Blumenstein and NBC News senior VP of politics Carrie Budoff Brown took the lead in talks with McDaniel. In a memo to staff announcing McDaniel’s hire, Budoff Brown stated that “It couldn’t be a more important moment to have a voice like Ronna’s on the team… As we gear up for the longest general election season in recent memory, she will support our leading coverage by providing an insider’s perspective on national politics and on the future of the Republican Party—which she led through some of the most turbulent and challenging moments in political history.” 

To many at NBCU, it seems inexplicable that these executives failed to anticipate the outrage that ensued. But some insiders maintain that no one in the news division raised any objection to the deal before it was announced — not even MSNBC chief Rashida Jones, who subsequently reassured the rebelling hosts that McDaniel would not appear on the network’s air.  ...

In terms of NBC News, this person says, “It sort of stinks from the head. Of all the divisions in the company, someone has to be in charge of news.” And in terms of the NBCU overall, this executive continues, “Without [former CEO] Steve Burke or Jeff Shell, who is demanding that this kind of information should flow through them? Not having a CEO of the company is not sustainable.”