Police Hunt Charlie Kirk Killer

Summary

Balance of Power — Police Hunt Charlie Kirk Killer

Bloomberg Radio | September 11, 2025
Hosts: Joe Mathieu, Kailey Leinz
Special Guests: Frank Luntz, Brian Stile (R–WI), Haley Stevens (D–MI), Jeannie Shanzano, Greta Joins

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Episode Overview

In this urgent episode, the Balance of Power team responds to the breaking news of political activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University. The discussion spans the manhunt for the alleged killer, security implications for public officials, the toxic climate of political rhetoric, and the broader context of rising violence in U.S. politics.

Hosts Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz speak with political strategist Frank Luntz, Rep. Brian Stile (R–WI), Rep. Haley Stevens (D–MI), and panelists Jeannie Shanzano and Greta Joins, exploring the state of American democracy, the dangers of polarization, and the urgent need for national unity and candid dialogue.

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Key Discussion Segments & Insights

Breaking News: The Manhunt and Investigation

00:55–05:30

• FBI Manhunt: An FBI alert has been issued with a photo of the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s shooting; shooter remains at large.
• Details of Incident: Single shot was fired from a rooftop 200 yards away as Kirk addressed a crowd of over 3,000.
• Evidence Recovered: Authorities found a high-powered bolt-action rifle, a palm print, and a footwear impression near the scene.
• President’s Response (Donald Trump): Promises a "virtual manhunt," intends to award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and to support Kirk’s family.

"It is that officials say there was a single shot fired from the roof of a building about 200 yards away from where Kirk was addressing the crowd." — Tyler Kendall (White House Correspondent) [04:30]

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The Politics of Tragedy: Reflections from Frank Luntz

07:01–14:22

The Climate of Despair and Blame

• Bipartisan Grief: Elected officials from both parties express anger and frustration at those exploiting the tragedy for political gain.
• A Call for Decency: Luntz urges Americans to say "enough" to political violence and the culture of demonization.
• Personal Reaction: Luntz reflects on witnessing the assassination video: "This is not Hollywood. This is not entertainment. This is a human being who was gunned down while participating in his constitutional rights." [10:31]
• Social Media’s Role: Criticism of social media for amplifying hate and normalizing violence.
• Generational Impact: Fears that young people are learning destructive political behaviors.

"We need to come together as a country and say enough. Enough political violence, enough destroying each other." — Frank Luntz [07:01]

"These are not random circumstances...Say to ourselves, enough. And that's the word that I’m going to leave this answer to your question with: enough." — Frank Luntz [07:58]

Avoiding the Blame Game

• Expresses deep concern about public figures overtly blaming media and political opponents for fomenting violence.
• "Let us commit today at this moment that we only speak the truth, even if it hurts us, that we only speak the truth, even if it helps somebody else. Because in the end, we will be a stronger country and we will grow from this horrible moment if we affirm the importance of the truth. And if we don't, then this is only the beginning." — Frank Luntz [13:25]

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Congressional Voices: Security, Rhetoric, and Democracy at Risk

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson on Safety and Social Media

16:34–17:20

• Highlights security concerns for public officials and a shift in public tone due to social media:

"There are deranged people in society and if they are encouraged...they will do dangerous things...I think social media has been a toxin in politics." — Mike Johnson [16:34]

Rep. Brian Stile (R–WI): Security & Political Dialogue

17:54–28:32

• Personal Reflection: Expresses sorrow and frustration, mourning Kirk as a leader on conservative campuses.

"It was both a moment where my heart sunk, but also a frustration with this type of political violence." — Brian Stile [17:54]

• Civility Across the Aisle: Stresses that policy disagreements need not equate to personal animosity.
• Rhetoric as Risk: Raises concern that vitriolic language around President Trump and others is "dangerous" and blurs line between robust debate and dangerous incitement.

"Some of the rhetoric against President Trump...has unquestionably crossed the line." [19:22]

• Security Measures: Notes recent enhancements to security but emphasizes, "You can't simply secure your way out of the challenges that we face right now." [22:11]
• Fear of Depleted Civic Engagement: Worries violence deters high-quality candidates from public service.
• Congressional Tensions: Describes emotional volatility in the House following Kirk’s killing.
• Budget and Governance: Calls for productive compromise to avoid government shutdown.

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Rep. Haley Stevens (D–MI): Unity, Safety, and Real Bipartisanship

30:00–38:11

• Condemnation of Violence: Calls Kirk’s assassination "tragic" and "unacceptable," urges for de-escalation.

"Rising political violence is not acceptable, has never been acceptable and cannot be accepted." — Haley Stevens [30:55]

• Proud Service Amid Risk: Acknowledges personal safety concerns but refuses to "put our heads in the sand."
• Democracy in Action: Encourages Americans to watch Congressional debate and see discourse firsthand.

"I've taken thousands of votes since I've...become a lawmaker and I know that when I get bills done, they are...bipartisan, they have to be." — Haley Stevens [35:32]

• Hope for Bipartisan Solutions: Optimistic about responsible budget negotiations and cross-party achievements (cites CHIPS Act).
• Rejection of Fear: "We can't let fear take over. We can't be driven by fear, which leads to anger. And we've got to make sure that everyone hears loud and clear that violence is unacceptable and not to be condoned." [33:57]

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Panel Discussion: What Now for American Democracy?

