Glenn Beck was one of the few right-wingers who not only didn't rush to Cliven Bundy's defense, but condemned those threatening to take up arms in his defense. If you'll recall, just before the standoff he declared that he could not endorse violence against government officials and that he never identified with anyone who did so. So it came as no surprise when Beck was one of the first to blast Bundy yesterday when he declared that blacks may have been better off as slaves. "If he really thinks … that slaves had a family life, just that shows you how unhinged from reality this guy is!" Beck said. "You’ve got to distance yourself. You must know who you are standing next to at all times."
But Beck revealed something else as well. He said that he had known even before Bundy's racism was revealed for all to see that the rogue Nevada rancher was a first-class jerk.
Beck also shared some stories about TheBlaze’s interactions with Bundy, which seem to shed more light on the man’s character.
“Immediately after speaking to Cliven [on the radio April 14], I had Billy Hallowell call him; he’s our faith editor,” Beck began. “One of the nicest guys out there.”
Beck was shocked to hear that Bundy was so unbearably rude, Hallowell couldn’t even conduct the interview.
“He writes to me and says, ‘Glenn, I’ve never been treated so poorly,’” Beck recalled. “‘The guy ripped me apart. And he said, ‘If Glenn Beck wants to talk to me about faith, he can call me himself.’”
According to Beck, Bundy apologized profusely--only to blow up at another Blaze reporter a few days later. When Beck heard about it, he completely washed his hands of Bundy. He added that he and his team have "had internal conversations of, 'just watch this guy'".
Beck has had a few reservations about Bundy since April 14, when since what was supposed to be a conversation about the values and principles that gird him (he's a Mormon, like Beck) turned into an anti-government rant. It turns out that New York Times article more than confirmed his reservations.
It doesn't look like Beck's followers aren't getting the hint, though. A good chunk of the commenters at TheBlaze and on Facebook are still standing with Bundy.
It's long since been established that Beck is a stopped clock. But you have to give him at least a little credit here.