CNN hires "controversial," homeless-hating scumbag Glen Beck

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

CNN reportedly hires radio host Glenn Beck

http://mediamatters.org/items/200601170001

Summary: CNN's Headline News has reportedly hired radio host Glenn Beck in spite of his history of making controversial comments.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on January 17 that CNN's Headline News has hired Glenn Beck -- a nationally syndicated radio host known for making controversial statements -- "for a new prime time program." Media Matters for America has compiled some of Beck's more notable comments:

- On families of the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks: "his is horrible to say, and I wonder if I'm alone in this -- you know, it took me about a year to start hating the 9-11 victims' families? Took me about a year."

- On Hurricane Katrina survivors who remained in New Orleans: "And that's all we're hearing about, are the people in New Orleans. Those are the only ones that we're seeing on television are the scumbags -- and again, it's not all the people in New Orleans. Most of the people in New Orleans got out! It's just a small percentage of those who were left in New Orleans, or who decided to stay in New Orleans, and they're getting all the attention."

- On the father of Nick Berg, American civilian executed in Iraq: "The want to be a better person today than I was yesterday says he's a dad, he's grieving, but I don't buy that. I'm sorry, I don't buy it. I think he is grieving, but I think he's a scumbag as well. I don't like this guy at all."

Take Action!

Contact information:

Glenn Beck

CNN Headline News
Website: http://www.cnn.com/HLN/

Contact: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form1.html?33">Website form

When contacting the media, please be polite and professional. Express your specific concerns regarding that particular news report or commentary, and be sure to indicate exactly what you would like the media outlet to do differently in the future.

[otohara]

1. Oh This is Disgusting

Glen Beck is shit!

[InsultComicDog]

10. Yes, he is

...I'm ashamed to say I'm actually a relative of his

[0007]

15. Take him down to the creek and cut his tongue out.

[PegDAC]

46. Seriously,

You have my most profound sympathy. I'm a distant cousin of Repuke Congresscritter John Hostettler of Indiana.

:-( :puke: :thumbsdown: :hug:

[Tinksrival]

75. Is Glen Beck a dog?

[FVZA_Colonel]

85. How close exactly?

[no_more_rhyming]

16. More "fair and balanced" going after Faux

[ComerPerro]

69. Yeah. they are probably wanting their own fanatic conservative

so they can compete with Faux News

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

57. he was the driving force behinf clear channel's pro-war rallies

the so-called 'rally for america' events

they had one in my town and beck's audience beat up a bunch of teenage antiwar demonstrators and chased them down the street

[Bluzmann57]

61. I would dearly love him to come to an anti war rally here

I would love to show him that not all Liberals are anti violence if needed. In other words, I wanna kick his ass.

[mytwocents]

86. Don't just follow the crowd

While I don't agree with a lot of stuff that Beck says, taking
those quotes out of context with all the "hoorahs"
coming from you all just makes you look like sheep...

FOR EXAMPLE:
The quote about the Katrina survivors being
"scumbags" was made AT A FUNDRAISER to get people to
DONATE MONEY TO THEM.  He was trying to get people to donate
money despite only seeing the "scumbags" who were
looting and shooting at helicopters, hospitals, and people. 
(You know, people who harm others don't really create goodwill
and charity in others.)

Seriously, stop just being vicious. (Two wrongs don't make a
right.)  These kind of nasty, partisan half-truths and
name-calling aren't going to create dialogue, just create more
hate and kneejerk reactions.

[FreedomAngel82]

2. Isn't he the one

who made some outrageous comments about black babies and crime?

[tcfrogs]

That was Bill Bennett

but I wouldn't put it past Beck to say the same.

[Yollam]

18. I don't know, but he said that Katrina evacuees should give BJ's...

...on the street, rather than "sucking off the government".

F-cking filth.

[Clark2008]

52. No - that was yet another Republican asshole: Neil Boortz.

eom

[Yollam]

58. Sorry, I get my 3rd rate, irrelevant Limbaugh wannabes confused.

They are peas in a pod though aren't they?

[Straight Shooter]

What a slap in the face to America.

Glen Beck is a Limbaugh wannabe, but without the grace, tact and diplomacy of Limbaugh.

:sarcasm:

[AngryOldDem]

21. Man, if that doesn't say it all...

...I don't know what does.

It used to be the media served a needed role and had a dignified place in society. No more.

[PegDAC]

47. Sounds more like

a Michael Savage wannabe.

[Libby2]

3. No freaking way

Just when I thought they couldn't sink any lower.

[Bluebear]

4. If they put this piece of crap on the air, I am blocking CNN and HLN.

Period.

