Beck? President? Jeeezzzz NO!

Wallace really missed the chance to delve deeper into BeckyBoy's revelations about his macular degeneration and impending loss of eyesight. After all, this puts right-wing rant-radio on the cusp of a remarkable, poetic and mystical situation where their three top-rated rant-jockeys (Limbaugh, Hannity and Beck) will be deaf, dumb and blind! Limbaugh is already deaf as a result of being a drug addict. Hannity has been dumb from birth.

I would really like to know if BeckyBoy -- who claims to be a spiritual and perceptive person -- is aware of the incredible cosmic significance of this development.

Thanks to the likes of Chris Wallace and his cohorts in the mass media (not just him) journalism has been reduced to a he said she said ,highest bidder joke.Beck couldn't afford to take the cut in pay to be president. Why do you think former half term governor Palin bailed. But please by all means let Beck run. I look forward to his chalkboard talks at the State of the Union address . Can you imagine the dialogue when he sits down with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ...one mentally unstable leader to another.

What a country

There is a new kind of vertical integration in the works. The plan is to have the courts, the White House, Congress, the media all under the same corporate control.

"When you've got hundreds of thousands of people showing up to see you, Glenn, that's something, that's worth something.

Uh huh. So Britney Spears should be president?

Didn't Chris Wallace used to be a respected journalist? Now he's just a fluffer.

I'm afraid Beck finds the limitations of the presidency too constricting. He's aiming for something with greater powers - where the pesky judiciary is brought into line and Congress just goes along.
For that, he will turn to the military, God willing.

Wallace knows Beck isn't qualified to be president. His point is simply to keep shoving the fulcrum of the national conversation ever deeper into Crazy Land. We've already passed the point where insanity has been mainstreamed. Now, it's just nihilism for its own sake. Beck is simply the instrument of divine madness.

Glenn Beck doesn't want to be President. He'll refuse that laurel crown three times, until the people demand he become President...

Isn't time for Mike Wallace to disown his son?

"There are far too many people who are far smarter than me to be president."

That didn't hold back Ronnie and W. Look where that got us!

I seem to remember a couple of grade B action movie stars who got elected governor of California, and didn't one of them get elected President too?

"If nominated, I will not accept; if drafted, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve. After all, the president only makes a paltry $400,000 a year. It's all about the Benjamins, baby!"

Beck/Palin 2012? We could never get that lucky.

I'm inclined to give Chris Wallace credit this time. When Beck told the Fox & Friends crew he thinks the U.S. president is a racist who hates white people, Fox News was content to put the idea out there, where it wouldn't be subjected to scrutiny. That's the usual strategy.

But today Wallace went against type by forcing Beck into revisit the "president as racist" claim. The ensuing discussion -- focusing on Obama's "liberation theology," which Beck says he earlier mistook for racism -- wasn't important. After all, the president doesn't get elected, or paid, to be a religious leader.

The subject, however, is there for rational discussion -- as contrasted with a wild allegation "out there" as an ongoing mindless smear.

I'm eager to read Sojourners founder Jim Wallis' take on this. He is most adept at exposing Beck for the charlatan he is.

Wallace was just putting out what his Fox pimps wanted to create some buzz about.

"When you've got hundreds of thousands of people showing up to see you, Glenn, that's something, that's worth something... that's people putting their trust in you."

Gee, that's not what John McCain's TV ads said about Barack Obama in 2008!

Yokel says: "When you've got hundreds of thousands of people showing up to see you, Glenn, that's something, that's worth something... that's people putting their trust in you."
Gee, that's not what John McCain's TV ads said about Barack Obama in 2008!

Priceless! The hundreds of thousands who showed up to support Obama or protest the US invasion of Iraq don't count because they're BrownForeignCommieAtheistVegans!

Lady Gaga outdraws Glenn Beck, and doesn't even have free commercials on Fox News.

I think she gets to be President before Beck does.

On this matter C&Ls David Neiwert says it well:

Glenn Beck's eyes certainly weren't dry. He started weeping while telling the crowd that somewhere out there was "the next George Washington".

Dunno about you, but when I saw pan shots of the crowd -- which was one of the whitest crowds in D.C. in recent memory -- I mostly thought I saw "the next Timothy McVeigh."

