Fox News host Greg Gutfeld wasted no time in calling out former President Barack Obama and his co-host Harold Ford Jr. for their "both sides" argument following the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10. Gutfeld decoded Obama's comments, made during his appearance at the Jefferson Educational Society's 17th annual global summit, where he suggested that political violence is coming from both the left and the right.
Obama’s statement read, "We are certainly at an inflection point not just around political violence but there are hosts of larger trends that we have to be concerned about... Political violence is not new. It has happened at certain periods in our history... What happened to Charlie Kirk was horrific and a tragedy. When it happens to somebody, even if you think they’re quote unquote 'on the other side of the argument,' that's a threat to all of us and we have to be clear and forthright and condemn it."
But Gutfeld didn’t buy into Obama’s "both sides" rhetoric. On The Five Wednesday evening, he pointed out how politicians like Obama use the "both sides" narrative to deflect responsibility. "I have a rule of thumb: when they say [violence] is 'both sides,' it’s THEIR fault," Gutfeld said. "Because when it’s your fault, they just say it’s your fault. You follow me? So every time you hear 'both sides do it,' you know they're culpable. Because when it’s our fault, they never say that! They just go, 'it’s your fault.' So remember that."
Gutfeld’s message was clear: the "both sides" argument is often a convenient excuse used by the left to avoid taking responsibility for their role in fueling divisiveness. "When it’s our fault, they never say that. It’s always us being blamed," he added, continuing to criticize the left for deflecting and failing to acknowledge their own culpability.
On the same segment, Ford Jr. seemed to downplay the radicalization happening on both sides, suggesting that everyone has a subjective interpretation of events. He also gave cover to individuals like Montel Williams and ABC News reporter Matt Gutman, who seemed to downplay the seriousness of the assassination and even suggested the relationship between the shooter and his trans-identifying male boyfriend was somehow "loving." Gutfeld sharply countered Ford Jr.’s comments, pointing out how figures from the left like news anchors, politicians, and professors have been legitimizing and normalizing extremist rhetoric for years.
Gutfeld’s co-host, Kennedy, added, "They are normalizing [Kirk’s murder] like they normalized the terms fascist, Hitler, authoritarian and Nazi. They are doing the same thing with murder. I disagree vehemently. This is objectively wrong. I don't care what side you're on."
Obama, while criticizing divisive rhetoric, insisted that, during his presidency, "those extreme views were not in my White House." He added, "I wasn't embracing them. I wasn't empowering them. I wasn't putting the weight of the United States government behind extremist views." But Gutfeld was quick to remind viewers that the reality is much different. "The absolute balls it takes to say that," he remarked, referencing how Democrats have spent years labeling Trump supporters, who make up half the nation, as "fascists," "Nazis," and an "existential threat" to the country.
Gutfeld's commentary was a stark reminder that Democrats can no longer play the "both sides" game and expect it to go unnoticed. The tragedy of Charlie Kirk’s assassination has exposed the toxic, violent rhetoric on the left, and, as Gutfeld emphasizes, it's about time that the right and "sane thinking" individuals hold them accountable for it.
