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Remember those stories in December saying that Maria Shriver was cozily back at work at "Dateline NBC," and the LAT story (and L.A. Observed post) about her taking an active part in Sacramento political negotiations alongside her husband? According to Lloyd Grove in today's NY Daily News, the head of NBC News responded by quietly asking her to resign from the network.
Grove calls it "essentially fired," and says NBC chief Neal Shapiro agreed to let Shriver "announce her departure with a warm-and-fuzzy statement indicating that she has decided to work full-time as First Lady for the duration's of her husband's term." Now all sides deny she was pushed, and Shapiro says they are still talking, possibly about extending Shriver's previous leave of absence. Says Maria:
"I am talking with NBC News to try to work things out. ... Both Neal and I understand that this is uncharted territory and an unusual situation."
Earlier: NBC's woman in Sacramento