Glenn Beck going where he belongs

Glenn Beck is going right where he belongs - to State TV - the Faux News Channel. His new undoubtedly unwatchable show premieres in January. In the meantime, I wonder how we'll all get along without him.

Above is an older clip from last week, one of Beck's last on CNN, when he was babbling about Marxism and wealth redistribution. (I'll have much more on that particular subject in a bit.) The upside is that at least there's a chance we won't have to hear this rube during all of the post-election "analysis" that the cables new networks will offer us.

Since I watch so little of Fox, I think it's entirely appropriate to say, "Good riddance" to one of the right's biggest moron political commentators. And that's saying something.

Buh bye, bow tie

I'm still catching up from with a few old items, so please forgive me, but I still think some things from the past week or so bear mentioning.

When I found out that MSNBC canceled Tucker Carlson's show, Tucker, last week, I had mixed emotions. (Okay, I know, he recently ditched the bow tie, as evidenced by the picture above.)

Carlson is a guy I so desperately want to like - he seems nice enough, he's a family man, and best of all, he doesn't kowtow to the rest of the Republican pundits like Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, Bill O'Lielly, etc. He's a guy who dared to oppose the War in Iraq (after initially supporting it), and he had plenty of unflattering things to say about then-candidate Bush in 1999 following some time with him on the campaign trail. He subsequently had a dust-up with Bush's communication director at the time, Karen Hughes.

So, there are plenty of things I like about Carlson. But then, he comes out and says something really stupid, right out of the Limbaugh play book. For instance, recently on the Bubba the Love Sponge Show on Sirius (he's a weekly guest), I heard him say this about Hillary Clinton:

"I'm convinced that if she were to become president, a million people would die."

Oh, you mean like our current occupant of the Oval Office, Tucker? I guess Carlson hasn't been paying attention since the war began five years ago; an estimated 600,000 to 1 million Iraqis have lost their lives, to say nothing about the estimated 4 million who have fled the country, as well as the nearly 4,000 Americans who have lost their lives and countless more who are permanently maimed physically and mentally.

Even more outrageous, what proof does Carlson have that that would happen? He doesn't, and it was just a flat-out stupid thing to say (And it wasn't the first time I'd heard him say it, either). So it appears that MSNBC's attempt to be the next Fox News has hit a roadblock. Good, because having one channel that endlessly spews propaganda in America is enough; we certainly don't need two of them.

Now, if only CNN would get the message. I'm sure not holding my breath. The network seems desperate to recapture the fame and ratings it achieved in the first Gulf War in the 1990s, even if that involves hiring conservative hosts hacks like Glenn Beck, who is an absolute disgrace. Take one week and listen to his show on CNN Headline News (I have), and if you're even close to being a fair- and open-minded person, you'll see how this guy has zero credibility. The scary part about it is that more than a handful of people watch this fool - after all, he's on the air.

To be clear, I don't advocate CNN kicking off Beck, or MSNBC kicking off Carlson, because I disagree with their political views. (Or any talking head I disagree with.) The bottom line is that I'm just not going to patronize the advertisers that support these shows. I'll have more on this in the coming weeks - I'm going to TiVo these shows and just watch the commercials. I'm sure I'll have plenty of companies to add to my Boycott List.

The lunacy & stupidity of Glenn Beck

I try my hardest to never hate anyone - it's the way I was brought up. But, with the poisoned political atmosphere these days, especially among the moronic political talking heads on TV, I find it harder and harder to not despise the intolerant rubes on the right.

There is no better, shining example of this than CNN's Glenn Beck, the hate monger who once called Hurricane Katrina survivors "scumbags," and who also once said he "hates" 9-11 families, is the embodiment of why I'm politically active, and why we can never give up the fight against xenophobic, anti-government zealots.

I'm constantly reading blogs on both sides of the political aisle to shape and even modify my opinions, and one of my favorite blogs is Tom Tomorrow's This Modern World. A few days ago, he had a short but sweet post about Beck. I can think of little to add, so here it is...

The World According to Glenn Beck

Obama will move us to One World Government in the blink of an eye, and environmentalists are Nazis.

Glenn Beck also spends a lot of time mocking people who — in his phrasing — say "help me, government, help me, I'm scared!" — (i.e., people who believe that government programs to help the needy are actually a good thing.)

