'Loud and principled objections': Rachel Maddow shreds NBC over Ronna McDaniel hire

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow took a sharp broadside at her parent company on Monday, following news that NBC would hire Ronna McDaniel, the outgoing head of the Republican National Committee and a longtime loyalist of former President Donald Trump.

It was a visibly angry Maddow that detailed how McDaniel pushed conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election and attacked the network's own journalists. Some have speculated that the hire was payback for helping the network secure a presidential debate, with no regard for how the network's staff would feel about it.

In one sense, Maddow said, the uproar has had an effect, because "Ronna McDaniel will not be on MSNBC" as an on-air contributor, after their journalists "unanimously and instantly expressed outrage."

And yet, she still gets a gig, which, Maddow added, is like hiring a "mobster to work in a D.A.'s office" or a "pickpocket to work as a TSA strainer."

This came after a lengthy segment in which Maddow compared Trump to those throughout American history who have sought to end democracy.

"So what are we really losing if we decide we're going lose this?" said a sarcastic Maddow. "Who cares? Elections are fraudulent here anyway. Who cares if we give them up?" Ronna McDaniel has been pitching in on that, continuing to say since 2020 that that election wasn't right, that the American public should know that that vote wasn't real, and that is a message not only about 2020, but about this next election. And about whether or not elections should matter at all, and whether we should bother having them at all."

For that reason, Maddow said, "I want to associate myself with all my colleagues both at MSNBC and at NBC News who have voiced loud and principled objections to our company putting on the payroll someone who hasn't just attacked us as journalists, but someone who is part of an ongoing project to get rid of our system of government. Someone who still is trying to convince Americans that this election stuff, it doesn't really work, that this last election, it wasn't a real result. That American elections are fraudulent."

"Because that argument, that is a necessary part — that is the most necessary part — of the overall project of getting us as Americans to give up on this election stuff," Maddow added. "Because wouldn't we rather have a real man in charge anyway, somebody who could really get some stuff done? If only we can clear away all the things in his way."

Maddow's words struck a chord with viewers who took to X Monday night to thank her for speaking out against McDaniel's hiring.

"Wow," replied Harry Sisson. "This is so perfectly said. Maddow is amazing."

"Been waiting for this since the moment the hiring was announced," added David Zack. "And Maddow never disappoints."

"Rachel has closed the door on Ronna McDaniel," said Paula Duffy. "She's done."

Watch the video below or at the link here.