September 10, 2025 • 16 mins
Charlie Kirk, who helped rally young voters to Republican causes and became a close ally of President Donald Trump, died after being shot during an event in Utah. Kirk, executive director of the conservative Turning Point USA advocacy group, was speaking at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University when the fatal incident occurred.
For instant reaction and analysis, Bloomberg Balance of Power cohosts Joe Mathieu and Kriti Gupta speak with:
- Bloomberg News senior editor Michael Shepard
- Bloomberg News White House repoter Kate Sullivan
- Kristen Hawn, ROKK Solutions Partner and Democratic Strategist
- Marua Gillespie, Bluestack Strategies Founder and Republican Strategist
- Senator Mike Rounds (R-ND)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio News.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
This is a breaking news update from Bloomberg instant reaction
and analysis from our three thousand journalists and analysts around
the world. I'm Joe Matthew alongside Credie Gupta in Washington,
where we come to you with breaking news.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
This evening.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been confirmed dead by the
President of the United States. President Trump's posting quote, the
great and even legendary Charlie Kirk is dead unquote.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University when he was
shot on stage, prominent Republican Jason Chaffitt saying he only
heard a single shot ring out. The shot that presumably
struck and according to the President.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Killed Kirk.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Moments before the President confirmed his death, House Speaker Mike
Johnson said this from Capitol Hill.
Speaker 5 (00:52):
This is the testable what's happened. Political violence has become
all too common in American society, and this is not
who we are. It violates the core principles of our country.
Are Dude Juday of Christian heritage, our civil society, our
American way of life, and it must stop. We need
every political figure, we need everyone who has a platform
(01:14):
to say this loudly and clearly. We can settle disagreements
and disputes in a civil manner, and political violence must
be called out and it has to stop.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
This is a fast moving story, and we have our
reporters covering it with much more. Tonight, Bloomberg's Kate Sullivan
joins us from the White House, and Bloomberg's Mike Shepherd
is with us here in our Washington bureau. Sheppe, let's
start with you right now, as someone who's covered politics
for a long time around here in the element of
political violence that has crept back into our culture over
the past couple of years, something hard to ignore with
(01:45):
regard to this young man, someone who started a movement
as a teenager and helped to lift Donald Trump into
the White House.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
What do we make of this latest turn.
Speaker 6 (01:55):
Well, this is Joe As who pointed it really does
point to this fear many have had about an increase
in political violence. We've seen the rhetoric over the past
decade or so really intensify and an edge creep into
the conversation comes to the core cultural and political and
social and policy issues that surround daily life in the
(02:18):
US and we've seen flashes of this violence actually manifest itself.
Of course, more than a year ago then candidate Donald
Trump himself was the target of two assassination attempts, the one,
of course in Butler, Pennsylvania, that was so high profile
when he emerged to say fight, fight, Fight. But then
more recently in June of this year, we saw two
(02:40):
Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota who were targeted in their homes
at night by a gumman who was politically motivated, according
to authorities there. So this is the kind of incident
that stokes the concern that the rhetoric and the intensified
back and forth between the various and quite divided sides
(03:00):
here in this country can spill over into violence. And
that's something that we just heard the House Speaker address
moments ago.
Speaker 7 (03:10):
Mike, I think I'm.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Asking you the question that a lot of people around
the country are asking, which is is there a policy
response and policy fallout that we can expect off the
back of this.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
Well, for the immediate moment, there will be calls for
prayer for Charlie Kirk and for his family in the
wake of this terrible incident, and the calls from both
sides really to step back from the brink of violence.
But then the actual policy steps that always gets more
tricky and sad to say, in many respects, it is
(03:44):
to be expected that each side will fall back on
the norm, with Democrats perhaps urging more control of firearms
and access to firearms, and Republicans pointing to questions about
extremism on the left left. And so when it comes
to a policy prescription emerging from this or for example,
(04:05):
the incident in Minnesota just weeks ago, the school shooting
at a Catholic school in Minnesota, it is more of
the same that we're likely to hear on this. And
really the whole issue, Quitty is the question of political
rhetoric and people now willing to take that next step
and follow on their worst instincts and urges as we
(04:29):
have seen fomented and promoted on social media for several
years now.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Blomerus, Mike Shephard, we thank you so much for bringing
us up to speed. I want to go to Kate Sullivan, who's.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
At the White House for us.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Kate, just bring us up to speed on the reaction
where you are.
