Jenna Bush Joins ‘Today’ Show as Correspondent

The AP’s David Bauder reports the “Today” show has hired Jenna Bush Hager to be a correspondent for the show. One of the twin daughters of former Pres. Bush and Laura Bush, Hager will contribute stories about once a month on issues including education, but not on politics. Bauder reports Hager, who will work out of NBC’s Washington bureau, “was intrigued by the idea of getting into television” when the show’s EP Jim Bell contacted her.

“It wasn’t something I’d always dreamed to do,” Hager told Bauder, “But I think one of the most important things in life is to be open-minded and to be open-minded for change.”

“I think she can handle it,” Bell said of Hager, who will continue a part-time teaching job at a school in Baltimore. “I think she knows something about pressure and being under some scrutiny. When she came here for a handful of appearances, she knocked it out of the park.” She “just sort of popped to us as a natural presence, comfortable” on the air, Bell said.

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