Charlie Kirk Honored & Palestinian ‘State’ Recognized? | 9.22.25

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary

Episode: Charlie Kirk Honored & Palestinian ‘State’ Recognized?
Date: September 22, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley & Georgia Howe
Podcast: Morning Wire (The Daily Wire)

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Overview

This episode of Morning Wire centers on two major news events: the unprecedented public outpouring at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service after his assassination, and the significant but controversial formal recognition of a Palestinian state by the UK, Canada, and Australia. The hosts dig into the national response, political divisions, and broader implications of these developments with reporting, notable coverage, and expert commentary.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Charlie Kirk's Historic Memorial & National Impact

• Massive Attendance:
  • Over 200,000 people gathered at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, evoking comparisons to the funerals of American icons.
    • "This could be the largest funeral turnout in America since Martin Luther King back in 1968." — Cabot Phillips [02:58]
• Security Measures:
  • The event received the highest level of security, on par with major national occasions like the Super Bowl and inaugurations.
    • "Department of Homeland Security was on high alert...a level one security designation.” — Cabot Phillips [03:40]
• Moving Tributes:
  • Extended worship led by leading Christian musicians, prompting hundreds to publicly profess new faith during the service.
    • "Hundreds of attendees around the stadium stood up and proclaimed their new faith." — Cabot Phillips [04:16]
  • Speeches by top Trump administration figures and political leaders, including President Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
    • President Trump: "Our greatest evangelist for American liberty became immortal." [05:03]
    • VP JD Vance: "It is better to die a young man in this world than to sell your soul for an easy life with no purpose, no risk, no love, and no truth." [05:39]
• Widow Erica Kirk's Statement:
  • Erica Kirk, newly appointed as CEO and chair of Turning Point, forgives her husband’s killer, echoing Christian values and Charlie’s own ethos.
    • "That young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do." — Erica Kirk [06:43]

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2. Political Fallout, Media Reactions, and Violence

• House Condemnation Divides:
  • Republican-led House resolution condemning Kirk’s assassination faced opposition, with 118 Democrats refusing to support it, in stark contrast to unanimous bipartisan resolutions for victims across the aisle.
    • "About 118 Democrats did not support that measure." — John Bickley [08:19]
• Media and Political Divisions:
  • Progressives such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez linked the incident to broader free speech and media suppression debates, calling attention to Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and accusing the administration of weaponizing the tragedy:
    • "Congress does unite to reject the government's attempt to weaponize this moment into an all out assault on free speech..." — Rep. Ocasio-Cortez [09:27]
• Shootings Related to Kimmel Suspension:
  • A protest over Kimmel’s suspension led to a shooting at an ABC affiliate in Sacramento. The alleged shooter, a former teachers union official, was first released on bail before being rearrested by the FBI.
    • "Annabel Hernandez Santana allegedly fired three shots into the lobby of a Sacramento ABC affiliate..." — Megan Basham [10:01]
• Media's Emphasis:
  • Conservative critics highlighted disproportionate coverage of Kimmel’s suspension over Kirk’s assassination, noting outlets like The Atlantic focused more on the former.
    • "The Atlantic magazine...has already done more articles lamenting Kimmel’s suspension...than on Kirk’s assassination..." — Megan Basham [10:43]
• Unexpected Tributes:
  • Van Jones, often an ideological opponent of Kirk, recounted a posthumous message he received emphasizing dialogue:
    • "He was reaching out to his mortal enemy saying we need to be gentlemen, sit down together and disagree agreeably. And the next day he's killed." — Van Jones [11:22]
    • "He was not for censorship. He was not for violence. He was for dialogue, open debate and dialogue, even with me." — Van Jones [12:08]

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3. Palestinian Statehood Recognition: International & Policy Implications