Speaker 8 (04:46):
So we're seeing an outpouring of messages of prayer and
condolences from across the White House and the broader Trump administration.
If a president called Charlie Kirk legendary, he said, nobody
understood or have the heart of the youth in the
United States of America better than Charlie. You know, Charlie
Kirk was a fixture on the campaign trail. I saw
him at countless events across many different battleground states when
(05:10):
I was covering the Trump campaign last year. The President
has credited him with really boosting his voter his turnout
among young people, and getting young people excited about his campaign.
You know, he founded Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA,
which specifically advocates for conservative politics on high school and
college campuses. So we saw Charlie Kirk post many, many
(05:31):
events across college campuses, particularly during the campaign season. You know,
before news came out that he had actually died. Jd
Vance posted three different times on social media, you know,
posting a photo of himself and Kirk, saying Kirk would
answer any question and talk to everyone. So you're seeing,
you know, the close ties that Kirk has with many
people in the White House, many different Republican officials. We're
(05:53):
all just reacting to this horrific news right now.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Somewhat unusual to have this announcement come from the President
of the United States himself. Kate, is the Press Office
or Communications office saying anything about the fact that the
commander in chief told us this as opposed to Kirk's family.
Speaker 8 (06:11):
No, and that's a that's a great point in question.
All we know is what Trump has posted, and we're seeing,
you know, after he posted, then Jdvan's posted, and so
a lot of people are of course taking cues from
the President and reacting to this news that as you're
completely correct that Trump broke.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
On true social himself.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Bloomberg's Kate Sullivan at the White House, Kate, thank you.
As always, we just heard from the President again on
social media. He was typing while we were talking. In
honor of Charlie Kirk. He writes, a truly great American patriot.
I am ordering all American flags throughout the United States
lowered to half mast until Sunday evening at six pm.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Our political panel is with us here in studio.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Christin Hahn, our democratic strategist partner at Rock Solutions, joins
us alongside Marigi Lespie, Blue Stack strategies.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
It's great to see both of you.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
A Republican strategist, I'll start with you in this case, Moura,
talk to about the significance of what this means for
the Republican movement, if not the MAGA movement, and why
the White House is so deeply involved. Wy did we
learn this from the President?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Well, I think that's no surprise.
Speaker 9 (07:18):
The President feels pretty strongly about his loyalists, those who
have been his champions. And I think that the biggest
takeaway for me is to say that this isn't about
being Republican, this isn't about being democrat. This is about
political violence in this country and why it's so prevalent here.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
That's a problem, and.
Speaker 9 (07:35):
I don't know how we screen for it. I don't
know how you can't really necessarily see hate in someone's heart.
And so we have a bigger conversation to have here
because this is a man, whether you agreed with him
or not, or viet really.
Speaker 7 (07:47):
Disagree with him.
Speaker 9 (07:48):
This is a husband, a father, someone's son. And I
just think that we have lost sight of really our
humanity when it comes to our political discourse in this country.
Whether it was from Gabby Giffords, to steve'scalise to happen
in Minnesota, to the President himself, and to watch this now,
and for anyone who has been on social media and
(08:10):
those videos are playing, whether you wanted to see it
or not, it is truly. I mean, I was sitting here.
I'm sure you're all feeling the same, but stick to
my stomach about what this means, but also just seeing it.
But we have to get a handle on it. And
I don't know what that answer is, but it's not
Republican or Democrat. It is us as Americans, and we
have a problem here.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Kristen, just way in your immediate reaction, I.
Speaker 10 (08:31):
Mean this obviously, I totally agree. This is not a
one party problem or the other, as we've clearly seen
throughout the years. And you know, I was on Capitol
Hill working for the Bluetdog Coalition, of which congress Woman
Gifford's was a member, and you know you're a communications
person trying to write statements. I remember just breaking down,
crying and them trying to gather myself and pull myself together.
