Election night in America was long presumed to be a long one in the longest year on record, and unfortunately for those watching CNN, anchor Wolf Blitzer didn’t take it any more comfortable for them. Blitzer got on a lot of viewers’ bad sides early in the night with his constant pointing out just how close the race was in certain states, especially early on in the night when, well, not a lot of votes had been counted in full.
This is kind of a habit for Blitzer, so perhaps we should not be surprised by what CNN looked like in the early hours of election night coverage. But even CNN colleague John King couldn’t keep up the act and had to express his frustration with Blitzer’s comments.
As Mediaite documented on video, Blitzer was extremely amped up early about basically every result, leading to both getting snippy during the early hours of the coverage:
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.
People certainly noticed that Wolf was extremely excited early on.
Wolf Blitzer needs a paper bag. Hyperventilating already and it’s only 7:37 pm. There’s gonna be so much mute button tonight…
— Full Dissident (@hbryant42) November 4, 2020
Wolf Blitzer got big hovering Art Director energy right now
— alex medina (@mrmedina) November 4, 2020
Dear Wolf Blitzer, it is 6:20pm, it is too early for you to be this hype.
— Lil Uzi Hurt
(@lostblackboy) November 3, 2020
Blitzer’s battles with King got a lot of people Tweeting through their frustrations, and making jokes.
John King by midnight on Wolf #CalmDownWolf pic.twitter.com/5d2F7z6Qgw
— Full Dissident (@hbryant42) November 4, 2020
Once again, John King has to calm Wolf Blitzer down, this time about Michigan
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) 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
[CNN, 3:45 AM]
Blitzer: what counties reported late, John King
King: as you can see here on my map Wolf, it was Keisha
Blitzer: oh
King: it was Sonia
Blitzer: ooohhh
King: it was Tanya
Blitzer: ooooohhhhhh
King: it was Monique—
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) November 4, 2020
wolf blitzer, one of the most recognizable faces of american news coverage, at 9pm on a generation-defining election looking over a map of the country:
you see a lot of blue, but you see a lot of red as well
— Kathryn VanArendonk (@kvanaren) November 4, 2020
John King to Wolf Blitzer at the end of CNN’s coverage later tonight. pic.twitter.com/CuQKG4ukFb
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) November 4, 2020
I feel like John King‘s only job on CNN right now is calming down Wolf Blitzer
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) November 4, 2020
Even The Onion got in on the act.
Flustered Wolf Blitzer Cuts To Malaysian Airplane Coverage To Distract From Lack Of Concrete Results https://t.co/COsrdmkWxG pic.twitter.com/NCavm1aUgg
— The Onion (@TheOnion) November 4, 2020
The phrase “too close to call” or “too early to call” is basically synonymous with election coverage, but Blitzer certainly made it his signature statement on Saturday.