• Announcement:
  • UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, joined by Canada and Australia, formally recognizes a Palestinian state, openly diverging from US policy on the eve of the UN General Assembly.
    • "I state clearly...the United Kingdom formally recognizes the state of Palestine." — PM Keir Starmer [12:35]
• Nature & Legality:
  • Victoria Coats (Heritage Foundation) argues the recognition is largely symbolic, lacking in practical value or legal authority, mainly serving domestic political aims.
    • "It means absolutely nothing. It doesn't have borders...or civic institutions." — Victoria Coats [13:27]
• Trump Administration Stance:
  • US maintains that any statehood must result from a negotiated agreement with Israel, and plans to veto efforts in the UN Security Council not grounded in such negotiations.
    • "If the Palestinians and the Israelis agreed...they would support that. But that's been offer for 90 years." — Victoria Coats [14:10]
• Right-Wing Criticism:
  • Critics argue this move may impede peace talks by promoting unrealistic expectations among Palestinians and rewarding current leadership's intransigence.
    • "It makes peace less likely because it encourages the Palestinian Arabs to think that they can have it all." — Victoria Coats [15:03]
    • "No Palestinian in Gaza will eat because of this. No Israeli hostage will come home because of this. It will simply be...political theater..." — Victoria Coats [15:17]
• UN General Assembly Outlook:
  • Expectations for substantive results from the UN meetings are low; US measures, including denying visas to certain leaders, are highlighted as practical steps.
    • "Very little. It has historically very little to show for it." — Victoria Coats [16:21]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "He's a martyr now for American freedom. I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie Kirk. And neither now will history."
  — President Trump [05:03]
• "It is better to face a gunman than to live your life afraid to speak the truth."
  — VP JD Vance [05:39]
• "That young man, I forgive him...it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do."
  — Erica Kirk [06:43]
• "He was not for censorship. He was not for civil war. He was not for violence. He was for dialogue, open debate and dialogue, even with me."
  — Van Jones [12:08]
• "This is simply...to make these leaders pander to their very far left bases...It's really, I think, a great shame and really points to the moral decrepitude of the United Nations."
  — Victoria Coats [15:24]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Charlie Kirk Memorial Coverage: 02:40 – 07:05
• Political Fallout, Violence, and Media Reactions: 08:08 – 12:31
• Palestinian Statehood Recognition Discussion: 12:35 – 16:48

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This episode provides a deep dive into the polarized reactions to Charlie Kirk’s assassination, the ensuing memorial, growing political divides around media and free speech, and the diplomatic theater of Palestinian state recognition. The reporting evokes strong emotions, offers behind-the-scenes context, and succeeds in contextualizing complex global developments for listeners seeking clarity on current events.

Transcript

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[John Bickley]

Charlie's life was a turning point for this country.

[Victoria Coats]

It was a miracle.

[Host/Advertiser]

Let that miracle.

[Cabot Phillips]

That was Charlie's life.

[John Bickley]

Be your turning point as well.

[Georgia Howe]

A sea of red, white and blue fills Arizona's State Farm Stadium as over 200,000 mourners gather to honor Charlie Kirk. While Charlie has been reunited with his creator in heaven, his voice on earth will echo through the generations. I'm Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Monday, September 22nd, and this is Morning Wire.

[John Bickley]

It is unfortunate that even our colleagues could not see how harmful his rhetoric was. As Democrats push back on honoring Kirk and protest the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, a man opens fire on an ABC.

[Georgia Howe]

Affiliate and the uk, Canada and Australia break with the US to formally recognize a Palestinian state, a pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people that there can be a better future.

[John Bickley]

Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.

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[John Bickley]

President Trump joined hundreds of thousands of Americans in Phoenix on Sunday to celebrate the life of Charlie Kirk.

[Georgia Howe]

Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has the highlights from the emotional day. Hey, Cabot. So, a truly historic memorial service yesterday. We've rarely, if ever, seen anything quite like it. Walk us through the highlights.

[Cabot Phillips]

Yeah, John. An estimated 200,000 people descended on State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, for one final memorial service for Charlie. That sort of crowd for a private citizen is really almost unprecedented. This could be the largest funeral turnout in America since Martin Luther king back in 1968. That event drew 300,000 mourners, who were encouraged by Turning Point to wear red, white and blue. Came from all over the world, some camping out for 48 hours to make sure they got in. And, of course, many millions more watched from home. The Department of Homeland Security was on high alert ahead of time, giving the event a level one security designation, which typically is, quote, reserved for events of the highest national significance. Think the super bowl or inauguration. It shows just how massive this event was. Thankfully, though, ultimately there were no disruptions, and the small group of protesters who were there were kept in check by police. The morning started with an extended time of worship led by Christian music stars Phil Wickham, Carrie Jobe, Brandon Lake and Chris Tomlin, to name a few. And then we heard from Charlie's pastor. In a really emotional but also upbeat, joyful tribute. That was Rob McCoy. He shared personal stories before offering a chance for attendees to put their faith in Jesus and become a Christian. And in a just remarkable moment, hundreds of attendees around the stadium stood up and proclaimed their new faith.

