Early on into Primary Night coverage a pair of former TV political reporters reminded us that the Elitist Media always has a stake in elections, even when they say otherwise. The Wisconsin primary proved to be too much for Chris Cillizza and Chuck Todd.
Watch as they lament how Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) “botched” a clean handoff to an establishment successor candidate:
WATCH: Chris Cilizza slams WI Gov Tony Evers for having "really bungled" the gov primary, Chuck Todd compares to 2024 Dem process after Biden withdrew pic.twitter.com/iMOnB9UIKq
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) August 12, 2026
DECISION DESK HQ ELECTION COVERAGE
8/11/26
8:56 PM
CHRIS CILLIZZA: I just- just- Tony Evers- I just, I know- it just feels like he botched this, like, how can you have, how can the establishment be so crappy? I mean, they have absolutely bungled this 6 ways to Sunday.
CHUCK TODD: It's kind of like how the- it's just like there was another political party that sort of had an issue with a candidate. It was in 2024, Grace, I can't remember which party it was, but it seemed like the leadership really bungled the- this entire transition.
I’m old enough to remember Cillizza once saying that reporters don’t root for a side:
Let me say for the billionth time: Reporters don't root for a side. Period. https://t.co/dhH8eherOR
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) October 16, 2016
In this case, it appears that Cillizza is near-apoplectic at the idea that Francesca “Cancel Thanksgiving” Hong might be the Democrat nominee for Wisconsin governor, and accuses the incumbent governor of “botching” the primary. In fairness, it isn’t necessarily the governor’s fault that his two preceding lieutenant governors dropped out of the race due to scandal. The ensuing scramble resulted in Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley to enter the race, exit and then reenter.
Chuck Todd compared the primary to the 2024 process that resulted in the coronation of Kamala Harris as Democrat presidential nominee after Joe Biden exited the race. The endorsement of Harris as opposed to a mini-primary is the comparable “bungle,” in Todd’s view.
Todd and Cillizza might be gone from the bright lights of corporate TV, but they have shown themselves to be as partisan as ever.