[Cooley Hurd]

5. Another reich-wing, ninny fat fuck who spews lies for $$$

Talentless hack. :puke:

Hey Glenn - wanna new job? Join the Army, go to Iraq, ya chickenhawk!:grr:

[BushOut06]

6. Maybe Glen Beck is a genius?

I've heard him a few times while scanning back & forth. Most of the stuff he says is so over the top, it's facetious. I don't know if he even believes half the shit he says, but he knows what the right-wingers want to hear, so he gives it to them in bucketfulls.

[bonito]

42. LOL, Where did you get that pic.

[BushOut06]

66. Google, my friend

Lots of googling until I found one that really said it all!

[ComerPerro]

68. You wouldn't have to be a genius to sell over-the-top right-wing BS

Just the opportunity to get on the airwaves and enough luck to spread like Wildfire.

[BushOut06]

70. Now that I think about it, you're dead on

All you need is a good radio voice, warped sense of humor, and the gopher talking points and rebuttals:

1. Clinton also did it!
2. Anyone who questions Bush is against the troops and is traitor.

[ComerPerro]

71. Actually, my favorite talk-radio technique is

the "hang-up smack-down".

Or, at least, that's the best name I could think of for it.

The Hang-up Smack-Down is a beautiful form of rebuttal that, when done well, can see like a work of a true genius.

The right-wing host gets a caller who doesn't worship them like a pathetic sycophant, and actually brings up points that the host can't refute. The host loudly shouts the person down and proceedes to lecture them for several minutes on something usually riddled with standard talking points and lies but never actually addressing the caller's issue. During the shouting-down process, the caller is muted or simply hung up on. That way, the host has uninterrupted time where he can rant and rave, and when he is done there is just silence.

This is all done to make it appear as though the host just shut the caller up with his great debating skills, when actually all he did was hang up on the caller and then rant for five minutes.

But to the loyal listener, that host is now a God.

[marmar]

7. Why is CNN trying to become Fox lite?

:puke:

[ThoughtCriminal]

8. What? Ann Coulter wasn't available?

So Beck got a show? Sometimes I think this works in our favor - a few months of humiliating ratings and embarrassing flubs for the right and he gets canned.

[quiet.american]

9. Hey, CNN -- wha' happened? Remember what you said in June?

June 6, 2005
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-06-06-cnn-hemmer_x.htm#

CNN announced a slate of programming and anchor changes Monday intended to refocus the No. 2 cable news network on hard news and analysis, and away from opinion and talk.

"There are many tactical things we could do to try to beat Fox, but we're trying to be ourselves: Roll up our sleeves and report the news, don't talk about it," Klein says.

Tyndall says that in veering toward news and away from opinion, CNN deserves credit for positioning itself as a network where news can be reported and analyzed, not just argued.

"Everyone talks in talking points these days," he said. "It's not just on cable news. It's radio. It's everywhere. The entire political world is no longer talking ideas, but talking points."

[Generator]

30. Isn't Klein Jewish?

How again, stupid do you have to be? Self hating? Why is it okay to hire and in effect legitmize those like Beck, Savage, Coulter, even bowtie man-(whom I will never forget mocking the "senile, old ~implied-Jewish ladies in Florida who couldn't figure out those 2000 election ballots-what a hoot that was!") who scapegoat a whole class of people. Even if it's just Dems. Then it's all liberals. Then it's poor Blacks. Then it's...wake up and smell the coffee. Scapegoating hatred of any group is not acceptable. Small steps...is how it happens.

[quiet.american]

43. Hadn't thought of that perspective. Interesting observation. n/t

[Bluebear]

11. .

.

[wookie294]

12. JUST CANCELLED MY CABLE SUBSCRIPTION

I've watched cable news since 1982. I could never do without my cable news television! Well, it's a new era. Goodbye cable news and cable television. Glenn Beck was the final straw for me. LATER....

[BushOut06]

13. Isn't that a little extreme?

That's like saying I'm not going to listen to radio anymore because of wingnuts like Hannity, Limbaugh, Savage, and Coulter. You can always just not watch these networks. I rarely watch any of the news channels to begin with, it's much easier (and faster) just getting my news from online.

[wookie294]

20. As I said, Glenn Beck was the final straw

I have found myself watching less and less cable news in the last 5 years. I once enjoyed it, but most of the stories they do today are things like the "runaway bride," the "missing cruise boat groom" and the latest pedophile in Florida. Yawn. Now, another big YAWNER has been hired (Glenn Beck). Some cable stuff is good, but it's not worth the $93 I pay to Charter Cable every month. Some stuff on HBO is great, too, but it's not THAT great. No cable company is worth more than $31 per month with the premium packages, imho. Cable has also become more right wing and Glenn Beck was the final straw. Goodbye cable! Hello internet!