39:46–52:05

Jeannie Shanzano (Democrat, Harvard Kennedy School)

• Sympathy for Kirk: Recognizes Kirk’s impact on conservative students, emphasizes condolences.
• Rhetoric Caveat: Warns against conditional condemnations ("political violence is unacceptable, but...").
• Some Role for Rhetoric: Agrees rhetoric plays a role but not the sole factor.

Greta Joins (Republican Strategist)

• Republican Grief and Frustration: Describes palpable anger and sense of vilification among conservatives after Kirk’s murder.
• Condemns Both Sides’ Rhetoric: Critiques figures on the left who allegedly mock or inflame tensions but stresses violence is unacceptable from all sides.

"The more insulated that we become from the seriousness of all of these conversations...that emboldens those who are attacking...any political stripe...That is a challenging moment, for sure." — Greta Joins [47:35]

On Blaming & Division

• Joe Matthew: Raises concern about blaming political violence solely on one party.
• Jeannie Shanzano: Reminds listeners of violent acts against Democrats and warns that structural government dysfunction, as well as rhetoric, drives political violence.

"We have structural problems in the government which drive vast amounts of political violence in this country, and that needs to be addressed." — Jeannie Shanzano [49:48]

• Concludes with reflections on Kirk’s joyful approach to conservative activism and the need for Democrats to find an equivalent spirit of engagement.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Frank Luntz (on social media & honest dialogue):

  "Let us commit today at this moment that we only speak the truth, even if it hurts us...Because in the end, we will be a stronger country and we will grow from this horrible moment if we affirm the importance of the truth." [13:25]

• Speaker Mike Johnson (on social media):

  "I think social media has been a toxin in politics. I think it has added to this vitriol." [16:50]

• Rep. Brian Stile:

  "You can't simply secure your way out of the challenges that we face right now." [22:14]

• Rep. Haley Stevens:

  "We can't let fear take over. We can't be driven by fear, which leads to anger. And we've got to make sure that everyone hears loud and clear that violence is unacceptable and not to be condoned." [33:57]

• Jeannie Shanzano (on violence and joy in politics):

  "Charlie Kirk had fun... engaging with people who disagreed with him as he did those who agreed with him. So there was a joy to him that we should not forget." [51:10]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• FBI Hunt for Suspect, President's Statement: 00:55–05:30
• Frank Luntz Emotional Plea to America: 07:01–14:22
• Speaker Johnson’s Safety Concerns: 16:34–17:20
• Rep. Brian Stile on Security, Polarization, and Policy: 17:54–28:32
• Rep. Haley Stevens on Unity & Bipartisanship: 30:00–38:11
• Panel (Jeannie Shanzano & Greta Joins): Divisions, Blame & Hope: 39:46–52:05

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Takeaways

• The assassination of Charlie Kirk is a profound shock to American politics, raising fears of escalating violence against public figures.
• Republicans and Democrats alike express sorrow, frustration, and concern about the future of civil discourse and democracy.
• There is a consensus among guests and hosts that rhetoric matters, but deeper systemic issues also contribute to violence.
• Calls are made for leaders and citizens to unite, lower the temperature, and reaffirm shared values of civility, debate, and democracy.
• Both parties acknowledge the acute danger that fear and violence pose to recruiting future leaders and the health of American governance.

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This summary captures the urgent, emotional, and nuanced character of the episode, preserving the words and spirit of the speakers while offering context for those who weren’t able to listen.

Transcript

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[Bloomberg Radio Host]

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[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Thank you for joining us on the Thursday edition here on Bloomberg Radio, on satellite radio channel 121 and of course on YouTube. Search Bloomberg Business News Live. If you'd like to watch the radio on tv, you can also catch us live on Bloomberg Originals. Just posted about 10 minutes ago a photo from the FBI in Salt Lake City. It this tweet reads we're seeking the public's help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. 1-800-call-FBI with a full frontal photo of this individual wearing a hat and sunglasses. Appears to be climbing a set of stairs here. This just breaking now with of course a shooter who is still at large in a political world that has been left in tatters today for so many reasons. We heard from the President of the United States last evening and of course this was after we spoke on the late edition of Balance of Power when we had just learned of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. There has been a great outpouring and we went through a lot of this together last evening. You've heard it throughout the day here today on Bloomberg condemnation of political violence. We have also heard some of the blame game being played already. Let's bring you into the Oval Office. It was a four minute video that President Trump posted online last night. Listen. I am filled with grief and anger.

[Frank Luntz]

At the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk. My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence to long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year, in the most hateful and despicable way possible.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

It is unclear if we'll hear the President speak. He did talk to reporters when he was over at the pentagon on this 11th of September. He's on his way to New York later where he's going to at least schedule to attend the New York Yankees game. And, and there may be more from the president there, but he said more than what we just played for you. After referring to Charlie Kirk as a martyr, the president said radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people, even though we don't know who the shooter is. Let's update what we have right now from the White House before we talk to Frank Luntz. Bloomberg Washington correspondent Tyler Kendall has been handling this delicate story and joins us from the North Lawn of the White House. Tyler, do we suspect we'll hear from President Trump in New York or on his way?

