At a news conference in the days after the assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah, Gov. Spencer Cox took to the podium to deliver updates about the case — and to urge Americans to find a way, together, out of this dark moment.
“There is one person responsible for what happened here, and that person is now in custody and will be charged soon and will be held accountable,” Cox said. “And yet, all of us have an opportunity right now to do something different.”
“We can always point the finger at the other side,” Cox added later, “and at some point we have to find an off-ramp, or it’s going to get much, much worse.”
Kirk’s assassination has sparked national mourning but also vitriol, with some Republican leaders including President Donald Trump blaming the “radical left” for the shooting.
But Cox has stepped forward as healer-in-chief.
In days filled with division, disparagement and calls for revenge by some other politicians and public figures, Cox’s civil but sober tone brought moral clarity to a moment of angst and broke through the rancor, members of both parties said in interviews.
“That’s who he is,” said Lincoln Shurtz, a partner at Utah-based lobbying firm Lincoln Hill Holdings who has known Cox, a Republican, for two decades. “He thinks we can disagree but still collaborate on things we do disagree on.”
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Members of both parties have offered accolades for Cox, saying he offered refreshing ideas as the nation’s political discourse has turned increasingly toxic. That included Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat and friend of Cox who spoke to the Utah governor by phone after the tragedy and told NBC News they share some important values.
“I pray for Governor Cox as he leads his state following a heinous act of political violence. Even though we belong to different parties, he and I share a common vision for this country — one where we resolve our differences peacefully at the ballot box and strive to work together, regardless of ideology,” Moore said in a statement to NBC News. “I know he will do everything in his power to bring leadership, comfort, unity, and justice in this moment, as we seek healing.”
