We’re all sickened by and angry about the assassination of Charlie Kirk today. The sheer brazenness of this attack on a conservative influencer is horrifying enough, but what made it even worse was the mainstream media’s reaction. I’m still trying to bring my blood pressure down after reading some of these reports, so I figured it would be worth highlighting at least one genuinely positive moment that came from CNN: Scott Jennings paying tribute to Kirk.
Jennings captured exactly what so many of us feel—a recognition of Kirk’s tireless work to energize conservatives and fight for our values, even in the face of threats and intimidation.
Jennings described him as “one of the most unique and special people in the conservative movement today.” He said Kirk’s ability to organize and inspire young people was unmatched. “He was able to convince people to get involved in politics that might not have otherwise done so,” Jennings explained, noting that Kirk’s campus events and public appearances drew thousands—not for a rock concert or a sporting event, “but for American politics.”
“He inspired all these kids to, uh, be involved in their country,” Jennings continued. “It’s unequivocally a good legacy. He was also a godly person. He spoke about his faith openly. He was unapologetic about his views.”
Jennings emphasized Kirk’s influence on the MAGA base and beyond: “I think what’s been said about Charlie having his hand on the, finger on the pulse of the, of the MAGA base is true, but what’s also true is that he was enormously influential in that when an issue was emerging, when something was happening and people were sorting out their own views on it… ‘How should I feel about this?’ Charlie was one of the first people they turned to to see, ‘Where’s Charlie gonna be on this issue?’ and, ‘How’s he processing it? How’s he analyzing it? And how does he think the young conservatives should view whatever the issue happened to be?’”
Jennings stressed that Kirk wasn’t just reflecting public sentiment—he was shaping it. “It wasn’t that just, he was just reflecting people,” he said. “He was leading people. He was influencing people. When he did something, when he said something, when he took a stand on an issue, you can bet that people would move.”
He praised Kirk’s courage in bringing conservative values into spaces where they weren’t typically embraced: “What he did to organize these young kids, to bring conservative values and views into public spaces that aren’t normally thought of as places where conservatives would gather, was enormously courageous. It took a lot of damn guts to do it.”
Jennings concluded, “We’ll never forget Charlie for being that next generation of conservative leader rallying people when you might not have thought it was cool to do so. But he did it anyway, and he made it cool. … Honestly, Charlie Kirk was a destination for, uh, a lot of young conservatives—and we’re gonna miss him.”
A very emotional @ScottJenningsKY on the assassination of Charlie Kirk:
“Well, Charlie was one of the most unique and special people in the conservative movement today. What he was able to build, the people he was able to organize was just so large and powerful. He was able to… pic.twitter.com/5Av24Xv0IW
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) September 10, 2025
Charlie Kirk’s influence on the conservative movement—and particularly on young Americans—was nothing short of transformative. He didn’t just show up to politics; he energized it, led it, and made it something a whole generation actually wanted to be part of—something that might have seemed boring or off-limits to them otherwise. It’s a great legacy for a life cut way too short.
While they spin narratives, PJ Media delivers the unvarnished truth about crime, corruption, and cover-ups. Join PJ Media VIP today with promo code FIGHT for 60% off. Support fearless journalism that puts America first.
