By David Bauder and Ali Swenson, The Associated Press, published on September 15, 2025
NEW YORK (AP) — Matthew Dowd opened a floodgate.
The MSNBC political analyst, who lost his job shortly after on-air comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s Sept. 10 assassination, was the first of many figures to face consequences Sept. 11 for public statements or actions about the shooting.
Indeed, raw feelings about the killing have ignited a campaign to shame — and more. Several conservative activists sought to identify social media users whose posts about Kirk they viewed as offensive or celebratory. Right-wing influencer Laura Loomer said she would try to ruin the professional aspirations of anyone who celebrated Kirk’s death.
MSNBC said Dowd is no longer with the network after his comments, shortly after the shooting, about “hateful words” leading to “hateful actions.” Both MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler and Dowd apologized for the remarks, which Kutler called “inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable.”
Dowd said he didn’t intend for his comments to blame Kirk for the attack. Still, it brought an abrupt interruption to his work as a television commentator, which the former aide to President George W. Bush has done for nearly two decades.
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