The American Spectator

Tim| 9.22.09 @ 9:49AM

Ummm, no it isn't. ;)

W. James Antle III| 9.22.09 @ 9:55AM

Technology is a wonderful thing. It's linked now.

Becky| 9.22.09 @ 10:03AM

The good thing about McCain losing is that he tried to portray himself as a conservative while at the same time bragging about reaching across the isle. He was basically a weak conservative willing to be persuaded by liberals. It would have permanently destroyed the Republican brand.

Obama had the same branding problem, portraying himself as a centrist and showing himself to be a lefty.

I'd rather their guy be found wanting than ours, so for the sake of the ideologies, McCain would have been worse.

Why Regan was considered strong? Even those who did not agree with him knew where he stood. If he was pro life today, he would be so tomorrow. If he believed communism was bad today, he would so tomorrow. He was an old fashioned guy who took time to discern issues and had enough integrity and the ability to communicate them.

Dresslar| 9.22.09 @ 1:14PM

Mmmm ... Becky, St. Ronnie's core convictions were strong defense, fiscal responsibility, and lower taxes for the well-to-do, right? Trickle-down economics and "Tear down that wall." So, why did he sign one of the biggest tax hikes in history in 1982. That's not conviction. Why did he cut and run when we were attacked in Beirut? That's not conviction. Why did he blow up the deficit to unheard of levels? That's not conviction. Is it?

And integrity? Do you remember Iran-Contra? Selling arms to terrorists, and then lying about it under oath, is not what I would teach my kids about integrity.

The problem is that Republicans want so much, to believe in their hearts that St. Ronnie was the tough, responsible and uncompromising leader that they yearn for. It makes them feel better. He talked a good game, but he was just an old, incurious, and not very bright man who fooled you all.

One last jab ... I don't even know what to say about your claim that he, "took time to discern issues". That reminds me of all the people who still claim that W is an intellectual, and that he really DID read 100+ books a year.

WTF.

I Forgot| 9.22.09 @ 3:39PM

One more little thing...

Reagan was for choice before he was against it.

randal| 9.22.09 @ 1:17PM

Praise the Lord. Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh ARE the republican brand.

Spinelli666| 9.22.09 @ 2:06PM

Errr... if Reagan was against tax rises today, he would be so tomorrow? Otherwise nice analogy...

Rob| 9.22.09 @ 10:04AM

I HATE Juan McAmnesty... that angry little weasel and his bovine daughter are RINOs that just need to go to the RINO graveyard. I dislike Obama and don't trust him at all, but at least Obama is what he is. McAmnesty pretends to be conservative and then spends all his time giving reach arounds to democrats and liberals. I can't STAND the man!

Nick| 9.22.09 @ 10:22AM

Rob,

Don't hold back so much.

Tell us how you really feel! Ha-ha!

S.L. Toddard| 9.22.09 @ 10:20AM

"Glenn Beck might get the boot because he occasionally says things like this: John McCain would have been worse than Barack Obama."

Am I right in reading you as saying Glenn Beck gets more flack because he more often deviates from GOP orthodoxy? Or are you condemning that statement?

For another example of the former, here's Glenn Beck denouncing Empire and agreeing with the statement "We were attacked as a direct result of our empire. If we truly believed in freedom we would understand the resentment that accompanies installing our military in other countries to protect our corporate interests."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....r_embedded

found at:

http://www.amconmag.com/postri.....-business/

W. James Antle III| 9.22.09 @ 10:29AM

"Am I right in reading you as saying Glenn Beck gets more flack because he more often deviates from GOP orthodoxy? Or are you condemning that statement? "

The former.

L. Ross| 9.22.09 @ 12:26PM

Frankly, I agree that the worst thing the Republican party could have had was John McCain in the oval office. We had a very wobbly conservative for the past 8 years, and the last thing we needed was a beat up old warhorse dragging the Republican brand through the mud while the country wallowed in the middle of this recession. Best to leave this stink on the dems. Whoever took office in 2009 was going to look like an idiot. Better them than us.

Si Vis Pacem| 9.22.09 @ 12:28PM

Many of us make the error of equating the GOP with conservative "orthodoxy"... It has been decades since the Republican Party embraced anything of the kind. The present GOP is not conservative by any real conservative or libertarian standard. (Granted, the libertarian and tea-party insurgency up from the grass-roots could lead to such a condition, but geez Louise! That's not yet happened.)

