Francesca Hong revises stance on Thanksgiving after 2021 call to cancel it
The Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate now says it is her favourite holiday, after earlier posts criticised its colonial ties
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Wisconsin Socialist Francesca Hong Backtracks on Thanksgiving
Photograph: Internewscast (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Francesca Hong posted on X in November 2021 calling for Thanksgiving to be cancelled over its colonial ties.
- In a 7 August 2026 Politico podcast, Hong said Thanksgiving was her "favourite holiday" and she did not want to cancel it.
- During a 5 August 2026 CNN interview, Hong gave a 46-second answer when asked if she still believed Thanksgiving should be cancelled and did not say "yes" or "no".
- None of the left-rated outlets tracked by MediaBias News carried the story.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 38 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 3 of the 41 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
68/100
Craft
87/100
Hype
48/100
41 sources · methodology
Francesca Hong, a Democratic state representative and gubernatorial candidate in Wisconsin, has revised her position on Thanksgiving after a 2021 social media post calling for its cancellation. In a November 2021 post on X, Hong urged people to "cancel Thanksgiving" and described it as "celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx and women". The post was later deleted.
On 7 August 2026, Hong told Politico’s Playbook podcast that Thanksgiving was her "favourite holiday" and that she did not want to cancel it. She said it was a "big event" for her family but added that she was "kind of a curmudgeon when it comes to holidays in general". Hong has also criticised other US holidays on social media, including Valentine’s Day, Independence Day, Christmas, Halloween, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
During a 5 August 2026 interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Hong was asked whether she still believed Thanksgiving should be cancelled. She responded with a 46-second answer that did not include a direct "yes" or "no". Hong said she had prepared Thanksgiving meals for her community as a chef and believed in bringing people together, but acknowledged that the holiday was "incredibly painful for many people".
What the coverage left out
None of the right-rated digests mentioned Hong’s explanation that her 2021 post was made during the Covid-19 pandemic. None of the right-rated reports carried her statement that views "can evolve". No left-rated outlet ran the story at all.
Coverage settled. We checked this 8 times and stopped on 11 Aug 2026, 17:31. The figures above are what it finished at.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
8 rated outlets
- The left-rated outlets led on Francesca Hong’s 2021 social-media post calling for Thanksgiving to be cancelled and her refusal to disavow it in a 29 July 2026 CNN interview. All seven digests reported that Hong did not back down from the idea.
- Five of the seven digests noted Hong’s claim that Thanksgiving is “incredibly painful” for many Americans. Four mentioned her status as a democratic socialist and her candidacy for Wisconsin governor. None of the digests quoted Hong’s full 46-second response to CNN’s question.
- The digests did not include reactions from Native American groups or historical context about the holiday. Hong’s restaurant experience and primary opponents were mentioned in two digests each.
Centre
9 rated outlets
- The centre-rated report from Internewscast led on Hong’s reversal of her 2021 position, quoting her statement that Thanksgiving was her "favourite holiday". It carried her explanation that the holiday was a major gathering for her family and noted her broader pattern of criticising US holidays on social media. The report included her 46-second non-answer to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and described it as drawing attention online.
Right
21 rated outlets
- All six right-rated reports led on Hong’s backtracking from her 2021 call to cancel Thanksgiving. The New York Post and The National Pulse described her earlier post as a "rant" and "attack", respectively, and the Post called her recent statement a "bizarre backtrack". The Post and democraticaccent.com quoted her saying Thanksgiving was her "favourite holiday", while Twitchy framed her reversal as driven by polling concerns.
- The New York Post’s full report included Hong’s 46-second non-answer to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, describing it as a "word salad". It also noted that Senator Bernie Sanders had declined to endorse Hong’s gubernatorial campaign, quoting Sanders saying he was not familiar with her race. The Post and ussanews.com both highlighted that Hong did not directly answer whether she still believed Thanksgiving should be cancelled.
- The National Pulse’s digest mentioned Hong’s criticism of other holidays, including Christmas and Independence Day. The Post and democraticaccent.com both noted that Hong had called herself a "curmudgeon" about holidays in general.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Francesca Hong revises stance on Thanksgiving after 2021 call to cancel…?
- Of the 38 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 21% are rated left, 24% are rated centre, 55% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 41. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Francesca Hong revises stance on Thanksgiving after 2021 call to cancel… left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 38 rated outlets on this story, 21% are rated left, 24% are rated centre, 55% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Francesca Hong revises stance on Thanksgiving after 2021 call to cancel… biased?
