The Complex Legacy of Charlie Kirk in American Politics

Charlie Kirk went from a heavily mocked “lolcow” with astroturfed appeal to a hardened MAGA loyalist and bonafide celebrity known for publishing heavily edited debate-style clips to social media. On September 10, a man assassinated him, shooting him dead in front of a large crowd at Utah Valley University.

This episode examines both how Kirk died and how he lived. We talk about how Kirk created TPUSA, a key organizing arm of MAGA, how he contributed to the events of January 6, 2021, and his history of making bigoted remarks. The episode details how Kirk changed after the so-called "Groyper Wars" against Nick Fuentes’s followers and how the Right has responded to his killing.

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Patreon: patreon.com/PostingThroughIt

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We reference and recommend a few sources on this podcast:

• Kyle Spencer, “Charlie Kirk Needed a Friend” 

• Madeline Peltz, “Charlie Kirk Was Preparing MAGA’s Future” 

• Posting Through It, “Who the Hell Is Jack Posobiec?–with Hannah Gais”

• Posting Through It, “Who the Hell Is Nick Fuentes?–with Amanda Moore”

Transition Music: "Feds Watching" by 2 Chainz and Pharrell Williams