I think what Glenn Beck was driving towards, if ineloquently was that having the crazy old guy in the WH would have been a huge intractible problem. Perhaps better, Beck ought to have framed his argument by stating that having Obama on the stove-control for the pot of us frogs has it's ideological advantage: Obama and his cluster have turned-up the temperature of the pot so quickly, so high that we frogs are starting to take action. We're not obediently croaking in accordance with Progressive theory. The insurgency would never have happened with McCain at the controls, according to Mr. Beck. I think he's got that much right.

Something very effective| 9.22.09 @ 1:43PM

The problem is that most of the frogs' leaders have no clue or are corrupt (in the general sense). It would be possible to oppose BHO in a very effective way that would appeal to a large number of Americans. Instead, those leaders think dressing up in period costumes and sending tea bags is going to do the trick. After over 2.5 years, I've gotten almost no support for the plan at my names' link; if I'd gotten help before BHO might not be prez and McCain might not have been the nominee.

ben mansfield| 9.22.09 @ 10:57AM

Glenn Beck is the best thing to happen to politics in a long time....
he might be outrageous, but hes right 99% of the time....
and the idea of McCain winning not being a great thing is something i might agree with....this place in time seems like a no win for either president, and the last thing we need was another watered down idea of conservatism.....
and this is the perfect change to expose the left at their every turn
and beck gets 3 million viewers a day at the worst time slot imaginable.......hes way more than a useful idiot.....lay off already

Lea| 9.22.09 @ 11:18AM

Glen Beck just tells it like it is. Take him or leave him, he says what many of us already THINK. He IS the voice of the heartland of America. If that is hard for the left to accept, well too bad.

I don't find him controversial at all. In fact, I am beginning to find Bill O'Reilly bothersome and have had conversations with many friends who watch both Beck and O'Reilly and we have thought it might be better for FOX to switch time slots between the two. I'll bet ratings would get even better for FOX!

Let's face it, McCain was NOT the best choice for the GOP and if McCain had NOT been the presidential pick for the GOP, Obama may not have won. Many voters were not voting for Obama as much as they were voting AGAINST McCain. It was very hard for me to vote for McCain but I knew how bad Obama was so it was bad vs. worse for me; and for many people. Some just didn't know how very bad Obama would be.

Glen Beck has my support and the support of millions of Americans, obviously. Boycotts don't hurt him, (we unboycotted him LOL) and Norman Lear's group is a joke. Face it, there are many more conservatives backing Beck than there are left-wing nuts than could possibly hurt Beck's ratings or do anything with boycotts. We will just counter-them.
Keep telling it like it is, Beck. At least one voice of truth in a sea of insane lies and corruption. We know you have nothing to gain! And we certainly don't!

Richard| 9.22.09 @ 3:18PM

If the heartland of America is constantly paranoid about government conspiracy theories, weeping for the future of our nation, and scared about the direction this country is going in, then they need to turn off Fox News. The country isn't going to turn into the Soviet Union and we're not going to face riots in the streets. Paranoid fear mongering doesn't seem to be a happy way to live your life, but you're certainly free to do so.

Uncle Pilgrim| 9.22.09 @ 4:12PM

Hello Lea,

Correction #1: We on the left have absolutely NO problem with Glenn Beck being the right's national spokesman. That's just dandy with us.

Correction #2: You wrote that Glenn Beck has "nothing to gain" with "telling it like it is." I can think of a few million rea$on$ to di$agree with that a$$ertion.

ben mansfield| 9.22.09 @ 11:23PM

so you think your favorite lefties arent motivated by the same thing.....
give me a break.....
beck's making money because hes uncovering corruption on a weekly basis the mainsteam media couldnt produce in a year

and you on the left have your own fear mongers crying in the US house over coming violence named Pelosi....dont cast stones

you are the party of the 9/11 truthers

Krystal| 9.22.09 @ 11:19AM

Beck's show, before he was on Fox back in 2007, is the only place I heard of the upcoming economic freefall. He had financial experts on who spoke about what was to come and how the government and media were ignoring it. Sure enough they were right. Since then I have come to realize even more how the left stream media tells us nothing but Beck does his homework.

Uncle Pilgrim| 9.22.09 @ 4:16PM

Hello Krystal,

FYI, one year ago, in real time, Beck came out in support of the massive bailout of Wall Street, and in fact said at the time that $700 billion would not be enough. He now claims that he was against the bailouts from the beginning, but that claim is contradicted by his own words in real time.

Uncle Pilgrim| 9.22.09 @ 4:19PM

Addendum: I also heard about the upcoming economic freefall from Paul Krugman and liberal blogger Atrios. Does that mean they've got something important in common with Glenn Beck? Strange bedfellows and all that stuff.

