Charlie Kirk took a trip to the hospital Monday night and Twitter can’t stop talking about it.
A friend of the conservative activist, Kyle Kashuv, posted a photo to Twitter Monday evening. In it, Kirk lies prone on a bench in what appears to be the parking garage of Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.
“I’m with my buddy @charliekirk11 in Los Angeles who was rushed to the hospital for a potential blood clot,” the caption reads. “He threw out his back and can’t stand and the hospital said there are no beds available and suggested he lay on a bench outside Cedar Sinai Hospital [sic], disgrace!!!”
I'm with my buddy @charliekirk11 in Los Angeles who was rushed to the hospital for a potential blood clot
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) January 22, 2019
He threw out his back and can't stand and the hospital said there are no beds available and suggested he lay on a bench outside
Cedar Sinai Hospital, disgrace!!! pic.twitter.com/ONNnOBiUOC
Considering that Kirk is well known for his views on healthcare—namely, that healthcare isn’t a ‘right,’ but a privilege, and that the U.S. system is the best in the world—people were quick to point out the hypocrisy.
PERFECT!
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 10, 2017
Senator Rand Paul Expertly Explains Why Healthcare Is NOT A Right! #BigGovSucks pic.twitter.com/zfQIzM4rS2
https://twitter.com/DeniseLHawk/status/1087666935968530432
Given the amount of time Kirk has spent talking about healthcare on Twitter, there were plenty of examples for people to choose from. @classiclib3ral responded to the original tweet, posted by Kashuv, by sharing an old tweet from Kirk.
“The United States has the best healthcare system in the world,” Kirk tweeted back in Feb. 2017. “We just need to make it cost less via competition and choice.”
— Wild Geerters (@steinkobbe) January 22, 2019
Let's try a free market in healthcare
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 17, 2017
You will see prices drop, quality increase, choices expand, limitless options
Get government out!
"Universal" healthcare is one of the greatest lies and horrors ever pulled
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 29, 2017
Month long wait lines. Diminishing innovation. Rising prices.
Others thought Kirk staged the scene. But given his past stance on healthcare, it’s not clear what that would achieve.
I'm laughing so hard that I can't breathe at Charlie Kirk forgetting to take his wristband off before pretending that the hospital wouldn't admit him because they gave all their beds to people on food stamps or whatever pic.twitter.com/WEb2VJPFEP
— Creighton (@CreightonOTE) January 22, 2019
Kirk sent an update to Twitter Tuesday morning. “Still cannot stand or walk,” he wrote. “But despite all the leftists commenting wishing for my suffering to continue or my imminent death, don’t worry I’ll be just fine.”
Still cannot stand or walk, but despite all the leftists commenting wishing for my suffering to continue or my imminent death, don’t worry I’ll be just fine. https://t.co/qs34VcUR06
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 22, 2019
No one is wishing for Kirk to continue suffering, just that he use this experience to consider what life could be like for someone who couldn’t afford insurance.
Cedars-Sinai Hospital and Charlie Kirk did not respond to a request for comment.