I was originally going to post this to Hot Topics, but decided to place it here as well. Everybody (and when I say “everyone” I mean bloggers) is talking about Glenn Beck’s crazy, scary, “break down and cry,” Thunderdome-style televangelism hour on FOX.
It’s popular, but is it popular because people agree with Beck or popular because people are dazzled by the very high level of crazy? (Or Both?)
Conservative writer/politico and ex-Bushie David Frum asks “What the Hell is going on at FOX News?” (New Majority)
(More after the jump)
Beck insists “It’s not about politics.” His special made a point of featuring images of Republican House leader John Boehner during his castigation of politicians “left and right” and both “the last administration and this administration.”
So what is it about then? What are Beck’s growing number of viewers responding to? On air, Beck promotes sinister conspiracy theories. Here he is on Fox & Friends, warning that the Obama administration is planning a totalitarian takeover:
We are a country that is headed towards socialism, totalitarianism, beyond your wildest dreams. I have to tell you: I’m doing a story tonight that I wanted to debunk – these FEMA camps – I’m tired of hearing about them – you know about them? – I wanted to debunk them. We’ve now for several days done research on them. I can’t debunk them! If you trust our government, it’s fine. If you have any kind of fear that we might be heading towards a totalitarian state: look out. Buckle up. There’s something going on in our country … that ain’t good.
And here he is suggesting that serial killers erupt because they are pushed to the wall by “political correctness.”
Gawker notes Shep Smith mocking Glenn here: Shepard Smith Asks: What’s Glenn Building In There?
And Jon Stewart gets in his digs here: The Daily Show’s IndigNation!
All I can say is, wow. Just wow. That’s nutters.
I get being concerned about the bailouts and the economic crisis and being critical of the administration, but “totalitarian regime?” Really? And must we continue to insult actual socialists by calling anything a Democrat does “socialism?” I’m sure there are some South American/Eastern European socialism proponents who could properly educate Beck and his crew of panickers what socialism actually is.
And as for this looming dictatorship, just HOW would this happen? Is this like those nutty DailyKos bloggers who were convinced Bush n’ Co. would pull some magic, last minute shenanigans to stop the 2008 elections so Bushie could be president-4-life? Because that’s how INSANE he sounds. This country has survived a civil war, two world wars, several internal movements and revolutions and remained intact. I think it can handle this thing called the “Obama Administration.” Shit’s bad, but shit’s not that bad. You’d think we just started creating corrupt politicians and shady corporate megalomaniacs yesterday.
Wake me up when Beck starts building “Beckstown” in the Nevada desert to prepare His People for the looming Obamapacalypse and AG Eric Holder has to “pull a Janet Reno.”
Lordy Lord, Beck. LORDY LORD, INDEED.
Sidenote: I’m starting to think people are wrong when they say FOX News is the propaganda wing of the Republican Party. This shizz doesn’t help the conservative movement AT ALL (unless you want moderates and conservative Democrats to run screaming from you). But it does help ratings, which helps keep ad revenue high and the pockets fatty fat. I can see why David Frum and the rest of the Chattering Conservative Class are still going through their Great Big Freak-Out of the late 2000s. Doomsday soothsayers do not help you take back the Congress in 2010. Fortunately, Beck and his ilk do not purport to belong to Frum’s party.
Not that it will stop the opposition from plastering Beck’s big, sobbing mug all over EVERYTHING.
Live Your Best Life. 
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