Editore"s Note
Tilting at Windmills

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June 24, 2009

GLENN BECK, ACORN, AND DOLLS.... Now, I can appreciate the notion that some news stories are hard to explain with just text or words. Graphics, charts, video, etc. can help a news consumer understand an item with more depth.

But when Glenn Beck starts playing with dolls on national television to go after ACORN, explaining a "story" that really isn't especially complicated, it's a helpful reminder of the caliber of "reporting" we're getting from Fox News.

As Nicholas Graham noted, "Beck used the dolls to illustrate that the federal government's probe of ACORN was too narrow, and that by focusing on one of their houses in New Orleans, they were letting the 'villains' just drive away and set up shop elsewhere."

Well, that's probably what Beck was trying to get across. With him, it's hard to say for sure what he's talking about.

I should also note that Beck "reported" that ACORN is in the process of changing its name. In our reality, that's not true, either.

As for the dolls, Graham added, "[P]erhaps a visual aid was necessary to distract from the fact that Beck's not making much sense." If so, it didn't work.

Steve Benen 11:20 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (33)

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Comments

Beck is batshit insane.

Posted by: jcg on June 24, 2009 at 11:22 AM | PERMALINK

Were they real dolls, or more like Olbermann's tongue depresser theater?

Posted by: Danp on June 24, 2009 at 11:24 AM | PERMALINK

we need art linkletter back on the air -- sweet jesus! america was just great back in those days... right , glenn?

Posted by: neill on June 24, 2009 at 11:24 AM | PERMALINK

Did he have his squeaky toys too ?

Posted by: stormskies on June 24, 2009 at 11:24 AM | PERMALINK

Alas, there's a market for what Beck is selling, and he's raking it in. I fear for the Republic.

Posted by: Slideguy on June 24, 2009 at 11:30 AM | PERMALINK

ACORN is changing their name to Blackwater, and Obama is going to use them raid peoples' houses and kill their families!! And make them put spicy mustard on their hamburgers!!

Posted by: Glenn Beck on June 24, 2009 at 11:33 AM | PERMALINK

Geez Glenn, ACORN is SO 2008.
Any truth to the rumor that these were anatomically correct dolls?

Posted by: ckelly on June 24, 2009 at 11:35 AM | PERMALINK

A few days ago, I caught a Glenn Beck show while visiting my mother; he was using a knife and a raw salmon to chop and slime his way through a symbolic point to (finally) show us that a salmon has a backbone, while politicians have no backbones. He ended with fish bits flung everywhere, a slimy, goo-covered knife, a fish spine held up in the air.....very weird. Reminded me of the gas can and the match issue. I guess FOX is OK with vaudeville politics. I guess my mom is, too.

Posted by: deb on June 24, 2009 at 11:39 AM | PERMALINK

OMFG!

These wackos are beyond parodies of themselves.


Posted by: SteveT on June 24, 2009 at 11:40 AM | PERMALINK

The Glenn Beck Show is basically a living example of Poe's Law.

Posted by: dk on June 24, 2009 at 11:45 AM | PERMALINK

That Beck is the way he is makes a strong case for not going against medical advice. That he has an audience makes a strong case for breaking up these United States.

Posted by: Dennis-SGMM on June 24, 2009 at 11:52 AM | PERMALINK

The Onion might as well shut down. Irony is truly dead.

Posted by: Liam J on June 24, 2009 at 11:52 AM | PERMALINK

Glenn's use of perverted kindergarten theatrics gives a nice insight into his attitude about his audience.

Posted by: wonkie on June 24, 2009 at 11:53 AM | PERMALINK

When will we see him cutting out papers dolls, like the stereotypical crazy people in the old politically incorrect cartoons?

How like Fox to let him include a bit of gratuitous gay-baiting by using a female Barbie to represent a man. And -- the FBI? What in God's name does he think "Acorn" is? Last time I checked, it was a community advocacy group for low-income people, not a Mafia!

Posted by: T-Rex on June 24, 2009 at 11:57 AM | PERMALINK

I really have to start watching his show. He is so...odd.

Posted by: Phil on June 24, 2009 at 12:03 PM | PERMALINK

Fucking fruitcake. This is the quality of Faux...goobering.

