NBC, CNN Told To Axe Hillary Clinton Programs Or Lose 2016 GOP Debates

On Monday, the Republican National Committee accused NBC and CNN of promoting a potential Hillary Clinton presidential run on 2016 with a planned miniseries and documentary (respectively) on the former Secretary of State. They also threatened to pull their own primary debates for the next presidential election if the networks continue with such programming.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus called each program an “extended commercial” for Hillary’s possible presidential campaign, and urged both NBC and CNN to cancel “this political ad masquerading as an unbiased production.”

He also said that the RNC won’t partner with the networks for their primary debates if the Clinton programs air.

CNN is planning a feature-length documentary on Hillary Clinton to be led by Oscar-winning direction Charles Ferguson. It is expected to air in 2014. NBC, meanwhile, has announced a miniseries titled “Hillary,” which will star Diane Lane as the former first lady. It will follow her life and career from 1998 to the present, and no air date has been announced.

Both conservative and liberal publications have criticized the RNC’s move. Moe Lane of RedState called Priebus’ decision “a touch squishy” and seemed to suggest that the GOP primary would fare better without the help of CNN and NBC anyway.

For ThinkProgress, Alyssa Rosenberg said that the move showed telling “anxiety” on Preibus’ part, but opined that the RNC would actually benefit from having fewer networks pick up their primary debates, since Republican opponents have sound bites plucked early and often, and carried all the way through election season. She questions Priebus’ true motives here, but I think she might be giving him too much credit.

What do you think? Should the RNC pull their primary debates from NBC and CNN over their Hillary Clinton projects?