(The Hill) – Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) on Friday addressed a question both Republicans and Democrats were asking on the heels of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death: Will the tragic event finally mark a turning point?
“This is our moment: Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp?” an emotional Cox said at a news conference, where he announced a suspect in Kirk’s murder had been apprehended in his state. “It’s a choice.”
Cox, who is a Republican, used his time before a gaggle of cameras to talk about a political reckoning.
He pushed the idea of civility, of Republicans and Democrats finding ways to come together, and urged “his young friends out there” to step away from political rage and “choose a different path.”
“For the last 48 hours, I have been as angry as I have ever been, as sad as I have ever been … and as anger pushed me to the brink, it was actually Charlie’s words that pushed me back,” Cox said. “Charlie said ‘When people stop talking, that’s when you get violence.’”
Political operatives in both parties praised Cox’s sentiments Friday, noting it helped relieve tensions — even temporarily — and a public unease over the recent rash of political violence.
Cox’s remarks sounded presidential, and more than one observer was left wondering if they were seeing a prospective future GOP candidate who might unite people.
At the same time, both Democrats and Republicans were skeptical that the nasty and pointed political rhetoric that has become ingrained in politics would change on the heels of Kirk’s death, which has consumed news cycles and headlines since it occurred Wednesday.
In an interview Friday, Michael Eric Dyson, the renowned historian and author, condemned what happened to Kirk on Wednesday. But while he said he appreciated Cox’s sentiments about civility, Dyson said that more could be said about how harmful hateful rhetoric can be.
“Words can incite violence and they can constitute violence,” Dyson said.
He said that while President Trump was in office, he didn’t expect the nation’s temperature to cool.
“Unfortunately, he sets the tone,” Dyson said. “As long as this president is in office, it will never get better.”
Dyson and some Democrats pointed to Trump’s comments Thursday following the shooting where he was quick to cast blame, even before a shooter was identified.
“We have radical left lunatics out there, and we just have to beat the hell out of them,” Trump told reporters.
On Friday morning, a little more than an hour before Cox spoke, Trump announced the arrest of the Kirk suspect. The hosts of “Fox & Friends” appeared to nudge Trump toward stating there were radicals at both ends of the political spectrum that would do better to tone down their rhetoric.
Trump responded by downplaying any actions or rhetoric on the right while blaming rhetoric on the left.
“I’ll tell you something that’s going to get me in trouble, but I couldn’t care less. The radicals on the right often times are radical because they don’t want to see crime. The radicals on the left are the problem. They’ve vicious and they’re horrible and they’re politically savvy.”
Those remarks by Trump were widely noted Friday, as was the contrast between his comments and those of Cox.
“If the president is doing little to pour water on the fire, how can we expect any change?” one Democratic strategist said. “He doesn’t want change. His political career has been fueled by building this divide.”
Republican strategist Doug Heye predicted the finger-pointing will continue, as it has every time there has been an incident involving lawmakers and political figures.
He highlighted the attacks on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, and the congressional baseball practice in 2017 when Republican Rep. Steve Scalise (La.) and four others were shot.
“The Paul Pelosi attack was a punchline for some Republicans, and so many Democrats shrugged off the attack at the baseball game,” Heye said. “It almost always comes down to the same thing — ‘Don’t tell me I need to do better, you’re the one who needs to do better!’ — shouted at the TV screen.”
“So yes, we need more responsible, less angry voices,” Heye said. “But producers and anchors who platform that rhetoric play a role, too.”
Trump himself was the victim of an assassination attempt that nearly took his life 15 months ago. Over the summer, former Minnesota state Speaker Melissa Hortman was murdered at her home with her husband by a suspect targeting Democratic lawmakers in the state. Another lawmaker and his wife were wounded in a separate attack.
In the hours after Cox announced Tyler Robinson was in custody and called social media “a cancer,” both Republicans and Democrats continued to lob criticism on online platforms.
Former Rep. Joe Walsh (Ill.), a former Republican who left the party and joined the Democratic Party earlier this year, took to the social platform X to offer his commentary.
“America today: So what are both sides on social media doing right now? Frantically & desperately trying to find ANY tiny thread of evidence that can quickly assign Tyler Robinson to a group that their side hates,” Walsh wrote.
Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons said the rhetoric seems particularly “amped up” in both parties.
“Things feel close to a tipping point and we need leaders of both parties to help diffuse the situation,” Simmons said. “Gov. Cox is offering an alternate vision for Republicans.”
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