ms. abramson lost the support of her colleagues and could not win it back. what have you heard about ms. abramson's management style? has theall editors she tractors. record speaks for itself. she has an extraordinary record. question about mr. sulzberger's management style. ceo and has toe pay her $20 million to walk away. i think that raises some serious questions about his management style. >> have you heard anything about his management style? >> the record again speaks for itself. >> ms. abramson was the first woman to run the times in its 162 year history. what has been lost in this controversy, that she is being replaced by deane the cat who becomes the first african-american to serve as the times is executive editor. what do we know about him? >> he's a respected journalist breed he is an amiable guy. he has big shoes to fill end has a tough time right now. he has a lot of standing room in this business. >> al hunt joining us on the phone from winston, salem north carolina. inc. you so much. for more on the story behind jill abramson's exit from the

ms. abramson was not paid as her predecessors, her male predecessors were, okay? she was around a long time, this woman, all right, then the "new york times" -- that's going to be unbelievable. >> yeah, since '97. i think the new republic has an interesting piece today where they say this is a humiliating and really harsh how her departure was orchestrated at the "times." they compared that to the way the previous executive editor reigns was let go. he had a chance to at least say good by and wasn't so utterly humiliating. >> no doubt this is bad blood. but, to be fair again, because i'm a fair man, this woman hell on wheels. i mean -- >> -- wait a second, bill. aren't you for the ban bossy. you and michelle for banning bossy. >> i'm not for banning anything. i know this woman, i don't think you want to be going to hawaii with her. i could be wrong. >> she wrote a nasty book about my former boss justice thomas. >> this is unbelievable. this is, again, on the women thing. andrea mitchell, you know nbc news correspondent, okay? so she has got senator feinstein on he

ms. abramson was not paid as her predecessors, her male predecessors were, okay?he was around a long time, this woman, all right, then the "new york times" -- that's going to be unbelievable. >> yeah, since '97. i think the new republic has an interesting piece today where they say this is a humiliating and really harsh how her departure was orchestrated at the "times." they compared that to the way the previous executive editor reigns was let go. he had a chance to at least say good by and wasn't so utterly humiliating. >> no doubt this is bad blood. but, to be fair again, because i'm a fair man, this woman hell on wheels. i mean -- >> -- wait a second, bill. aren't you for the ban bossy. you and michelle for banning bossy. >> i'm not for banning anything. i know this woman, i don't think you want to be going to hawaii with her. i could be wrong. >> she wrote a nasty book about my former boss justice thomas. >> this is unbelievable. this is, again, on the women thing. andrea mitchell, you know nbc news correspondent, okay? so she has got senator feinstein on her

ms. abramson. folks, the first woman, the first african-american, that this might actually be a hallow prize or a glass cliff. "it's a description of an increasingly common occurrence, what happens when people who've long been sidelined from power." is this a glass cliff? in other words, is print newspapers dead and therefore since it is, well, these diverse people can run it? >> i've had many conversations about this, including the conversation about just as women and people of color are gaining power in mainstream institutions, the power brokers, the white power brokers are moving on to their own start-ups. that's a transition that has to do with money. here's something that i would point out. jill abramson was widely criticized for her digital strategy. and there was a leaked document that has been going around, an internal strategy document, showing that "the times" itself thought its digital strategy was flawed. that enough and the low numbers may have been enough to get her fired. but we'll n

ms. abramson and attempt to quell the furor over her department -- her departure.lostcluded that she had the support of her colleagues and could not win it back. as the been confirmed speaker for wake forrest for some weeks. she said in an interview before the commencement, she was recruited to speak by an alumnus and member of the board of trustees. whattle context for you on jill abramson had to say. when we come back, we will talk about primary day in six states. [video clip] are a lot more resilient than we realize. resilience and perseverance. there are so many examples of that. for me professionally, three heroes are a groundbreaking hero from the new york times, and catherine graham, the publisher of the washington post, which broke the watergate story. discrimination in a much tougher, more male-dominated newspaper industry. they went on to win pulitzer prizes. , who wasgue jim rison standing up against an unfair washington leak investigation, is another hero. book about anita hill, who testified about sexual harassment before an all-white, all-male senate

ms. abramson.he decision did not reflect aboutome -- sexism and pay disparity, but about her style of leadership. from "the hill," gop blocks tax breaks bill. senate republicans blocked progress on an $85 billion tax anger aimedd deep at harry reid. in a 53-40 vote, they failed to end debate on the tax package. 60 votes were required to move it forward. kirk ofator mark illinois voted with the democrats. of the republicans blocked the measure, even though many support the slew of expired tax , out of frustration with reed, who is preventing the minority party to offer amendments to the bill. we do not have a chance to amend it. mitch mcconnell said that ahead of the vote. also from the hill this morning, this article about senate panel approving $265 billion highway bill. the senate environment and public works committee approved 200 62that would spend $5 billion on transportation products -- projects over the years if congress can come up with the money. would provide $204 billion over the next si