Beck is proud of his insanity.

Posted by: bjobotts on June 24, 2009 at 12:13 PM | PERMALINK

Hand puppets would have been WAY better. Simple yet effective. :)

Posted by: John Henry on June 24, 2009 at 12:18 PM | PERMALINK

I wonder what he is like in person, among friends. Since I've caught only bits of his show, it's hard to guess whether he is bringin teh crazy on purpose.

He doesn't have that domestic-terrorist/boy-scout thing going on like Hannity. He's more doughy soft. He cries because he just loves his country. So much.

And maybe his audience doesn't consist ONLY of people watching from basement-bunker redoubts. Maybe there are some on the right who watch him, like us lefties would, because he makes us chuckle. Like a clown.

Posted by: flubber on June 24, 2009 at 12:18 PM | PERMALINK

you all are overthinking this as to what Beck was trying to say and whether it was effective, truthful, whether ACORN is relevant etc.

Occam's Razor, folks. Beck just wanted an excuse to play with dolls.

Posted by: zeitgeist on June 24, 2009 at 12:20 PM | PERMALINK

Today's episode of Glenn Beck was brought to you by the letter "B" and the letter "S." And by the number "666."

Posted by: chrenson on June 24, 2009 at 12:27 PM | PERMALINK

Beck just wings it. I never get the sense that he does any preparation whatsoever.

He'd be dismantled in an open forum.

He's pretty popular in the low-IQ, no-sense-making wingnut blogosphere though.

Posted by: Mike on June 24, 2009 at 12:29 PM | PERMALINK

"[P]erhaps a visual aid was necessary to distract from the fact that Beck's not making much sense."

Or perhaps Glenn Beck simply likes to play with dolls. NTTAWWT.

Posted by: Stetson Kennedy on June 24, 2009 at 12:29 PM | PERMALINK

Dolls? Is he trying to emphasize the fact that his shtick is too stupid for the kids' playground?

Posted by: Alison S on June 24, 2009 at 12:30 PM | PERMALINK

You would think Ailes and Murdoch would be ashamed airing this crap.

Posted by: par4 on June 24, 2009 at 12:32 PM | PERMALINK

It's only a matter of time before this wignut exposes himself on TV to make a point and then uses the "Twinkee" defense to explain why Progressives fondle themselves in private.

Posted by: stevio on June 24, 2009 at 12:36 PM | PERMALINK

The lunatics are running the asylum over at Fox (with apologies to all lunatics)

Posted by: beep52 on June 24, 2009 at 12:46 PM | PERMALINK

Beck is so stupid and petty and vindictive. He's the wussy kid from elementary school who couldn't control his temper on the playground and was always shouting in a squeaky voice, "I'm gonna tell! I'm gonna tell on you!" And, okay, he got beat up a lot. Because he deserved it.

Argh. I don't watch Fox. My remote doesn't go to Fox. But I keep tripping over that jackass because people actually quote him.

Ignore him. He's a waste of time.

Posted by: cmac on June 24, 2009 at 2:05 PM | PERMALINK

You would think Ailes and Murdoch would be ashamed airing this crap.

Umm, no. Rupert has never, ever been ashamed of making money. That's what Beck does for him. the show costs (almost literally) nothing to produce, gets a pretty substantial (if stupid) audience, and therefore brings in lots of $$.

As someone upthread said: Occam's razor.

Posted by: efgoldman on June 24, 2009 at 2:24 PM | PERMALINK

And you wonder why some people just stop going to church!!!!

Posted by: annjell on June 24, 2009 at 2:27 PM | PERMALINK

I liked the off-camera chuckle coming from behind the set. The FOX TV crews must realize the wanna-be Comedy Central atmosphere these clowns try for. But like any imitation.....

Posted by: oh my on June 24, 2009 at 4:23 PM | PERMALINK

My understanding is he wanted to use his poo for the "illustration", but Roger Ailes came out and zapped him with a wet sponge connected to a car battery and Beck settled down and used the dolls.

Posted by: DonkeyKong on June 24, 2009 at 5:25 PM | PERMALINK

As someone upthread said: Occam's razor.

You mean Occum's drool bib

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Posted by: Gigi on July 17, 2009 at 3:46 AM | PERMALINK




 

 

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