[Host/Advertiser]

The Bible says, if you profess me before man, I'll profess you before my Father in heaven. It requires an act of faith. You stand. That's what Charlie did every day on campus with death threats. He stood because he knew in whom he had trusted. And he wants to give you the gift of the why and what he did, and that is his savior, Jesus. I'm going to ask you to put action to your faith. And I'd ask you to stand right now to receive the Lord. Don't be ashamed. Stand.

[Cabot Phillips]

And as you can imagine, the speaker list on Sunday included a who's who from the Trump administration, including VP JD Vance, RFK Jr. Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, and of course, the president himself with the Trump family says viewed Charlie Kirk as another son. Here he is speaking on the impact that Charlie had in America on that.

[Georgia Howe]

Terrible day, September 10, 2025. Our greatest evangelist for American liberty became immortal. He's a martyr now for American freedom. I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie Kirk. And neither now will history.

[Cabot Phillips]

And then there was Vice President Vance, another close friend of Charlie, who immediately traveled to Utah with his wife in the aftermath of his assassination to comfort Charlie's family and then bring his casket back to Phoenix.

[Host/Advertiser]

It is better to face a gunman than to live your life afraid to speak the truth. It is better to die a young man in this world than to sell your soul for an easy life with no purpose, no risk, no love, and no truth. The evil murderer who took Charlie from us expected us to have a funeral today. And instead, my friends, we have had a revival in celebration of Charlie Kirk and of his Lord Jesus Christ.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, we also heard from Charlie Kirk's widow, Erica Kirk. What did we hear from her?

[Cabot Phillips]

Yeah, she gave that highly publicized speech just 48 hours after her husband's assassination, vowing to carry on her late husband's legacy. And it is clear she plans on doing just that. On Thursday, the Turning Point board unanimously voted to elevate her to the position of CEO and chair of the organization. Here's some of her tribute to her slain husband.

[John Bickley]

My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save.

[Georgia Howe]

Young men.

[Victoria Coats]

Just like the one who took his life. That young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do.

[Georgia Howe]

A really powerful day in Phoenix to pay homage to a man clearly loved by millions. Kappa, thanks so much for reporting.

[Cabot Phillips]

Absolutely.

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[Georgia Howe]

While support for Charlie Kirk poured out across the country this weekend from the left, criticism of him and the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel has continued, culminating in a shooting at an ABC station.

[John Bickley]

Daily Wire Culture reporter Megan Basham is here now with the details. So Megan, let's start first with what happened on Friday. House Republicans proposed a resolution condemning the assassination of Kirk and also honoring his life, saying that he engaged in respectful civil discourse. But about 118 Democrats did not support that measure. So does that suggest that the political factions around this are just not going away anytime soon?

[Megan Basham]

Yeah, I think that's fair to say because while the resolution did pass, it was not in the unified way that we've seen in the past. Just at the end of June, for instance, Republicans unanimously supported a resolution condemning political violence after the assassination of Melissa Hortman, who was a Democratic state representative from Minnesota. Well, in this case with the Charlie Kirk resolution, you had Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez taking to the floor of the House on Friday basically saying that she felt her colleagues should not vote for that resolution. And she then turned the attention to Kimmel's suspension on abc.

[John Bickley]

It is equally important that Congress does unite to reject the government's attempt to weaponize this moment into an all out assault on free speech across the country, all in the name of Charlie Kirk. President Trump and the FCC are now cynically threatening to shut down ABC and any outlets who give airtime to the administration's political critics. This is a disgusting attack on the American people and the very First Amendment rights that define us as a country.

[Megan Basham]

A few hours after that, during a protest against Kimmel's suspension, 64 year old Annabel Hernandez Santana allegedly fired three shots into the lobby of a Sacramento ABC affiliate while employees were still working at that station. Now Hernandez is reportedly a former teachers union official and his social media accounts are filled with anti Trump rants. He was immediately taken into custody by local law enforcement, but was later released on bail only to be rearrested by FBI. So he's now in federal custody.

[John Bickley]

Well, that's good to hear. But is it fair to say that Democrats and the left more broadly are focusing more on Kimmel's suspension than Kirk's assassination?

[Megan Basham]

Yeah, I would say that's true to a certain extent. Certainly you're already seeing conservatives pointing out things like the fact that the Atlantic magazine, for instance, has Already done more articles lamenting Kimmel's suspension and what that means for free speech than on Kirk's assassination and what that means for free speech. But we should note that there have been some exceptions. So former Obama official and CNN contributor Van Jones talked about how his team actually received a note from Kirk that they did not find until after he had been killed. And I think what Jones talked about really highlights Charlie Kirk's character.