(08:51):
I think an element, you know, it's hard to figure
out exactly how to get at this, but an element
is the rhetoric that's coming out of you know, besides
the isisle sometimes and toning that down, treating people like
humans and your leaders and the present starts with the
President of the United States. People listen to what he's saying,
and you know, I mean, and members of Congress and
(09:14):
members of the Senate and having an honest dialogue that's
civil with you know, your next door neighbor.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
I think, you know, is really important.
Speaker 10 (09:24):
I don't think that maybe fixes everything, because like you said,
you can't see hate in somebody's heart. You can't necessarily
tell what they're going to do, but you know, it
can definitely start there.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
More reminds us of the Steves police shooting that was
years ago. The Capitol police shooting was what nineteen ninety nine.
This has been a conversation in Washington three years and
whether we should provide more security for lawmakers who in
many cases are dipping into allowances to find private security
and protection for themselves. You worked for a former speaker
(09:54):
in John Bayner Mara.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Does that need to happen?
Speaker 9 (09:56):
You know, I think it's a conversation to be had
about how much members make currently. You know, I know
that that's not necessarily a popular conversation, but when you
look at their salary, if they are, you know, in
a situation where they need to get security, their salary
is not really going to cover that plus their housing
here in DC. So you think about that, that may
be a conversation to have some built in funding for
security needs. But I think it's Christian's point there about
(10:19):
talking and how we use our words referring to our
political opponents as enemies. That's a problem, right, We can
do better, and I think that for every member of Congress,
anyone who's running for office, and anyone who sits, you know,
talking on politics on TV, should should try and do
better and make a promise to try and do that,
(10:40):
because I think that our words have impact, and how
we talk to one another as a Republican talking to
a Democrat and be on a panel together, that makes
I do think that people at home watch that, and
how we handle our discourse here really could make an
impact at home well.
Speaker 10 (10:55):
And as far as the security needs go, just look
at the members of the January sixth committee. Right they
started getting they didn't have a secret service or Capitol
Police security twenty four to seven until they all started
getting death threats, a lot of them on both sides
of the aisle, And people were going to their houses
at home when they were here in Washington, d C.
(11:16):
And going to their kids' schools, and so, you know,
we afforded them the protection of the Capitol Police, who
do such a wonderful job at protecting our officials. But
you know, this is all members of Congress. I think,
you know, the move to give them a little bit
of money to you know, out of their current allotment
to provide some of that security for theirselves and their family.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Was probably think the result is unfortunately, fewer people wanting
to run for elected office right when we're having conversations
like these. Kristen Haunt and Morigi Espie, I thank you
so much for the immediate response.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Now as we turn to Capitol.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Who joining us now live from the Capitol Republican Senator
Mike ground So, South Dakota, member of the Senate Armed
Services Committee. Senator, it's good to have you here. It's
not what we expected that we would be talking about this.
Can you weigh in on this, your reaction to what
took place, how we got here, and whether we need
to have a serious conversation about capital police security for
lawmakers like yourself.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Well, let me begin just by offering my condolences, my thoughts,
my prayers to Charlie's.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
Family, to his spouse, and to their children.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
This is not something that any of us on either
side of any political I don't want to see happen. Ever,
and so this is simply very very unfortunate, and we
offer our thoughts and our prayers, and you know, look,
this is just a bad, bad message from what we
would hope otherwise would have been an opportunity for peaceful
(12:42):
discussion on specific issues, talking about you know, our differences
in a.
Speaker 7 (12:48):
Very very normal way, a way in which.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
People can have a discussion, having differences, having different points
of view, and still remaining as friends and as colleagues.
Speaker 7 (12:58):
And so to see Charlie Kirk in.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
This particular method, I mean, this is just a terrible,
terrible day for America. And once again it is something
that I think with regard to what we do here
in the capital of the United States and the way
that we treat one another is something that should be
an example that you don't have to have violence in
the middle of political discussions.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
CenTra reums do we need to hear from the President
in a call for unity to end some of this
political violence. Is that what we're waiting for.
Speaker 6 (13:32):
You know.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
I think the first thing that the President did was
to offer his thoughts, his prayers, his condolences to Charlie's family.
I think that's, you know, the first thing that we
all want to do. And then along with that, it
is an opportunity for us to once again tell the
rest of America and the rest of the world that
we can have different points of view.