[Tyler Kendall (Bloomberg Washington Correspondent)]

We very likely will, Joe. He did come and speak with us reporters, as you mentioned. I was at the Pentagon earlier today and at the top of his remarks there commemorating the victims of the 911 attacks 24 years ago, President Trump did say that he does intend to award Charlie Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He said that there will be a ceremony announced shortly. And then he also went on to tell us that he does intend to speak with Kirk's family later on this afternoon. When asked about any updates that he's been getting when it comes to the investigation into the shooter, who still remains at large, he said that a, quote, virtual manhunt right now is currently underway. We do know that the FBI is working very closely with local and state officials, as you well know, and you covered this all last night. It is that officials say there was a single shot fired from the roof of a building about 200 yards away from where Kirk was addressing the crowd. And there's a few different developments that we got today moments ago, of course, you mentioning how the FBI has posted this picture of the suspect. But we also are learning that it does appear that officials were able to recover the rifle they believed killed Kirk. Earlier today, the special agent in charge said that they found a high powered bolt action rifle in the wooded area near the attack. We also know that officials are currently analyzing a palm print, a footprint, as well as, as well as a footwear impression that was found at the scene. But Joe, as you well know, this was a very crowded area. More than 3,000 people were there to see Kirk speak. So, so a lot of still big open questions when it comes to this investigation.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Yeah, Tyler, thank you so much. If we do hear the president, Tyler will bring us the news here on Balance of Power live from the White House, our Washington correspondent, Tyler Kendall. I want to be clear here and not over promise. This is Bloomberg Radio. Of course, we're typically glued to policy here, the connection between Washington and Wall street. And we're not going to solve this crime here on the air. There are other channels that are attempting to do that. We're going to do everything we can to avoid speculation, bring you facts as we hear them and in the case of this program, explore the politics with a number of pain points to bump into here behind all of it. That's why we wanted to get on the line with Frank Luntz. It was the first call that we made after our morning meeting. The politics and communications consulted the CEO of FIL and a man who understands the nuances of the conversation on both sides of the aisle. Frank Luntz, welcome back to Bloomberg. It's really great to have you in an important conversation that I know we're in for. I don't know how this builds on the conversations we've had before. Frank, I remember talking to you after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump and the gut wrenching summer that this country went through leading up to an election that has now left us in a place where a lot of people don't have hope today. Frank, and those of us old enough to remember living through 9 11, the confluence of these two events has been making things feel a bit dark today. How are you feeling?

[Frank Luntz]

This is absolutely your emotions and what you're saying are absolutely appropriate. And at some point we need to come together as a country and stay enough. I'm getting texts from Democratic and Republican senators, Republican and Democratic House members. I'm hearing from the people in power and the frustration and the anger that they have towards people who make political statements, who seek to use this to forward an agenda is simply atrocious. The first thing you think about is the loss of the family. The second thing you think about is the loss to the country. It doesn't matter whether you agree or disagree. In fact, it is completely irrelevant. What is relevant is that in the last 48 hours we had a woman stabbed to death on the train and there were 100 people who just watched it happen. We had shootings in Colorado, more shootings of young people. And we had this horrible tragedy. And I'm asking Americans to start to say, wait a minute, these aren't random circumstances that we have to consider the impact of what's happening. And we have to say to ourselves, enough. And that's the word that I'm going to leave this answer to Your question? With enough. Enough political violence, enough destroying each other, I posted on my X account the speech of Bobby Kennedy in 1968, moments after the assassination of Martin Luther King. And the level of hate that I received or that video received is atrocious. What kind of country have we become? What kind of people are we now? I know that probably a third of that are bots being put forward by the Chinese to the Russians. So don't believe it. These are not actual people. But for those who seek political gain off of this assassination, shame on you and shame on the country if it doesn't speak up and speak out to say, stop it right now.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Well done. Enough indeed. My good friend and producer James Mahoney went back to listen to our conversation. Frank, the day after Election Day, you were with us here on Bloomberg, and I remember it really well. We were going to pull that tape, but there's no need to do that because you're here with us right now. I just want to read it back to you. This is what you said when I asked you, what did we learn about our nation last night? Frank Lunt said, there's some things that are more important than an election. It's the next generation. And what are they learning? They're learning that it's okay to tear your opponent apart, that there's no bounds to negativity. They need to learn there are right and wrong ways to approach politics. You went on to say, I'm afraid that what we now learned is the wrong thing, which is anything goes at any time, for any reason. Frank, people and young people especially, were looking at this video within 5 minutes of this assassination happening. Is the corrosion generational?

[Frank Luntz]

The video was horrific. And I was teaching while this happened, and someone's going to show me the video. And fortunately, my students pulled it away from me and said, don't look at it. You don't want to see it. Well, unfortunately, I saw it and I couldn't believe what I saw. And this is not. This is not Hollywood. This is not entertainment. This is a human being who was gunned down while participating in. In his constitutional rights to share his point of view with students who are there voluntarily. And that I really hope that we can, over the next 24, 48, 72 hours, sit down and discuss what is missing at home, why we seem to have lost the values of civility and decency and respect. I'm hoping that we will look at what's missing in our education system because our kids are not being taught to celebrate each other. They're being taught to condemn each other. I hope that we have a discussion about social media and its role in forwarding and endorsing and pushing out this kind of messaging that makes it potentially acceptable to behave in such an inhumane way. And in the end, I want us to look at ourselves as I have been doing over the last 24 hours, and the things that I have said and I have done that could in any way perpetrate this and promote this. We have to stop, look at who we've become, and we should be a better union. And that's what we should be focusing on. Not what happened, but where we go from here.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

You're spending time with Frank Luntz today on Balance of Power. I wonder your thoughts about what the president said last night. Radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people and taken too many lives. The framing of this from one side to the other, Frank. The worry is that this could get darker, that the blame game could grow intense. We heard from Representative Derek Van Orden of Wisconsin telling reporters he walked up to a group of reporters on the Hill and said, every one of you is responsible for Charlie Kirk's death. You are responsible for this because you're echoing the horrifically, horrifically horrible political, violent rhetoric produced by the Democratic Party. How does that make you feel when you hear that?

