Candace Owens describes "first planning sesh" about Turning Point USA with Charlie Kirk, reveals his "ultimate goal"

Following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, podcaster Candace Owens recalled meeting him when his organization, Turning Point USA, was still “very young.” Kirk was fatally shot on September 10 at Utah Valley University campus while hosting a debate event. Many notable figures have since shared their condolences on his killing.

Candace Owens appeared on her podcast on September 11 for the first time following the incident. During the episode, Owens shared her memory of meeting Turning Point USA's founder in 2017, when neither of them was widely known. She added that Kirk didn't care about his appearance and was "laser focused" on working for his organization.

She recounted what she called their first planning session, describing how Charlie Kirk mapped out his vision on the back of a restaurant menu while they were waiting for their flight.

"And I want you guys to know about our first planning sesh. Okay? It was in the middle of Chicago O'Hare airport. There is this restaurant that's called the Macaroni Grill. And I sat down with Charlie on our first trip together. He flips over this little paper menu as we're waiting for our flight. And he takes out this pen, and he just starts drawing a map of what he wants to happen into the future," Owens said.

She recollected that he had envisioned Turning Point USA becoming the largest conservative student organization not only in the nation but also in the world. Owens added that he had even suggested that he might one day "take control" of the RNC.

The podcaster shared that Charlie Kirk admired conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh and aspired to have a show like his. She called it his "ultimate goal."

"He was really raised on Rush Limbaugh, listening to Rush Limbaugh day in and day out. And he told me through many conversations that if he could have a show like Rush Limbaugh one day, he would be very happy. That was, I think, his ultimate goal. And it happened," Owens added.

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Candace Owens on working with Charlie Kirk

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@Snshores

I knew they were close, but I didn’t know they were that close. They seemed to have had a brother and sister type relationship. This was sad. Candace Owens was not able to hold back her tears. Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk.

Candace Owens, who participated in many debates alongside Charlie Kirk, recalled how the two of them would appear in back-to-back TV debates. She added that their motto had always been that they could outwork their opponents.

"We had a motto, couple of mottos, but Charlie's was 'We can always outwork our opponents.' I can't tell you how many times we looked at each other and we said, 'We can outwork them.' Everyone was bigger than us, but no, not working harder than us. That came really directly from Charlie. It was the thing that he said we could always control," Owens said.

The conservative podcaster said that, during their formative days, Kirk needed a bit "more culture," and she needed to learn "rules of politics." Owens went on to admire Charlie Kirk's political knowledge.

"I mean, he could tell you every office in the White House and what this person does, things I had never even heard before," the podcaster added.

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While concluding the podcast episode she dedicated to her "friend," Candace Owens broke down in tears, saying that Charlie Kirk "didn't deserve that ending." She vowed to “carry the torch,” adding that she would never let his memory fade.