Speaker 7 (13:55):
And not be violent about it.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
And so anything that any of us can do to
offer as an example the way that we should treat
one another with respect, that's a positive thing. I think
that's what Charlie Kirk would have wanted to have had happen,
And most certainly.
Speaker 7 (14:11):
That's something that I think we should continue to carry on, which.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Is peacefully discussed, have your different points of view, argue,
debate it.
Speaker 7 (14:22):
It's healthy for America.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
But our founding fathers wanted that to be done in
such a fashion that we could still be one strong,
unified nation even if we have different points of view.
And there's nothing wrong with having differing points of view.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Well, I appreciate your point of view on that, Senator.
We were looking at some pulling from ipsos from back
in July that asked voters about political extremism and threats
to our democracy. This poll with Reuters showed twenty seven
percent of Americans ranked political extremism as the most important
problem facing the US.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
How about you.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
I can just tell you from personal experience. Here in Washington,
we work across some of the most polarized areas in
terms of ideas and ideologies. But if you talk to
members of the Senate, Republican and Democrat.
Speaker 7 (15:14):
Alike, we get along with one another. We have business
with one another.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
We go to lunch together, we have a prayer, breakfast together,
we have Bible studies together.
Speaker 7 (15:23):
We are not enemies.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
We may have different points of view, but that doesn't
get across very often. And so the example that we
should be able to offer is one of unity in
terms of making America better than what it is today.
Our founding fathers said that they wanted to create a
more perfect union. They didn't say our union was perfect
to begin with. They wanted it more perfect. That's what
(15:47):
we should be focused on here and sometimes in the
middle of our strong emotions. Here we forget to finish
with that particular part of the message, which is regardless
of our points of view, we're Americans first. We treat
each other with respect and with dignity. And here in
the Capital, in the offices that we have, I can
(16:08):
tell you personally and that behind closed doors, Republicans and
Democrats alike get along. We respect one another, we consider
each other as colleagues and friends, and we would hope
that across to America, whether it's a coffee clotch, or
whether it's a political meeting, a city council meeting, or
(16:28):
a state legislative body, that we remember that we are
all Americans and that we have a whole lot more
in common than we'll ever disagree on.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Senator, it's great to have you, and I appreciate your
candor in talking about this very sensitive issue because I've
been on that roatanda and I have seen Republican members
like yourself get along quite well with Democrats, and I
wish more people saw that side of the Capitol. Mike
Grounds of South Dakota, thank you for being with us.
Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio News.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
This is a breaking news update from Bloomberg instant reaction
and analysis from our three thousand journalists and analysts around
the world. I'm Joe Matthew alongside Credie Gupta in Washington,
where we come to you with breaking news.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
This evening.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been confirmed dead by the
President of the United States. President Trump's posting quote, the
great and even legendary Charlie Kirk is dead unquote.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University when he was
shot on stage, prominent Republican Jason Chaffitt saying he only
heard a single shot ring out. The shot that presumably
struck and according to the President.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Killed Kirk.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Moments before the President confirmed his death, House Speaker Mike
Johnson said this from Capitol Hill.
Speaker 5 (00:52):
This is the testable what's happened. Political violence has become
all too common in American society, and this is not
who we are. It violates the core principles of our country.
Are Dude Juday of Christian heritage, our civil society, our
American way of life, and it must stop. We need
every political figure, we need everyone who has a platform
(01:14):
to say this loudly and clearly. We can settle disagreements
and disputes in a civil manner, and political violence must
be called out and it has to stop.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
This is a fast moving story, and we have our
reporters covering it with much more. Tonight, Bloomberg's Kate Sullivan
joins us from the White House, and Bloomberg's Mike Shepherd
is with us here in our Washington bureau. Sheppe, let's
start with you right now, as someone who's covered politics
for a long time around here in the element of
political violence that has crept back into our culture over
the past couple of years, something hard to ignore with
(01:45):
regard to this young man, someone who started a movement
as a teenager and helped to lift Donald Trump into
the White House.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
What do we make of this latest turn.
Speaker 6 (01:55):
Well, this is Joe As who pointed it really does
point to this fear many have had about an increase
in political violence. We've seen the rhetoric over the past
decade or so really intensify and an edge creep into
the conversation comes to the core cultural and political and
social and policy issues that surround daily life in the
(02:18):
US and we've seen flashes of this violence actually manifest itself.
