By: Scoop Stanton
Sunday afternoon I was at a community pool watching my youngest son splash around with a friend when Alessandra Griffitt sent me an invite via email for the Charlie Kirk Prayer Vigil at the Kennedy Center. I said that I will try to make it as I had my kids that day. Field Producer Ed Huebner said to bring them. I contacted my youngest daughter to see if she wanted to go as she was a fan of Kirk. She said yes. Luckily I had pants in the car so we were off.
I took the Metro down and fortunately there was a shuttle bus for the Kennedy Center waiting outside! We roll up and it looked like the line for a Trump rally!

And there was no ropes, fences, barriers, blue sawhorses that the NYPD is famous for or the need for any security. The line was organic. No pushing, shoving, yelling, screaming, fighting or the need for security. People were polite, friendly and pleasant.

There were people of all ages, shapes, and shades. And only men and women! All appropriately dressed. There was one black guy with dreadlocks flying “colors” head to toe; red, white and blue. Even members of the Jewish faith! This was shocking to me as Charlie was a devout Christian. But why not, they want to pay respects too! While in line I saw another friend Andre Soriano! Small world!
We get inside and get our wristbands. Again, the Kennedy Center was packed. And everything was running smoothly. We head upstairs and ended up in Bob Uecker seats! I didn’t mind because I knew there was a lot more people behind us that can’t make it inside!

Once inside it felt like church. Musicians were playing hymns, people in the packed house singing along waving arms in the air. A state representative from Arizona came out and said a prayer, then the pledge of allegiance.

Then two ladies who knew Kirk who used to work for him came out and said that there were 85 members of Congress and members of the White House staff in the room! And they were not kidding. The next person to speak was House Speaker Mike Johnson!
If that wasn’t enough, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was next! She has a special place in our heart as she agreed to come on Liberty Roundtable while I was at CPAC in 2024!

Then came the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard! When the ladies mentioned White House staff, I was thinking staffers nobody knows, not members of the cabinet!

The next speaker was Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr! RFK talked about the time he went on Charlie’s podcast as mortal enemies and finished as brothers in arms!

Then Kari Lake came out talking about her interactions with Kirk and how one of her daughters quit Turning Point USA because she took Charlie Kirk’s advice. To get married and start a family!
Two other politicians came out to talk about how Kirk changed their lives. Then came the closing remarks and closing hymns. I took my daughter home and then met up with Ed Huebner for some wings and drinks!
I’m very glad I attended. I got to spend quality time with my daughter. She got to see some of the most powerful people in America with her own eyes. That prayer vigil was more inspiring and had more meaning than a typical Sunday service at church! I’d like to thank Alessandra Griffitt for the invite, Ed Huebner for the motivation to attend and the wings at Kilroy’s and Andre Soriano for just being Andre!