[stepnw1f]

22. Extreme... Feeding One's Head with TV is Extreme

I say congrats to anyone who can remove themselves from it.

[Roland99]

26. YAY!!!! I've been cable-free since Nov. 2003 and I LOVE IT!

[orion9941]

14. While I am boggled as to why...

...Headline News is hiring this joke of journalist, I have a pretty good feeling that his show won't last that long and will pulled shortly after its premiere.

[tkmorris]

17. Another gem from this asshole

"Hang on, let me just tell you what I'm thinking. I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it. No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out -- is this wrong? I stopped wearing my What Would Jesus -- band -- Do, and I've lost all sense of right and wrong now. I used to be able to say, "Yeah, I'd kill Michael Moore," and then I'd see the little band: What Would Jesus Do? And then I'd realize, "Oh, you wouldn't kill Michael Moore. Or at least you wouldn't choke him to death." And you know, well, I'm not sure."

--Glenn Beck, from the May 17 broadcast of The Glenn Beck Program

[janetle]

23. This is horrible!

Geez! I hope CNN's ratings go completely down the tubes. And they get rid of Aaron Brown. I stopped watching CNN when that happened.

[Sgent]

19. The sad thing is

listen to him today -- and listen to radio shows from his first year. He's completely different.

Back then he was a conservative -- but independent. He would go equally after both parties, and often did. Now he's just a hypocrite no better than anyone else.

[jessicazi]

24. That link to contact CNN didn't work well for me.

So I went here, http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form4a.html?2

[Roland99]

25. "SHUT THAT PIEHOLE!! SHUT THAT PIEHOLE!!!"

I'll never forget him SCREAMING at a caller one day to "SHUT YOUR PIEHOLE!!!" when the caller was saying something with which Glenn did not agree.

Complete and total ass.

CNN is now wholeheartedly the:

Conservative
Notnews
Network

[amb123]

34. RE: "SHUT THAT PIEHOLE!! SHUT THAT PIEHOLE!!!"

It's now CNNNN

Conservative
Nattering
Nabobs of
Negativeism
Network

[burythehatchet]

38. I like the acronym

not just change Network to Nutwork

[savemefromdumbya]

27. who owns CNN?

[wookie294]

35. Time-Warner n/t

[johnfunk]

41. Time Warner, run by GOPer Dick Parsons

It's a crying shame, the Conservative News Network

[dunn]

78. Seems like most of the networks are hiring conservative CEO's

I guess the problem is with the Board of Director's who I think decide who the CEO should be.

[KamaAina]

28. This is the guy who boasted on-air about committing vote fraud

about how easy it was to get absentee ballots in the various cities he'd worked in over the years. He was based in Philly at the time, I believe, and also got one from Tampa and possibly others.

Vote fraud, threats on someone's life: IOKIYAR (It's OK If You're A Republican)!

[DemGa]

29. I've enjoyed not having cable

Now I'm even more glad.

[AValdoux]

31. They can hire who they want

But it seems a little late to pander to a political movement that is on its way out. The rule of the angry white christian men is at a crisis point. The wheels are falling of the current GOP & CNN decides to program to their followers. They are run by the marketplace not journalistic standards. Let the chips fall.


AValdoux

[thinkingwoman]

36. they're always a day late

and many dollars short. The pendulum is on the swing and it's swinging AWAY from the radical religious fanatical right wing nonsense.

That movement has peaked.

I'm with you. Let's watch those chips fall.

[amb123]

32. THAT DID IT! I'm blocking CNN and CNN Headline News on my Cable Box!

C'mon Ted Truner! Buy CNN back and restore truth to the news!

:mad: :nuke: :mad:

[KyuzoGator]

33. Always remember: CNN is a liberal network.

Yeah.

Controversy = ratings. It stopped being about news about 20 years ago.

[President Kerry]

37. he'll marginalize the network.. They'll pay for it in falling ratings.

Plus it's a matter of time before he embarrasses the network saying something insane, and get fired. Much like Limbaugh did with ESPN - In a very apolitical show talking about the NFL he still managed to come through as an A-grade asshole.

It also makes it clear that we need a TV-version of Air America. AA's success has shown there's a rich market for progressive ideas. Take that O'Reilly!

Now is the time to go on TV. If MSM was even a tiny bit fair (Fairness Doctrine?), the repugs would be an eternal minority.

