Former NBC/MSNBC political director Chuck Todd sounded loads like CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday’s version of The Area on CNN. In a poor try and deflect consideration away from Democratic Social gathering gerrymandering in states like California and Illinois, by falsely suggesting that Republican-controlled Florida was the “worst” state when it got here to redistricting practices. He additionally argued that the way in which to unravel quite a lot of these points was to actively gerrymander.
What precipitated Todd to snap at his dwelling state of Florida was CNN Republican commentator Scott Jennings calling out far-left states like California and Illinois for his or her wildly gerrymandered districts. “I imply, once I have a look at the states like Illinois and New York and even California with the supposed impartial fee the place Republicans get 40 % of the vote and solely have 17 % of the seats,” he proclaimed.
Todd instantly lashed out at Jennings, declaring that Florida far out ranked the legendary gerrymandering of Illinois:
TODD: Scott, spend a while within the state of Florida, which is the worst gerrymandered state in all of —
JENNINGS: Worse than Illinois?
TODD: Worse than Illinois.
JENNINGS: Come on.
TODD: Worse than Illinois.
“They let you know who the speaker of the Home is 2 years upfront. It’s so gerrymandered,” Todd added, conflating statehouse-level politics with the districts for federal positions.
Previous to Todd’s feedback, CNN political director David Chalian argued that, “One of many best challenges that Washington has confronted over many years has been elevated partisan gerrymandering on each side of the aisle.” “When you had a magic wand and like, may do really impartial district drawing, it will most likely create a greater authorities, extra aware of the individuals,” he added.
Based on Todd, the closest factor to that magic wand can be extra gerrymandering, citing how Republican heavy areas exterior main city inhabitants middle must be diluted with Democrats:
In actual fact, watch out throwing away gerrymandering when you ever wish to create aggressive districts. We’re going to need to gerrymander now as a result of the Democrats and Republicans do not dwell in the identical neighborhood. So, when you’re making an attempt to create really – you really need to gerrymander to create. If you wish to create aggressive districts right here.
He additionally lamented that there was no urge for food for it in America. “When you thought there was a constituency for it…there’d be any person eager to be president sometime who would arise for it. And the truth that there is no constituency for this, that’s what’s been miserable me about this complete debate,” he argued.
Todd was really upset that Democrats weren’t capable of do extra:
You recognize what, Republicans have finished already in California. They’re discovering $100 million to combat this. You recognize what Democrats have finished in Texas? Go run a freaking marketing campaign. Go run for governor, construct a state social gathering. I do not perceive how the Democratic Social gathering, who’s now offended that they’ve turn into — they have been uncovered as a – as not a nationwide social gathering due to their weak point in pushing again within the state of Florida, within the state of Texas, within the state of Ohio.
The transcript is beneath. Click on “increase” to learn:
CNN’s The Area
August 19, 2025
4:40:56 p.m. Jap(…)
DANA BASH: David, your ideas on what we’re seeing proper now in Texas and extra broadly with this?
DAVID CHALIAN: I imply, I take into consideration this stuff on two parallel tracks. Let’s put the partisan politics apart for only a second. One of many best challenges that Washington has confronted over many years has been elevated partisan gerrymandering on each side of the aisle. And it has created much less alternative as primaries have been the first political motivation, as a substitute of basic elections, for consensus constructing and the like.
That’s — that’s only a detriment to progress and governing and the like. And so, I believe it will be, you realize, when you had a magic wand and like, may do really impartial district drawing, it will most likely create a greater authorities, extra aware of the individuals.
That being stated, that is — this partisan arms race. That is just the start. That is going to proceed. And when you have a look at its logical conclusion throughout the map, Republicans maintain extra legislatures and governorships. They’ve extra alternative to squeeze juice out of what they’ve and what they’re accountable for than Democrats do.
And on the finish of the day, whereas sure, they could have an ethical victory proper now in Texas, they usually suppose it is arrange, California and Gavin Newsom could get a victory in California if he efficiently convinces the voters there. Go on to Indiana, Missouri, Ohio. The Republicans are going to have the ability to outrun the Democrats on this partisan sport.
TODD: Effectively, and also you go down — it is solely — we have already had self- sorting, which has made, you realize, I the truth is, watch out throwing away gerrymandering when you ever wish to create aggressive districts. We’re going to need to gerrymander now as a result of the Democrats and Republicans do not dwell in the identical neighborhood. So, when you’re making an attempt to create really – you really need to gerrymander to create. If you wish to create aggressive districts right here.
I am simply — this is what’s superb to me. There may be not a single outstanding elected chief who has stood up and stated, ‘hey, you realize what? What they’re doing in Texas is unsuitable. And what they’re doing in California is unsuitable.’
And the truth that there’s no person — and everyone knows how this works, proper? When you thought there was a constituency for it, you’d — there’d be any person eager to be president sometime who would arise for it. And the truth that there is no constituency for this, that’s what’s been miserable me about this complete debate.
There is no such thing as a constituency for the concept, hey, possibly we must have just a little extra equity on this course of, whatever the state you are in, this concept that, ‘hey, we do not like being marginalized on this state, so have been going to marginalize voters in one other state in an effort to combat again on marginalization.’ That is so past illogical. It is irritating.
BASH: Effectively, what Gavin Newsom is, who actually has the one the one one with any playing cards at this level, who runs a Democratic state is saying I believe shouldn’t be a lot what they’re doing is okay, so we’ll do it, too. It is what they’re doing is horrible, however we’re not going to allow them to –
TODD: The issue is that they spent 10 years –
BASH: combat with out — with out us.
TODD: Dana, working in one other path and going, ‘oh, by no means thoughts our ideas are —
BASH: They did — proper. They did this impartial fee that we’re speaking about.
TODD: You recognize what, Republicans have finished already in California. They’re discovering $100 million to combat this. You recognize what Democrats have finished in Texas? Go run a freaking marketing campaign. Go run for governor, construct a state social gathering. I do not perceive how the Democratic Social gathering, who’s now offended that they’ve turn into — they have been uncovered as a – as not a nationwide social gathering due to their weak point in pushing again within the state of Florida, within the state of Texas, within the state of Ohio.
(…)
4:45:11 p.m. Jap
BASH: What do you concentrate on Donald Trump asking the Texas Republicans to do that?
JENNINGS: I imply, it is a political course of and Democrats states have finished this for years.
BASH: Not in the course of the last decade.
JENNINGS: He sees it as Republicans haven’t saved up, and he feels just like the Republican Social gathering must get extra muscular. That is — that is his hardcore political view of it.
BASH: What do you suppose?
JENNINGS: I imply, once I have a look at the states like Illinois and New York and even California with the supposed impartial fee the place Republicans get 40 % of the vote and solely have 17 % of the seats. I believe he has a degree, and I do not know —
TODD: Scott, spend a while within the state of Florida, which is the worst gerrymandered state in all of —
JENNINGS: Worse than Illinois?
TODD: Worse than Illinois.
JENNINGS: Come on.
TODD: Worse than Illinois. Go what —
JENNINGS: Conform to disagree.
TODD: They let you know who the speaker of the Home is 2 years upfront. It’s so gerrymandered.
(…)
