Utah’s Republican Gov. Spencer Cox is hardly a prominent figure in national politics. But his response to the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was notable and spot on. He didn’t demonize the left, but advocated a pivot to a more civilized version of what America is alarmingly becoming.
“This is our moment,” Cox said. “Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp?” Known more for empathy than agitation, Cox didn’t play the bellicose retribution card. Instead he underscored that the response to violence and hate can’t be an escalation of even more violence and hate. “That’s the problem with political violence,” he said. “It metastasizes, because we can always point the finger at the other side.” Given the political divide that has riven the U.S., the Kirk assassination requires presidential leadership that will console America without vitriolic, retribution rhetoric.