[SmokingJacket]

39. Damn, I used to go to CNN.com just to see what made it to the front page

Then I'd come back here to see what they missed. But forget that: they're not getting my three hits a day anymore.

[neuvocat]

40. Why, why do you still watch CNN?

That network discredited itself long ago. It serves you no use.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

48. I don't watch it...I just saw this story on the Web.

My "cable news" viewing has pretty much whittled down to Olbermann. That's it.

[PegDAC]

50. The only person I ever watch on a news-related program

on cable is Keith Olbermann, and sometimes Anderson Cooper.

[applegrove]

44. If it means that Begala & others on the left .. can now SPEAK ENGLISH

so be it.

[NI4NI]

45. I E-mailed CNN Headline News

and let them know that the "Clicking sound" they hear was my remote turning their station off for hiring Beck.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

51. I e-mailed them before I posted this...

...and basically said "good luck holding onto your sponsors after the viewer "response" starts coming in."

This is stunt casting on the part of CNN...before today, how often has "CNN Headline News" been mentioned on DU? They're exercising the old "no publicity is bad publicity" rule.

[creeksneakers2]

49. Beck was the force behind the Terry Schiavo hoax

getting national attention. Beck told dozens of lies about the case. Beck knew they were lies too, because he admitted on his show that in a former talk show spot five years earlier he argued the case from Michael Schiavo's side.

Anyway, Beck made Terry Schiavo the leading topic on his talk show for months. When the story built, Beck had the nerve to take up a collection for an offer to Michael Schiavo. Beck promised $6 million to Michael if Michael would sign over custody of Terry. Sick! Michael didn't take the money, and that shows more than anything who had genuine concern about Terry and who was a scumbag out to make a buck off the tragedy.

Beck should have been sued for every dollar he ever made for what he did to Michael Schiavo.

[LittleClarkie]

53. Here's the article on CNN

Often amusing?

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/17/glenn.beck/index.html

[The Time is Now]

54. Let 'em know

I just sent this to CNN:

I do not watch Fox News. Never. I promise if you hire Glenn Beck I will not watch CNN. Ever.

Positively never.

I added the last bit because they wanted to know if my comment was positive or negative.

I'm positive.

[LittleClarkie]

55. This is what I sent:

And thanks for your quotes, they were helpful.

"I've just seen the article on CNN.com that announced your hiring of Glenn Beck to host a show on Headline News.

Frankly, I thought CNN was better than that. The man is the political equivalent of a shock jock. Far from having an "often humorous take on the news," his commentary seems to thrive on hate speech and near racism.

Or do you agree that perhaps it would be a good idea if Mr. Beck murdered Michael Moore?:

"Hang on, let me just tell you what I'm thinking. I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it. No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out -- is this wrong? I stopped wearing my What Would Jesus -- band -- Do, and I've lost all sense of right and wrong now. I used to be able to say, "Yeah, I'd kill Michael Moore," and then I'd see the little band: What Would Jesus Do? And then I'd realize, "Oh, you wouldn't kill Michael Moore. Or at least you wouldn't choke him to death." And you know, well, I'm not sure."

Is that your idea of humor?

Or this?:
"This is horrible to say, and I wonder if I'm alone in this -- you know, it took me about a year to start hating the 9-11 victims' families? Took me about a year."

Or this, about Katrina victims:
"And that's all we're hearing about, are the people in New Orleans. Those are the only ones that we're seeing on television are the scumbags -- and again, it's not all the people in New Orleans. Most of the people in New Orleans got out! It's just a small percentage of those who were left in New Orleans, or who decided to stay in New Orleans, and they're getting all the attention."

I understand that ratings are important, but surely your integrity as a network is important as well.

You're better than this."

[redstateblues]

56. I e-mailed my protest to CNN-Like Limpballs/ESPN, We need to keep the heat

on those bastards. They will wilt.

