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Floor Speech
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Mr. MORENO. Madam President, as you know, like I do, we had a terrible tragedy that occurred last week. I don't think that it is quite understood by people who Charlie's life didn't affect and what that meant to all of us.
Not only is it that a 31-year-old died--which, of course, would be tragic to anybody--but to see him publicly assassinated, gunned down, where his death is captured on video after video after video--you look at that and you think: Where is the humanity?
I think one of the things that is most important to understand is that there was a private person named Charlie Kirk. He wasn't just the leader of an incredible movement that we now are familiar with, Turning Point USA. He was a son. He was a father. He was a husband. I got to know Charlie about 13 years ago. I was in my office in Cleveland, OH, and my receptionist said to me: There is a young man to see you. He wants to talk about an idea he has.
In my business, typically, I am seeing people who are interested in purchasing automobiles from one of my dealerships.
I said: Who is this guy? My office went right to the showroom so I said: Come into my office.
Charlie Kirk shared with me a vision that he had. He had built out the entire concept of what we know as Turning Point USA in his head. He visualized hundreds of chapters in every major college and university throughout America where students could actually debate ideas. It wasn't about everybody had to have one point of view or a different point of view, but they could actually discuss an idea in a collaborative way, not with hatred, not with animosity but rather the idea that people would listen to each other.
This is a time over a decade ago where we didn't understand the extent of the indoctrination that was going on in our colleges and universities. But I was so impressed by that young man's vision, by his conviction, by his energy, by his charm that I happily wrote him what he thought was a big check. By today's dollars, it was definitely not. I referred a few friends to him. He was very excited. We stayed in touch during the years.
Lo and behold, he builds this incredible organization, and I ended up running for Senate. He activated that group and helped me tremendously in Ohio. If you look at what he did--I am certain for you, Madam President, the same way for me--the way young people really took to his message. They want to have a voice in the future of our country. That is what Charlie wanted for them.
I will tell you, it is extremely sad and quite disappointing to see some of the reactions online--people actively cheering that a 31-year- old husband, father, and son would die; that the pejoratives used against him comparing Nazism or fascism--a stain on human history that shouldn't be compared quite frankly with anything. I think it is fair to say that Hitler and Nazis should have a special dark place in history and not be compared to anyone or anything because you see when you do that, you are inviting people, crazy people, to take actions into their own hands like what we saw tragically in Utah.
I hope that what comes out of what we just went through is that colleges and universities all over America heed to Charlie's call. Let's have our American colleges and universities be the one place--the one place--where freedom of speech is respected, where people can debate ideas, and even if we don't agree--for example, you and I may not agree that Ohio State University is the best college football team in America. You may have a different point of view. It is wrong. I know it is wrong, but, sadly, you may have a different idea. But we can be friends. We can have a dinner together. We don't have to be mad at each other because we have different points of views.
Of course, I am being flippant because there are more difficult conversations for us to have. It should never go to hatred. Look, I don't want to make this remark about partisan politics. But let me say to my Democratic colleagues: When you say we are at war; you must do anything you can to make certain that we protect our democracy, that is a bat signal. It is crazy. When a Democratic leader says that President Trump is Hitler or a Nazi--bat signal to crazy people. When the media, for example, in my State, the Cincinnati Enquirer said after President Trump was almost assassinated, much like Charlie was, that he ``brought it on himself,'' this sends a message to crazy people. When the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the largest newspaper in Ohio, analogizes JD Vance, our great Vice President--your friend, my friend, whom we know personally--and says he is a Nazi sympathizer, that he reminds the editor of what it must have been like to be with Nazis in the thirties, it is a bat signal to crazy people. It puts us all in danger.
That is unacceptable. We can have vigorous debates. In fact, I would say we should have more vigorous debates on the floor. In fact, when we are doing confirmations to nominees, I welcome Democrats to come out here and defend their position as to why they are not going to confirm somebody. For 81 to 100-plus nominees, they don't bother to debate. For the ones they do, it is 2 minutes of debate.
Let's have more debate. Let's do it respectfully, from the point of view that this is what I believe; tell me what your beliefs are, not just yelling at the Presiding Officer when nobody else is on the floor. That is not a debate. That is trying to get a 30-second clip on social media.
That is not what this institution should represent. This should be, like those college campuses, a free exchange of ideas. Maybe sometimes--but I find it hard to believe--my colleagues make a point that would maybe change the minds on this side. It would be great to see that. I hope that when we make points, that they listen. That is what Charlie wanted.
What I would like to do now is ask unanimous consent that the Senate observe a moment of silence in remembrance of Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk, and her two young children who had to ask their mom when their dad was going to come home and understand we had a great tragedy.
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