CNN’s Van Jones has detailed the final message slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk sent him the day before he was assassinated.
Jones, 57, offered the unexpected insight during a segment on Anderson Cooper 360° Friday.
The pundit had been one of Kirk’s biggest adversaries before he was brutally gunned down in Orem, Utah, on September 10.
The two had been debating the murder of Ukrainian immigrant Iryna Zarutska and its broader implications when Kirk unexpectedly reached out through X, as Jones recounted to Cooper.
On September 9, Kirk’s message stated: ‘Hey Van, I’m sincere about this. I’d love to have you join me on my show for a respectful talk about crime and race. I promise to be a gentleman, as I know you will be. Let’s find a way to disagree in a respectful manner.’
After Cooper read it aloud, Jones, 57, revealed how he responded – and his state of mind since.
‘At the time, we were not on good terms. Then, after he was killed, my team informed me, saying, “Van, he was trying to get in touch with you?”.’ the former Obama aide began to explain.
‘And what was he aiming to do? Foster dialogue. He proposed that we both act like gentlemen. He suggested we disagree without hostility. Here I am, witnessing the nation discuss civil unrest, censorship, and rationalizing murder, and it’s about this guy?
CNN’s Van Jones, 57, shared this revelation during a sensitive segment on Anderson Cooper 360° Friday, mentioning that Charlie Kirk had invited him to a discussion.
The pundit had been one of Kirk’s biggest adversaries before he was brutally gunned down at a college event in Orem, Utah, on September 10
‘This individual was reaching out to someone he perceived as a strong opponent, suggesting, “Let’s be gentlemanly, come together, and maintain our disagreements in a civil way”. The very next day, he was gone. And I’ve kept quiet about it long enough.’
Jones then recalled immediately coming to the conclusion that he would have to attend Kirk’s funeral procession in Arizona Sunday, to pay his respects.
He told Cooper, ‘We disagree. Everybody knows we were not friends, OK? At all.
‘But you praise the good when it’s time to memorialize somebody.’
Jones went on to list several of Kirk’s accomplishments, saying: ‘He was not for censorship. He was not for civil war. He was not for violence. He was for dialogue, open debate and dialogue – even with me.’
When Cooper asked Jones whether he had considered Kirk’s invitation, the pundit said ‘no.’
He clarified: ‘I wasn’t trying to build his platform, but I would have called and we would have talked and we would have started the process of trying to figure this stuff out.’
The CNN star, in the end, said political unrest – and a failure to speak out differences – was responsible for Kirk’s death.
Jones said he decided to share Kirk’s message so it ‘might help somebody, on both sides, deal with issues more like he did’. He also penned a similar account on Substack. He’s seen here speaking about the message with costar Anderson Cooper on A360°
‘I think what happens is people get so worked up, Anderson, seeing us go at it, they think they’re supposed go ahead and kill somebody, or go out and talk about civil war.
‘Go out and silence people or cancel people or fire people or censor people – about Charlie Kirk? “Mr. Debate?”
‘I did not agree with him on literally almost anything, but we were words, not weapons, guys.
‘And we were getting into a position where we could get some real debate going.’
He concluded: ‘That wasn’t worked out, but I would have taken them up. I want to beat Charlie Kirk in a debate.’
Jones also penned a similar tribute on Substack.
Jones said he decided to share Kirk’s message so it, ‘might help somebody, on both sides, deal with issues more like he did.’
A memorial service is being held for Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
