I think the author is missing the point. I know almost nothing about Kirk, I only heard about him an hour or so after the shooting when my coworkers brought it up, and I think I'm part of the majority, at least of people who disagree with him.
Here's the point:
- Kirk was shot under a tent that said "prove me wrong," directly asking for open debate
- Everyone and their dog is condemning the violence, so merely condemning violence won't get noticed
- Gavin Newsom seems to be angling for a presidential run, so he needs to be seen as reasonable to distance himself from Trump
It's the right political move, and most of those who read his message won't look too closely into Kirk anyway. He needs to communicate order and tolerance right now to keep his presidential bid alive.
I'm not a fan of Kirk or Newsom, I'm merely looking at this as a strategic move, and it seems to be the right one IMO.