‘Today’ host Savannah Guthrie says Ronna McDaniel debacle was ‘unpleasant few days’ at NBC News

NBC News’ Savannah Guthrie said the infamous Ronna McDaniel debacle made for "an unpleasant few days at our network" on Tuesday before declaring she had nothing to do with the decision.

NBC News made waves last month when it announced McDaniel, the former chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, would join NBC as a paid contributor across all platforms, including MSNBC. But backlash to the hiring was swift, and McDaniel was shown the door days after she made her debut on "Meet the Press." During that show, Chuck Todd unleashed on NBC leadership. A variety of MSNBC hosts followed his lead and shot inside the tent with on-air criticism of management.

Guthrie, who was among NBC News’ only stars to refrain from bashing the decision to hire McDaniel, was asked about the ordeal during a Tuesday appearance on CBS’ "Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

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The liberal CBS host asked, "Why did you, Savannah Guthrie, personally make that decision to hire her? And I want you to answer for your crimes. Why did you think that was the best idea?"

Guthrie – who obviously didn’t make the decision, as that fell on NBCUniversal News Group chairman Cesar Conde, who oversees NBC News, CNBC, and MSNBC, along with executives Carrie Budoff Brown and Rebecca Blumenstein – joked that she still works there before offering an answer.

"It was an unpleasant few days at our network, no question about it," Guthrie said.

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Colbert then asked if she knew what was going to happen.

"Absolutely not," she responded. "I was not in the know. I knew nothing about it, and look, the bosses made a decision. They reversed that