That's when he’s not saying, in all seriousness, "Please build a fence along the Mexican border, government, I'm scared!"

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a one reason why I read the This Modern World blog every day, and why Tomorrow's comic strip is my favorite, ever.

Oh yea - and Beck is the #1 reason (but there are many others) why I've refused to watch CNN for years now. Talk about being a Fox News wanna-be. Glenn Beck? The network couldn't do any better than that? I guess CNN said to itself, "We can't catch up to Fox, so we'll try to beat Rupert Murdoch at his own game." Cool - now there are two major cable news networks that I won't watch. It makes choosing where I get my news on TV pretty easy.

Glenn Beck, CNN's pathetic and absurd attempt to pander to the mindless Fox News crowd, is little more than a silly hack - a Bill O'Lielly wanna-be. But, it's still worth pointing out the infinite number of times that lies flow from his puss. One of the latest and greatest examples - the discussion of religion regarding Mormon Mitt Romney's religion.

Beck, who is a Mormon himself, has dismissed Romney's religion as irrelevant. I can't believe I'm typing this, but, heaven help me, I agree with Beck on this one, mostly. Too bad that Becker head had plenty to say about Joe Lieberman's candidacy for vice president in 2000 (Lieberman is Jewish), or, most outrageously, asking Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison, a Muslim, to assure him that he doesn't work with our enemies.

Keep stoking those flames of intolerance, Glenn - it's a noble service you're performing.

Right-wing roundup: 8 minutes of laughs

This is a fantastic round-up of stupidity in the media, most of it from the political right. However, it certainly isn't exclusive to right-wing media - but conservative personalities are just the most noteworthy.

I got a kick out of Ann Coulter not knowing her facts about the Vietnam War, and Michelle Malkin suggesting that John Kerry shot himself to earn a purple heart. And then, there's always Bill O'Reilly. His theatrics and phony tirades always make for fantastic footage. I'd rant on Nancy Grace if she were anything other than completely irrelevant. I have no idea how this woman has a television show on any channel anywhere. She gives mediocre, semi-attractive people hope. Glenn Beck? Words defy me on this guy. It's CNN's pathetic attempt to siphon off viewers of Fox News. He's got as much talent as toe cheese. Michelle Malkin is on television for one reason and one reason only - she's an attractive hate monger presented by Fersatz News to all of the horny, white, conservative men in America for ratings. She's not even good at reading the hate mongering off of the teleprompter.

Anyway, it's all good stuff. Watch it, laugh and watch it again.

2 outta 3 ain't bad, Olbermann

Take a listen to Insanity and Glenn Beck - Olbermann rightly slams them both in a recent installment of his Worst Person in the World segment.

Sean Hannity is so 20th century. No matter what President Bush says or does, and what political gutters his administration crawls through, Hannity always has his Clinton Cue Cards ready. Not only does he never miss a chance to mention Clinton, but he also never misses an opportunity to utter outright lies, too. Before the left had Media Matters, Keith Olbermann and Al Franken, there were precious few who even bothered to check on the right on its lies and smears. But, it's a whole new ballgame now. I think there's a short circuit inside Hannity's head, which doesn't allow him to reason that someone just might go back and check on the lies coming out his mouth on an hourly basis.

As for Glenn Beck's comments, I'll let them stand without comment. What could I possibly add that would further illustrate the absurdity and stupidity of his comments?

Olbermann just misses the trifecta, though. What, did Rush Limpbaugh and Billy have the day off? I'm sure either one said something completely hateful and stupid on the day these other two did. C'mon Keith, get with it.

You big tease.

Glenn Beck melts down

I love this guy - this is total classic. Add Glenn Beck to the list of right-wingers who are melting down and withering in the face of Olbermann's slow, steady debunking of the right.

I think what annoys right wingers more than anything is that liberals finally have a voice who isn't afraid of their b.s., won't hesitate to point out the lies and inaccuracies of the right, and who won't back down and in fact looks for a good fight.

The constant back and forth angers some, and causes others to be apathetic, but I'm not in either camp. I'm glad to see liberals have some fight for once, and at least for right now, Olbermann's one of our spokesmen.