The Victor Davis Hanson Show

Episode: The Cultural Impact of Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
Date: September 19, 2025
Host(s): Victor Davis Hanson, Jack Fowler

Episode Overview

This special episode tackles the far-reaching cultural and political shockwaves following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Victor Davis Hanson and Jack Fowler engage in an in-depth analysis of the numerous narratives surrounding Kirk’s murder, the unprecedented reaction across the media and elite institutions, and the implications for American society, public discourse, and political polarization.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Scene: The Context of Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

(05:25–08:00)

• Backdrop of Escalating Violence:

  • Charlie Kirk was killed on a college campus during a civil, non-confrontational exchange; the shooter was a pro-trans individual who had been active in far-left/trans "furry" online communities.
  • The murder occurred on the heels of other violent, politically charged incidents (e.g., the DEI-related killing of Ukrainian immigrant Arynia Zarutska, the Auburn University and Queens murders).

• Kirk’s Unique Influence:

  • “They just took it for granted that he was the person. And he was. He probably won Donald Trump the election by increasing the 19 to 40 year old vote from 2020 by 6 points… He was probably the most powerful man under 40 in the United States as far as influence.” – Victor Davis Hanson (06:47)
  • Kirk’s contributions included mobilization of the youth vote, a global speaking presence, and fearless advocacy.

2. Media Narratives: The “Eight Stories” About the Assassination

Main Segment: 08:00–29:00

• Systematic Breakdown of Narratives Advanced by Media & Left-Leaning Institutions:
  • Narrative 1: “We don’t know who did it.” – Initial deflection; quickly contradicted by evidence of motive and premeditation.
  • Narrative 2: “The shooter was just crazy.” – Disproved by shooter’s deliberate planning, expressed ideology, and written manifestos.
  • Narrative 3: “The gun did it.” – Weapon-focused rhetoric, trying to shift blame to gun laws.
  • Narrative 4: “MAGA did it.” – Attempts, amplifed by late-night hosts like Jimmy Kimmel, to portray shooting as an internal conservative plot. This was disproved by evidence and family statements.
  • Narrative 5: “Trump did it.” – Blaming Trump’s rhetoric, paralleling past strategies to link right-wing speech to violence.
  • Narrative 6: “It was a tragic love story.” – Media attempts, e.g., ABC’s Matt Gutman, at romanticizing the relationship between the shooter and their partner.
    • “He made a complete fool of himself because he was saying that this creepy, horrible, satanic murder that blew apart Charlie Kirk…we had to admire him because there was another side in his relation to his boyfriend, girlfriend.” – Victor (22:30)
  • Narrative 7: “Kirk’s death was ironic or karma.” – Attempts at gloating or subtle approval, with leftist figures implying that being a gun-rights activist made his death fitting.
    • “It’s kind of ironic. I’m not saying anything. It’s kind of ironic that he was a big Second Amendment person and guess what? He got killed by a gun.” – Victor (24:10)
  • Narrative 8: “Both sides are to blame.” – Some commentators tried to neutralize discussion by generalizing blame and diluting specifics, as noted in a Federalist article by Brianna Lyman.

3. Elite and Institutional Response: Public Glee and Defiance

(09:00–14:30; 25:40–28:30)

• Elite Education & Media:

  • There was noticeable rejoicing and a lack of condemnation among left-leaning elites, including “Hollywood, elite education, and the left.”
  • Reference to public mockery by students (e.g., Texas Tech students) and actors, and open defiance from progressive public figures.

• Law Enforcement Handling:

  • Hanson criticizes the “gentle surrender” offered to the shooter compared to treatment of suspects in other situations (25:40).

4. The Left’s Approach to Violence & Martyrdom

(28:18–32:36)

• Impunity and Icon-Making:

  • The left’s criminal justice reforms create a perception that political violence might be celebrated or go lightly punished.
  • “He did it because he wanted to be a famous leftist icon and he thought he would not pay the price for killing Charlie Kirk…” – Victor (28:18)

• Comparisons to Past Incidents:

  • Recalls attempts on Republicans (Steve Scalise, Rand Paul), Antifa riots, and left-wing radical violence being downplayed or recontextualized by the press.

