Senator John Fetterman showed more backbone and basic decency on Katie Couric’s podcast than a lot of so-called journalists display in a year. When Couric tried to bait him into piling on the late Charlie Kirk, Fetterman refused to turn a brutal murder into a political punching bag, keeping the focus where it belongs — on the violence and the victim’s family.
Rather than lap up Couric’s gotcha tone, Fetterman admitted he “didn’t agree with much of” Kirk’s politics but also acknowledged he hadn’t done a “deep dive” into Kirk’s views, and made clear he’s an “absolute free speech” guy who won’t stoke the flames. His honesty was refreshing in an age when political actors on the left reflexively demonize opponents without bothering to learn a thing about them.
Turning Point USA even publicly thanked Fetterman for refusing to weaponize the assassination — a rare moment of decency that should shame the brawling mob in the media who chase clicks with bloodlust. Couric’s line of questioning illustrated perfectly how legacy media tries to turn grief into a political cudgel, and Fetterman rightly pushed back by refusing to validate that theater.
Even on Fox’s The Story, panelists Jason Miller and Jose Aristimuno highlighted what a small but meaningful act of leadership this was from a Democratic senator. Conservatives should notice when someone in the other party resists the mob mentality; it’s not about scoring points, it’s about defending a baseline of human decency.
We ought to applaud anyone who won’t traffic in dehumanization, because demonizing political opponents has real-world consequences and, as Fetterman warned elsewhere, can incite violence. The left’s reflexive sanctimony about “civility” rings hollow when the same people spend their days dehumanizing conservatives, then act shocked when the temperature rises. That double standard is dangerous, and Fetterman’s restraint was a much-needed reminder that decency still matters.
Hardworking Americans aren’t impressed by cable-news theatrics or by celebrity journalists who profit from outrage; they want leaders who put country over partisan scorekeeping. If conservatives hold the line on common-sense decency and call out hypocrisy wherever it appears, we can lower the temperature and reclaim honest civic debate. That’s the kind of leadership that protects families, preserves free speech, and keeps our republic from descending into endless rage.
