And I point to the people who point to Glenn Beck pointing at the president asking “Why get a gun?’ and ask “Was Glenn Beck suggesting that members of his audience should shoot President Obama?” No, he wasn’t. The barking mad media mogul was saying [2:15] that Obama-enabled tough economic times could lead to a point where an American citizen would want to have a gun. Of course, most of the people who watch Glenn Beck already have a gun. And most of the people who didn’t have a gun—or what they considered to be enough guns—bought at least one more just before Mr. Oabama became president (the so-called “Obama surge”). Without Mr. Beck’s encouragement. So I think we’re done here. Unless, of course, you blog for mediamatters.org . . .

It’s astounding that it needs to be said, but answering the question, “Why would you get a gun?” by pointing to a picture of the president, is unacceptable.

That outrageous — and clearly scripted — stunt comes right on the heels of Fox’s use of seemingly scripted news teases and pre-produced, on-air graphics to accuse the Obama White House of hosting “hoods” in “the hizzouse” – that is to say, the White House.

OMG. Using black street terms to describe a black president inviting black performers into the White House! All of which means Fox and friends are racists who’d like to shoot the president. Or not.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

24 COMMENTS

  1. “That outrageous — and clearly scripted — stunt comes right on the heels of Fox’s use of seemingly scripted news teases and pre-produced, on-air graphics to accuse the Obama White House…”

    “How DARE you people use our tactics against us!?! WE control the narrative, you SIT DOWN, SHUT UP, AND TAKE IT!” they scream from their ever-shrinking little corner of the news media market.

  2. Full disclosure: I do freelance work for Glenn Beck.

    Having said that, I have (just a little) inside info on the 411 on Beck, FoxNews, and Media Matters. To start with, Media Matters is an organization who’s mission is to go after conservative news organizations and “expose their lies.” Don’t believe me? Here’s the description in their IRS filing where they applied for (and received) tax exempt status:

    Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.

    Media Matters is funded, in large part, by Leftist financial mogul George Soros (a.k.a. “Spooky Dude” on GB’s show). They have a well-documented tendency toward hyperbole, factual distortions bordering on fiction, and a permanent Jones for trying to destroy Glenn Beck.

    I also take issue with RF’s opinion on Glenn Beck. If he’s crazy, he’s crazy like a…um…FOX. Beck is fast becoming one of the richest guys in media, with an empire that spans TV, radio, the Internet, print, stage shows, and merchandising. Not too shabby for a self-admitted former alcoholic/addict who’s career as a top-40 radio jock was all but washed-up before he found God and cleaned up his act. I’ve not met him yet (but hope springs eternal), but what I do know of him through his employees is that he is a patriot, a lover of history, America, and a voracious reader. He sleeps about 4 hours per every 24, and drives his staff nuts with an almost pathological urge to innovate, through a myriad of entrepreneurial projects. In short, I’d find it pretty amazing if you could accomplish what he’s accomplished and be nuts for real.

    I also have to take issue with the undocumented claim that most people that watch Beck have a gun. Not sure what the numbers are on Beck’s viewers gun ownership. (I suspect they are higher than those who listen to All Things Considered but I have no hard evidence, but I can say that if they are not trying to prepare for things like hyperinflation, a currency meltdown, and a potential second Great Depression, then they aren’t listening to him and paying attention.

    If you want something to REALLY worry about aside from the economy, ObamaCare, energy prices, etc., etc., etc., (and the whole UN treaty thing isn’t enough to trip your trigger – no pun intended) Google something the UN/Soros are backing called “Agenda 21” and get back to me. Forget guns – these guys are going after private property ownership. And it’s not just right wing conspiracy nuts that are up in arms over this one.

    • Just skimmed through the Agenda 21 text and can’t find anything about taking private property. Care to point it out?

      Your other reference to a UN treaty regards the UN Arms Trade Treaty, I assume? The one that isn’t even written yet? The one that will only affect the international (i.e., between countries) arms trade? The one that has to be ratified by the Senate anyway?

    • Kozak

      I will give you credit you started off your post with disclosure and even your reply will be thoughtful and will not just call me names because I do not slavishly agree with every thing said.

      I personally have a couple of issues. Why is it that when a quote “Leftist financial mogul George Soros” funds some thing that is bad yet when the KOCH brothers, Newt and other fund organizations that is some how good? To me they are both equally bad. Yet you and others act as if they are doing to “level the playing field” and other excuses when the are just looking out for themselves mainly.

