Viewers who tuned in to MSNBC’s election protection Tuesday wasted no time in mourning the departure of Steve Kornacki ― although most appeared to heat to the journalist’s substitute by the evening’s finish.
In April, it was introduced Kornacki ― whose poll-tracking prowess and lovably staid wardrobe made him an unlikely TV icon in recent times ― had signed with NBC because the community ready to separate from MSNBC.
Moving into Kornacki’s normal position on Election Day was Ali Velshi, a Canadian-born journalist who has been with MSNBC ― set to rebrand as MS Now later this month ― for about 9 years.
Although some nonetheless expressed their unhappiness at Kornacki’s absence, the consensus amongst most who tuned in was refreshingly constructive.
“Election nights with Steve Kornacki are big khakis to fill, but Ali Velshi is doing a great job!” one particular person wrote on X, previously Twitter.
Added one other: “Oh, ali velshi on the big board ??!!! I can get behind that!”
Essentially the most resounding reward, nevertheless, got here from an X person who coined a nickname for Velshi’s apparel that rivaled Kornacki’s signature khaki trousers.
Noam Galai by way of Getty Photographs
“Today, [Velshi] introduced the….ALI VESTi as we have retired the Kornacki Khakis,” she wrote.
In an interview with Individuals printed Wednesday, Velshi mentioned the feedback from viewers had been “a delightful bonus” whereas emphasizing the “practical” facet of carrying a vest whereas on-air.
“I’ve actually liked vests for years, but they were typically suit vests worn under a jacket,” he mentioned. “I started folding them into my on-air rotation more recently.”
He went on to notice: “Part of it is practical — studios run cool and a vest keeps me warm without a bulky jacket. Mostly, though, it’s a clean, tailored look that lets me move at the board without bunching.”
Viewers who miss Kornacki can nonetheless catch him on the air, probing the numbers in polls, elections and sports activities, albeit solely on NBC.
Although taking up for a reporter who made Individuals’s “Sexiest Man Alive” listing and was dubbed the “crown jewel” of MSNBC’s election protection is not any straightforward job, Velshi mentioned, “It was an honor.”
“Steve set a very high bar, and stepping to the wall on election night is equal parts adrenaline and discipline — my job is to make a seemingly chaotic stream of numbers feel coherent and useful in real time,” he informed Individuals. “I was proud of our team and grateful for how quickly viewers embraced my part of the coverage.”
