Opinion - Jamelle Bouie
Sept. 13, 2025, 11:23 a.m. ET
The best way to honor Charlie’s memory,” Gov. Gavin Newsom of California declared, “is to continue his work: engage with each other, across ideology, through spirited discourse.”
Kirk’s approach, wrote the editors of Politico’s Playbook, “was to persuade, to use charm and charisma and provocation and the power of argument to convince people of the righteousness of his cause.”
There is no doubt that Kirk was influential, no doubt that he had millions of devoted fans. But it is difficult to square this idealized portrait of Kirk as model citizen with the man as he was.
Few if any of them have seen fit to mention the fact that Kirk’s first act on the national stage was to create a McCarthyite watchlist…
I have low expectations for Newsom, but jesus fucking christ.
If you’re an in-office politician, I think the best initial response to make for the next few days is “I’m just here so I don’t get fined”.
@pete_link I don’t know Peter, maybe you had a problem with a post here. Hi!
The best response is one stolen from Malcolm X “chickens coming home to roost never made me sad, they always made me glad”
