Spencer Cox Wants to Pull Our Politics Back From the Brink
About this episode
Utah's Republican governor Spencer Cox joins Klein days after Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University, where Cox led the state's public response. Cox, who chaired the National Governors Association and launched its 'Disagree Better' initiative against toxic polarization, describes drawing on research about the conditions that produce political violence and why he insisted the response stay within constitutional bounds despite pressure from both the right and left. They discuss whether America is headed for 'national divorce' or can recover federalism's promise that states differ; the role of social media algorithms and loneliness in driving polarization; Utah's social media legislation and Cox's telecom background; and why AI will likely make things worse. Cox's prescription is unglamorous: build community, serve others, and log off.