      As my post below states ALL media as a bias, be it Fox and Mister Murdock or Media Matters. The difference I see is the Media Matters is up front with the bias and you can factor that in to there reporting. To quote you they have ” well-documented tendency toward hyperbole, factual distortions bordering on fiction” you said this about Media Matters and yet you give a pass on the same thing to Fox. I have seen Fox slant news like the WTC Islamic Community Center reporting for one. Who was the main funder for this project? It was the second largest owner for Fox News stock and a Saudi Prince. Yet these fact where not reported Why? Because it went against the storyline that Fox and others where pushing. Yet this is distortions and hyperbole.

      Second issue “Second Great Depression?” Why is it that Beck, Fox and other act as if greed, corruption and the misguided policies of the Reagan (Cut taxes less Regulation, Voodoo economics), Bush 1 and Bush 2 had nothing to do with the near collapse of the economy? Yes I know the current storyline is it is all Liberal spending and union contracts that caused the collapse.

      The fact is that in the last 31 years there have been 3 GOP Presidents, severing 20 years total, and mixed congresses’ that cut taxes and gave large corporation what the wanted, less regulation, less , less and that whole time they keep say that lower taxes and less regulation are going to spur job growth. I have yet to see it!

      What I have seen is people, both you, me and the couple down the street have to make do with less real income, not because of taxes, but because while the economy was expanding for large companies and the wealthy the wage paid to the rest of us stayed flat. To put it another way, ever one else enjoyed increase incomes but not Middle America. We where told approve NAFTA and other trade pact and they will create jobs. All a saw was job crossing the border to Mexico and outsourcing to India and China. Companies became bigger and bigger and millionaire became billionaire yet Middle America was left to pick up the check.

      Just to let you know I took your test from your other post and I do believe in infinite wealth creation which is why I find it hard to believe that you and others have problems with cap and trade systems this is creating a market out of nothing, allowing companies to improve the processes and trade credits on the market. Oh wait, I forgot global warming is a lie. My bad.

      Thanks to You and RF for letting me post.

      FYI note: Decided today that my next gun will be a Ruger .357 :>)

        • Maybe you should go check the definition of a troll. From Wikipedia: “…a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community…”

          Just because someone disagrees with you does not mean that they are “trolling” you. Imagine this: the Daily Kos posts an anti-Beck piece. You pen a well-written, thoughtful defense of Beck and post it in the comments section. Are you trolling?

        • reaganmarine84

          I will say it again, I think for myself. I do not blindly regurgitate what other people say or believe. For my too post to this article I spent around 4 hours writing and setting it aside and redrafting, about 4 drafts total. I however research and read multiple sites daily (Drudge, Huffington Post, Christian Science Monitor and TTAG to name a few) and come to my own conclusion about things.

          From your screen name I can make the guess you joined the Marines in 1984 which means that we are in the same age group. So did you vote for Reagan? I stated supporting him and somewhere I have a post called “Confessions of a Reformed Reaganite” in this post I state that I believe peoples action show who they are. It was the action of Reagan that started me down the path of thinking for myself. I would see statements saying one thing and action being different. At that time I had a subscription to “Insight Magazine ” I then saw that their statements and action where presenting only one view and denigrating anyone that disagreed with them.

          How does this relate to my post and your reply? Reagan and both Bushes along with a long list of others got the economy where it is today, Reagan, most people forget that he was elected with a promise to balance the budget yet until Bush 2 his administration ran up the largest budget deficit in history. Bush 1 same tune different player. Bush 2, like, Governor Walker, came into office with a budget surplus and then their actions speak for them, We had two rounds of Bush tax cut with the promise that the wealthy and large companies would created job and put America to work. When in 2002 the then Treasury Secretary complained about budgets he was told this by VP Chaney “You know, Paul, Reagan proved deficits don’t matter,” he said, according to excerpts. Cheney continued: “We won the midterms (congressional elections). This is our due.” (http://www.ontheissues.org/2004/Dick_Cheney_Budget_+_Economy.htm)

          Once again, action over words. While my post strayed from Glenn Beck the point I was making is that Glenn, Kozak, Fox and other seem to blame the current problem in America on only one side and give the actions of Reagan, Bush 1 and 2 and major companies (Send jobs oversea, cooking the books) a free pass. This was the main point I was making yet you only replied and jump to the aid of Glenn Beck and say nothing about the rest of my post. Why? Your answer to my two post is “Troll 1 and then Troll 2”

