The left doesn’t see it. It’s stunning.
President Trump and others have already vowed to crush some progressive groups it doesn’t like by designating them as domestic terror organizations. He’s blamed “the left” for Kirk’s death, even though, as of this writing, there’s no proof the shooting suspect was aligned with any ideology.
But the facts don’t matter. The movement does.
And that movement has all of the components for lasting success.
It has a president who is a consummate communicator and messenger with a base that rallies around him without question.
It has young Republicans who are experts at using social media, podcasts, and other digital forms to get its message out. Vice President J.D. Vance hosting Kirk’s podcast on September 15 was a stroke of genius. Vance brought on, among others, Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary, and Stephen Miller, the influential deputy chief of staff and architect of Trump’s immigration policy.
Miller said this on the podcast:
“With God as my witness, we’re going to use every resource we have at the Department of Justice, Homeland Security and throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy these networks. It will happen, and we will do it in Charlie’s name.”
For a day, anyway, the federal government took control of a popular podcast and delivered its message. Whether you like it or not, it’s brilliant.
The hardline is already, from a conservative viewpoint, paying off. Companies have fired employees who wrote inappropriate and insensitive comments following Kirk’s death. (Yes, you can say what you want, but your company can fire you for it). The administration has also mused about revoking or denying visas to any foreign national who glorifies violence and hatred.
There are lots of people willing to out folks who they believe have spoken out of turn. I don’t use social media as a reliable reporting tool (it isn’t), but look at Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau’s thread, filled with suggestions on people to investigate, and those willing to help collect and report names.
The left misses all of this. It can’t connect the dots because it either doesn’t see them or wants to ignore them. And the left will do what it always does when it protests, “Yeah, but Kirk said things we don’t like, and it’s right that’s really to blame for violence.”
Let me ask the left. Do you think people care about such pitiful protestations?
No, they don’t.
They know a 31-year-old, god-fearing man with a wife and two children was assassinated for what he believed.
His supporters show they care with their hearts and wallets. His Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok channels have added millions of views, according to a count by the New York Post. The group he started, Turning Point USA, has received more than 18,000 requests to start a new chapter. Fundraisers have brought in more than $5 million for his family.
They also show they care with rallies across Ohio, the country, and the world that mourned Kirk.
The cynical among us will believe this outpouring won’t last. But they ignore the political machine that’s hell bent on grinding its gears and making lasting reform.
No amount of rhetoric will change what’s happening now.
The left doesn’t see it or ignores it. That should make the right very happy.
Ray Marcano’s column appears on these pages each Sunday.
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