The Daily Beans

Episode: Spin Is Not Grief (feat. John Fugelsang)

Date: September 12, 2025
Hosts: Allison Gill & Dana Goldberg
Guest: John Fugelsang

Overview

In this episode, Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg tackle a tumultuous week in American news, examining the aftermath and coverage of the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk during a Utah event. The discussion, joined by recurring guest John Fugelsang, explores the immediate media spin, the weaponization of grief, and the dangers of whitewashing divisive public figures after their deaths. Other hot topics include threats and lockdowns at HBCUs, controversial Senate rule changes by Republicans, attacks on Planned Parenthood funding, and a positive update on immigrant children in Arizona. The episode maintains the "Daily Beans" balance of incisive political analysis, progressive perspective, and characteristic snark.

Key Discussion Points

1. National News Recap and Host Reactions

• [00:00–04:45]
  • Reporting on right-wing activists claiming the government is "targeting" those celebrating Kirk's death.
  • Lockdowns at HBCUs and other institutions after various threats, many likely hoaxes following Kirk's assassination.
  • Ongoing investigation of the Evergreen High School shooting in Colorado, with the 16-year-old shooter allegedly "radicalized by some extremist network."
  • Allison and Dana reflect on their personal responses, with Allison sharing that she inadvertently saw a graphic video of Kirk's shooting:

    “I was just thrown by the video...I should have scrolled past it...” ([01:27])

  • The hosts announce verification on Bluesky, discuss its quirks, and encourage listener submissions of good news.

2. Social Media Fallout and Threats

• [04:45–08:31]
  • State Department official Christopher Landau warns foreigners against "praising" Kirk’s death and says "appropriate action" could be taken against them.

    “In light of yesterday’s horrific assassination of a leading political figure, I want to underscore that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.” – Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau ([05:02])

  • Far-right influencers doxxing those perceived to be celebrating Kirk’s death.
  • A central hub "Charlie’s Murderers" exposes the identities of people online.
  • Allison and Dana highlight chilling implications for free speech and visa holders.

3. HBCU & University Lockdowns

• [08:31–11:19]
  • Multiple Historically Black Colleges and Universities receive threats and go into lockdown in the wake of Kirk's assassination and other violent incidents.
  • The FBI calls some threats "hoaxes"; the hosts doubt serious federal response.
  • Dana:

    “He wasn’t a passionate debater. He was someone who spewed lies and hatred, misogyny, racism, transphobia, homophobia...” ([08:50])

  • Dana, citing a viral quote:

    “I don't support what happened to Charlie Kirk, but Charlie Kirk supported what happened to Charlie Kirk.” ([09:56])

4. Media Whitewashing and the Politics of Grief

• [11:19–13:40]
  • Allison and Dana decry the mainstream media’s posthumous sanitizing of Charlie Kirk’s record, worrying about how first impressions shape public perception.
  • Discussion includes Matthew Dowd’s firing from MSNBC for telling the truth about Kirk.

5. Senate Republicans’ Nuclear Option

• [11:44–13:40]
  • Senate Republicans change rules to fast-track confirmations of Trump executive branch nominees, overriding previous standards.
  • Dana (sarcastic):

    “Go fuck yourself on that one, by the way.” ([12:49])

6. Shadow Docket and Judicial Frustration

• [13:41–14:54]
  • Fourth Circuit judges openly criticize the Supreme Court’s lack of clarity and reasoning in shadow docket orders.
  • Judge James Wynn:

    “They're leaving the circuit courts, the district courts, out in limbo... We judges would love to hear your reasoning as to why you rule that way.” ([14:17])

7. Attacks on Planned Parenthood Funding

• [14:55–16:59]
  • The First Circuit Court of Appeals allows a one-year pause on Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, overturning a lower court’s protection.
  • Discussion of legal steps and harm to health services for low-income individuals.

8. Positive Legal Update – Immigrant Children in Arizona

• [16:59–18:53]
  • Temporary judicial block on deporting Guatemalan and Honduran children from shelters.
  • Judge Rosemary Marquez questions whether the US government coordinated with children’s parents.
  • Discussion of the erosion of trust between the judiciary and federal agencies.

Featured Interview: John Fugelsang

[21:47–45:17]

Addressing the Shooting and its Fallout

• John Fugelsang brings perspective as a progressive commentator and author.
• The hosts recount the horror and emotional impact of the viral shooting video.
• John Fugelsang:

  “It has been a week. First of all, we had the horrific shooting of students at a high school in Colorado. And then we follow that up with what happened in Utah... I was completely numb and nauseous for most of yesterday.” ([22:08])

• Both hosts describe backlash for even expressing horror or sympathy about Kirk’s murder, underscoring online polarization.

