Inside Politico’s Ambitious, Anxious Drive to Stay on Top

NBC Drops Ronna • A Coda on Impeachment • Putin and Trump [View in your browser]( | [Update your preferences](newsletter=vf) [Vanity Fair Hive logo image]( Inside Politico’s Ambitious, Anxious Drive to Stay on Top Good Wednesday morning! Now in its fifth presidential election cycle, Politico is facing stepped-up competition on its traditional Washington-insider turf while expanding its global scope. Charlotte Klein [reveals]( how a new leadership team has put increased pressure on the newsroom to maintain its edge, leaving some staffers “demoralized and frustrated” in the process. In other media news, Klein [reports]( on the Ronna McDaniels debacle, with NBCU chief Cesar Conde announcing Tuesday evening that the network was parting ways with its controversial new contributor after a barrage of on-air criticism from top NBC and MSNBC talent. “I want to personally apologize to our team members who felt we let them down,” Conde told staff. Elsewhere, author Annie Jacobsen [tells]( Jon Skolnik, “If you have a ‘mad king’ ruler in office, it would behoove the entire world to make clear that that mad king behavior is unacceptable.” Jacobsen’s new book, Nuclear War: A Scenario, sounds the alarm on Vladimir Putin’s nuclear saber-rattling and the chilling implications of a second Donald Trump presidency, and walks us through what is known of the United States’ secret emergency protocols in the event of global Armageddon. [Image may contain: Donald Trump, Art, Collage, Adult, Person, Crowd, People, Accessories, Formal Wear, and Tie]( [“Complacency, It Really Frightens Me”: Inside Politico’s Ambitious, Anxious Drive to Stay on Top]( By [Charlotte Klein]( [Since the last Biden-Trump face-off, the media company has a new owner and global mandate, as well as increased competition in DC from Politico alums. Managers are mobilizing accordingly, pressuring staff to up their game—and leaving some “demoralized and frustrated” in the process.]( [Read more button](   [Here’s How Nuclear War Could “Destroy Civilization” in Just a Few Hours]( By [Jon Skolnik]( [And why Putin and Trump present major danger to the United States’ nuclear paradigm.]( [Read more button](   [NBC Drops Ronna McDaniel After Network Stars Revolt]( By [Charlotte Klein]( [The on-air opposition from Maddow, Chuck, and the Morning Joe crew was too much for executives, who cut ties with the former RNC chief turned contributor. “I want to personally apologize to our team members who felt we let them down,” said NBCU boss Cesar Conde.]( [Read more button](   [James Comer’s Impeachment Push Is Ending With a Whimper]( By [Eric Lutz]( [The House Oversight chair has resigned himself to filing “criminal referrals” against Joe Biden—a humiliating coda for a farce that was bound to go nowhere.]( [Read more button](   [Stephen Colbert Expresses Remorse Over Kate Middleton Late Show Jokes]( By [Chris Murphy]( [The Late Show host addressed quips he made about the Princess of Wales prior to learning of her cancer diagnosis: “When I made those jokes, that upset some people.”]( [Read more button](   Get on the list Subscribe to our Hollywood newsletter for your essential industry and awards-season news, every day. [Sign Up Now](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn](   This e-mail was sent to you by The Hive. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( Sent from Condé Nast, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007 Copyright © 2024 Condé Nast