Nearly one year ago a shocking act of political violence reverberated around the world, with its effects still felt today. And yet only one of the Elitist Media’s Sunday shows devoted any time to the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
Surprisingly, this was ABC’s This Week. Rotating host Martha Raddatz had Utah Governor Spencer Cox on to discuss his upcoming book Off Ramp.
This is one of those instances where ABC wins by simply showing up. No other Sunday show among CBS, NBC or CNN took so much as a second to observe the anniversary of Kirk’s assassination. But this isn’t to say that the segment was flawless, or even good.
Watch as Raddatz tries to get Gov. Cox to denounce President Trump’s line about (not) forgiving one’s enemies at the Kirk funeral:
WATCH: ABC's Martha Raddatz tries to elicit a condemnation of President Trump during a segment observing the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the only such segment on the Elitist Media's Sunday Shows
MARTHA RADDATZ: You said at the press conference, "History will dictate if this… pic.twitter.com/HKebURwBfM— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) September 7, 2026
MARTHA RADDATZ: You said at the press conference, "History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country, but every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us."
Nine days later, the Charlie Kirk's memorial service, after a very forgiving and unifying speech by Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, Donald Trump said this:
DONALD TRUMP: He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That's when I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don't want the best for them.
I'm sorry. I am sorry, Erika, but now Erika can talk to me and the whole group, or maybe they can convince me that that’s not right, but I can't stand my opponent.
RADDATZ: What was your reaction to that?
SPENCER COX: Well, so I was there at that, and you know, there was this moment that you mentioned where Erika forgives. One of the most powerful Christian moments I've ever experienced in my life. I talk about this, and, and yet, then the president comes up and says, you know, Charlie wanted me to love my enemies, and I can't do that.
One, I thought it was very transparent. He was being very honest, and I appreciate that. Sometimes politicians aren't honest.
Raddatz still found a way to inject Trump Derangement into the interview. Cox, to his credit, refused to take the bait and flipped the question on Raddatz by praising Trump’s candor at a time when the political landscape is littered with talking point-sensitive fakes.
But there is a deeper flaw at play in this interview. Not once does Raddatz observe where the political violence is coming from. Not once is there an attempt to elicit condemnation of Kirk’s assassin, or even mention him. It’s not for lack of recent news, given a Utah judge’s finding there is sufficient evidence for Charlie’s accused trans-furry-loving killer to stand trial.
This isn’t to suggest that there’s anything wrong with Raddatz interviewing Gov. Cox on occasion of the release of his new book, which sets out to seek an offramp from the current toxic political environment. There is an issue, though, with not addressing leftwing violence within the context of the current environment. For this reason, the segment falls far short of what should have been an appropriate observance of the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned interview as aired on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos on Sunday, September 6th, 2026:
MARTHA RADDATZ: Utah Governor Spencer Cox was thrusted to the spotlight one year ago after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed at Utah Valley University. After the shooting, Governor Cox desperately urged both sides to turn the temperature down.We traveled to Utah this week to talk with Governor Cox about his new book, “Off Ramp”, which issues a dire warning that our democracy is at risk of failing if Americans do not come together.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RADDATZ: Amazing it’s been a year.
SPENCER COX: Yeah, it’s -- it’s so tragic. It feels like yesterday, and yet it feels like 10 years ago. It’s all the emotions and, you know, the school’s still healing.
RADDATZ (voice-over): Governor Spencer Cox was having lunch with staff that day when the fatal shot hit Charlie Kirk.
CHARLIE KIRK: I saw a lot of people. Utah, tell me what?
COX: Someone just handed me their phone, and the video was on there, and that's a moment I -- I can't get out of my mind. I wish I could, but it just kind of overwhelmed everything
DISPATCH: We’re getting several calls. We’re trying to get more information.
RADDATZ (voice-over): The updates were constant, the fear in the country palpable as Governor Cox pleaded for calm.
COX: We can return violence with violence. We can return hate with hate. We can always point the finger at the other side. And at some point, we have to find an off-ramp or it's going to get much, much worse.
RADDATZ (voice-over): And the governor is now sharing his idea of an off ramp. His new book with that title, a plea for Americans to find common ground and our leaders to set an example.
COX: Seventy percent of this country doesn't like where we are right now. They're tired of the hyperpartisanship. They're tired of the contempt, and they're desperate for something better, something different.
RADDATZ: One thing you have said is we desperately need leaders in our country who are -- who take the courageous off ramp from contempt. You said at the press conference, "History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country, but every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us."Nine days later, the Charlie Kirk's memorial service, after a very forgiving and unifying speech by Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, Donald Trump said this:
DONALD TRUMP: He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That's when I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don't want the best for them.I'm sorry. I am sorry, Erika, but now Erika can talk to me and the whole group, or maybe they can convince me that that’s not right, but I can't stand my opponent.
RADDATZ: What was your reaction to that?
COX: Well, so I was there at that, and you know, there was this moment that you mentioned where Erika forgives. One of the most powerful Christian moments I've ever experienced in my life. I talk about this, and, and yet, then the president comes up and says, you know, Charlie wanted me to love my enemies, and I can't do that.One, I thought it was very transparent. He was being very honest, and I appreciate that. Sometimes politicians aren't honest.
RADDATZ (voice-over): Cox did not vote for President Trump in 2016 or 2020, but had a change of heart after the attempt on Trump’s life in 2024.
COX: I think a couple of things really impacted me at that that point. Just -- I've been talking about political violence. Is there a way to help do this? I'd spent eight years not having a relationship, and thought maybe there was an opportunity to have a relationship, and could that be helpful in some way?
RADDATZ (voice-over): And Cox remains a strong supporter today, despite the book’s message.
COX: Well, look. I think this is -- this is kind of a cop out that we take as Americans, where we can just blame a person or our political leaders for this. Now, I make the case that political leaders should do this. They also make the case that no president, no governor, no book is going to transform this or change this for our country.
RADDATZ: You do say in the book you describe the very high stakes. You say, "I am becoming more convinced that we are on a path to complete failure of our democratic republic and its institutions.” You write, “Freedom is a fragile thing.”Those are really extraordinary statements for a Republican to say in the middle of a Republican presidency, not to mention Congress.
COX: Yeah, look, but I would have written those words five years earlier as well. In fact, I did write similar words five years earlier in a Democratic administration. This is -- this is not something that any one party owns. It's not something that -- that is the responsibility of any one person. This is -- this is America and our drift.
RADDATZ (voice-over): Cox says one way to cure that drift is to face each other, instead of our screens.
COX: Get off of the algorithms, to get off of the screens. I was a Twitter addict in December of last year. I deleted Twitter off my phone. Everything got better.
RADDATZ (voice-over): And as Republicans look towards the 2028 election, Cox insists he has no plans to run for president.
RADDATZ: You start the book by saying, I am not running for president, really. I'm going to just believe you right now. But would you make a good president?
COX: I don't know. I don't know if I would. It's a -- it's a -- it's a very hard job. I -- look, I'm not running for president. I don't want the job. If -- if I wrote a book because I was running for president, you shouldn't read that book because it wouldn't be sincere.And I do think, though, that someone, I think there's a market failure in both parties right now. I think that the party that figures out that -- that Americans are tired of the toxicity will do very, very well in the election. I hope it's my party in '28. But that remains to be seen.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RADDATZ (on camera): Our thanks to Governor Cox. His book "Offramp" comes out Tuesday.
