John King and Wolf Blitzer’s Election Night ‘Battle’ is Already a Standout on Social Media
With cable news in full Election Night mode, the dynamic between CNN’s John King and Wolf Blitzer has already become a standout on social media.
Blitzer is leading election coverage on Tuesday night while King is reporting on results from CNN’s Magic Wall, leading to some incessant interrupting on Blitzer’s part.
A notable back and forth occurred while King was reporting on Florida’s incoming results:
“Florida is now in. Look how close it is,” Blitzer said.
“Florida is close. That’s not breaking news. That part is not breaking news,” King replied.
Journalists and pundits on social media noticed that while King has been trying to maintain a calm disposition, Blitzer has been more animated — resulting in a noteworthy dynamic.
OMG John King is trying patiently to explain voting patterns in Florida and Wolf keeps shouting out “Trump is ahead by 3 people in Volusia County!” like a kid who ate too many Milky Ways.
— Seth Masket (@smotus) November 4, 2020
The Blitzer-King dynamic tonight is one for the ages.
— Bryan Curtis (@bryancurtis) November 4, 2020
Wolf Blitzer saying it’s “a bit of a surprise” that Biden leading Trump in Kentucky. 8% of the vote is in.
John King steps in and notes that we’re looking at early vote, and don’t expect KY to flip just yet. But this does not make me optimistic re how TV will handle early vote.
— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) November 3, 2020
I feel like John King‘s only job on CNN right now is calming down Wolf Blitzer
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) November 4, 2020
I will give John King $5 if he slaps Wolf Blitzer the next time he interrupts.
— Jack Shafer (@jackshafer) November 4, 2020
Wolf Blitzer: “Now that looks like a fast dog. Is that faster than a greyhound?”
John King: “Uh. I can’t really say…”
Blitzer: “If you put them in a race, who would come in first? You know, if you had a little jockey on them, going like this…” [imitates jockey]
— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) November 4, 2020
The best thing about CNN’s coverage is John King’s barely veiled condescension when Wolf Blitzer interrupts him to say something extremely obvious
— Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp) November 4, 2020
I think John King is getting annoyed with Wolf Blitzer.
— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) November 4, 2020
Wolf Blitzer and John King tonight. #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/m9TVEFEco0
— Alykhan Khamisa Ravjiani (@AlykhanKR) November 4, 2020
John King on CNN doing a good job of backing down Wolf Blitzer about the vote in Kentucky.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) November 3, 2020
I love that John King is able to work this @CNN map with a running commentary while Wolf Blitzer basically heckles him from the wings.
“Show me Florida… now show me Miami Dade County from 2016… now show me 2016 non urban counties as a percentage of people with pet poodles” pic.twitter.com/uYbDaGApBP
— Andrew Grose (@GroseAndrew) November 4, 2020
John King and Wolf Blitzer would make good auctioneers is what I’m saying.
— Alexander Quon (@AlexanderQuon) November 4, 2020
Wolf Blitzer: “41% of the estimated vote in Florida is now in. Look at how close it is!”
John King: “Florida’s close — that is not breaking news”
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) November 4, 2020
Poor John King. He has to keep telling Wolf Blitzer to stop jumping out of his shoes whenever he sees a blip on a map.
— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) November 4, 2020
So far the big story of the night is Wolf Blitzer’s desire to call the election in the next 5 minutes while John King keeps saying ‘it’s still early on’
— Robert E Kelly (@Robert_E_Kelly) November 4, 2020
best battle on election night so far: Wolf Blitzer vs John King for air time. Wolf doesn’t seem to like being upstaged by King’s map
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) November 4, 2020
Watch above, via CNN.
