The killing of a prominent conservative activist sparks a bipartisan call for calm, as experts warn of a “watershed moment” for political violence in America.
The assassination of prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk has sent shockwaves through the nation, triggering a somber reflection on the state of political discourse and the growing threat of violence. On Sunday, the tragedy dominated the discussion on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” where lawmakers and experts alike grappled with the implications of the high-profile killing.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) joined the chorus of voices condemning the violence, expressing a mixture of “anger, sadness, and fear.”
READ: Bill Maher Blasts Left For “Sh*t Day” Response To Charlie Kirk Assassination
He called for leaders across the country to “turn down the rhetoric” and cease using inflammatory language, “If we all adopt these practices together and we turn down the rhetoric, we cease with this idea that policy disputes are somehow an existential threat to democracy or the republic, we stop calling one another names – I mean, calling people Nazis and fascists is not helpful.”
This sentiment was echoed by Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware and Republican Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma.
The two senators, known for their work on bipartisanship, shared their own anxieties about the safety of public servants, with Senator Lankford revealing a rise in threats against members of Congress.
“As you may know well, there have been 14,000 threats against members of Congress just this calendar year. This is not new. But it continues to be able to rise, as we’ve seen Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota, in their own home, have a home invasion and be murdered in their home,” said Lankford. “As we’ve seen, a governor in Pennsylvania has his home set on fire. It’s not just public events, it’s also in our private spaces as well that we’re keenly aware that there are people that are irrational, that do irrational acts.”
According to University of Chicago Professor Robert Pape, founder of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats, the assassination is a grim sign of a new era of “violent populism.”
READ: Turning Point USA Receives Flood Of Chapter Inquiries After Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
Pape’s research indicates a rising support for political violence on both the right and the left, driven not by the internet, but by a deeper demographic shift, as he says the U.S. transitions from a white-majority to a white-minority democracy. He warned that without a concerted effort from political leaders to condemn such acts, the trend would continue to worsen.
Amid the national anxiety, the broadcast also touched on pressing legislative and economic issues. While Congress works to address security concerns, lawmakers face the immediate challenge of averting a government shutdown and resolving a contentious debate over extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.
READ: Fired MSNBC Analyst Says He Was ‘Naive’ To Link Charlie Kirk’s Assassination To ‘Hate Speech’
Meanwhile, business analyst Jill Schlesinger broke down the state of the U.S. economy, predicting a likely Federal Reserve rate cut as the job market weakens and tariffs contribute to rising prices for consumers.
The blend of political fear and economic uncertainty painted a picture of a nation at a critical juncture.
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