[Doctor_J]

59. SO, will THIS make DUers stop watching CNN?

Probably not :eyes:

[BILL53]

60. Don't you just love corporate media?

Don't you just love corporate media? I was watching CNN's Wolf Blitzer's Situation Room. Wolf Blitzer says the democrats accuse Bush of breaking the law. I disagree with Wolf Blitzer because there's a lot of moderate republicans that agree that Bush broke the law. But corporate media does everything they can to protect Bush. Even AOL and TimeWarner, who own's CNN as well as others, and we can't forget FOX or MSNBC. As you well know, Bush admitted to this crime, domestic spying without a warrant. But your neocon conservatives and your religious right will go to bat for Bush no matter how wrong he is because Bush is giving these people what they want. Corporate media will go to bat for Bush. Corporations will go to bat for Bush. Rich people will go to bat for Bush. And some ignorant middle-class working people who stay misinformed, will go to bat for Bush, because they don't know any better. And the same with the poor. I don't know what it is going to take for common people with common sense to wake up. For instance, like your republican and democratic corrupt congress. I'm not just bashing republicans or Bush but I am very dissatisfied the way our government is going. They preach morals but yet they are corrupt. I'd like to see us all re-evaluate the Bush administration as well as congress as Americans for the people and by the people and not as Americans divided, democrat or republican, but by the United States Constitution. You need to write your media and tell them you want fair and balanced news. You can find their addresses on the internet. You need to write the president and let him know exactly how disappointed you are with his corruption. Write your United States congress and senate and tell them you want America back and you will not stand for them being bought out by corporations or media and that you are sick and tired of their corruption. Until the American people speak up, your government will continue to do as they please. So, remember, if they don't hear from you, they know that there's not a problem with what they do. Think about it.

[w8liftinglady]

62. judging by the response today,I'd say at least 100 of us emailed cnn

[Chipper Chat]

63. The local fundie churches of Fort Wayne

slobber over Glenn Beck everytime he visits. He is a disgusting excuse for a human being, a mega-bully, and unfortunately will be around a long time to iritate the left and poison the minds of centrists.
On the bright side - maybe CNN'll slot him head to head with Hannity.

[Generic Other]

64. This creep also helped organize the freeper invasion of Camp Casey

Why would CNN hire such a shill?

[KingFlorez]

65. Worthless little piece of crud

CNN should be ashamed

[KharmaTrain]

67. Yawn...No One Will Watch...Anyone Seen The Dolans Lately?

CNN's desperate for cheap, easy weekend programming and think somehow that people who have a face for radio will somehow draw people to the tube on the weekends.

Making a stink about this loser create publicity and buzz about a show that would barely be watched and draw more flies than ratings.

The nice thing about the limited media we have is I not only have 500 other channel choices while this bastard wastes electrons but the internets, music, newspapers, magazines, books and so on. Ignore him...he'll go away.

[semillama]

72. I added my comments

and noted I will switch to MSNBC from CNN if they persist in giving him a show.

Rather than just threatening not to watch them, I added the thought that I would switch to a competitor. That hopefully has more weight to it.

[dunn]

73. Website Form link is not working

I tried it twice.

[Beelzebud]

74. If they put this scum on the air, I'll never watch CNN again.

This is also the same moron that said if he wasn't wearing a "what would jesus do" bracelet, to remind him how to be a moral human being, he'd murder Michael Moore..

[kiteinthewind]

76. Emailed CNN

and told them I am DONE with them. First, that Nancy Grace freak, and now Glenn Beck. I suggest we all send out to our lists this info, and encourage people to contact CNN and let them know we are sick of their crap. Does anyone know how to get a list of CNN sponsors? I think we should let them know we object, and we aren't watching!
:mad:

[Joey Liberal]

79. What 's the correct CNN e-mail addy?

[kiteinthewind]

82. I went to

http://www.cnn.com/HLN and clicked on General Comments!! :)

[Joey Liberal]

83. Thanks!

[Joey Liberal]

77. It's time to boycott CNN n.t

[FairWinds]

80. More Info on Beck

Beck is even lower than you imagine. The day before the election in 2004 while driving to work I heard him on WSPD radio in Toledo, Ohio (Clear Channel, of course) be one of the first to repeat that day's main GOP talking point - that the (deliberately mistranslated) audio tape from Bin Laden was a direct threat to states that went for Kerry, and that therefore, "The Democratic ticket might as well be Kerry and Osama".

If you contact CNN, I think this information should be included.

Back is a crass propagandist who will say absolutely anything to debase rational political discourse and turn Americans against each other - whenever it serves the interests of his far right pay masters. In general, Clear Channel radio is even worse than FOX TV.

I've never posted on DU before, but I just could not pass up the opportunity to contribute a bit to this thread.

[Hyernel]

81. Glad I don't have CNN

[greiner3]

84. rush lite! n/t

[last_texas_dem]

87. I hope everyone will contact CNN

It was *very* hard not using any profanity or going into any major rants while filling out the form on the website but I managed. I hope everyone on DU will contact CNN about this guy. It's absolutely ridiculous they even considered this asshole for a position at the network, let alone actually hired him to host his own show. It seems hard to believe and yet, seeing what media whores CNN has become, not too hard anymore.