          It is their action that I use to judge a person by. That said, what I see from our reply to my statement is that you do not think for yourself. You show this in you posts and the statements made there in. Since I do not blindly patriot the Tea Party/Fox News line I am “Liberal Troll #1 and Liberal Troll #2 (Meaning you just saw I did not blindly support there for I must be a troll and either ignored or did not care to noticing that the posts were from same person) you then go on to state that you watch and listen to him every day, which is you right. But what do YOU do on a daily basis to define YOU and not Glenn Beck?
          In one of your replies you state “the oath I took to this country and constitutions has NO EXPLORATION DATE”. Well, reaganmarine84, it also as no party left right or middle nor a TV channel or radio station. And by inference, since you screamed it in CAPITAL letters, you imply that anyone that disagrees with you is somehow un-American and un-patriotic. I for one will defend this country tell my dying breath even for people like you. Yet, nowhere in my post to I call Glenn or anyone un-American or unpatriotic yet you imply that I am such by your statements. In yet another post reply you say ” Ceasar,emporer,king,dictator Obama” and the soul of this country and then you, like other, ignore the harm done to this nation by Reagan, Bush 1 and 2 and major companies. Lastly You state that ” you can’t see or understand the severity of the attempted hostile takeover of our freedom’s by evil, Godless men and the need to be a little more serious in life than God help you”. Yet the greatest takeover/Threat to our Freedoms in recent time was the passage of the US Patriot Act and the unlawful acts of Bush 2 after 9/11. No where in my copy of the US Constitution does it say the President gets to decide who has rights and who does not. It does not have any thing about enemy combatants, which according to their own statements is a classification they get to make. Heard of the no fly list, seen who’s on it? No! Because it is classified and they can not release will not release that information. Yet you, me or any on any in the US can be placed in this list by an “Unnamed Agency” or person and literally have no means to fight or challenge this classification. (FYI, for a little background, I have been inside the fence at No Such Agency so I am not some lefty nut job) You say the Glenn is a modern day Paul Revere calling America’s defender’s against tyranny. I agree, good thing to do, but the point I am trying to get you and other is to realize is that tyranny can come from the both sides. Enough for now

          • Well #1 I stated that my oath has no ‘EXPIRATION’ date not ‘EXPLORATION’ date. #2 to prove that you have no real idea of who Glenn Beck is you don’t even know he totally abhors and loathes Bush 1. Especially for his speech at the U.N. in which he called for a New World Order. And continuously lambasts Bush 2 for how he wreaked havoc on this country with TARP and the Pariot Act. Your kidding me on the I don’t think for myself bullshit. I look at the facts presented,not the opinion,and decide for myself. Glenn Beck always lets you know what is fact and what is his opinion is based on those facts, to the point that after each show you can go on his website and the actually post the sources for the facts used on his show and you can check it out for yourself and draw your own conclusions. When I’ve done this, I’ve came to the same conclusions as he had. But of course you wouldn’t know that because you don’t watch his show. It comes down to one word, TRUST. I trust his insight and judgement and,not that anyone is counting,he has an over 90% success rate in his predictions and assessments. He tells people on every TV and radio show to “do your own homework” on these issues,don’t just take my word for it. And yes I do have a sometimes rabid affinity to my loyalty to Ronald Wilson Reagan. But he was not without his faults. Good grief he wasn’t a messiah. But he was and still is the best president of my lifetime and the last century. I must have missed the part when I implied or called anyone un-american and un-patriotic;that might be an issue to explore within yourself. #3 I don’t ignore at all what other presidents have done to this country I’m well aware of their deeds. But none of the men you mentioned come nowhere close to the damage B.O. has done to our freedom’s,culture,economy,families and constitution. And to compare him in any way to Reagan is insulting other than the fact that they are men and put their pants on one leg at a time. That’s where the similarities end. And on and on you go,if we don’t end this now its gonna go on and on and I don’t have that much time on my hands. So like you say. enough. moving on.

    • I’m with ya all the way!!!! I got your back and I’ll defend Glenn and his genuine love for God and America. Glenn would lose everything if it meant the preservation of our great country and I’m with him to the death. I don’t why people seem to think he’s like everyon else and only in it for the $$$$$. Yes he’s an entrepreneur but that’s not his primary motivation in life. He’s often said if all his wealth was gone tomorrow but he still maintained his honor,that’s more than any amount of money can buy. God has blessed him back many-fold for his faithful service. My oath I took to this country and the constitution has NO EXPIRATION DATE.