[Frank Luntz]

I want everyone, everywhere, from every community and every corner of the country to look at this and to make something reasonable come out of this horrific action. If we learn how to discuss without demonizing, if we learn how to debate without dehumanizing, and this sounds too much like a speech, and I don't even like my own language right now, but this is what it is. If we can be better people. And the reason why I always do your show, and I've got a commitment that I have to get to momentarily. I always do your show, always, because you have never asked an offensive question. You have never asked a question that's political or divisive or toxic. You have never behaved this way. And I want your viewers and your listeners to know that this is a place to come for the truth. And in fact, that's a great way to kind of wrap this up. The truth matters, but we don't know where to go to get it. The truth is essential to a democracy, but we don't know who's telling it. Let us commit today at this moment that we only speak the truth, even if it hurts us, that we only speak the truth, even if it helps somebody else. Because in the end, we will be a stronger country and we will grow from this horrible moment if we affirm the importance of the truth. And if we don't, then this is only the beginning.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

This is why we called you, Frank and I just appreciate your honesty and candor today and thank you for always doing the show. It means a lot to me and to all of us at Bloomberg F I L It's an honor. Well, it's our honor to have Frank Luntz with us on this day of days, and so I hope you let that sink in a little bit. We're going to try, as always on this program, and I don't always succeed at this either. We tried to create a bit of a safe space for people on both sides of the aisle, whether you're a Democrat or Republican, to come here and say something. We might poke you a little bit or ask you to justify it, but we try not to get into the corrosive and toxic form of politics, which is why we've been on the air here for a couple of years and we'll continue to do our best at that. It's 911 and we've got some tough news to digest and we've got some very smart people and insightful, nuanced people to help us do it. Stay with us on Balance of Power. We'll have much more coming up after this.

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[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

We heard from the speaker of the House earlier as well. We've been hearing from a number of members of Congress, so we should start with the Speaker. This is commentary from Mike Johnson on cnn. Last night this news was only hours old. Here's what he said.

[Mike Johnson (Speaker of the House)]

There are deranged people in society and if they are encouraged along this way, they will do dangerous things increasingly so we see that. So I think that members of Congress have come to that recognition. I think many of them are nervous, of course. They're public figures. They're exposed all the time, everywhere. We have great security measures for members of Congress, but there's a desire on many people's parts to have more. These are the new realities. I think social media has been a toxin in politics. I think it has added to this vitriol. But at the end of the day, I think the call is that we've got to recognize once more that we are all fellow Americans. We are. We should see one another as colleagues and fellow citizens and fellow countrymen and not as enemies.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Speaker of the House, as we turn to Brian Stile, the gentleman from Wisconsin joins us. Republican from the 1st District who chairs the House Administration Committee. He's live on Capitol Hill today. Congressman, it's really good to see you. We were hoping that we could connect on this today because I think we have a pretty long history of candid conversations. And before I ask you about the security component, which, by the way, is critical to the chairman's committee here, I just wonder what the feeling is. Like everyone who's joined us today talks about the anger that's being felt today on Capitol Hill.

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

Is that what you're feeling is as I received the news yesterday that Charlie Kirk had been shot and killed, it was both a moment where my heart sunk, but also a frustration of this type of political violence. President Trump was shot last summer at a political rally, and then you have Charlie Kirk shot and killed in today. And so it's a frustration, but it is also a really sober moment. I think, for a lot of us that knew or interacted with him, he was just such a leader in the conservative movement, inspiring people to stand up and have the courage to stand up for their convictions, in particular on college campuses where, where he was when he, his life was ultimately taken.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Well, you know, it's interesting because we talk here on TV and radio. People listen to our conversations. They see you in committee hearings. I've seen you in a hearing room working with Democrats. I've also seen you in the wild at events that take place in Washington, fundraisers and other things that go on here after hours. Congressman, I've seen you interact with people on the other side of the aisle with ease. And part of the conversation that we've been having here on the program, Mike Rounds brought it up, is the disconnect that a lot of people have with Washington, assuming that your enemies, with every Democrat up there, the fact of the matter is you Guys work out together, you got to eat together. It's part of the fabric of this legislative body. And I wonder if we need to talk about that more.

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

We need to accept that there should be robust debates on policies, but that doesn't mean you need to be disagree to be disagreeable as a person. Right. You can disagree on the underlying policy. And what we have seen is the rhetoric build. In particular, some of the rhetoric against President Trump, I think, has unquestionably crossed the line, a threat to democracy, people have called him a Nazi, etc. And it's that type of rhetoric that I think is really dangerous in a period of time where there are individuals who can be encouraged by others to act in a manner and in particular to. To take the life of another. We're going to learn more about the. The criminal that I hope is actually that is apprehended and is held to the full extent of the law responsible. But I do think that we see a lot of a dangerous rhetorical game. And we saw the assassination attempt of Trump and now we saw the killing of Charlie Kirk.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Yeah, there's a lot of dangerous rhetoric out there. And by the way, I have never heard you engage in any of it. But, you know, ask Nancy Pelosi, who Donald Trump also referred to as an evil person. He's called those of us in the media the enemy of the American people. Is that where we need to get to Congressmen? Is it the language that's that's driving this, or is it more complicated than that?