5. Media, Cancel Culture, and Reputational Cost

(33:35–48:24)

• Firing of Bad Actors:

  • Notable figures (Karen Attia, Jimmy Kimmel) were fired or disciplined for fabricating stories or inflaming tensions.
  • Discussion on “hate speech” versus First Amendment: private employers have the right/obligation to dismiss those who violate standards of truth or civility.
    • “There is hate speech with your employer, whether it’s private or public…they can have a speech code and they can say, we do not want you either in the workplace or in your private sphere saying things that bring disrepute…” – Victor (35:26)

• Audience Alienation & Ratings Collapse:

  • Networks now recalibrating as they lose mainstream viewers and advertisers.
  • “Greg Gutfeld, who you have to pay for to watch, has a bigger audience than all those people [Colbert, Kimmel, etc.].” – Victor (62:00)

6. Institutional Hypocrisy and Speech Codes

(36:04–40:39; 60:22–66:15)

• Academic Contradictions:
  • Hanson notes universities’ inconsistent enforcement of speech codes; left-wing or explicitly violent protest often escapes consequence, while moderate or right-leaning speech is aggressively policed.
  • “Academia is a different—is a special case. They have zero credibility.” (40:36)

7. Public Opinion on Political Violence and Division

(54:40–58:19)

• Poll Results:
  • 71% believe political violence is becoming more likely; 87% see it as a big problem.
  • Notably, more Democrats than Republicans see the US as more divided—the left, Hanson suggests, is increasingly open about using division to achieve its goals.
    • “They are hard left revolutionaries and they believe…they have a God given right to push climate change, DEI, open borders, defund the police, and you don’t have a right to stop them…” – Victor (55:51)

8. Hollywood and Cultural Branding

(59:22–66:15)

• Virtue-signaling for Roles and Tenure:

  • Hanson compares Hollywood’s and academia’s leftist posturing as survival tactics for roles and professorships.
    • “When Hollywood people do those virtue-signaling… they do that for roles. They say, well, I hope a director sees that I’m more radical than my competitor actors…” – Victor (60:22)

• Elite Disenchantment with Old Institutions:

  • Wealthy parents turn away from traditional powerhouses (Harvard, Stanford) for less radical schools (Hillsdale, Clemson), seeking genuine learning rather than activism.

9. Charlie Kirk’s Unusual Path and Enduring Legacy

(67:34–71:57)

• Innate Skills and Organizational Genius:

  • Praise for Kirk’s autodidacticism, organizational abilities, authentic faith, and determination.
  • “He could speak, he could write, he could organize. He was magnetic. He was uncompromising... He was highly religious and devout…But the thing about him was he never went to college, so he was never burdened with...that snobbishness, that insularity, that arrogance…” – Victor (67:38–68:43)

• Nature of His Influence:

  • Kirk’s outsider status allowed him to connect to youth and middle America authentically; he wasn’t “destroyed” by elite academic culture.
  • “He was a very successful autodidact, but he didn’t have the pretensions or the baggage that comes with [elite academia].” – Victor (68:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Half the country said, I’m done with these people, I’m done with elite education. I’m done with Hollywood, I'm done. I'm done with the left. I’m not going to put up with it anymore.” – Victor, on the cultural backlash (08:52)
• “They always weaponize everything. They run the institution. I’m done with them.” – Victor (09:02)
• “He did it because he wanted to be a famous leftist icon and he thought he would not pay the price for killing Charlie Kirk and he thought people would cheer him on.” – Victor (28:24)
• “Cancel culture is now canceling the cancel culture.” – Victor, on the left’s own tactics being turned against it (48:24)
• “If you let them go do what they want, they destroy their brand. So they've destroyed late night TV. It doesn't exist.” – Victor (62:03)
• “Charlie Kirk certainly was a model for the engineers…” – Jack Fowler sign-off (67:34)
• “I really like Charlie Kirk. I think it’s one of the most horrific things that’s happened in my lifetime.” – Victor, closing remarks (71:49)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 05:25: Initial discussion on Kirk’s assassination and its symbolic impact
• 08:00–29:00: Stepwise unpacking of the eight major narratives about the event
• 33:35: Analysis of media fallout; firings and cancel culture in action
• 40:36: Contradictions and hypocrisy within academia
• 54:40: Poll data and political violence attitudes
• 67:34: Deep reflection on Kirk’s skills and legacy
• 71:49: Closing thoughts

Conclusion

This episode offers a sweeping, critical examination of Charlie Kirk’s murder—not simply as an act of violence but as a reflection and accelerator of America’s deep cultural and political fissures. Hanson’s analysis, supported by current events, media reactions, and decades of scholarship, positions the assassination as a signal moment for how elite institutions, the press, and the political left process and respond to adversity. The episode closes with a somber recognition of Kirk’s unique contributions and the ways his life and death are shaping the ongoing cultural reckoning in the US.