Former MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd contends that his dismissal was not due to his comments but rather a reaction to what he describes as a “right-wing media mob.”
“Right-wing media has been pursuing me across various platforms, and MSNBC reacted to the pressure,” Dowd noted in a recent post on his Substack.
He stated that his controversial remarks, which appeared to place blame on Kirk, were made before he was confirmed to have been filmed at an event in Orem, Utah, on a Wednesday afternoon.
That day, Dowd made a comment that many found particularly outrageous.
He suggested to anchor Katie Tar that Kirk might have been harmed by “stopping supporters at the celebration.”
According to Breitbart News, his commentary only deteriorated from there.
“In the wake of my previous statement, I described him as a remarkably divisive young figure who consistently promotes hate speech against specific groups,” Dowd mentioned to MSNBC viewers. “Hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which ultimately can result in hateful actions.”
MSNBC terminated his contract before the day ended, with network president Rebecca Kutler expressing regret over his “inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable” remarks.
Having made nearly “1,000” appearances on MSNBC, Dowd emphasized that he has always condemned all forms of gun violence and political violence, regardless of the source.
Yet, in his recent writing, he appeared to overlook the questionable nature of how he depicted the event’s young attendees. They were not there for any violent purpose; they came to engage with Kirk during his “American Comeback” tour, which included questions from a diverse audience.
Dowd wrote:
When the anchor asked me about the “national environment,” the only known detail was that someone had been fired, and there were no reports that Kirk was under any threat. I noted that we need to establish the facts first, because it’s not necessarily straightforward to assume a gun was fired in celebration. It’s important to remember that Kirk is a strong advocate for the Second Amendment.
I acknowledged that Kirk is a polarizing figure and that we are currently experiencing a uniquely toxic period in America, unlike other democracies.
After criticizing the “right-wing media mob,” Dowd asserted, “Most MSNBC staff understood my comments were misinterpreted, but the context has been lost (everyone said this before knowing Kirk was the target), and I regret apologizing for my misunderstanding.”
The 64-year-old analyst stated that he hasn’t backed down.
“I’ve navigated the challenges of the past few days and am looking ahead to new ventures,” he expressed. “My focus is on using my voice across various platforms to find ways to unite the nation around shared ideals and values.”
