Glenn Beck, Fox and the Art of Character Assassination

As of Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Millions hang on Glenn Beck’s words of wisdom on Fox News. Rupert Murdoch gives him free rein while myriad sponsors don’t allow their advertisements to air when he spews his false and bizarre messages. In comparison, Bill O’Reilly seems almost “fair and balanced.”

Beck now hawks the “9/12 Project,” which spreads his repugnant John Birch Society views through the Internet. The “project” expounds nine rather obvious principles and 12 hard-to-argue-with values — a simplistic Boy Scouts oath approach to political discourse.

Christopher Hitchens calls Beck’s promotion of W. Cleon Skousen’s book “The Five Thousand Year Leap” (Beck wrote the foreword) “the canalizing of old racist toxic waste that a healthy society had flushed out of its system more than a generation ago.” Hitchens decries Beck’s “persistent fear mongering, and his repeated suggestion to those willing to believe of a socialist (or Nazi, or Jew-controlled — take your pick) dictatorship.”

Beck said of President Obama’s proposed Peace Corps expansion, “This is what Hitler did with the SS.” Beck absurdly teaches that “fascism and communism are the same” and admits, “Sometimes it’s hard to tell Hitler and Marx apart.” And that’s probably because to Beck’s devoted followers, both now reside at the White House.

My beef with Beck is not with his obvious promotional skills (he rakes in $35 million a year from various ventures), but with his disdain for truth and his distortion of history for profit.

His persistent character assassination of our 28th president, Woodrow Wilson, is reprehensible. Beck said recently, “I mean, I got to tell you, two years ago, I knew nothing of Woodrow Wilson.” Beck bases his flawed understanding of Wilson on conservative historian Ronald J. Pestritto’s writings.

Nobel laureate Wilson was an acknowledged intellectual, the first president with a Ph.D., a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a historian with a law degree. Beck calls Wilson a liberal/progressive, but he was actually a socially conservative Southerner, a Democrat who’d served as governor of New Jersey following his presidency of Princeton University. He was America’s leading constitutional law authority. The seriously under-educated Beck obviously finds such credentials daunting and prefers to brand them elitist and subversive.

New Jersey’s reform governor, Wilson was elected when Teddy Roosevelt, running on the Bull Moose ticket, and Republican William Howard Taft split the 1912 conservative vote. Beck, who loudly proclaims America a “Christian nation,” might be surprised to learn that Wilson (a devout Presbyterian pastor’s son) proudly proclaimed that “America was born a Christian nation.”

Beck wrongly blames Wilson for the 16th Amendment (income tax). Republican President Taft proposed it. And when the new taxes arrived in 1913, Wilson used them to replace tariff revenues, not for social programs as Beck suggests.

Wilson, who wrote, “The history of liberty is a history of limitation of government power, not the increase of it,” is repeatedly called a socialist by Beck. Wilson actually hated communism. Under his leadership, U.S. troops fought Russia’s nascent Bolshevik regime. At Versailles, his proposed League of Nations was accepted by most of the warring parties but rejected by a spiteful Republican-controlled U.S. Senate.

Having exhausted himself physically and mentally fighting for the League, he suffered a stroke and, like the doughboys he sent to France, became another of that horrific war’s victims.

Beck claims Adolf Hitler got his eugenics theories from Wilson, who like most Southerners of his era had reactionary racial views. Wilson supported Jim Crow, the then-governing principle of Southern Democrats, whose support he needed. Wilson, who appointed Louis Brandeis, a brilliant Jew, to the Supreme Court, hardly motivated Hitler’s hated racial ideology that was inspired by European anti-Semites.

Beck attacks Wilson’s reputation repeatedly and even peddles sophomoric “I Hate Woodrow Wilson” T-shirts. (Originally $26, now $10 on the Internet.) President Wilson’s memory deserves far more respect. Historians judge him one of our greatest presidents, a patriot who gave his all for America.

Wilson sagely wrote in “Constitutional Government in the United States,” perhaps in anticipation of a future Glenn Beck, that “The wisest thing to do with a fool is to encourage him to hire a hall and discourse to his fellow citizens. Nothing chills nonsense like exposure to the air.”

Paul R. Dunn is co-author of “Great Donald Ross Golf Courses You Can Play” and can be reached at: paulandbj@nc.rr.com.

More like this story

GoldenDreams 2 years, 5 months ago

I used to think Sean Hannity of Fox News is the biggest hater on TV. But I actually stopped watching Fox when Glenn Beck came along. It was too much negativism and hatred, all in the guise of "patriotism," of course. They hate Bill Clinton, they hate Hillary Clinton, they hate President Obama, they are sure he wasn't born in America so let's get him out, etc. etc. Yet they proclaim what marvelous Christians they are. The amazing thing about Beck is that he's changed his "faces" so many times, how can you trust him? First he was Catholic, then he was alcoholic, then he's reformed, now he's Mormon, now he's remarried in Connecticut but only sees his family on weekends, he's a comic, he's a critic, he's an organizer of marches, he's a ......well you get the picture. How does this guy actually have a following?

dustyrhoades 2 years, 5 months ago

"How does this guy actually have a following?"

He gets rich off the politics of resentment. Beck says to people: "Someone's doing better than you are, and it's unfair. You're a victim. The worst part is, they think they can get away with it becuase they think you're dumb. But you're not dumb, you're smart because you listen to me. We're the only ones who know abut the secret, pervasive conspiracy that's keeping you down, and it's been going on for YEARS."

Sarah Palin does the same thing, only without the crying and the chalkboard.