Of course, more than a year ago then candidate Donald
Trump himself was the target of two assassination attempts, the one,
of course in Butler, Pennsylvania, that was so high profile
when he emerged to say fight, fight, Fight. But then
more recently in June of this year, we saw two
(02:40):
Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota who were targeted in their homes
at night by a gumman who was politically motivated, according
to authorities there. So this is the kind of incident
that stokes the concern that the rhetoric and the intensified
back and forth between the various and quite divided sides
(03:00):
here in this country can spill over into violence. And
that's something that we just heard the House Speaker address
moments ago.
Speaker 7 (03:10):
Mike, I think I'm.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Asking you the question that a lot of people around
the country are asking, which is is there a policy
response and policy fallout that we can expect off the
back of this.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
Well, for the immediate moment, there will be calls for
prayer for Charlie Kirk and for his family in the
wake of this terrible incident, and the calls from both
sides really to step back from the brink of violence.
But then the actual policy steps that always gets more
tricky and sad to say, in many respects, it is
(03:44):
to be expected that each side will fall back on
the norm, with Democrats perhaps urging more control of firearms
and access to firearms, and Republicans pointing to questions about
extremism on the left left. And so when it comes
to a policy prescription emerging from this or for example,
(04:05):
the incident in Minnesota just weeks ago, the school shooting
at a Catholic school in Minnesota, it is more of
the same that we're likely to hear on this. And
really the whole issue, Quitty is the question of political
rhetoric and people now willing to take that next step
and follow on their worst instincts and urges as we
(04:29):
have seen fomented and promoted on social media for several
years now.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Blomerus, Mike Shephard, we thank you so much for bringing
us up to speed. I want to go to Kate Sullivan, who's.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
At the White House for us.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Kate, just bring us up to speed on the reaction
where you are.
Speaker 8 (04:46):
So we're seeing an outpouring of messages of prayer and
condolences from across the White House and the broader Trump administration.
If a president called Charlie Kirk legendary, he said, nobody
understood or have the heart of the youth in the
United States of America better than Charlie. You know, Charlie
Kirk was a fixture on the campaign trail. I saw
him at countless events across many different battleground states when
(05:10):
I was covering the Trump campaign last year. The President
has credited him with really boosting his voter his turnout
among young people, and getting young people excited about his campaign.
You know, he founded Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA,
which specifically advocates for conservative politics on high school and
college campuses. So we saw Charlie Kirk post many, many
(05:31):
events across college campuses, particularly during the campaign season. You know,
before news came out that he had actually died. Jd
Vance posted three different times on social media, you know,
posting a photo of himself and Kirk, saying Kirk would
answer any question and talk to everyone. So you're seeing,
you know, the close ties that Kirk has with many
people in the White House, many different Republican officials. We're
(05:53):
all just reacting to this horrific news right now.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Somewhat unusual to have this announcement come from the President
of the United States himself. Kate, is the Press Office
or Communications office saying anything about the fact that the
commander in chief told us this as opposed to Kirk's family.
Speaker 8 (06:11):
No, and that's a that's a great point in question.
All we know is what Trump has posted, and we're seeing,
you know, after he posted, then Jdvan's posted, and so
a lot of people are of course taking cues from
the President and reacting to this news that as you're
completely correct that Trump broke.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
On true social himself.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Bloomberg's Kate Sullivan at the White House, Kate, thank you.
As always, we just heard from the President again on
social media. He was typing while we were talking. In
honor of Charlie Kirk. He writes, a truly great American patriot.
I am ordering all American flags throughout the United States
lowered to half mast until Sunday evening at six pm.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Our political panel is with us here in studio.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Christin Hahn, our democratic strategist partner at Rock Solutions, joins
us alongside Marigi Lespie, Blue Stack strategies.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
It's great to see both of you.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
A Republican strategist, I'll start with you in this case, Moura,
talk to about the significance of what this means for
the Republican movement, if not the MAGA movement, and why
the White House is so deeply involved. Wy did we
learn this from the President?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Well, I think that's no surprise.