        • And your point is??? Is charging a speaking fee some kind of crime? alot of people in his position charge a speaking fee. I did say that he is a capitalist and entrepreneur. Of course like anyone else he wants to make money too. He just happens to have his own company with 100 employees he has to pay salaries and medical benefits for. That takes money. I’m just trying to say that he’s not in this “just for the money” and nothing else like,I don’t know,waking up people to help save our nation. He really believes in that. He said he takes private jets because he refuses to allow the TSA to violate his rights. And,wouldn’t you take a private jet IF you could afford it. Hell, I would. Again. not a crime. If I had the money to bypass TSA, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

  3. Of course I cannot get inside Beck’s head to know what is going on in there, but I would put my money on “crazy like a…um…FOX”. The change in his formerly mildly hyperbolic on-air personality when he moved from CNN to Fox just seemed too abrupt and contrived. The marketplace for conservative carnival barkers is saturated and my guess is he figured out he needed to dial it up to eleven to stand out among the rest. It has worked out very will for him.

    • dude. You have to look at the timing of his show launching on Fox. It was when??? Jan. 2009. what other big,transformation happened that same month in America,say around Jan. 20th or so?? I’ve been listening to Glenn for many years now. And yes, he even admits his on air ways have changed. He moved away from some of the “circus clown” aspect when Ceasar,emporer,king,dictator Obama came into office and things became much,much more serious for the soul of our country. I’ve listened to his radio show and watched his TV show daily and have seen and heard the gradual transformation in his message and delivery of said message. He’s still funny as can be on occasion but if you can’t see or understand the severity of the attempted hostile takeover of our freedom’s by evil,Godless men and the need to be a little more serious in life than God help you. That’s the change you refer to. I can assure you that Glenn Beck doesn’t have to “dial up” anything. He truely cares about this nation and its future existence on this planet from his heart and soul. That is why I call him my ‘brother’ and ‘fellow patriot’. He’s a modern day Paul Revere calling America’s defender’s to wake up and fight against this tyranny. You can stick your head in the sand and maybe it’ll all go away but I doubt it. He’s as real as it gets. NONE of this is for the futherance of his career. He has literally staked his life,his fortune and yes,his sacred honor on helping to preserve America. What have you done lately in that regard?

  4. One of the things that I like about this site is the fact that RF and other are up front with their bias’s and we can have a discussion about things in an adult manner

    I think for myself! Nor have ever watched Glenn Beck or listed to his radio show. Beck is nothing more then a modern day snake oil sales man that want to use fear to sell you marked up gold and other thing. You would be better off going to the local pawn store and melting it down yourself that way you can have on when you need and it will reflect market value not what Glenn and his sponsors can soak you for.
    I use to watch O’Rilley until he did a segment in watched he claimed “NO Bias” on Fox and that every other Media was Liberal. Every media type be it Print, TV, Radio or Street corner as a bias. Even Fox (Conservative and Bias) or the quote “Liberal” media which I think is more corporate media then anything else. Remember conflict sell newspapers and ad space. Get them to fear and make them come back. (Current Fox story line “It is all the Liberals and Unions fault and bad decision by Wallstreet, Big Business and yes the GOP has nothing to do the current economic problems and only they can “Grow American Job”. These are the same people that allow large corporation to write off the cost of moving jobs to India and China so they pay little to no real taxes (I do not care what the rate is on the book put what the actually pay) and stick me and you with the bill(increased tax burden, lower wages) and no jobs.

    I know some of you are going the say “Free Market, Free Market, less regulation”. Two problems, one there is no such thing in modern day America, AMA controls who can be doctors, American Bar controls who can be a lawyer, there is no accounting standard that why Enron and others could cook the books and get away with for a time, Trade organization control who, what and how some industry interact with you the consumer and remove your rights when you sign on the dotted line (Read some of your agreements you will fine that by using the product you agree to arbitration with no recourse from a vendor that they picked and pay for) and demand handout form government, large and small for the honor of doing business in thier city, town or state (Think Wal-Mart and others that ask for taxes breaks to move into an area, road construction increased service. Then they undercut and put out of business local owners, pay fewer taxes, lower wages and send all the profits to Wallstreet and other large investors and as I said above, you and me end up with the bill and no jobs. The closest we come to a free market in the U.S. is the Drug trade. Two, regulations and laws and taxes are not bad things, over regulation is. (think Bernie Maddoff, forms where filled with the SEC so he most not be cheating) unless you want to live in a world where any company or person can create Love Canal’s and injury you ,the tax payer and consumer, and not be held accountable for there actions. With the massive debt the US is facing I for one would the willing to pay an increase amount to retire the debt and the debt only. But this is not an option since the GOP, Tea party and others are hell-bent on lower taxes, already at the lowest level in sixty years and more government (Abortion law no matter how good the cause ARE government interference and oversight(IRS to ensure money not use ,intrude on doctor-patient relations, waiting time, REQIURED video and ultrasounds).

