When I watch Glenn Beck's program it amazes me that a bigot like Beck can con his way into every American home by portraying himself as a pragmatic commentator who sees everything from a Centrist point of view. Every Conservative commentator from Rush Limbaugh to Bill O'Reilly has done a superb job at conning the people into believing the talking points memo of the GOP that they spew everyday. And, it's not all that hard. Reach out to aggrieved white males who are disenfranchised by the mythical "liberal media." The same "liberal media" that mocks their religion, speaks out against guns and puts homosexuals on TV where they express themselves freely.
Glenn Beck is a complete embarassment. His act has grown completely old and for some reason I'm starting to feel sorry for him, because, I do believe that the misguided morons who put him on the air are actually getting a kick out of seeing Good ol' Glenn humiliate himself on a daily basis. I would.
He reminds me of a drunk who constantly says stupid shit in order to draw attention to himself, which mostly is how Conservative talk show hosts and pundits act. And, because CNN needs the red-faced yokel viewers who don't know how Government works, they've decided to sign Glenny boy from the corner tavern to give a daily dose of "telling it like it is."
First question I have for those who listen to Glenn Beck and every other Right-Wing pundit on the radio: What is "it" that they're telling that the media isn't?
If "it" is just sounding like a asshole by calling Hurricane Katrina victims scumbags and wanting to kill Michael Moore then we have serious problems with the political debate in this country.
Let me present to you a perfect example of who is "telling it like it is."
His name is Keith Olbermann.
And on a nightly basis the 6'5 former Sportscenter anchor dishes out a healthy dose of truth.
Calling out the President of the United States and his stooges for lying to get us into war.
Calling out the Republican noise machine for their blatant hypocrisy.
Calling out are members of Congress for voting to erase Habeas Corpus.
Calling out are leaders for their despicable apathy during Hurricane Katrina.
Glenn, if you want to learn how to "tell it like it is" then I suggest you tune into "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" and educate yourself on how to be a truth addict instead of carrying the water for people who don't hold the country's best interest in hand.
In an excellent profile of Olbermann from Rolling Stone Magazine, the "Countdown" host had this to say about Glenn Beck:
"A wolf in sheep’s clothing. The very dangerously bigoted guy who is selling himself as a pragmatic philosopher. I don’t think he sees his own bigotry. There’s something about him that suggests that, one night, he’ll say something that will cost him his career in television."
Sorry Keith, I have to disagree with you on the last point. Sure, anyone with a track record of saying such stupid shit should be removed from the airwaves, but our "liberal media" still promotes him by allowing a free forum to say such stuff that is truly reprehensible. Yes, he has the right to say and feel such things, but he shouldn't be called upon to discuss the most sensitive issues facing our government and the world, because based upon his show, he doesn't have the intelligence to be a part of this debate.
Of course, Glenn felt the need to speak out against Olbermann's remarks:
"I mean, I guess I could just stay out of trouble by asking clearly scripted questions to guests who won`t disagree, but that would kind of be planned and kind of a planned perfection that breeds arrogance that is far more dangerous than being a dope like me who says the wrong thing from time to time.
If I`m going to be shut down for that, well, it will likely be because of an intolerant ideologue like Keith Olbermann. The very idea smacks of the same McCarthyism Murrow fought so valiantly against.
Hey, Keith, you`re not saving the world`s democracy; you`re killing it, my friend, by trying to limit the marketplace of ideas to only those that reflect your own."
First off, Keith Olbermann or any other journalist isn't killing democracy by seeking the truth.
Second, equating Olbermann with McCarthy is like equating Bill O'Reilly to JFK. The purpose of Olbermann's show is to seek the truth in the tradition of Edward R. Murrow who helped bring down McCarthy's Communist witchhunt. Glenn Beck's show is designed to be a propaganda tool for the Republican party with a blatant disregard for truth.
So, Glenn let me ask you this, is questioning a Congressman of Muslim descent patriotism is in line with what Murrow taught us?
Is that what we need in this country is a limtus test on someone's patriotism?
Surely Glenn you're no Keith Olbermann, but that's all right. You see, in your world, there's no room for truth-tellers. Only people who deliberately mislead the American people into a catastrophic war based on lies.
Only people who suck at the tit of the Religious Right who want to turn this nation into a theocracy.
Only people who want to continue to widen the gap between rich and poor.
Only people who scream personal responsiblity, but turn the other cheek when one of their own fails to live up to that belief.
Glenn, you're no Keith Olbermann, but don't ever think your show is in the tradition of Edward R. Murrow's.
If you believe that, then do us all a favor and step away from the mic and go back to where you belong, in the gutter.