Former Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel is joining NBC News as an on-air contributor, the network announced Friday. Former President Donald Trump selected McDaniel to lead the Republican Party after she spearheaded his 2016 presidential campaign victory in Michigan. The announcement was met with some criticism, including from the hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” who said they will not ask McDaniel to be a guest on their show because of her role in helping Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Chuck Todd also spoke out about the hiring. Additionally, the announcement has sparked concerns for McDaniel’s ability to speak truthfully on air.
Peter Loge is the director of the School of Media and Public Affairs. Loge has nearly 30 years of experience in politics and communications, including a presidential appointment at the Food and Drug Administration and senior positions for Sen. Edward Kennedy and three members of the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently leads the Project on Ethics in Political Communication at the School of Media and Public Affairs and continues to advise advocates and organizations.
"Ronna McDaniel's hiring at NBC is another example of a political entertainment industrial complex that diminishes both politics and entertainment,” Loge says. “Politics as entertainment rather than serious analysis about how to address real challenges faced by real families might boost ratings, but it does little to help improve people's lives."
If you would like to speak with Peter Loge, please contact GW Media Relations Senior Specialist Cate Douglass at [email protected].
-GW-