“The U.S. presidential election may have revealed a harshly divided nation, but Americans on both sides of the political aisle nonetheless had near-unanimous praise for journalist Steve Kornacki and his poll-tracking prowess. In the week since election night, the MSNBC and NBC political correspondent has rocketed to viral fame, inspiring the kind of digital thirst typically reserved for athletes and pop stars. Media outlets across the country have branded the Massachusetts native a “map daddy” and “chart-throb,” while providing colorful analysis of his lovably staid wardrobe, the components of which are likely to be found at your local Brooks Brothers or Gap outlet. On Wednesday afternoon, Kornacki revealed on Twitter that he plans to retire his striped navy necktie, worn for the duration of his Nov. 3 broadcasts and beyond. But it appears that he got his money’s worth out of the garment, which he was holding together with staples after its stitching had come undone. Against all odds, the staples held through the election, but now I think the time has come to finally retire my tie pic.twitter.com/MvjSzjfR5f— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) November 11, 2020 Twitter users quickly chimed in, suggesting Kornacki’s tireless work covering the election be recognized by displaying his tie in a museum. Send this to the Smithsonian. https://t.co/NMfJ1NvQfE— Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) November 11, 2020 this needs to be in glass casing for the NBC Studio Toursalso, iron-on fusing tape not staples omg— T. Kyle 🏳️🌈 (@tkylemac) November 11, 2020 Thank you Steve!! You made the election “journey” so much easier and tolerable. Get some rest! As for the tie… definitely needs to go to the Smithsonian!— Louis Herthum (@Louis_Herthum) November 11, 2020 But Kornacki ― who authored the 2018 book “The Red and the Blue: The 1990s and the Birth of Political Tribalism” ― hasn’t let any of the internet love go to his head. Appearing on “Today” earlier this week, the ever-humble journalist said he was “truly blindsided” by the lusty excitement he’d inspired. “I really didn’t even see that this was a thing happening until, I think, it was Thursday or something,” he said. “Somebody in my family sent me this link about the pants, and I said, ‘What the heck is somebody writing about my pants for?’ But there you go.”