Speaker 9 (07:18):
The President feels pretty strongly about his loyalists, those who
have been his champions. And I think that the biggest
takeaway for me is to say that this isn't about
being Republican, this isn't about being democrat. This is about
political violence in this country and why it's so prevalent here.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
That's a problem, and.
Speaker 9 (07:35):
I don't know how we screen for it. I don't
know how you can't really necessarily see hate in someone's heart.
And so we have a bigger conversation to have here
because this is a man, whether you agreed with him
or not, or viet really.
Speaker 7 (07:47):
Disagree with him.
Speaker 9 (07:48):
This is a husband, a father, someone's son. And I
just think that we have lost sight of really our
humanity when it comes to our political discourse in this country.
Whether it was from Gabby Giffords, to steve'scalise to happen
in Minnesota, to the President himself, and to watch this now,
and for anyone who has been on social media and
(08:10):
those videos are playing, whether you wanted to see it
or not, it is truly. I mean, I was sitting here.
I'm sure you're all feeling the same, but stick to
my stomach about what this means, but also just seeing it.
But we have to get a handle on it. And
I don't know what that answer is, but it's not
Republican or Democrat. It is us as Americans, and we
have a problem here.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Kristen, just way in your immediate reaction, I.
Speaker 10 (08:31):
Mean this obviously, I totally agree. This is not a
one party problem or the other, as we've clearly seen
throughout the years. And you know, I was on Capitol
Hill working for the Bluetdog Coalition, of which congress Woman
Gifford's was a member, and you know you're a communications
person trying to write statements. I remember just breaking down,
crying and them trying to gather myself and pull myself together.
(08:51):
I think an element, you know, it's hard to figure
out exactly how to get at this, but an element
is the rhetoric that's coming out of you know, besides
the isisle sometimes and toning that down, treating people like
humans and your leaders and the present starts with the
President of the United States. People listen to what he's saying,
and you know, I mean, and members of Congress and
(09:14):
members of the Senate and having an honest dialogue that's
civil with you know, your next door neighbor.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
I think, you know, is really important.
Speaker 10 (09:24):
I don't think that maybe fixes everything, because like you said,
you can't see hate in somebody's heart. You can't necessarily
tell what they're going to do, but you know, it
can definitely start there.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
More reminds us of the Steves police shooting that was
years ago. The Capitol police shooting was what nineteen ninety nine.
This has been a conversation in Washington three years and
whether we should provide more security for lawmakers who in
many cases are dipping into allowances to find private security
and protection for themselves. You worked for a former speaker
(09:54):
in John Bayner Mara.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Does that need to happen?
Speaker 9 (09:56):
You know, I think it's a conversation to be had
about how much members make currently. You know, I know
that that's not necessarily a popular conversation, but when you
look at their salary, if they are, you know, in
a situation where they need to get security, their salary
is not really going to cover that plus their housing
here in DC. So you think about that, that may
be a conversation to have some built in funding for
security needs. But I think it's Christian's point there about
(10:19):
talking and how we use our words referring to our
political opponents as enemies. That's a problem, right, We can
do better, and I think that for every member of Congress,
anyone who's running for office, and anyone who sits, you know,
talking on politics on TV, should should try and do
better and make a promise to try and do that,
(10:40):
because I think that our words have impact, and how
we talk to one another as a Republican talking to
a Democrat and be on a panel together, that makes
I do think that people at home watch that, and
how we handle our discourse here really could make an
impact at home well.
Speaker 10 (10:55):
And as far as the security needs go, just look
at the members of the January sixth committee. Right they
started getting they didn't have a secret service or Capitol
Police security twenty four to seven until they all started
getting death threats, a lot of them on both sides
of the aisle, And people were going to their houses
at home when they were here in Washington, d C.
(11:16):
And going to their kids' schools, and so, you know,
we afforded them the protection of the Capitol Police, who
do such a wonderful job at protecting our officials. But
you know, this is all members of Congress. I think,
you know, the move to give them a little bit
of money to you know, out of their current allotment
to provide some of that security for theirselves and their family.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Was probably think the result is unfortunately, fewer people wanting
to run for elected office right when we're having conversations
like these. Kristen Haunt and Morigi Espie, I thank you
so much for the immediate response.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Now as we turn to Capitol.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Who joining us now live from the Capitol Republican Senator
Mike ground So, South Dakota, member of the Senate Armed
Services Committee. Senator, it's good to have you here. It's
not what we expected that we would be talking about this.