The truly ridiculous thing is, a lot of these allegedly put-upon, downtrodden "victims" are well-off, but Beck's convinced them they're the most oppressed minority EVER. They can't really tell you what freedoms have been taken away from them, but they're convinced they've lost SOMETHING.

Bradford835 2 years, 5 months ago

“The white men were roused by a mere instinct of self-preservation… until at last there sprung into existence a Great Ku Klux Klan a veritable empire of the South, to protect the Southern country.”- Woodrow Wilson

What a peach of a guy and an obvious hero of Mr. Dunn.

Bradford835 2 years, 5 months ago

Wilson remains a controversial historical figure—with both his supporters and detractors. He is viewed a scholar and a man of peace. He is also regarded as a white supremacist. There is an abundance of historical documentation to support all aspects of his professional and personal life. Wilson’s accomplishments over his two terms as president should be praised, but his shortcomings as a person, shouldn’t be ignored. The only way to learn from history is to examine it all. Not just the pleasant parts.

moonchild7 2 years, 5 months ago

Glenn Beck is trying to sell "FOOD INSURANCE" to his followers! Food Storage, Bomb Shelters, Freeze-dried food packs, Apocalyptic Literature, etc. I thought all of this went out with the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty. The American Public has just got to be some of the most brain dead people on this earth. Glenn Beck lives in New Canaan, CT, one of the most highly segregated parts of the US. It's population is 73% white and 15% black. The median income is $116,000 with homes selling for an AVERAGE of $1.3 million! Glenn lives not far from the thiefs of Wall Street in Greenwich, CT. He was a lackluster radio DJ known as a "ZOOKEEPER"! Now he's a tv bozo talking fear, and bilking many out of their small incomes. Sad, sad, sad.

fugitiveguy 2 years, 5 months ago

Wow, Beck sounds like a dreadful person. What specific lies has this dastardly man been caught telling? Do you feel the same loathing for Keith Olberman?

nothingspecial 2 years, 5 months ago

I agree, I can't understand the popularity of Glenn Beck, Shaun Hannity or Ann Coulter - very irritating. Crane Durham is the best conservative commentator in my humble opinion.

moonchild7 2 years, 5 months ago

While Pinehurst might self segregate, it is still possible for minorities to live there. Moore and surrounding counties have very diverse populations...unlike western Connecticut. I should know, I was raised there and still visit quite often to see relatives. Glenn Beck tries to "appeal" to some of the lowest and uneducated elements of our society thru speeches filled with "FEAR and LOATHING". He 's gotten quite rich from his rants. Now, don't get me wrong, being rich is okay and wanting the best for ones family is okay, but white affluency has proven to be(Wall Street Meltdown)highly destructive to our country and society. Just recently a small New England town not far from Mr. Beck has had an upsetting "development". The GOODWILL INDUSTRIES wants to build a new large store in this certain town but the towns-people are fighting it because of the "BAD ELEMENT" it will attract. BAD ELEMENT, i.e. MINORITIES, maybe even the POOR! Oh my. My point is that people over at Fox like Mr. Beck and others who use the righ wing approach of being there for the "Common Man" is a lie and they use it in hateful manners.

fugitiveguy 2 years, 5 months ago

"but white affluency has proven to be(Wall Street Meltdown)highly destructive to our country and society"

The left will not be happy until everyone poor, then at long last they can say everyone is equal...equally miserable.

moonchild7 2 years, 5 months ago

No not pathetic, just super realistic. An awful lot of people are still walking around with very dark blinders on. Wanting to be poor is NOT a way of life for anyone to set as a personal goal to reach; but selfish materialistic dreams can quickly turn into nightmares. That's why our country is in such a financial and moral mess.

fugitiveguy 2 years, 5 months ago

"An awful lot of people are still walking around with very dark blinders on."

Yes, but enough about you

Bflat 2 years, 5 months ago

RE: moon _ 12/18 @ 3.44pm

How dare people store up food in case distribution is upset during a shortage. :))

Bradford835 2 years, 5 months ago

Moonchild7, I've looked high and low on the internet to verify what you say. Why not throw us a link or two to back up your story. I hope it will be contextual too.

Bradford835 2 years, 5 months ago

Moonchild7, Your thought process is far more dangerous than Becks from what I can see. You have presented no facts about the man. Only hearsay and opinion. I truly doubt you have ever watched the show.

Bradford835 2 years, 5 months ago

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moonchild7 2 years, 5 months ago

Bradford835, what kind of "Context" do you want? Do you want to know the CT town that the anti-Goodwill people live in? The P&Z Board last week went ahead and approved the permit to let the Goodwill build a new large store in the town. Gee, all of those snobby rich people who protested will have to drive buy that terrible place everytime they go to the grocery store. They seem to forget that all of the groceries stores minority clerks can't afford to live there and are bused in from Bridgeport! What do you need to know about shameless, arrogant snobs? This area of CT is Ground Zero of Wall Streets financial meltdown. They just can't get enough money or material things. The end of the world senarios have been around ever since I was a kid in the 50's. They are just more sickening now and continue to promote too much fear. I have watched Glenn a few times(can only take him in small doses). I did watch all of his August Rally in DC and he prays on the type of people who do not question the right kinds of things. Here's an opinion about the "Poisonous Celebrity Culture" from Stanley Crouch in todays(Dec 20, 2010)NY Daily News: "Americans must be more discerning about the low-down ways of the financial world and the speed with which celebrities will sell out to pornography and self-exploitation. But now our time is so decadent that vulgarity-whether it comes from Wall Street or Hollywood is wrongly thought a sufficent rejoinder to the holidays and the New Year, we can remain confident that as the cookie crumbles, stale bits in the form of lies and excuses will shower down from the right and the left."