John King, CNN's master of election maps, has slept just 6.5 hours since Tuesday
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It's Thursday morning, and the winner of the presidential election has yet to be declared. But we've seen enough, and we're making the call: CNN's John King is the MVP.
Twitter has been in a state of collective shock and awe this week while watching a calm and collected King tirelessly anchor CNN's election coverage via his magic electoral wall with little to no breaks — let alone sleep.
"I’ve been on air 12-14 hours both Tuesday and Wednesday," King told the Los Angeles Times Thursday in a statement. "Tuesday night I got 2.5 hours sleep; Wednesday night 4. Happy to do as much as I can. This is an amazing and consequential story. More so because of the pandemic and its impact on everything."
The network's senior national correspondent is known for his superhuman ability to rattle off fact after niche fact about the political history of seemingly every region of the country without stumbling on his words or even coming up for air.
"John King is flawless. Literally," tweeted sports journalist Taylor Rooks. "His knowledge is unmatched. He is fair and his poise puts viewers at ease. We forever remember who delivers the news at historic times like these. We're lucky that it's John."
John King is flawless. Literally. His knowledge is unmatched. He is fair and his poise puts viewers at ease.
We forever remember who delivers the news at historic times like these, we’re lucky that it’s John.— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) November 4, 2020
As the results of the election continue to trickle in, King has been filling the air time by zooming in and out of Democrat- and Republican-leaning counties across America on his giant, touch-screen electoral map, calculating every possible path President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden could possibly carve to the White House, depending on which areas turn red or blue.
"John King has been standing in front of the screen pointing at counties for about 30 hours," tweeted TV writer Elan Gale.
"I am deeply impressed by John King basically saying the same thing over and over for 24 hrs straight," wrote molecular biologist Harmit Malik. "Especially while getting interrupted by his buddy Wolf Blitzer unnecessarily declaring an alert or breaking news every 10 minutes."
I am deeply impressed by John King basically saying the same thing over and over for 24 hrs straight @CNN especially while getting interrupted by his buddy Wolf Blitzer unnecessarily declaring an alert or breaking news every 10 minutes
— Harmit Malik (@HarmitMalik) November 5, 2020
In addition to awe and admiration, many expressed concern for King's well-being after following his map projections all of Tuesday night, well into Wednesday morning and beyond.
At press time, King was still on TV.
"Does CNN let John King eat dinner?" USA Today's Mike Freeman asked.
"How is John King still standing?" tweeted Protocol's Mike Murphy.
Does CNN let John King eat dinner?
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) November 4, 2020
Even the youth of TikTok couldn't help but bow down to King's unwavering stamina, according to screenshots shared by Buzzfeed's Rosie Gray that featured impressed comments such as, "He hasn't even taken a breather. He went in on every county in the country, bruh," and "He don't fear sleep ... Sleep fears him."
"I don’t have time to see it all, but I see some of the social media commentary, and I am grateful for so many kind words," King told The Times of his election-week fame.
"Overall, to me, it is more than anything proof of the high interest in the election, and the trust we have worked hard to earn with people at key moments. Corny, maybe, but I love elections and love seeing turnout up across the board. And I’m grateful for the trust CNN places in me to have this role."
John King is being appreciated on tik tok pic.twitter.com/ymyvApDGg5
— Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) November 4, 2020
Somehow, in between educating millions of viewers about the electoral process and taking the occasional two-hour break, certified vampire King even had time to acknowledge some of his fans on social media. He promised them he would indulge in a post-election beer "not soon enough. But soon(ish)."
"Let us know how you take your coffee," he responded to one person who vowed to visit the "CNN HQ to make sure @JohnKing is doing all right over there."
Also getting plenty of love on Twitter is MSNBC's election expert, Steve Kornacki, whose similarly nonstop electoral-map tracking has transfixed the internet, including model and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen.
"I honestly dunno how steve is still going im bout to die," Teigen tweeted, along with a photo of herself prying her exhausted eyes open while wearing one of her signature bathrobes. Same, Chrissy. Same.
See more reactions to King and Kornacki's herculean election coverage below.
