On Thursday, Chris Cuomo from NewsNation discussed how MSNBC covered the shooting of political analyst Matthew Dowd following his “unacceptable” remarks about the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Dowd had expressed his disagreement with the firing of individuals for their comments during his appearance on Cuomo’s show.
As reported by Variety, Dowd was let go by MSNBC late Wednesday night, shortly after network president Rebecca Kutler condemned his remarks. Conservative commentator Benny Johnson, during a segment on “Cuomo,” brought up Dowd’s comments right after the news of Kirk’s shooting emerged.
“In fact, MSNBC’s Chris had guests who suggested he deserved it after Charlie Kirk was shot, like Matthew Dowd,” Johnson asserted, prompting Cuomo to clarify.
“Matthew Dowd didn’t say he deserved it. He pointed out the harmful nature of what Charlie was promoting,” Cuomo countered.
The reports of Kirk being shot while engaging with students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, came out Wednesday afternoon. Kirk had been known for visiting various university campuses, stirring debates on differing political perspectives.
After the incident, Dowd appeared on the “Katie Tar Report,” making himself a target by implying that Kirk often spewed “hate speech” towards specific groups. Analysts from across the political spectrum have labeled Kirk as one of the “most divisive” conservative figures, frequently accused of promoting hate against particular demographics.
Johnson continued to argue that Dowd was “clearly” dismissed for his statements. “He was fired. That’s contrary to your argument. And, honestly, I think it’s complicated. I personally don’t think people should be fired for what they say. It’s really tough. Look, I don’t agree with Dowd’s comments. If he were a guest on my show, I’d challenge him directly. However, firing him feels like a quick fix for MSNBC,” he said.
Cuomo replied, “But Benny, listen. I don’t really care about the backstory. With such issues, there’s a lot of responsibility involved. I don’t see you guys as victims. You get what you give. There’s so much exaggeration around.” He then shifted the focus, asking, “What’s happening right now?”
Johnson soon interrupted, asserting that Kirk had “never defended violence.”
In light of Dowd’s comments, Kutler later released a statement on the network’s Public Relations X account. Despite her call for accountability regarding Dowd’s remarks, reports indicate that the network had not aired an apology, according to multiple Live TV Transcription Services analyses.
“During the coverage of Charlie Kirk’s shooting, Matthew Dowd made inappropriate and insensitive comments. We apologize for his remarks,” she stated.
Kirk was speaking and engaging with students for roughly 20 minutes when he was shot. Though he was reportedly stable after being rushed to the hospital, he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two children. His body was seen being loaded onto Air Force 2 on Thursday evening, with Vice President JD Vance assisting.
