Glenn Beck has made a big deal of his new resolution to "try out decency" — that is, to stop saying things like Obama is literally the antichrist who will open FEMA concentration camps due to his "deep-seated hatred of white people."
But when Beck appeared on the excellent On the Media podcast (MP3) to discuss this with host Bob Garfield, Beck was defensive, angry, and eventually just hung up on him, all because Garfield had the audacity to ask Beck to explain how he reconciled his commitment to "decency" with his words and deeds, both recent and in the past.
Yes, was my language inflammatory to say I hate them? I don't hate [the families of people killed in the 9/11 attacks]. I never hated them. This is probably what would change for me. I didn't realize the damage that I was doing. And I have to tell you, [LAUGHS] anybody who does five hours at their desk every day, does it all live, all unscripted, and was where I was at the time, believing what I believed, everyone will make mistakes. I'm not shying away from that. That audio – I said that. I would like to see people put it in context.
Now, let me ask you a question, Bob. What good is relitigating Glenn Beck? I told you from the beginning, should you listen to the uncompassion? No. I'm the worst possible guy, but I'm the only guy right now that is actually standing up against his own tribe, if you will, and saying, I'm not gonna worry about Hillary Clinton, I'm not gonna worry about the Democrats, I'm not gonna worry about the liberals. I'm just gonna say, I'm not going over the cliff with the rest of the people in my tribe. And what – [LAUGHS] I mean, you don't have – Bob, what, what, what good does it do now, destroying Glenn Beck? Bob, people have been doing that for a long time. You're a little late to the party.
What can we do to heal the nation, instead of dividing? If you don't believe me, that's fine. Why have me on the show?
[On the Media]
(Image: Glenn Beck, Gage Skidmore, CC-BY-SA)
