Democratic socialist Francesca Hong struggled to give a straight answer when pressed on whether she still believes Thanksgiving should be canceled, despite repeated attempts by CNNs Kaitlan Collins to pin her down.
According to CNN, Collins raised the issue after resurfacing a since-deleted 2021 X post in which Hong wrote, Cancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621, adding, If it takes a worldwide pandemic for us to realize we should stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed Indegenous [sic] folx [sic] and women so be it. The Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate, who proudly identifies as a democratic socialist, responded with a meandering 46-second monologue that never produced a clear yes or no, a telling moment for voters who expect direct answers on cultural issues that matter to many American families.
Im a chef, and one of the first meals that I made that was for the community when i was 16 was a Thanksgiving meal, Hong said, pivoting quickly to her rsum in the restaurant industry. I always think my hospitality background and owning a restaurant for 7-8 years, that bringing folks around the table to share conversation and build community is always a good thing.
She then framed the holiday through a grievance lens, stating, But Thanksgiving is also a time thats incredibly painful for many people in our communities. Hong added, So I think there I wanted to make sure people understood there are multiple views, but views can evolve, before insisting, And the position Im running for right now and I think my background as a chef will actually help me become a better governor thats able to bring more people to the table.
The interview ended without Collins receiving a definitive response, echoing another recent episode in which Hong was challenged over her past support for abolishing the police. After previously offering Politico a confusing answer involving prison employee suicide rates and vague notions of building systems of care, she told Collins she is now not interested in abolishing prisons and would not defund law enforcement if elected governor, a shift that raises questions about whether her evolving positions reflect genuine reconsideration or simple political calculation.
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