Whitewashing of Kirk’s Record

• Fugelsang and hosts criticize media and public figures who elevate Kirk as a martyr, omitting his dangerous rhetoric.
• Notable exchange:

  “He wasn’t a passionate debater. He was someone who spewed lies and hatred…” – Dana ([08:50])
  “...I'm very worried about first impressions...the first taste of him they're gonna get from the media is this martyr...And they're just leaving out so much about who he was.” – Allison ([10:52])

Consistency on Political Violence

• Fugelsang:

  “We're not offering thoughts and prayers. We're offering action and policy solutions. Because I don't want Charlie Kirk's kids to grow up in the world we're living in right now.” ([25:54])

  • Stresses that the left, especially those supporting gun control, has consistently opposed violence – “the people [Republicans] are trying to blame are the ones who've been trying to prevent these shootings.” ([25:12])

Weaponization of Grief and Media Spin

• Fugelsang:

  “Why grieve when you can exploit? Why mourn when you can weaponize? This is Benghazi. It’s not grief, it’s spin. They will milk this for vengeance, fundraising, clicks…” ([33:04])

On the Futility of Violence

• Fugelsang:

  “By murdering him...has sanctified that racism, has sanctified his bigotry. He's going to be a marble statue now...This is why violence doesn't work. It blows up in your face and it causes the opposite of what you want.” ([37:12])

Media Double Standards

• Discussion about asymmetric consequences and media expectations from left and right.
• Fugelsang:

  “If Nancy Pelosi had told the kind of lie that Mike Johnson told this week…[Media] said he walked back his statements. No, he lied. ...But again, there's a different set of rules...” ([26:58])

Attempts at Hope and Frustration

• The possibility—if slim—of shifting right-wing sentiment after violence touches "someone you love."
• “Liberals...care about everyone they don't know. Well, now it's happened to someone Republicans do know. ... We want to make it harder to murder people in this country...” ([41:09])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On online threats post-Kirk: Dana: “Those three [Raicheck, Loomer, Tarrio] would 100% dox you. So please be careful.” ([06:04])
• On first impressions: Allison: “First impressions in our current media atmosphere are—they stick.” ([32:32])
• On the perils of violence: Fugelsang: “Violence as a solution is not a liberal value and never has been.” ([45:08])
• On gun violence:
  Shannon Watts (paraphrased by Allison): “The problem with allowing guns everywhere is that no one is safe anywhere.” ([40:16])

Additional Key Segments (with Timestamps):

• Planned Parenthood Medicaid ruling ([14:55–16:59])
• Arizona judge blocking deportation of children ([16:59–18:53])
• John Fugelsang on the week’s traumatic news ([21:47–45:17])
• “Good News” segment (listener submissions, community shout-outs, and pet photos) ([45:25–end])

Tone and Language

The episode weaves humor, exasperation, and unfiltered progressive analysis. Hosts often leverage sarcasm and biting wit while keeping an inviting, communal tone for listeners who may feel overwhelmed by a grim news cycle. Guest John Fugelsang’s appearance brings an extra layer of pointed commentary paired with compassion and larger philosophical framing.

Summary Table of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic/Segment | Notable Quotes/Details | |-------------|----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–04:45 | News highlights, Evergreen shooting, reactions | “I was just thrown by the video...I should have scrolled past it...” (Allison, [01:27]) | | 04:45–08:31 | Social media fallout, far-right doxxing | “I've been disgusted to see some on social media praising...appropriate action.” (Landau, [05:36])| | 08:31–11:19 | HBCU lockdowns, Charlie Kirk legacy | “He wasn’t a passionate debater. He was someone who spewed lies and hatred…” (Dana, [08:50]) | | 11:19–13:40 | Media whitewashing of Kirk, first impressions | “...this martyr...they're just leaving out so much about who he was.” (Allison, [10:52]) | | 13:41–16:59 | Senate nuclear option, judicial shadow docket, Planned Parenthood | “They're leaving the circuit courts...out in limbo.” (Judge Wynn, [14:17]) | | 16:59–18:53 | Good news: Arizona judge on child deportations| Judge Marquez: “frightening” lack of coordination with parents | | 21:47–45:17 | John Fugelsang interview (see above) | “It's not grief, it's spin.” (Fugelsang, [33:04]); “Violence as a solution is not a liberal value and never has been.” ([45:08]) | | 45:25–end | Listener good news, pet photos | Uplifting community submissions share hope and personal victories |

Conclusion

This episode of The Daily Beans delivers a nuanced, heartfelt, and occasionally acerbic examination of an extraordinary news week. Through in-depth analysis, listener empathy, and a powerful guest segment, the show underscores the importance of moral consistency, media literacy, and active resistance to both violence and its cynical exploitation. The message: do not allow grief to be spun as political capital, nor let tragedy erase the truth about destructive public figures.

For listeners, this episode is essential for understanding the intersection of violence, media, and politics in 2025, especially as it applies to the progressive advocacy for gun control and narrative integrity.