- Francesca Hong revises stance on Thanksgiving after 2021 call to cancel it is one event reported by 41 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered Francesca Hong revises stance on Thanksgiving after 2021 call to cancel…?
- 41 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What did Francesca Hong say about Thanksgiving in 2021?
- In November 2021, Francesca Hong posted on X urging people to "cancel Thanksgiving" because of its colonial ties. She described it as "celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx and women". The post was later deleted, as reported by Internewscast and the New York Post.
- Did Francesca Hong say she still wants to cancel Thanksgiving?
- No, Francesca Hong said in a 7 August 2026 Politico podcast that Thanksgiving was her "favourite holiday" and she did not want to cancel it. However, during a 5 August 2026 CNN interview, she did not directly answer when asked if she still believed it should be cancelled, giving a 46-second response instead.
- Which outlets covered Francesca Hong’s comments on Thanksgiving?
- The story was covered by one centre-rated outlet, Internewscast, and six right-rated outlets: the New York Post, The National Pulse, democraticaccent.com, wfmd.com, Twitchy and ussanews.com. No left-rated outlet carried the story, as reported by MediaBias News.
Read it at the source
46 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
8- Wisconsin’s Messy Governor’s Race Adds Thanksgiving Drama (opens New York Magazine in a new tab)
New York Magazine — is New York Magazine biased? Our profile of this outlet
- The democratic socialist facing swing-state realities — and her old tweets (opens Politico in a new tab)
- Wisconsin Governor candidate: Kelda Roys (opens Antigo Daily Journal in a new tab)
Antigo Daily Journal — is Antigo Daily Journal biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Francesca Hong, Aspiring Governor of Wisconsin, Promotes Canceling Thanksgiving Day (opens La Opinion in a new tab)
La Opinion — is La Opinion biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Wisconsin governor candidate appears open to canceling Thanksgiving (opens AZCentral in a new tab)
- In CNN interview, Hong doesn't back off 'cancel Thanksgiving' post (opens Journal Sentinel in a new tab)
Journal Sentinel — is Journal Sentinel biased? Our profile of this outlet
- In CNN interview, Hong doesn't back off 'cancel Thanksgiving' post (opens USA Today in a new tab)
- Should Thanksgiving Be Canceled? Socialist Candidate Can’t Give CNN a Straight Answer (opens Mediaite in a new tab)
Centre
9- Trump targets Francesca Hong over past comments on Thanksgiving, police (opens Lake Geneva News in a new tab)
Lake Geneva News — is Lake Geneva News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Wisconsin Socialist Francesca Hong Backtracks on Thanksgiving (opens Internewscast in a new tab)
Internewscast — is Internewscast biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Francesca Hong says Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday: ‘I don’t want to cancel it’ (opens The Hill in a new tab)
- Wisconsin Governor candidate: Kelda Roys (opens The EagleHerald in a new tab)
The EagleHerald — is The EagleHerald biased? Our profile of this outlet
- 1-on-1 with gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong (opens Spectrum News in a new tab)
Spectrum News — is Spectrum News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Hong faces increasing scrutiny and spotlight as candidates battle it out in final week (opens WISN in a new tab)
- Hong's plan to end Milwaukee voucher program diverges from opponents (opens Green Bay Press in a new tab)
Green Bay Press — is Green Bay Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Hong's plan to end Milwaukee voucher program diverges from opponents (opens Chippewa Herald in a new tab)
Chippewa Herald — is Chippewa Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
26- Wisconsin Democratic candidate for governor backtracks on hatred of Thanksgiving (opens Washington Times in a new tab)
Washington Times — is Washington Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Wisconsin socialist Francesca Hong walks back bizarre claim to cancel Thanksgiving — now says it’s her favorite holiday (opens New York Post in a new tab)
New York Post — is New York Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Radical Leftist Francesca Hong Does Total 180 – Now Claims Thanksgiving is Her Favorite Holiday! * The Gateway Pundit * by Mike LaChance (opens The Gateway Pundit in a new tab)
The Gateway Pundit — is The Gateway Pundit biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Dem Socialist Candidate Francesca Hong Calls for Cancellation of Christmas, Thanksgiving, July 4. (opens The National Pulse in a new tab)