[Van Jones]

We were beefing. We were going at it online, on air. And then after he died, after he was murdered, my team called and said, van, he was trying to reach you, man. He says, let's disagree agreeably. So I'm sitting on this and I'm watching the whole country talk about civil war, censorship, justifying murder, about this guy. This guy is reaching out to his mortal enemy saying we need to be gentlemen, sit down together and disagree agreeably. And the next day he's killed. Everybody knows we were not friends, okay at all. But you praise the good when it's time to memorialize somebody. And what he did, and I didn't even know it was good. He was not for censorship. He was not for civil war. He was not for violence. He was for dialogue, open debate and dialogue, even with me.

[Megan Basham]

So I think a notable memorial there coming from one of Charlie Kirk's political opponents.

[John Bickley]

Right. And a really fair characterization, I would say. Meghan, thanks for reporting.

[Victoria Coats]

Yep.

[Megan Basham]

My pleasure.

[Georgia Howe]

Today to revive the hope of peace and a two state solution. I state clearly as prime Minister of this great country that the United Kingdom formally recognizes the state of Palestine.

[John Bickley]

That was U.K. prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing Sunday that the U.K. is joining Canada and Australia in formally recognizing Palestine as a state. The move puts the countries at odds with the United States. Right as the UN General assembly is ready to kick off.

[Georgia Howe]

Here to discuss is Victoria Coats, Vice President of the National Security and Foreign Policy Institute at Heritage. Victoria, thanks for coming on. Before we get to the response to these announcements, first, what exactly does this formal recognition of a Palestinian state actually mean?

[Victoria Coats]

Well, it's interesting, John. This is a recognition so far by Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia of a Palestinian entity. And it means absolutely nothing. It doesn't have orders. It doesn't have any of the trappings of a nation state that we would understand in terms of civic institutions. This is simply an action taking in a multilateral body with no binding legal authority to make the respective prime ministers of those three countries, I guess, feel better about themselves because it's certainly not doing anything to help the Palestinians.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, as Georgia noted. This was announced ahead of the UN General assembly this week. President Trump will be addressing the body on Tuesday. What is the stance of the Trump administration in regard to the Palestinian state?

[Victoria Coats]

Yeah, the Trump administration has been clear, and this was the case in the first term as well, is that if the Palestinians and the Israelis agreed to some kind of division of land of political responsibility, that they would support that. But that's been offer for 90 years, 75 years after the formation of modern Israel. There was always the idea that there would be some kind of Arab entity alongside Israel. But the Arabs have rejected that for nine decades because it's not what they want. They want the whole thing. So that's in essence what's being endorsed here. And the United States will always veto that in the Security Council, which is the only mechanism by which this could become finding.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, there's certainly some praise from the left for this move by these three countries, but there's a lot of criticism from the right. What is the criticism of taking this action, these formal announcements?

[Victoria Coats]

The criticism is that this does nothing practical to bring peace. As a matter of fact, it makes peace less likely because it encourages the Palestinian Arabs to think that they can have it all, that these countries are going to reject Israel and isolate Israel. And one of the things that's striking to me is this does nothing to help any Palestinian in Gaza. No Palestinian in Gaza will eat because of this. No Israeli hostage will come home because of this. It will simply be, as I said, political theater to make these leaders pander to their very far left bases in all three countries. And so it's really, I think, a great shame and really points to the moral decrepitude of the United Nations. We're looking at the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks in about two weeks. And what are they getting? They're getting statehood recognition from major Western countries at the United nations. From their standpoint, from a public relations standpoint, this is pure gold. This is what they can go back and sell to their people and say, we are winning. You shouldn't betray Hamas. You shouldn't ask for a better form of government. You shouldn't ask for a brighter future. You should stay the course in the misery and terrorism that we have created.

[Georgia Howe]

Final question, looking ahead, what do you expect out of the UN's meetings this month?

[Victoria Coats]

Very little. It has historically very little to show for it. The best part about this United Nations General assembly, from my perspective, with Secretary Rubio turning down the visas for a lot of Iranian leadership, a lot of the Palestine Indian Authority leadership demonstrating that they don't want terrorists on the streets of New York beside American citizens. And that's probably, as I said, the best we could say for it.

[Georgia Howe]

Rubio has certainly been shaking things up here and abroad. Victoria, thank you so much for coming on.

[Victoria Coats]

Thank you.

[John Bickley]

Thanks for waking up with us. And if you're watching on YouTube, please like and subscribe. We'll be back later this evening with more news you need to know.