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

Well, it's not as simple as just the language, but I do think that there is an element that is trying to incite individuals to act. And again, I don't think it's lost in us that President Trump was shot at and then Charlie Kirk was shot and killed. And again, if we think about what Charlie Kirk was actually doing, he was actually having a policy debate on a college campus that is actually really core to our democracy. We should be having those types of robust policy debates. And this action where his life was taken is not only frustrating, but it causes a lot of kind of that anger. And you got to look and say we need to make sure that there is no place for this type of political violence anywhere in our country.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

You heard what the speaker said in that, that cut that we played from cnn, that there's a desire, he said, on many people's parts, to have more security, that these are the new realities. You chair the admin Committee and you're intimately familiar with this idea, Congressman, every time Somebody gets hurt or threatened or a horrible fatality like this in the political world, it renews the conversation in Washington about whether members like yourself should have security details or maybe there's another way to secure those who serve in the Capitol. But you also have to go home to the District. And I wonder if it's time to address this new reality.

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

It was just a couple months ago, following the horrific incident in Minnesota, that we implemented new programs here to provide additional security for members, for staff in the public at large. But it shouldn't be lost that you can't simply secure your way out of the challenges that we face right now. Again, I'll go back to the President Trump assassination attempt. He had the protection of Secret Service. And so it's not simply security. We do need security. We need to make sure that we're providing that to members, to staff, and to the general public. But there's something deeper going on in our society as well that we have to address.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Well, that's absolutely right. I just wonder, with the enhancements that you made, though, do you feel they're adequate now, or do you go back to the drawing board after this?

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

We're continuing to look to make sure that we have the resources that are needed to keep everyone safe here, not only in Washington, D.C. but when they're home, in my home state of Wisconsin or across the country. And so we're constantly looking and reviewing our programs, making sure that we're being wise with taxpayer dollars, but to provide that security. And again, it's not just for elected leaders or for public figures. It's also to keep the public safe. The individual who would ultimately lose their life at the president's rally in Pennsylvania was a father who came to attend in his support of President Trump. And so a lot of the security protocols that are in place are not just for the benefit of an elected member or a public figure, but it's the public at large to make sure that these types of events and discourse and conversations are safe for everyone to attend.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Well, yeah, this is a great point that you make. We're spending time with Congressman Brian Stile of Wisconsin, who chairs the Administration Committee, just learning from the Associated Press, Congressman, that Charlie Kirk's casket will be flown from Utah to Arizona aboard Air Force 2 today. Of course, as we just reported, Vice President J.D. vance changed his plans to go to Utah to meet with the Kirk family. You know, the. One of the terrible side effects that we could be talking about here, Congressman, is another conversation you're familiar with. It leads fewer people to want to serve. Do you worry that fewer hands will be raised to run for Congress because of events like this?

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

Well, it's a challenge. It's a challenge to find individuals of high quality who are interested in stepping up to serve our country. That's true on local school boards. That's true in state houses across the country. And it's true in Capitol Hill as well. It's a challenge. And some of this right, is the broader challenge that we're having right now as a society to learn how to have a discourse and dialogue with each other about the challenges that we face. I held a town hall in Wisconsin, and a group, not the whole group, but a group of activist protesters booed the Pledge of Allegiance to give you a little flavor of how the event started. And so I think there's a moment where we need to be able to reflect and to say we need to have much more productive dialogues about the policies we need to get this country back on track. And we see time and again, really hostile rhetoric, in particular, hostile rhetoric directed at President Trump that I think is not only unproductive, but can also be dangerous.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

I don't know if you were on the floor when things got hot yesterday, Congressman. I was just reading about this. Emotions boiling over as Representative Lauren Boebert yelled, silent prayers get silent results. After a moment of silence, Democrats shouted back about the school shooting in her state. Does that represent the tone up there right now?

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

I think it represents that there's a lot of raw emotion around the events that we're seeing take place. Like I said, when I received the news, my heart sunk. I was also frustrated is I learned that Charlie Kirk had been shot and killed. I don't think, you know, the yelling back and forth is uniquely productive, but what I think we need to do is to sit down and say, how do we have a far more productive conversation? Because there are huge challenges our country faces. We're looking at a spending lapse at the end of the month. National defense is a massive priority with kinetic wars taking place across the globe. And so these are real serious policy challenges in that we need to engage in that productive dialogue to find solutions. And the incident that took place in Utah is, I think, an example of how some people are reacting rather than engaging in productive dialogue, which is what this country so desperately needs.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Well, I appreciate this conversation. And I wonder if you think this is a Congress that can be productive enough to generate a spending plan, either a continuing resolution, or some other form to avoid a government shutdown at the end of this month. Congressman, can we compartmentalize this enough right now to do something good?

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

Well, we're going to have to. I think it's imperative that we navigate this to make sure that we keep the government open. If we get into that policy side of that. I think there's a lot of false rhetoric going on right now on the left about the spending debate, in particular on the rescission packages that went through. That's no excuse to shut down the federal government. In fact, that received a majority vote in the House and the Senate was signed into law. We should be looking at ways to save money for the American people at a period of time when the debt and deficit is higher. But pulling us together to make sure that we avoid a shutdown at the end of the month is going to be absolutely essential.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Does the extension of Obamacare tax credits help to pave the way or has that been shelved for now? This was being discussed as at least a point of negotiation with Democrats.

