With Washington-based MSNBCers being forced to abandon their old 400 N. Capitol building in favor of Tim Russert’s Meet the Press studios on Nebraska Ave., it’s no secret that some staffers are grumbling.

Logistically, the new studio is farther away from the Capitol, making it more difficult to lure lawmakers in for quickie interviews. Plus, Hardball’s Chris Matthews was not happy to have to give up his autonomy and bow to Russert’s control. He even made futile complaints to MSNBC honchos. 

And now some physical limitations of the new space are becoming clear. Thus, you’ve got news reporter David Shuster sharing office space with a political pundit Pat Buchanan. These types of news/opinion syntheses had always tried to be avoided in the past. However, the new space, we hear, just can’t allow for that traditional boundary to remain.