The National Pulse — is The National Pulse biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Francesca Hong remarks Thanksgiving is her ‘favorite holiday,’ answers she does not ‘want to cancel it’ (opens wfmd.com in a new tab)
- Francesca Hong remarks Thanksgiving is her 'favorite holiday,' answers she does not 'want to cancel it' – Democratic Accent (opens democraticaccent.com in a new tab)
democraticaccent.com — is democraticaccent.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Hong scraps bid to cancel Thanksgiving: 'My favorite holiday' (opens Washington Examiner in a new tab)
Washington Examiner — is Washington Examiner biased? Our profile of this outlet
- SO Genuine! Francesca Hong's Slam on Thanksgiving Clearly Wasn't Polling Well for Her Campaign (opens Twitchy in a new tab)
Twitchy — is Twitchy biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
Show 18 more
- Controversial socialist chef flip-flops on abolish the police, says she’s ‘serious about public safety’ – Democratic Accent (opens democraticaccent.com in a new tab)
democraticaccent.com
- Controversial socialist chef flip-flops on abolish the police, says she’s ‘serious about public safety’ (opens Fox News in a new tab)
- Wisconsin Democrat running for governor won’t say ‘no’ when asked if Thanksgiving should be canceled (opens ussanews.com in a new tab)
ussanews.com — is ussanews.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Democrat Rising Star’s Answer To Thanksgiving Question Tanks (opens Independent Journal Review in a new tab)
Independent Journal Review — is Independent Journal Review biased? Our profile of this outlet
- ‘Incredibly painful’: Watch Democrat running for governor implode when asked about her desire to cancel Thanksgiving (opens OpsLens in a new tab)
- Watch This Rising Dem Star Collapse When Asked if She's Pro-Thanksgiving - Her Answer Makes Kamala Look Like a Genius (opens The Western Journal in a new tab)
The Western Journal — is The Western Journal biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- ‘Incredibly painful’: Watch Democrat running for governor implode when asked about her desire to cancel Thanksgiving * WorldNetDaily * by WND Staff (opens WND in a new tab)
- Democratic socialist candidate for Wis. gov. dodges responding to past call to 'cancel Thanksgiving' (opens The Christian Post in a new tab)
The Christian Post — is The Christian Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Francesca Hong’s Anti-Thanksgiving Rant Reveals What the Socialist Left Really Wants (opens The Daily Signal in a new tab)
The Daily Signal — is The Daily Signal biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Wisconsin Socialist Dem gov. frontrunner can’t just say ‘no’ when asked if she wants to cancel Thanksgiving (opens New York Post in a new tab)
New York Post
- CNN Stumps DSA Candidate: Do You Still Want to Cancel Thanksgiving? (opens Hot Air in a new tab)
- Democrat frontrunner for WIGOV tosses the word salad on whether she still wants to cancel Thanksgiving (opens ussanews.com in a new tab)
ussanews.com
- Gubernatorial Candidate Defends Urging US to ‘Cancel Thanksgiving’ (opens Independent Journal Review in a new tab)
Independent Journal Review
- Democrat frontrunner for WIGOV tosses the word salad on whether she still wants to cancel Thanksgiving (opens Louder With Crowder in a new tab)
Louder With Crowder — is Louder With Crowder biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Wisconsin Gov. Candidate Francesca Hong Won't Say if Thanksgiving Should Be Canceled (opens TMZ in a new tab)
- Socialist Governor Hopeful Has Kamala Moment When Asked About Canceling Thanksgiving (opens The Daily Wire in a new tab)
The Daily Wire — is The Daily Wire biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Francesca Hong: Thanksgiving 'Incredibly Painful for Many', 'There Are Multiple Views, But Views Can Evolve' (opens Breitbart in a new tab)
- CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Talks Turkey With Anti-Thanksgiving Francesca Hong, Gets Served DSA Word Salad (opens Twitchy in a new tab)
TwitchyOpinion
Not rated
3- 'Just Say No': Wisconsin Governor Hopeful Francesca Hong Faces Backlash After Dodging Thanksgiving Question (opens The Nerd Stash in a new tab)
The Nerd Stash — is The Nerd Stash biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Wisconsin Governor Candidate Francesca Hong Faces Questions Over Past ‘Cancel Thanksgiving’ Comments (opens Daily Reuters in a new tab)
Daily Reuters — is Daily Reuters biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Francesca Hong dodges past ‘cancel Thanksgiving’ comment (opens Conservative News Daily in a new tab)
Conservative News Daily — is Conservative News Daily biased? Our profile of this outlet
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