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

Well, I think there's a lot of things on the table right now, but in a period of time with massive spending, with our debt increasing, I think we should be looking at ways to reduce the spending here in Washington. And so the Biden administration put this sunset in place why they did that. You could go ask the Democrats why they built the law as they did. But we have an opportunity and a need to make sure that we keep government funding open. At the end of the month. There's going to be a lot of conversations about what it will take in the United States Senate to get seven Democrats to come on to this legislation. But it would be negative for the American people if we find ourselves in a shutdown because they refuse to keep the government open.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Yeah, it does feel like we've seen this movie before. We'll see how it ends. Congressman, thank you for your candor and for your dialogue today. It's important to us. Brian Stile, the Republican representing Wisconsin's 1st district, he chairs the Admin Committee here in Washington, which as you just heard, is going to be having a deep conversation about security going forward. We've got more conversations ahead, including one with Congresswoman Haley Stevens, the Democrat from Michigan and our panel next here on Bloomberg. Stay with us on Balance of Power. We'll have much more coming up after this.

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[Bloomberg Radio Host]

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[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

We spoke earlier with Republican Congressman Brian Style, who joined us live from Capitol Hill. And we want to reach to the other side of the aisle for the take of Haley Stevens. The congresswoman representing Michigan's 11th district and a Senate candidate is with us right now on Bloomberg TV and Radio. Congresswoman, thank you so much. We've been specifically reaching out to members with nuance and sensitivity to this topic. You are not a firebrand, which is why we wanted to spend some time with you. There's been a very difficult conversation here politically happening. We don't even have this manhunt resolved and we're already hearing the blame game. Get going here. What do you want Americans to know about the way Democrats and Republicans can work together in Washington, or are we beyond that conversation?

[Haley Stevens (Democratic Congresswoman, Michigan)]

Well, what happened yesterday was tragic. It's unacceptable. My heart goes out to the family, the students who were there. Rising political violence is not acceptable, has never been acceptable and cannot be accepted. And I want to see this temperature in our country get taken down in terms of the political rhetoric and certainly the violence that we're seeing. I appreciate that you had a colleague of mine on who is from the other side of the aisle and someone who I engage in political discourse with and who I know quite well who I came into Congress with. And, and that's what our country is supposed to be about. It is not supposed to be about seeing violence taking place at this type of level. It's just we just need to find ways to come together and to take the temperature down.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

It's been a lot. We remember Minnesota, we remember the Pelosi's, of course, we remember Donald Trump. Congresswoman, what does it feel like to be a member right now? The point has been made a couple of times, by the way, there's no progressive equivalent to Charlie Kirk. So a lot of folks are looking to Democratic lawmakers to see what the answer is on the other side of the aisle. Do you feel safe when you're out stumping? You're holding campaign events right now. You're stepping in front of crowds of people. You've got to do your business walking around Washington here, and a lot of people know who you are. Do you think about taking that congressional pin off your lapel sometimes?

[Haley Stevens (Democratic Congresswoman, Michigan)]

Well, I'm, I'm very proud to serve the people of Michigan. And of course, our governor was also threatened by political violence a handful of years ago as well. And I don't think putting our heads in the sand is going to be the answer to this. And we've got, and I'm going to continue to, to call for the rhetoric and, and violence to be taken very seriously. Certainly the violence, it's, it's a concerning time. I have a lot of questions about who this person is. I had the same questions when the incident happened in Minnesota. He had a hit list. There was a lot of elected officials on that. And it's not so much about me personally. This is also just about our country. You know, the targeted figures and figureheads is awful, but it's what it means for all of us, all of us who want to meet constituents or voters, people who want to achieve, you know, an element of the American dream, exercising our democracy, our freedom of speech rights. You know, I've been campaigning all over Michigan again, working to meet people where they're at. And that's a beautiful thing. And that the minute that that starts to get chipped away at, we can't let fear take over. We can't be driven by fear, which leads to anger. And we've got to make sure that everyone hears loud and clear that violence is unacceptable and not to be condoned. And again, our, you know, our heart goes out to anyone who has been impacted by political violence, the people who were impacted y yesterday, and certainly the, the remaining questions about what happens next.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Well, I've just, you know, I really appreciate the sentiment of, of your comments, Congresswoman, but the fact of the matter is we do need this to be about you to a certain extent and Congressman Style and all the rest of your colleagues up there, because if we don't keep you safe, there's no one there to represent the people. There's also fewer people are going to raise their hand to run for Congress and we start running into candidate quality problems, the spiral here could be very real. And with that in mind, I wonder with the couple of weeks ahead, if Democrats and Republicans will be able to get their heads together on a spending plan to keep the government from shutting down. What are you thinking today?

