Anchor Leland Vittert pointed a giant mirror at the left on Tuesday’s edition of NewsNation’s On Balance. While the mainstream media has tried to deny a connection between suspect Tyler Robinson’s political leanings and his alleged murder of Charlie Kirk last week, Vittert was unafraid to point out the bias that stained their coverage.
Vittert started with ABC’s Matt Gutman, featuring MRC’s clip of him gushing over Robinson’s love life: “If this wasn't so serious, it would be like parody. But this is that serious, and that is where ABC News views these text messages: They were touching.” Gutman has since apologized, now calling Robinson’s texts “disturbing.”
The aftermath of Kirk’s death has led to the recognition of a heated political climate, a mutual disavowing of political violence, and a need for both sides to “come together.” But the left has been unwilling to admit to Robinson’s beliefs potentially playing a significant part in Kirk’s killing:
For the past week, much of the media has held out the fallacy that the shooter wasn't a left-wing loon. You couldn't call him a left-wing assassin. We did on the show a few times and people would scream at us. Our guests would. You couldn't say he was motivated by trans-rights. We saw other networks go from saying, “We don't know a motive,” to “Let's take politics out of this,” to, “Well, actually, he was inspired by the right.”
Vittert then featured a montage of various moments (including more clips popularized by NewsBusters) from CBS, CNN, and ABC where the existence of Robinson’s motive was doubted or attributed to the right. And he could have included many more.
He also highlighted one of the most blatant attempts at a biased cover-up: “That last clip, where CNN couldn't figure out if it was clear, came moments after the press conference that clearly laid out the shooter's beliefs in his own words. And people at CNN are still trying to deny it.” Time will tell how long the likes of CNN will be able to keep up their disingenuous coverage of the suspect in custody. Hopefully, the prosecution will be able to prove Robinson’s beliefs, motive, and actions beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lastly, Vittert included a ghostly clip from Kirk’s appearance on Bill Maher’s podcast, Club Random:
KIRK: We have different to jihadis that want to kill me? The purple haired, jihadis. The woke guys.
MAHER: They want to kill me. Want to kill me just as bad. They really do.
KIRK: No, you've been very outspoken on the woke stuff.
MAHER: Oh yes, I mean – and they – Just the way within a religion, they hate their own apostates more. I would say they hate me more because I'm supposed like get on a short bus to crazy town with them.
A high profile figure like Kirk can be no stranger to death threats, so much so that the common kind of agitator is easily identifiable. Don’t expect to hear about those threatening right-wing leaders right now.
Unlike many television characters during the past week, Vittert actually offered a tangible solution to the political violence epidemic:
Crazy town is killing people because you disagree with them or because you expose them. And the only way to stop that is to do what we do every night on this program. Very simple. Tell the truth.
Keep telling it, Vittert. Kick the crazy out of town, and we’ll see who’s still left around.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
NewsNation’s On Balance with Leland Vittert
September 16, 2025
9:01:40 p.m. EasternLELAND VITTERT: We can now conclusively say Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin acted on the deeply irresponsible rhetoric of the left. That is our Why It Matters segment tonight.
(…)
9:03:40 p.m.
VITTERT: If this wasn't so serious, it would be like parody. But this is that serious, and that is where ABC News views these text messages: They were touching.
For the past week, much of the media has held out the fallacy that the shooter wasn't a left-wing loon. You couldn't call him a left-wing assassin. We did on the show a few times and people would scream at us. Our guests would. You couldn't say he was motivated by trans-rights. We saw other networks go from saying, “We don't know a motive,” to “Let's take politics out of this,” to, “Well, actually, he was inspired by the right.”
(…)
9:04:46 p.m.
VITTERT: Yeah, it is crystal clear what happened here. That last clip, where CNN couldn't figure out if it was clear, came moments after the press conference that clearly laid out the shooter's beliefs in his own words. And people at CNN are still trying to deny it.
One of the saddest parts of this story is that the motive was entirely predictable. In fact, Charlie Kirk himself predicted someone harboring these views would try to kill him. This is a clip of him with Bill Maher back in April.
[Cuts to video]
CHARLIE KIRK: We have different to jihadis that want to kill me? The purple haired, jihadis. The woke guys.
BILL MAHER: They want to kill me. Want to kill me just as bad. They really do.
KIRK: No, you've been very outspoken on the woke stuff.
MAHER: Oh yes, I mean – and they – Just the way within a religion, they hate their own apostates more. I would say they hate me more because I'm supposed like get on a short bus to crazy town with them.
[Cuts back to live]
VITTERT: That's a scary bus to be on. At the time it sounded funny, from Maher. Now, quite literally, it is deadly serious. Crazy town is killing people because you disagree with them or because you expose them. And the only way to stop that is to do what we do every night on this program. Very simple. Tell the truth.
(…)