Trurl| 9.22.09 @ 11:22AM

I've been saying much the same since the election. McCain would have produced a false sense of security for many Republicans (I hesitate to say conservatives). He would only have driven the train at half throttle but it would still be going down the same set of tracks. With Obama we have a rallying point. Our eyes are open. We are invigorated to at least attempt to stop the train, though I fear the task is impossible. And if we fail and it drives into the ocean when the track runs out, there will be a glorious and spectacular fireball as it blows up real good and who doesn't enjoy that.

David| 9.22.09 @ 11:24AM

Beck has just proven he is all about the cash.Like Levin said he has being railing non stop about progressives then says he would of voted for one,Hillary.Who would of being backing Hillary?Of course acorn and the other group he keeps pointing fingers at the SECIU.He has just lost this fan,he and his show have lost all credibility with these remarks.He clearly thinks I am a fool,he is right because I was foolish enough to watch his show and think he was correct.That all just ended.

Better Evil| 9.22.09 @ 11:28AM

Obama IS the better of the two evils, no doubt. McCain would have kept us going down the same slippery slope that Bush was taking us down. It would have been the old "boiling frog" syndrome. With Obama, it's so "in your face" that folks are waking up to our slide to tyranny and we might just turn the country back to freedom and liberty before it's too late.

Rob| 9.22.09 @ 11:43AM

I have been using the boiling frog analogy for some time now... and we frogs are FINALLY waking up to what they have all been doing for a long time. I hope that it isn't too late and that we can take this nation back.

Gilbert| 9.23.09 @ 6:17PM

LOL oh how this makes so much more sense today.

Robert| 9.23.09 @ 6:41PM

So did he really boil a frog today, or is he going to have an elaborate show tomorrow saying that we can't sit there and boil. We have to WAKE UP and jump OUT of the boiling water etc. etc. haha.

Robert| 9.22.09 @ 11:35AM

FOX News should replace Glenn Beck with Ben Stein. Beck is still the same clownish ranter he was at CNN and an embarassment to conservatives. While they're at it, FOX should expel that obnoxious Geraldo, too.

Connie | 9.22.09 @ 12:23PM

I agree with expelling Geraldo, in the 80's he was a joke and know he is irrelavant. However, do honestly contend that Hannity should be the only voice of conservatism on FOX. Prior to Hannity I watch Hannity and Combs and was frustrated with Combs continues repeat of his talking points, so when Hannity went solo I was relieved. Now that Becks on realized that Hannity too has his talking points and not much else. Thank God Beck gives you more than talking points!!!!

Trurl| 9.22.09 @ 1:11PM

I dunno. I try and listen to Hannity on the radio but he more than any of the others comes across to me as a party line shill. If a democrat said "The sun rises in the east" Hannity would argue it's a liberal lie and the sun really rises in the west. I don't think he has good rhetorical skills. Glenn gets over the top at times with the cheesy emotion but I believe that he is an intelligent and principled man and right pretty much most of the time. Much like Rush. He is waking people up. Hannity puts me to sleep.

(When is Bortz going to get a TV show? Hey, I can dream, can't I?)

ben| 9.22.09 @ 11:27PM

beck has brought more corruption to light in the last two months than any journalist (which he isnt) this year.....
i like hannity, but hes a talking points reader....same thing every night
.....and none of them could have helped organize the tea party and 9/12 rallies like Beck
....i think they call this haterism in some circles

ben mansfield| 9.22.09 @ 11:25PM

with you on Geraldo....the most openly racist man on tv.....
the only thing hes passionate about is making sure all illegal immigrants are handed the keys to the kingdom

iamse7en| 9.22.09 @ 11:47AM

John McCain would also be representing the Republicans, and like Bush, would tarnish their name for years, allowing liberals to take control.

This is similar to what Rush says.

john h| 9.22.09 @ 12:34PM

O'Rielly a "populist"? Hardly! The big O has become a tiresom, boorish, fence-straddeling, image of a man obssessed with his self-importance and ratings. I can just imagine him in the faces of management telling them to "give the kid a break but not too big a break that he pulls the #1 spot". His time slots should be traded for Glenn's and then let's see if as many people will DVR his program as do Beck's. O'rielly is to Fox as McCain is to the Republican party;whimpy, spineless, gutless conservative wannabe's who to quickly try and appease the left for the sake of "balance". Bek's attacks on the Obama administration have been articulate and supported by facts that we average Americans can understand and relate to. Unless Beck starts hammering conservatives and Republicans in the same breath he's railing against Liberals, he'll continue to draw even more audience share then he has in the past two months.That's what O'rielly is witnessing, the fallout of conservatives who MADE his show in the early years when O"Rielly stood for something.
Oh yeah, Hey Fox-dump that snarkylittle tabloid weasel Rivera. You don't need him or Bob Beckel to prove you"re "fair and balanced".