[Haley Stevens (Democratic Congresswoman, Michigan)]

One of the things That I tell people back home who feel confused or let down or questioning what direction our country is is going. And I actually tell them to tune in to the floor of the Congress, go to clerk.house.gov and watch the debates, watch the committee hearings and you'll see the incredible exercise discourse of democracy taking place. I've taken thousands of votes since I've been become a lawmaker and I know that when I get bills done, they are, they are bipartisan, they have to be. And in terms of how we're going to negotiate this upcoming spending package, we've got to do it in the way that is, is the, the rules and the beautiful way in which our democracy operates through discourse, discussion and, and, and, and, and also a commitment that, that everyone I believe who puts up their hand to run for office or who gets elected, you know, should have as a North Star and hopefully very much likely does, which is what's best for this country. You know, and we, we have a minority party right now that, you know, has a viewpoint. I certainly have disagreed with some of the direction that this current administration's polic taken us down, particularly with cuts to health care. I want to have that discussion. That's why I show up to work every day. That's why I shoot out of bed in the morning. And I remain eager and hungry for that dialogue. And I've seen it now in my four terms in Congress. And knowing that there's been some tough moments that have gotten some national attention. There's also been some good moments where we have been able to, to pass things like the Chips and Science act where we have been able to put differences aside to fund the government responsibly or protect our security. And look, that's what I'm going to expect to see happen over these next handful of weeks. And I, of course, am always going to be standing up for the people of Michigan. I'm eager to tell Michigan's story in this moment.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

You have been known to tell Michigan's story right here on Bloomberg. Congresswoman, it's great to have you back. Thank you for your insights today on what I know is a very delicate matter and I thank you for your service along with Congressman Stile, all the Democrats and Republicans here who have raised their hands to come to Washington to represent the people. We have to remember actually what this is all about. Even though things can frequently devolve into shouting and resentment, we do need smart men and women to come here to Washington to do this work. And we try to give them a safe place to talk about it here on Bloomberg. Haley Stevens, Democrat from Michigan's 11th, thank you. Stay with us On Balance of Power. We'll have much more coming up after this.

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[Bloomberg Radio Host]

You're listening to the Bloomberg Balance of Power podcast. Catch us live weekdays at noon and 5pm Eastern on a.m. apple CarPlay and Android Auto with the Bloomberg Business app. Listen on demand wherever you get your podcasts or watch us live on YouTube.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

We are of course consumed with politics on this program. And today in Washington, it does feel a bit different coming off the news last evening and the assassination of Charlie Kirk now moving into the stages, of course, that we walk through each year. On the 11th of September there was a ceremony held as we do each year at the Pentagon. President Trump attended that ceremony and he's going to be making his way to New York a little bit later on today to attend the New York Yankees game, of course recalling former President George W. Bush's triumphant night at Yankee Stadium when the nation felt like it was in a very different place than it is today. The unity that followed 911 is something that many wish they could duplicate, as we've heard more than once. And following this assassination yesterday, I think to many it seems even further out of reach. There'll be much more news to follow and we'll update things with the help of Bloomberg and CBS News along the way. Throughout the day Here on Bloomberg, we're focused on seeking context and perspective. There's a briefing held last evening and it was stark to listen to on Bloomberg Radio. Doug Krisner was on the air and I was driving home from the late edition of Balance of Power when the governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, started speaking. And I think you might remember the headline that I'm referring to. Let's listen to the governor. Before we bring in our panel, here's Spencer Cox. I want to be very clear that.

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

This is a political assassination.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

We are.

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

Celebrating 250 years of the.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Founding of this great nation, that founding document, the Declaration of Independence, that this great experiment on which we embarked together 250 years ago, that we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights. The first one of those is life. And today a life was taken. Charlie Kirk was first and foremost a husband and a dad to two young children.

[Frank Luntz]

He was also.

[Brian Stile (Republican Congressman, Wisconsin)]

Very much politically involved.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

And this is where we start with our panel. I'm glad to say that Jeannie is with us today. Bloomberg Politics contributor Jeannie Shanzano is democracy visiting fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Ashe center, joined as well by Republican strategist Greta joins policy director Brownstein Hyatt. Greta, welcome back to our conversation. It's great to see you. And Jeanne, I want to start with you here with so many questions. Most of them are pretty simple I think people are asking this morning when you talk to somebody in the office. I got a couple of calls from friends earlier than usual today because they wanted to get me before I left the house. I was really happy to hear from them. Questions like how did we get here and how do we move on? Some folks are very worried in some cases about the rhetoric that we heard from President Trump last evening, some of the blame game that has followed. But Jeannie, they haven't even found the shooter yet. And I wonder what you think the proper conversation is to be having right now. What questions are you asking?

[Jeannie Shanzano (Bloomberg Politics Contributor)]

You know, I think the proper conversation is, of course, to extend our condolences to Charlie Kirk's very young family and to celebrate the work that he did. I am obviously a Democrat, but I know of Charlie Kirk's work very, very well because I am fortunate enough to spend much of my professional life on college campuses. And you can hardly have been on a college campus in last 10 years without being introduced to Charlie Kirk in one form or another. And just today, Joe, I, like you, was hearing from people and I heard from an alum who had started the Turning Point group on campus. And I had worked with her as a faculty member on that. And she is now working on the Hill. And she just recalled how life changing Charlie Kirk and Turning Point were for her and other conservative students on campus. And so I think that's the proper conversation to have. And then I think the other proper conversation to have is about you mentioned the rhetoric. And I think that is the rhetoric we use to respond to this because one thing I think we all have to be careful about, particularly those on my side of the aisle, is to say political violence is unacceptable. But and remember, anything before a but is a lie. We should never be saying but we did disagreed with them or we found it offensive. It's got to be politically political violence is unacceptable. And the same goes with the other side of the aisle. And that is something I think we need to have a conversation about because rhetoric does seem to, according to the research, play some role in this. I don't think it plays a complete role or explains it completely, but it does play some role.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Greta joins. What's going through your head here today as a national conversation gets started? I keep hearing that we're at a political inflection point. Do you worry this is an inflection point that leads to something worse or something better?