    Do not think it matters? Ask the town of Newton Iowa, the former HQ of Maytag, brought by a large company and ALL jobs move oversea because increased shareholder value of the company was more important then keeping jobs in the U.S. This is the same reason that I by American made Guns and try, if at all possible to shop locally. The Etsy website, from the 2nd Amendment cufflinks, is a good website because you can find local and small shop that make stuff mostly in the U.S. I try to use them when I am looking for thing and not shop at large chain stores. Money spent locally tend to stay local, money spent at Wal-Mart and other large chains leaves the area.

      • Reagan – Since when has this site become the Truth About Politics? Beck has always been in for the money. You mean we can’t read and participate in this site unless we agree with same things your believe in? Give me a break and open your mind.

        • When Mr. Farago entered it into the post with body of the main article and bringing Media Matters into the fray. I agree he’s a business man and capitalist. He wants to make money like the rest of us. But knowing him as I do, I do not believe that money is his only or primary reason for doing what he does. He once commmented that if he didn’t have a TV show,or radio show or whatever,he would getting the word out by printing press or meetings in the park by whatever means he could so long as he had air in his lungs. So it’s not all about just money. He spends literally millions on events like 8/28 ‘restoring honor last yr. and millions more for the upcoming ‘restoring courage’ in Israel later this year. You simply do not know who he is or what he’s about obviously.

    • “I think for myself! Nor have ever watched Glenn Beck or listed to his radio show. Beck is nothing more then a modern day snake oil sales man that want to use fear to sell you marked up gold and other thing.”

      Obviously, Todd AF Vet, you do NOT think for yourself, and are no different from most bigots.
      If you’ve never watched or listened to him, then your opinion has been handed to you by someone else. If you are going to slam a man, you need to do it with first-hand information. This has to be explained to you?!

      Also, Farago’s original comments are ill-considered and inflammatory — something I have not seen here before and hope to not see again. Nobody tunes in here for his views on Glen Beck. One can get cheap-shot twisted interpretations of his views at placed designed for that sort of thing, if needed.

      I am not a Beck-worshipper, but he has done much more good than harm in getting Americans off their apathetic asses, much more than Farago.

      • Gerald Brennan says “Obviously, Todd AF Vet, you do NOT think for yourself, and are no different from most bigots” Uh? I do not watch WWF nor read the National Inquirer either. Please explain to my how I am a bigot?

        The Wikipedia definition is as follows is “A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs”

        No where in my post to I display any of those yet that is what you call me. Like I stated to reaganmarine84 I think for myself and formulate my beliefs based on reading, research and watching a persons actions. I do not need to seat thought Glenn Beck’s show to know this. I have read post both by him and about him and formulated my opinion from that. (Does that have to be explained to you?) No where in my post am I intolerant, obstinate and have and will change my opinions if you can show me that they is a need to change.

        The point, which I used Kozak post as the jumping off point is that Glenn and other lay all the Blame and take NO responsibility for the current state of the economy. It was ALL Liberal spending and OBAMA stimulus, bail out etc etc etc… In the vain of stating the fact that the emperor has no cloths I am try to get you all to see that all the sides got us to this place by their actions not just one.

        Lastly in your post you say “Farago’s original comments are ill-considered and inflammatory” What ? The Post was by Kozak not Farago. If you are going to say thing like that point to the part or quote it and ensure that you are talking about the right person. RF is the Blog Host but not the only Blogger.

  5. What a great thread. Characters like Beck are as American as apple pie and difficult economic times really draws them out. It has always been that way. I find the weird cult-like devotion they sometimes inspire a little creepy though.

    • +1. You can find everything you need to know about Glenn Beck in Elia Kazan’s A Face in the Crowd.

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