Can you weigh in on this, your reaction to what
took place, how we got here, and whether we need
to have a serious conversation about capital police security for
lawmakers like yourself.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Well, let me begin just by offering my condolences, my thoughts,
my prayers to Charlie's.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
Family, to his spouse, and to their children.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
This is not something that any of us on either
side of any political I don't want to see happen. Ever,
and so this is simply very very unfortunate, and we
offer our thoughts and our prayers, and you know, look,
this is just a bad, bad message from what we
would hope otherwise would have been an opportunity for peaceful
(12:42):
discussion on specific issues, talking about you know, our differences
in a.
Speaker 7 (12:48):
Very very normal way, a way in which.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
People can have a discussion, having differences, having different points
of view, and still remaining as friends and as colleagues.
Speaker 7 (12:58):
And so to see Charlie Kirk in.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
This particular method, I mean, this is just a terrible,
terrible day for America. And once again it is something
that I think with regard to what we do here
in the capital of the United States and the way
that we treat one another is something that should be
an example that you don't have to have violence in
the middle of political discussions.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
CenTra reums do we need to hear from the President
in a call for unity to end some of this
political violence. Is that what we're waiting for.
Speaker 6 (13:32):
You know.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
I think the first thing that the President did was
to offer his thoughts, his prayers, his condolences to Charlie's family.
I think that's, you know, the first thing that we
all want to do. And then along with that, it
is an opportunity for us to once again tell the
rest of America and the rest of the world that
we can have different points of view.
Speaker 7 (13:55):
And not be violent about it.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
And so anything that any of us can do to
offer as an example the way that we should treat
one another with respect, that's a positive thing. I think
that's what Charlie Kirk would have wanted to have had happen,
And most certainly.
Speaker 7 (14:11):
That's something that I think we should continue to carry on, which.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Is peacefully discussed, have your different points of view, argue,
debate it.
Speaker 7 (14:22):
It's healthy for America.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
But our founding fathers wanted that to be done in
such a fashion that we could still be one strong,
unified nation even if we have different points of view.
And there's nothing wrong with having differing points of view.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Well, I appreciate your point of view on that, Senator.
We were looking at some pulling from ipsos from back
in July that asked voters about political extremism and threats
to our democracy. This poll with Reuters showed twenty seven
percent of Americans ranked political extremism as the most important
problem facing the US.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
How about you.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
I can just tell you from personal experience. Here in Washington,
we work across some of the most polarized areas in
terms of ideas and ideologies. But if you talk to
members of the Senate, Republican and Democrat.
Speaker 7 (15:14):
Alike, we get along with one another. We have business
with one another.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
We go to lunch together, we have a prayer, breakfast together,
we have Bible studies together.
Speaker 7 (15:23):
We are not enemies.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
We may have different points of view, but that doesn't
get across very often. And so the example that we
should be able to offer is one of unity in
terms of making America better than what it is today.
Our founding fathers said that they wanted to create a
more perfect union. They didn't say our union was perfect
to begin with. They wanted it more perfect. That's what
(15:47):
we should be focused on here and sometimes in the
middle of our strong emotions. Here we forget to finish
with that particular part of the message, which is regardless
of our points of view, we're Americans first. We treat
each other with respect and with dignity. And here in
the Capital, in the offices that we have, I can
(16:08):
tell you personally and that behind closed doors, Republicans and
Democrats alike get along. We respect one another, we consider
each other as colleagues and friends, and we would hope
that across to America, whether it's a coffee clotch, or
whether it's a political meeting, a city council meeting, or
(16:28):
a state legislative body, that we remember that we are
all Americans and that we have a whole lot more
in common than we'll ever disagree on.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Senator, it's great to have you, and I appreciate your
candor in talking about this very sensitive issue because I've
been on that roatanda and I have seen Republican members
like yourself get along quite well with Democrats, and I
wish more people saw that side of the Capitol. Mike
Grounds of South Dakota, thank you for being with us.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.