What a sad state this country has come to when people try to lead others by "God is telling me...." and political gossips that try to call themselves journalists, like Chris Wallace, entertain thoughts of Beck and/or Palin for president, then voters with no independant thought or common sense actually go along with it. The repubs, with some dems, are leading us into the rich corporate abyss and the rest of the dems are going along for the ride. Disgusting.

Fox should be shut down or listed as a telemarketing channel. The spokespeople on the home shopping networks are actually more talented than these hacks.

Chris Wallace has a cruel sense of humor.

Besides, Beck has peaked. His cuckoo fans now see him as just another televangelist. I three years he will be back where he belongs -- on zoo radio.

It certainly doesn't hurt book sales, ask Newt, to pretend to run for president, and keep the speculation going. Beck, like Gingrich, is more interested in money than the hard work of campaigning, not to mention governing. It's just so much easier being a hot-button bloviator than a public official trying to improve things.

Steve, you only see Beck as a "deranged media personality" because of your bias. I suspect you would never lable Olbermann or Schultz as deranged unless they switched sides.

Something both have done in their past in order to stay on the air.

I don't know if your deranged or not but I do know that your news coverage cannot be trusted due to your overwhelming bias and apparent ignorance of how the media game is played.

Do you actually know Beck well enough to state he is deranged or are just jealous that he makes more money than you?

Media personalities on both sides are in it for the money and are hoping the little people like Benen will write blogs about them.

All press is good press.

Actually, Beck is qualified to be a Republican president. So is Sarah Palin, Sharron Angle, and a stuffed monkey. Whoever is the Republican president has one mission: cut taxes and repeal regulations. The needs of ordinary Americans -- access to health insurance, ability to earn a decent wage, safe working conditions, educational opportunities for their children, food and drug safety -- are not the concerns of Republicans. The problem with both the Democrats and the media is that they treat the Republican party as if it has a serious agenda on these issues (just a different agenda from the Democrats). It doesn't. The Republicans don't care about these issues. For Republicans, it's sink or swim for everyone except trust fund babies and corporations, who make out like bandits every time the Republicans are in power.

There are no journalistic standards for Fox, because it isn't journalism. Just as the right-wing "think" tanks only create the trappings of academia so the "scholar" titles for their political hacks will be taken seriously, the only "standard" for Fox is putting forth enough of the appearance of journalism to fool people into accepting their partisan hacks as actual journalists.

There are no journalistic standards for Fox, because it isn't journalism. Just as the right-wing "think" tanks only create the trappings of academia so the "scholar" titles for their political hacks will be taken seriously, the only "standard" for Fox is putting forth enough of the appearance of journalism to fool people into accepting their partisan hacks as actual journalists.

Glenn Beck and his ilk are inciting hatred and division in this country. Today, at a Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of all places - a long-term "friend" as I imagined, picked at me about global warming, taxes etc. for awhile. I even explained I am not super liberal, from hating Kelo, pro gun rights, etc. But even then, he ended up saying Obama is out to ruin and socialize our country. Then he said Obama is a traitor, and when I objected he called me a traitor. I told him he was an asshole and to fuck off. I feel bad having said it there, but some people deserve that and I just had enough.

This prick is also a Rand fan, which is ironic since he is rather loyal to Republicans (who still levy taxes, meddle in other countries etc.) Also ironic, he's an atheist and fails to note the Beck/Palin crowd is so religious. REM how much Beck talked about returning to God etc. (One thing he hates, he sends me those rotten chain emails which I then rebut via Snopes etc.)

People like Beck and Limbaugh are sick and spreading their sickness. Their derogatory rants tickle the limbic systems and amygdalas of susceptible immature grudgers, who then look for opportunities to dish on someone they see as in the wrong tribe. Really, a disgusting phenomenon.

(manapp99, Beck is not consistently horrible but we have seen his rants live or on video, we know what he said and it's worse IMHO than Olbermann and Schultz. It often grates and whip people up in a nasty way. But you don't see them praised here either (?), nor are they as important as "movement influences." And sure he's cynical enough to be outrageous for money but watching him and his tears and re his former alcoholism - some commenters call him a "wet brain" from presumed residual effects - it's at least plausible that Beck is really a bit unhinged.)

BTW, did Chris Wallace's mom swallow a bunch of mercury while pregnant, or what?

You tell us how "nasty" beck is then end your post with this:

"BTW, did Chris Wallace's mom swallow a bunch of mercury while pregnant, or what?"

