The Staying Power of the Charlie Kirk Story

And the conflict around condemning political violence

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In the era of Donald Trump, there are few stories that have managed to linger for more than a week. Since he first forayed into the political arena, each breaking news development has been reliably buried by an onslaught of new Trump-centered controversies.

In his second term, the Jeffrey Epstein scandal was the first story to really break free from that mold. Entire months after the firestorm was reignited, it’s a topic that people continue to furiously debate. Considering all of the celebrities and politicians purportedly named in the Epstein files, it’s no wonder why the story has remained such a centerpiece in our country’s conscience. The Trump administration’s repeated bungling of the issue has only added fuel to the inferno.

But Kirk’s assassination has grown into an even bigger story still. Nearly two weeks after the act of violence occurred, its ripple effects have only become increasingly pronounced. As people across the country are being fired for voicing their opinions on the incident, from ordinary citizens to late night personalities like Jimmy Kimmel, the story’s momentum has hardly waned. (Since starting work on this article, it’s been announced that the late night host will rightfully be resuming his position.)