Two things about this post from Peter Wehner at Commentary. I couldn’t agree more that Beck doesn’t represent the “disposition” we want associated with conservatism. But far more interesting is this:
His interest in conspiracy theories is disquieting, as is his admiration for Ron Paul and his charges of American “imperialism.” (He is now talking about pulling troops out of Afghanistan, South Korea, Germany, and elsewhere.)
Could Glenn Beck represent the spearhead of a coming sea change on the right? Could Beck be the one to strip the grassroots right of its obsession with American exceptionalism? Wouldn’t there be some really grand irony in that?
Yet another attempt at marginalizing political opponents in the name of an idol called the “Conservative Movement”. (He likes Ron Paul? Call the cops!)
Stuff like this makes me want to become Glenn Beck’s #1 fan.Report
Hey, I like Glenn Beck! E.D. are you trying to hurt my feelings, which were adequately displayed the other day.Report
I’m just saying it would be ironic if Beck spearheaded an anti-war revival on the right.Report
The second he goes strong Ron Paul no-bones-about-it isolationist, the Republican establishment will start treating him the way that they treated Ron Paul.
Expect a picture with Ron Black to surface.Report
Word.Report
It’s high time to kick the neocons to the curb. Think how refreshing it would be to have real conservatives representing the party. It’s time to end our ambitions of empire and take care of things at home. Paul is not an isolationist. He believes in free trade and take’s Washington’s advice on entangling alliances.
More people should listen to him.Report
Juding from what others have noted about Glen Beck’s very different, less crazy tone on an earlier, non-Fox show prior to Obama’s election, I’m more inclined to suspect that he’s a pure opportunist and is just looking for controversial things to say. Controversy brings in viewers and attention; the Birther conspiracy theory has done well in that respect, as has his race-baiting, so now he’s looking to the Paulites for new conspiracy-theory material.
Regardless, it’s not as if conservatives with any influence actually mean anything they say about withdrawal from empire. It’s all a sham (aside from folks like Paul and TAC, who are both irrelevant to policy formation and display a disturbing level of racism and xenophobia). W. Bush was in favour of a “humble foreign policy” and reducing US troop deployments abroad before he got into office, too.Report
Anecdotal evidence this may be happening…my brother, an Iraq vet, wanted me to give him Glenn Beck’s book for Christmas. Last Christmas, I asked him if he wanted Glenn Beck’s new book (arriving just in time for the holiday season!), he said no. He was off Glenn Beck. Since then, he’s been on Ron Paul.
Yup, he used Glenn Beck as his gateway drug to Ron Paul.Report