NewsNation's anchor, Chris Cuomo, expressed his disagreement with MSNBC's decision to terminate political analyst Matthew Dowd following his controversial comments about the tragic demise of Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA.
Cuomo voiced his opinion on his show, stating that the network's decision was the "easy way out," and he does not support the idea of firing individuals based on their spoken words.
According to Daily Caller, Dowd's termination by MSNBC was reported late Wednesday evening, a few hours after the network's president, Rebecca Kutler, issued a statement denouncing Dowd's commentary. The discussion revolved around Kirk's death, during which conservative commentator Benny Johnson brought up Dowd's remarks as the news of the shooting unfolded.
Johnson began to say, "In fact, Chris, on MSNBC, after Charlie Kirk was shot, there was a guest who said that he deserved it. Matthew Dowd. And so " before Cuomo interjected. Cuomo clarified, "Matthew Dowd didnt say he deserved it. He said that this was the fruit of the poisonous tree of what Charlie had been saying and what hed been provoking."
News emerged Wednesday afternoon that Kirk had been shot while engaging with students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Kirk was known for his regular appearances on college campuses, where he would engage students in debates on diverse political ideologies.
During the breaking news coverage, Dowd appeared on "Katy Tur Reports," suggesting that Kirk's alleged propagation of "hate speech" towards certain groups made him a potential target. Dowd described Kirk as "one of the most divisive" conservative figures, who was "constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups."
Johnson continued to challenge Cuomo, asserting that Dowd was "clearly" dismissed due to his comments. Cuomo responded, "He got fired, which is a counterfactual to your theory. He got fired, and by the way, Im not in favor of people getting fired for what they say. Its mixedits tough. Its a tough call. I get it, but Im so afraid of censorship that it makes it hard for me."
Cuomo further expressed his disapproval of Dowd's comments, stating, "I dont like what Dowd said. I would have chewed him up and spat him out if he were on my show and said it, which didnt happen with MSNBC. But firing him is the easy way out for MSNBC."
In response to Dowd's comments, Kutler issued a statement on the network's public relations account, labeling Dowd's comments as "inappropriate," "insensitive," and "unacceptable." However, a review of two live TV transcription services indicated that the network had not aired the apology.
Kutler wrote, "During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable. We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise."
Kirk had been engaging with students for approximately 20 minutes when he was shot. Despite immediate medical attention and initial reports of stable condition, Kirk eventually succumbed to his injuries.
He leaves behind his wife, Erika, and two children. His casket was seen being loaded onto Air Force Two on Thursday evening, with Vice President JD Vance assisting in the process.
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