, you should believe her.
She lied before she joined NBC and smeared NBC’s journalists for telling the truth. She participated in at least one act designed to overturn the election. She should not be trusted with any news platform that reaches persuadable voters—because we have no reason to believe that she will tell the truth going forward. If you can, just think about your employees that were and are maligned, now have having to work with her.
As a former CEO, I know that what I do becomes part of the culture of my firm. Maybe you haven’t learned that tough lesson yet, Ms. Blumenstein. I’m here to mentor you any time. If you remember your Econometrics, you can calculate the time it takes for services to collapse when they have lost the trust of their clients and public.
I hope you can understand my outrage and sadness
Bruce N Klassen
One of the best decisions I ever made was to start reading your newsletter, Robert. I wrote Rebecca Blumenstein this morning and feel much better! I am so weary of most corporations and the blind loyalty they demand of their employees and their treachery to whistleblowers. Groupthink was not the blueprint of the Founding Fathers and Mothers, nor should it be ours.
Just emailed to Ms. Budoff and Ms. Blumenstein:
Dear NBC Executives,
Just 3 quick points:
1. Your suggestion that hiring Ronna McDaniel at NBC would "help examine diverse perspectives of American voters" is akin to hiring Charles Manson for his views on population control.
2. Odds are great that any increased viewership experienced will be wiped out by the departing viewers racing for the door.
3. Don't spend that bonus until it hits your account.
Sincerely,
Emily Kirk
Letter to President of NBC today:
Ms. Blumenstein-
Your lack of ethical judgement in hiring a known liar, election obstructor and coup supporter is shockingly damaging to NBC's reputation. For you not to see that providing a platform for corruption and misinformation smears all of your reporters, commentators and employees at NBC is journalistic malpractice.
You've proved that NBC is no longer a reliable source of news. We can't believe anything aired on NBC; you've become exactly like FOX News - the only difference is you haven't yet had to pay out 3/4 of a billion dollars for the lies.
Reputations are hard-won and easily destroyed; your failure to understand the stakes in this unique election are evidence that you don't understand or care about the threat to our 235 year old constitutional democracy. Until Ronna McDaniel is completely rejected by NBC, we will not watch your programming, and will reach out to your advertisers to urge that they drop NBC.
Your cowardly inclusion of dishonest insurrectionists on your platform is a major low point for a once-honorable news organization. Huntley, Brinkley, Chancellor, Brokaw etc. must be ashamed; you should be, too.
yours-
Possibly it would clarify things if the folks at NBC were told that hiring McDaniel is the equivalent of putting Joseph Goebbels on staff in the 30s.
Boy I needed this this morning. It was all I could do to not smash TV sets upon hearing of Rona MsCoupdeJure McDanniel was hired by NBC. Thanks for those email addresses. Fired off two as incendiary as I could make them emails. Who the actual F do these NBC “news” executives think they are? Still furious. Maybe I’ll write again. Grrrrr
I will be writing the NBC executives as well and thank the reader who provided addresses:
At the most basic level, I have no trust in a news organization that knowingly hires a new employee who lied over many months, helped finance the spreading of that lie, and threw innocent people (e.g., elections workers, journalists) in harm's way in the process.
A NEWS organization? How absurd. Why would anyone believe any broadcaster on NBC now? Is it up to viewers to research your employees’ qualifications and background before we know whether to trust that they are not lying?
Just an absurdly, offensive, bad decision that has put NBC in the same category as FOX.
At your suggestion, here's what I wrote to NBC:
I am horrified that you have hired her. While she didn't personally participate in the insurrection -- in which several people died and the transfer of power to Joe Biden was at grave risk -- she was a major supporter and apologist. Her excuse that she was just "taking one for the team" rings hollow. She was not some low-level employer who risked being fired and then not being able to pay the rent if she failed to support Trump, she was the leader of the RNC.
I grew up in the era of Chet Huntley, David Brinkley and John Chancellor -- people who covered the news with honesty, integrity and dignity. My has NBC fallen!
I've lost all respect for your network.
The backlash to the McDaniel hiring is instructive in terms of messaging. Sometimes, I think those of us who read these center-left Substack columns tend to be a bit isolated from the political world and that our reactions to political stimuli are not indicative of the larger whole of the body politic. This backlash transcended that notion. In some ways, it validated that the desire to fight for democracy goes beyond politics and that there is a more unified morality in play.
NBC crossed a line at a time when it was unclear there was one. It should instruct our messaging going forward. Heather Cox Richardson’s newsletter this morning put this demarcation in a historical context by comparing it to the backlash to the “yellow journalism” of the 1890s. She marks the shifting tide of that era with the purchase of the New York Times by Adolf Ochs. She concludes: “In an era so much like our own, the national mood had changed.” Let’s hope that this incident will spur the same kind of era of objectivity in journalism. Or, at the very least, helps us to turn the tide in this election year.
To Ms. Blumenstein and Ms. Budoff: Ronna McDaniel hire = NBC News credibility undone.
MSNBC hiring Ronna6 McDaniel is the equivalent of Fox News hiring James Carvel whose only job would be to say, " That's bullshit" after every comment made. Now that I think about it, that would be perfect.
My sent comments to NBC Blumenstein and the other one:
Utterly outrageous that NBC hired RNC election denier Rona McDaniels for anything much less for her opinion. The attempted coup was the first in our election history. It was stunning. We watched it. She denied it and now says "Oh, well. I had to take one for the team," So lying is acceptable if you are paid to do it.
You now have a contract with her and you were fools to make that agreement. She is a paid liar. Tom Brokaw would be outraged. You should correct your heinous error and fire her and pay the price. We will not turn on NBC for anything. Period.
Carole Ferguson and Jim Conlin5 Day St, S Dartmouth
Robert, wonderfully written. It remains true that lots of women (and men) "care about having their reproductive liberty controlled by religious zealots, allowing weapons of war to be carried in public without a permit, rolling back climate protections after the hottest year on record, disenfranchising Black voters, denying equal dignity to LGBTQ people, or allowing Americans to choose their leaders."
I sent the following message to Ms Blumenstein and Ms Budoff.
Huntley, Brinkley, Chancellor, Cronkite, Murrow and every other TV journalist who ever graced the air in the service of informing the public and supporting democracy in the battle to eradicate fascism are surely rolling in their graves.
Sever all ties with Ronna McDaniel. She has no place “on the air” at NBC or any legitimate media outlet. She is an unethical liar and she may be subjected to criminal prosecution. She is a cancer that is poisoning the body politic and should be condemned, not rewarded and hired, for promoting the lies that the events of January 6, 2021 reflected “legitimate political discourse.”
McDaniel should not be trusted with any news platform that reaches persuadable voters—because we have no reason to believe that she will tell the truth going forward. Stop contributing to the unconscionable, immoral divisiveness that is undermining truth and justice in America.
———
Thank you Robert!
SO fun! I just sent off an email to NBC and echoed what everyone else here is saying: that (1) this is not a game and (2) McDaniel would still be spewing lies and supporting MAGA if she hadn't basically been fired by Trump from the RNC. I also suggested they might spend time more profitably -- both bottom-line and democracy-holding -- by presenting analyses, discussion, what-have-you about the Trump Crime Family (Kushner et al. in particular) for which there are clear documented facts and Project 2025 which lays out very neatly how MAGA intends to transform American democracy into White Christian Nationalism. Thanks for providing the contact information.