Imagine if you had a television show. Suppose someone might think you nasty?

For pete's sake. I'm certainly no Chris Wallace fan, but all that was going on with that question was an attempt to commit news by getting Beck to say he would consider running for president. Wallace wasn't urging Beck to run, he was urging Beck to say he'd run. Significant difference. (Even getting him to say he wouldn't run would be newsworthy in some circles.)

"When the lines are blurred, if not eliminated altogether, between activism, journalism, celebrity, and commercialism, standards cease to exist."

Steve, dude, seriously....I hope your looking in the mirror when you write this line.

I know you think your on the "right side" so you can freely use any tactic you want to get out your "truth" but when you grow up you will realize there are many points of view out there and just because you can't see all the angles it does not mean that they are not there.

Manapp, I would say things differently if I had a TV show, but this isn't. You know, that's snark for Internet threads and mild by comparison. And Beck whips up contempt to an audience of millions for the entire swath of Americans he doesn't agree with, with that "progressive hunter" stuff, Obama is racist, liberals are traitors etc. He seems not as bad as Coulter but just a matter of degree. And there's a difference between picking on and dividing over the whole nation and just snarky dig at one person you think is a wank.

Blurred lines: Faux is worse by any objective standard, it's not just what side they like better. And Steve is one of the most polite commenters overall, and gives credit to Repubs and conservatives when he approves. What the hell do you expect, some worthless Broderite schmuck?

You seem so haughty and superior, so I suppose you humbly don't think you're on the right side etc. and appreciate all those many points of view? If so you have my admiration. Do you?
BTW I am not so super liberal, I don't even believe birthright citizenship is best (not necessarily worth changing COTUS for), would indeed like to see "audit the Fed" as a teaparty sign said in occasional agreement with me.

Finally, re other: yeah, Gaga for President! No worse I'm sure than many angling for the job ...

Swift Loris: "...all that was going on with that question..."

You can't be that stupid, Swift Loris. Where is there a "question" in the "When you've got hundreds of thousands..." quotation from Wallace?

BUCKINGHAM:
Ah, ha, my lord, this prince is not an Edward!
He is not lolling on a lewd day-bed,
But on his knees at meditation;
Not dallying with a brace of courtezans,
But meditating with two deep divines;
Not sleeping, to engross his idle body,
But praying, to enrich his watchful soul:
Happy were England, would this gracious prince
Take on himself the sovereignty thereof:
But, sure, I fear, we shall ne'er win him to it.

Steve Paradis, @20:09

Very lofty :) After having read Frank Rich's column in today's New York Times (about the Koch brothers' financial ownership of the right wing), I've been plagued by another:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHVuUfTYVmo

especially the bit about the string; you can, almost, see a teabag dangling at the end of it :)

I'm just waiting for someone to ask a white guy how he can take back the Civil Rights Movement, which was all about racial equality for Blacks.

And how faith - which one - has anything to do with application of the Equal Protection Clause or Voting Rights Act.

It just Beck word salad. it sounds impressive but means absolute gibberish.

Beck has to disavow his racism. If there is still racism, he does not have a clear path to "reclaim" the Civil Rights Movement, since it was about racism.

Listen to Dr. Laura and Beck, especially St Sarah the Martyr. They say there is no racism by whites so that they can claim victim hood for whites and use the Equal Protection Clause to reimpose segregation and racial exclusion.

Beck doesnt educate me with whats wrong with politics today or offer and real solutions. He is a product [along with many others] with whats wrong in society, politics and the media of today.

Controversy creation. It doesnt create solutions it exacerbates and obfuscates stokes fear and illogical emotional reaction.

Is Beck deranged? Would it matter if i agreed or not?

In beautiful but bizarro people world a deranged act can make one famous and wealthy for many like to hear their dislikes unmasked so they feel not alone.

Thinking is easy when the piper plays and emotions move your legs.

Mr. Beck, your campaign has the momentum of a runaway freight train. How do you explain your popularity?

Suckass.

Our Christian nation enslaved Africans, slaughtered Native Americans, incarcerated Japanese, turned back boatloads of Jewish refugees, used nuclear weapons to kill 10s of thousands of Japanese civilians, invaded countries on false pretenses, tortured prisoners.

For this we are grateful, Lord. Amen.

Chris Wallace was a respected journalist? When was that?