Rob| 9.22.09 @ 12:38PM

TOTALLY AGREE!

My wife and I used to watch O'Reilly back when he acted like a conservative, but now he is useless, instead we watch Glenn Beck everyday.

I have sent several emails to FOX letting them know that EVERY time Geraldo is on that I change the channel...

Paulo| 9.22.09 @ 1:07PM

Passionate conservative George W. Bush promoted one of the biggest expansion of govt this country has ever experienced. So much for who would be worse.... Obama and Bush are, in many aspects, astoundingly similar.

OReilly doesn't claim to be a conservative but rather an independent. Also, besides his d efense "of the folks", he is not a "community organizer" like Beck (e.g. Project 912)

It is refreshing though to see "small government" conservatives back on track... it's a shame that it takes a substantial electoral defeat to bring them back to "principled conservatism"....

Skeeter| 9.22.09 @ 1:15PM

Don’t you Just Love how Bush went from being touted by the wingdings as Reagan 3, to eventually end up being called (by the same Podunk’s no less) a “wobbly conservative”.

The only thing I see “wobbly” here ------- are the Principles and incredibly short memory of the so called “right”!

ben mansfield| 9.22.09 @ 11:30PM

ill take Bush 2 back over Carter 1 or Carter 2.0

its gonna be fun watching the left get set back 30 years with this bunch.....

Skeeter| 9.22.09 @ 1:18PM

“Obama and Bush are, in many aspects, astoundingly similar.”

YEAH!

Except for the fact that by this time in Bush’s first term he had already given the Taliban 43 Million Dollars (of your taxes) and Vacationed Thru the Biggest Attack in American Soil since WW2!

Yup, remarkably similar (in an alternate universe kinda way)!

What Planet you do Terrorist Enablers Live on?

nraged| 9.22.09 @ 1:38PM

Sen. John McCain devoted his entire life to military and public service instead of lining his pockets in the private sector just to have a blubbering media idiot like Glenn Beck crap all over him??????

I'm for one am sick of all the media elites like Glenn Beck who sit on their fat behinds and attack war heroes like Sen. John McCain, just to pocket millions by crying on cue like some circus clown1!!!!!!!

Si Vis Pacem| 9.22.09 @ 1:42PM

"Don’t you Just Love how Bush went from being touted by the wingdings as Reagan 3"

Bull. You lie, Skeeter. IF you had been paying attention in '99, you'd have known that we held our noses. Bush Lite's Texas gubernatorial record as a "compassionate conservative" was repulsive. If you can find us a link from AmSpec that touts the guy as a solid Reaganesque Conservative, do so.

Your whole set of rants are lies based either upon knowing malfeasance or gross ignorance. I don't give a damn which, really, but your lies are tiresome.

Dresslar| 9.22.09 @ 1:50PM

Now, I'm not a doctor, but I think a good case could be made that quite a few of you are clinically insane.

but I believe that he is an intelligent and principled man and right pretty much most of the time.

... Beck does his homework.

At least one voice of truth in a sea of insane lies and corruption.

Glenn Beck is the best thing to happen to politics in a long time ... he might be outrageous, but hes right 99% of the time ...

I have got to get out of here. Good luck to you all.

Johnson| 9.22.09 @ 7:11PM

Glenn Beck is NOT right 99% of the time and the real racist around is someone obsessed with talking about reparations.

ellie| 9.23.09 @ 2:47PM

Glenn Beck is the best thing to come along since that feisty little governor from Alaska..

shelly| 9.30.09 @ 6:27PM

Glenn Beck is the only commentator out there who tells it like it is. He was right on about Van Jones and is right on about Valerie Jarrett and the entire bunch of left wing radicals who are running and ruining our government. Bless Glenn.

Dean Carlson| 3.12.10 @ 6:30PM

Lord, please don’t leave us with these useless respondents issuing nonsense. I always assumed that these people had moral and ethical back bone. Sorry.....

Jack Mehoffer| 4.8.10 @ 8:31PM

Seriously. Beck? He's the national joke who is taking you suckers for a ride because he tells you exactly what you want to hear. I'm no fan of BHO, but I'd take a million of him over a crying weasel like Beck. He's McCarthy of the modern era, and no matter what revisionist history you've been fed, McCarthy was NOT a good man. Think for yourselves and take back the mantle of conservatism from the charlatans.

Otherwise, modern conservatism will be buried in the dried ash of its own self destruction.

F Glenn Beck.