Steve Kornacki is a well-known American political journalist and television host, best known for his coverage of election campaigns and results. He regularly appears on MSNBC as a political correspondent and analyst, and has gained popularity for his energetic presentation style during election coverage. Kornacki often breaks down voting trends and poll numbers on his signature touch-screen map board.
Given Kornacki’s prominence as a political journalist and author, many are curious whether he has written any books. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Kornacki’s background and explore the answer to this question.
Steve Kornacki’s Background
Steve Kornacki was born in Massachusetts in 1979. He developed an interest in politics and journalism from a young age. Kornacki graduated from Boston University in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
After college, Kornacki got his start as a journalist at PoliticsNJ.com and began contributing to the New Jersey newspaper The Record. He went on to write for Roll Call, a newspaper covering Capitol Hill.
In 2010, Kornacki began regularly appearing on MSNBC as a political analyst. He also hosted a show on Salon Talk Radio around this time. Kornacki joined MSNBC full-time as a national political correspondent in 2013.
He has covered multiple presidential campaigns and elections for the network over the past decade. Kornacki also substituted as a host on shows like Hardball with Chris Matthews and The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell.
Kornacki’s Breakout Role
Kornacki had his breakout moment during the 2018 midterm elections. MSNBC decided to have Kornacki lead its live election night coverage, letting him break down key races at the big board.
With his sleeves rolled up, Kornacki energetically scribbled notes and analyzed voting data throughout the night. His passionate and engaging commentary resonated with viewers, and he emerged as an unlikely viral star for the network.
MSNBC then decided to give Kornacki his own show, fittingly named Kornacki’s Countdown to 2020. His star has continued to rise, and he has become MSNBC’s lead election analyst heading into the 2020 presidential race.
Has Steve Kornacki Written Any Books?
So what about Kornacki’s writing background? With his extensive political knowledge and reporting experience, many wonder if he has authored any books.
The answer is yes – Kornacki has written one book titled The Red and the Blue: The 1990s and the Birth of Political Tribalism. The book was published in 2018, the same year that Kornacki became a breakout star for MSNBC.
The Red and the Blue
The Red and the Blue takes a deep dive into the 1990s era of American politics. The book examines factors like partisan gridlock in the Clinton years and the rise of Newt Gingrich’s Republican revolution.
Kornacki argues the 1990s sowed the seeds of today’s polarized political tribalism. The book studies trends like:
| Rising partisanship | The divide between “red” (Republican) and “blue” (Democrat) states |
| Increased influence of party bases | Growth of partisan media |
The title The Red and the Blue refers to the familiar electoral map color-coding of Democrats and Republicans. By studying the 1990s political forces, Kornacki provides historical context for understanding modern U.S. politics.
Reviews praised Kornacki’s reporting and analysis in the book. The Washington Post described it as an “engrossing, well-written study” and said it “will become essential background reading for understanding how we reached our present interminable stalemate.”
The Red and the Blue also became a New York Times bestseller, indicating Kornacki’s ability to turn his political insight into an engaging book.
Will Steve Kornacki Write More Books?
Considering the success of The Red and the Blue, some may wonder if Kornacki plans to author more books in the future.
Kornacki has not publicly shared any plans for writing additional books. His focus in recent years has remained on his television work with MSNBC and NBC News.
As his star continues to rise, though, there will likely be interest from publishers in Kornacki writing another book. With his unique perspective on elections and politics, he certainly has potential for more successful books that combine analysis and storytelling.
Kornacki already juggles hosting duties on TV along with frequent podcast and radio appearances. Finding time to dedicate to writing another full book would certainly be a major undertaking.
But given his proven skills as an author, a follow-up book focusing on more recent political history would hold great interest for readers. Fans will have to stay tuned to see if Kornacki takes on another major writing project soon.
Kornacki’s Other Writing
Beyond his book, Kornacki hasn’t done much extended writing in recent years as he remains focused on television. But he did gain attention for authoring a viral email to staffers at MSNBC following the 2020 election.
As Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump became clear, Kornacki penned an impassioned message to the network’s political unit. He congratulated the team for its hard work covering the extraordinary election under difficult pandemic conditions.
Kornacki’s candid email captured the exhaustion but satisfaction of completing such an unusual election cycle. It demonstrated his strong writing ability even in a quick, informal medium.
While he isn’t actively writing many published works now, Kornacki clearly maintains formidable writing skills honed through his early career in journalism.
Conclusion
To summarize the key facts:
– Steve Kornacki is an American political journalist who gained fame covering elections for MSNBC.
– In 2018, he published his first and so far only book The Red and the Blue. It examines political divisions in 1990s America.
– The book became a bestseller and earned strong reviews, proving Kornacki’s talent as an author.
– He has not yet announced plans for writing more books as he remains focused on his TV work.
– But with Kornacki’s knowledge and writing ability, more books in the future remain a possibility if he makes time for it.
So while Kornacki has an impressive singular book to his name so far, more could come down the road as his star power grows. His legacy as a writer will depend on whether he embraces more opportunities to author in-depth works between his TV appearances. For now, political junkies can dive into his excellent first book on 1990s partisanship.