I honestly dunno how steve is still going im bout to die pic.twitter.com/R8IEt8lbIj
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) November 5, 2020
Let us know how you take your coffee. https://t.co/TqedYqJva0
— John King (@JohnKingCNN) November 4, 2020
For your 2nd grader. The history is one of the tools I love the most. This was my first campaign. https://t.co/b0BMzKd3Mn pic.twitter.com/vR6GtcXzdc
— John King (@JohnKingCNN) November 5, 2020
Overnight shift on your future! https://t.co/3GbSzcaNU7
— John King (@JohnKingCNN) November 5, 2020
Not soon enough. But soon(ish) https://t.co/85h8lVspYZ
— John King (@JohnKingCNN) November 5, 2020
Thank you. https://t.co/F4i2xxG6hQ
— John King (@JohnKingCNN) November 5, 2020
Trade? https://t.co/5WyN7KCUaP
— John King (@JohnKingCNN) November 5, 2020
Note to boss: 2036 election magic wall candidate. https://t.co/XoKEaaD8n1
— John King (@JohnKingCNN) November 5, 2020
CNN the last 24 hours pic.twitter.com/a0XJO7de0w
— Michael Kosta (@michaelkosta) November 5, 2020
every john king needs a john queen
— Tanya Chen (@tanyachen) November 5, 2020
While we wait, I just want to see what John King does during breaks. He’s been standing for like 48 hours, pointing at those maps and flying through the math. pic.twitter.com/N7hse0Rn8o
— Rebecca Ford (@Beccamford) November 5, 2020
John King is now talking about where to park for free at The Americana! pic.twitter.com/oAQdn9RAHx
— Americana at Brand Memes (@americanamemes) November 5, 2020
it’s now at last clear who won the US election and it’s John King
— Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) November 5, 2020
John King has been standing in front of screen pointing at counties for about 30 hours
— elan gale (@theyearofelan) November 5, 2020
John King after the Election. pic.twitter.com/KSG5pyDDuV
— Ahmed🇸🇴/A&R for Griselda Records (@big_business_) November 5, 2020
Rest well my sweet John King
— Rachel Bonnetta (@rachelbonnetta) November 5, 2020
John King after playing 46 of 48 hours putting up 253 electoral votes / 10 rebounds / 12 assists #JohnKing pic.twitter.com/iPq8lYPQz3
— Prashant Ramesh (@pshant94) November 5, 2020
if john king was the one counting ballots in nevada, i can assure you those results would’ve been ready last year
— Tehreem Hussain (@TehreemHussain5) November 5, 2020
Seen John King more than my family in the last few days
— ciareindeer 🎄☃️ (@ciaraellen) November 5, 2020
john king when the election is over pic.twitter.com/NEFcJ7wYhN
— Harry Lyles Jr. (@harrylylesjr) November 4, 2020
John King when the camera finally pans off him for 5 minutes pic.twitter.com/znZode6y8d
— Jasmine (@JasmineLWatkins) November 4, 2020
john king with his smart board for the last 24 hours: I hope you guys at home are having just as much fun as me!!
us at home: pic.twitter.com/2IpKtPmjqC— i hate it here (@subhakarim) November 4, 2020
John King and Steve Kornacki pic.twitter.com/4iaopjBIo9
— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) November 4, 2020
Anderson Cooper and the CNN crew carrying John King out of the studio after the election is over and he can finally stop standing by his big board pic.twitter.com/QboFk7k5Gy
— jønathan™🦑 (@J_Overstreet14) November 4, 2020
steve are you ok what does this even say pic.twitter.com/QlWI5U1NRo
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) November 5, 2020
In the interest of preserving him for America, I will remove @SteveKornacki from TV at noon today (and place him in protective custody in a room with comfy blankets, soft pillows and warm milk #TrackingKornacki
— Ali Velshi (@AliVelshi) November 4, 2020
when will my husband, steve kornacki, return from war
— David Mack (@davidmackau) November 5, 2020
I love that attraction to Steve Kornacki is its own sexual orientation that emerges during elections.
— Chase Strangio (@chasestrangio) November 5, 2020
I’m gonna be honest - I don’t like that they let Steve Kornacki take a nap.
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) November 5, 2020
I have watched enough 24-hour news coverage to have developed a mild crush on Steve Kornacki, send help.
— Emily VanDerWerff 🙋♀️ (@emilyvdw) November 5, 2020
Steve Kornacki during commercial pic.twitter.com/Weg8HfQVWZ
— Justin Clayton (@_JustinClayton_) November 5, 2020
Love MSNBC's Steve Kornacki, but is he in his third day in the same outfit? A trooper if there ever was one!
— Tony Schwartz (@tonyschwartz) November 5, 2020
"Oh boy, look what you just did." -That time Rachel @Maddow asked @SteveKornacki one too many questions... pic.twitter.com/6PeKrhujHm
— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) November 5, 2020
Steve Kornacki says he got ".3" hours of sleep: #Elections2020 pic.twitter.com/MF4CSB1c48
— Vulture (@vulture) November 4, 2020
America is clamoring for a pap-per-view boxing match between Steve Kornacki and John King pic.twitter.com/tYgMjjlKfN
— Tim Barnes (@TimBarnes451) November 5, 2020
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.