Matthew Dowd Fired Following Controversial Comments

Political analyst Matthew Dowd was reportedly terminated from his position on Wednesday due to what were described as “unacceptable” comments during a news segment. According to Variety, during discussions about an attack, Dowd recommended that MSNBC’s Katy Tur should cover the incident. He suggested that a certain public figure’s promotion of “hate speech” positioned him as a target.

Network sources indicated that Dowd’s firing was a direct consequence of his controversial remarks. This decision came shortly after MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler issued a statement on the network’s Public Relations account expressing regret over Dowd’s statements.

In her statement, Kutler mentioned, “During the news coverage of the shooting involving Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made inappropriate, insensitive, and unacceptable comments. We apologize for his statement.” At the time of Dowd’s comments, Kirk was reported to be in critical condition.

During the segment, Dowd described Kirk as a “most divisive” conservative figure and claimed that he consistently promotes hate speech against specific groups. “A hateful thought leads to hateful words, which leads to hateful behavior,” he suggested, reflecting on the societal environment regarding such issues.

Charlie Kirk was speaking to students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, when he was shot. Known for engaging with campus communities, he had just been interacting with students shortly before the incident occurred.

Video footage prior to the shooting showed Kirk in a lively exchange with attendees. Approximately 20 minutes after he began speaking, he was shot in the neck. A university spokesperson later reported that the shot came from a building approximately 200 yards away. Kirk was quickly transported to a hospital, where he initially stabilized but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two children.