The Michael Knowles Show

Episode: Ep. 1812 – Charlie Kirk Would Have Been President
Date: September 11, 2025
Host: Michael Knowles | The Daily Wire

Episode Overview

In this somber and reflective episode, Michael Knowles addresses the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative leader, and personal friend. Knowles forgoes his usual political commentary to offer a tribute—highlighting Kirk's meteoric impact on politics, his personal virtues, and the significance of his murder for American civic life. The episode focuses on collective mourning, the meaning of Kirk's life, and the shifting landscape for open debate and political exchange in the wake of his death, interspersed with listener reflections and national reactions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal and Political Legacy of Charlie Kirk

• Early Life & Achievements

  • Founded Turning Point USA at 18, bypassing college; quickly built it into one of the largest right-wing political organizations in America.
  • Raised significant funds; inspired both donors and young voters.
  • Instrumental in President Trump’s 2024 re-election, specifically in mobilizing the right and coordinating effective get-out-the-vote campaigns.
  • Established multiple successful divisions (faith, women’s leadership, political action) within TPUSA.

• Skills and Character

  • Natural charisma, six-foot-five stature, compelling communication style.
  • Uncommonly prudent for his age—"Prudence is the paramount political virtue, and he had it in spades." (A, 11:11)
  • Dedicated to self-improvement; sought a “real education” through Great Books fellowships despite nontraditional background.
  • Tireless work ethic and self-denial (teetotaler, never smoked, always active).
  • Authored five books, hosted a national radio show, started a family—all by age 31.

• Virtues

  • Emphasis on the four cardinal virtues (prudence, temperance, justice, fortitude) and theological virtues (faith, hope, charity).
  • "He believed what he said. I promise you... that guy believed his religion and it was more important to him than any politics." (A, 18:44)
  • Genuine fairness—even to opponents. “He loved debating... even loved being proven wrong... because then he'd deepen his ideas.” (A, 15:21)
  • Deep Christian conviction guided all aspects of his life and activism.

2. Handling Grief and Mourning

• Knowles urges listeners not to skip over real grief with “happy clappy” platitudes, instead embracing the sorrow of loss as fundamentally Christian and human.
• "It's good to mourn, it's good to grieve... the Christian religion doesn't contradict reality." (A, 20:52)
• Connects public grief to Christian teaching: “Even in light of the resurrection, it is still a bad thing.” (A, 21:45)

3. Political Ramifications of Kirk's Assassination

• Debate as a Target: Kirk was best known for engaging in open debate on campuses—“He showed up to campuses and debated ideas graciously... and they killed him for it.” (A, 26:00)
• Indicates a probable end or shift in the era of open campus debates.
• Warns against vengeful rhetoric or unjust violence. Calls for lawful, principled restraint and clarity: “We need to assert our moral vision... in a just way, in accordance with the laws.” (A, 28:17)
• Feels the weight of the moment: “Something has changed. And I know it's sad, it's another layer of sadness to add to this event.” (A, 30:31)

4. National and Global Reaction

• President Trump delivered an Oval Office address, called Kirk “a martyr for truth and freedom,” emphasized that “the monster who attacked him was attacking our whole country.” Vows justice and condemns political violence. (B, 29:48)
• Announcement of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Kirk (A, 33:25).
• Presidents Clinton, Obama, Biden, George W. Bush, and Kamala Harris released statements of condolence and condemnation.
• International responses included tributes and obituaries from world leaders.
• Yankee Stadium observed a moment of silence in Kirk’s honor; Knowles notes the significance: “Yankee Stadium was the one that really got me.” (A, 31:17)
• Melania Trump’s poignant comment: “Charlie’s kids now are going to grow up with stories rather than memories...” (A, 34:23)

5. Speculation, Responsibility, and Next Steps

• No speculation on the assassin’s identity; law enforcement (FBI, Daily Wire) actively investigating, but suspect is at large as of the episode’s airing.
• Recognizes Kirk’s influence surpassed many high-ranking politicians—suggests a public honor (lying in state at the Capitol) would be fitting.
• Knowles pledges not to cancel personal campus events, signaling resistance against fear and intimidation.
• Understands that for Kirk’s family, no amount of public honor can alleviate personal pain.
• Reinforces the ultimate consolation Kirk drew from faith: “That the only consolation is eternal. Which Charlie knew.” (A, 49:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Opening Reflection:
  “Charlie Kirk would have been president. His friends knew it, his admirers knew it, and his enemies knew it.” (A, 00:01)

• On Prudence:
  “Prudence is the paramount political virtue, and he had it in spades.” (A, 11:11)

• On Mourning:
  "It's good to mourn, it's good to grieve... the Christian religion doesn't contradict reality." (A, 20:52)

• On Kirk’s Integrity:
  “With Charlie, he really was that guy.” (A, 12:26)

• On What Was Lost:
  “If Charlie Kirk is so outside the bounds of what the left believes to be political discourse... then that means that they want to murder all of us because he was the mainstream one.” (A, 46:36)

• President Trump’s Address:
  “Charlie was the best of America, and the monster who attacked him was attacking our whole country... An assassin tried to silence him with a bullet, but he failed.” (B, 31:27)

• Melania Trump’s Tribute:
  “Charlie’s kids now are going to grow up with stories rather than memories, and they’re going to grow up with photographs rather than a father who bounces them on his knee.” (A, 34:23)

• On the Limits of Political Status:
  “He was at the very, very height of politics, other than sitting behind the Resolute desk himself... yet he understood how little all of that ultimately matters.” (A, 36:55)

• On Eternal Hope:
  “The only consolation is eternal. Which Charlie knew. Which Charlie... That in itself is a consolation. The fact that Charlie knew that, unlike statistically, everyone in politics, Charlie actually knew that.” (A, 49:30)

Important Segment Timestamps

• (00:00–13:00): Personal tributes, early memories, Kirk’s rise and impact.
• (13:00–21:00): Discussion of Kirk’s personal virtues, character, and accelerated life.
• (21:00–27:00): Theological reflection on grief, mourning, and faith.
• (27:00–31:00): Analysis of the assassination’s implications for debate culture and political activism.
• (29:20–33:25): Excerpt from President Trump’s Oval Office address.
• (33:25–36:55): Announcement of the Medal of Freedom, responses from other presidents and world leaders.
• (36:55–41:00): Reflections on the limits of political significance and the consolations of faith.
• (41:00–56:00): Listener feedback and member block: public grief, watching/not-watching footage, reiteration of steadfastness and hope, closing prayers.

Listener Reflections & Closing

• Listeners share their shock, sadness, and commitment to praying for Kirk's family.
• Knowles leads a Hail Mary in Latin as a final tribute and calls for resilience and faithful hope:
  “Pick up that virtue of courage, the prerequisite of all of the other virtues, and keep on, keep on going.” (A, 56:22)

Summary

This episode stands as a moving eulogy—a reflection on loss, purpose, the cost of public life, and the cracks in American civil discourse. Michael Knowles honors the memory of Charlie Kirk not simply as a towering political figure, but as a man of rare virtue, vibrant faith, and courage. The episode weaves together the personal and the political, underscoring how true hope and consolation transcend the temporal triumphs and tragedies of public life.