[Siemens Xcelerator Announcer]

I don't know. I think as you talk to Republicans today, the anger is palpable. Charlie's enduring legacy was certainly his commitment to engaging with and discussing things with the other side. And I think what is so frustrating is here as a Republican, is hearing from those on the far left and certainly not my partner here on the panel today, really encouraging and mocking the tone and tenor of what Charlie had did from when he was basically a teenager to the engagement and the movement that he started. And I think that as we move forward his legacy, he would certainly want to be his family and his faith. And I think it's just as Republicans, I think we're trying to reconcile that with how frustrating and vilified, I think we feel that Charlie was unfairly for, for many years. So I think that it is, it's a challenging moment for the country. But I think that frankly, conservatives feelings on this point I think are valid.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

You know, there were a lot of progressives who felt vilified by some of Charlie Kirk's comments as well, which I'm not going to spend a lot of time exploring on the program here. Greta, I just wonder your thoughts on what we heard from Congressman Don Bacon today, Republican from Nebraska. He says he wishes President Trump would unite the country after this shooting. But quote, he's a populist. He says populists dwell on anger. And I have to remind people we had Democrats killed in Minnesota too. Right. Does he have a point, Greta?

[Siemens Xcelerator Announcer]

You know, I frankly, I don't know Congressman Bacon well enough to sort of comment on like where his thoughts are and where his feelings are in this moment in time, just on the fact.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

That Democrats have been, have been targeted by political violence as well.

[Siemens Xcelerator Announcer]

I think, you know, that the comments that we're hearing on both sides that political violence is a terrible thing are accurate. I think what has been challenging in particular in recent weeks for Republicans to see is, is certainly seeing Individuals like Gavin Newsom post mocking pictures of the assassination attempt on President Trump. And I think the more insulated that we become from the seriousness of all of these conversations, and I think really aggressively using terms like fascist and Nazi. And we are at war with our opponents, as we heard Senator Murphy say just a couple of days ago. I think that emboldens those who are attacking Charlie Kirk, who are attacking President Trump and are certainly going after any political stripe out there. That that is a challenging moment, for sure.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

Well, of course, Jeannie, we remember in June, the Minnesota speaker of the House, emerita Melissa Hortman, was killed in a shooting at her home, along with her husband, Mark. Her fellow Democratic lawmaker, State Senator John Hoffman, and his wife were also shot and wounded. I could go through, of course, a list like this, but I recall the president's remarks last evening when he sent out that video from the Oval Office and referred to radical left political violence hurting too many innocent people. Are we going down a dangerous path here with blaming one side or the other?

[Jeannie Shanzano (Bloomberg Politics Contributor)]

I think so. And I think that Representative Bacon's words are well taken. And I, too, wish the president would not have said that last night. You mentioned the shootings of the state senators. We also had the horrific firebombing of Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania's House, a Democrat, where he and his family were. We had the attempted kidnapping of Gretchen Whitmer, Democrat, Michigan governor. We had the speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi's husband, brutally beaten. You know, we've had political violence increasing on both sides, and in every situation, it is deplorable. I would also just caution that when you look at the research on political violence and when you look at the history of political violence in this country, probably the most politically violent decade before now was in the 1960s. Rhetoric plays a role, and we are certainly at a different point with social media and our access to it. But that is not the primary or only factor. Another key factor, and probably the key factor in the drumming up of political violence is the inability of people to get their government in Washington, D.C. to respond to their needs. And people don't want to talk about that. They want to talk about the rhetoric because it's much more enticing to talk about. But the reality is we have structural problems in the government which drive vast amounts of political violence in this country, and that needs to be addressed. And on Charlie Kirk, I will just say, to echo a bit of what Greta said, he was this person who loved to go on college campuses where we celebrate free speech and engage with everybody. And he did so with joy. And I'm always reminded he was joyful right before the horrific shooting yesterday. And I'm reminded of what the guys on Pod Save America said. The Democrats need to find some joy in their party because you can't have a party without fun and joy. Joe Matthew and that is what Charlie Kirk brought to the party of the gop. And that is why so many young people were attracted to him. And again, again, unless you are surrounded by young people, it's hard to know that that doesn't mean all of them because there's vast progressives and liberals who didn't like him. But Charlie Kirk had fun. Most fun, more fun, just like his mentor Rush Limbaugh, engaging with people who disagreed with him as he did those who agreed with him. So there was a joy to him that we should not forget. And Democrats want to emulate that. On the left they haven't been able to because there's only one Charlie Kirk. But that is something important to keep in mind about his prowess and what 31, 32 years old he was able to bring.

[Joe Matthew (Bloomberg Host)]

It's really great point. I was talking to producer James about this. I'm not sure there is an equivalent on the left, which is why people have been looking to lawmakers in the Democratic Party to respond to this. Jeannie Shan Zaino Great stuff and Greta joins. Thank you. Thanks for listening to the Balance of Power podcast. Make sure to subscribe if you haven't already at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. And you can find us live every weekday from Washington D.C. at noontime [e-mail].

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