Topic
Politics
Published on
September 17, 2025
Civitas
Conversations
Thomas D. Howes on Statesmanship and Our Flailing Country

The Cost of Conflict: White House and Human Rights

February 18, 2026
About this episode

In this episode of Civitas Conversations, Richard M. Reinsch II interviews Thomas D. Howes about his recent Outlook article "Spencer Cox Provides the Statesmanship America Needs."

In this episode of Civitas Conversations, Richard M. Reinsch II interviews Thomas D. Howes about his recent Outlook article "Spencer Cox Provides the Statesmanship America Needs."

In the article, Howes argues that Utah Governor Spencer Cox has shown admirable leadership following the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk. Howes makes the case that, while many politicians and commentators stoked division, Cox provided moral clarity by emphasizing that words are not violence and that only one person was responsible for Kirk's death. Howes praises Cox's calls for Americans to disconnect from online rage and redirect efforts in the direction of unity rather than division.

Thomas Howes is the Editor-in-Chief of The Vital Center and the Director of the Reagan Caucus. He is also a research fellow of the Austrian Institute (Vienna), a member of the James Madison Society, and a lecturer in Politics at Princeton University.

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