Why Obama doesn't get Glenn Beck

The Washington Post's Post Partisan ^ | August 31, 2010 | Charles M. Lane

[2ndDivisionVet]

Not every American who marches behind a hateful crackpot is a hateful crackpot. The peaceful, thoughtful throng that assembled for Louis Farrakhan at the Million Man March in 1995 -- including a young Barack Obama -- proved that point. Notwithstanding some commentary, I tend to feel the same way about the much different (and rather smaller) assemblage that gathered at the behest of Glenn Beck in Washington last Saturday.

Certainly, if you’re president of the United States, the most prudent course is to draw a distinction between the leader and the anonymous masses and treat the latter with at least feigned respect -- even if, as in the case of Beck’s rally, most of them despise you, none of them voted for you and none of them ever would vote for you. Whatever you do, show that they, and their loathsome leader, can’t get your goat.

In that sense, I thought President Obama struck the wrong note in answer to a question about the rally from Brian Williams of NBC News.

The president started off okay, acknowledging that “Mr. Beck and the rest of those folks were exercising their rights under our Constitution exactly as they should.”

But then he fell back on an abstract analysis eerily reminiscent of his notorious “cling to guns or religion” riff from campaign 2008:

I -- I do think that it's important for us to recognize that right now, the country's going through a very difficult time, as a consequence of years of neglect in a whole range of areas. Our schools not working the way they need to, so we've slipped in terms of the number of college graduates, you know?

[RedMDer]

I've been hearing this since Saturday. HA HA

[luvbach1]

Re “I csn see November from my house” bumper stickers, you also run the distinct risk of having your car vandalized. The progressives have their backs to the wall.

[sodpoodle]

***Not every American who marches behind a hateful crackpot is a hateful crackpot.***

That is true - I know many decent people who believed the campaign propaganda of a certain candidate for POTUS - and marched behind his promises.

They feel betrayed, stupid...and they are getting very angry.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

Surprised Obama would be non-plussed about Beck....Beck has been one of Obama’s top supporters when it comes to his long-form birth certificate being released

[dawn53]

It’s not the lack of progress, as Obama defines it, which threatens them -- it’s progress

Wow, you learn something new everyday. Who knew that progress was a high unemployment rate, a government up to it's eyeballs in debt, and a foreclosure rate and housing price drop that is drastic! Glad I'm enlightened now as to what progress really is. /sarcasm

[Shelayne]

I tend to feel the same way about the much different (and rather smaller) assemblage

Scared much? LOL.

[Lucky9teen]

Do you even know what Godly means? Or maybe you are confusing my reference of Godly with Godlike? Two different meanings...by the way.

godly [ˈgɒdlɪ]
adj -lier, -liest
having a religious character; pious; devout a godly man godliness n

godlike [ˈgɒdˌlaɪk]
adj
resembling or befitting a god or God; divine

Beck is a Godly man. His actions are what God instructs us to do...to spread the word about Jesus Christ....to love thy neighbor....to bring others to God.

And I consider him to be a Hero with what he is doing and how he is using his platform to do it, whether he wants to be viewed that way or not. Instead of letting someone else do it, HE is doing it...and THAT makes him a hero. Ya know, a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.

Obama has never, and will never, be Godly. EVER!!! So no, it's NOT ok for him to be portrayed as such, because he himself, and his actions, do not follow the teachings of the Bible.

[dagogo redux]

I think you have to be an American to get Glenn Beck.

O ain’t one of us.

[brent13a]

Ok, like I said, I get what you're saying....I just think it walks a fine line that leftists could take out of context.

and let's save the 'hero' talk for post-november.....if we (true conservatives) take back the government in any form, Beck can be a hero then.

[humblegunner]

GODLY HERO!

I thought he was a Mormon?

[Hacklehead]

If you want to see what kinds of hate filled vermin read the WaPo, read the comments after the article. These people look at decent honest hardworking Americans and see nothing but evil bigots and fools. Truly sickening.

[colorcountry]

I thought he was a Mormon?

So he thinks he IS a god.

[seawolf101]

After seeing the Glenn Beck rally attacked by the MSM and in contrast the Kevorkian movie gets accolades from Hollywood and we have a pro abortion president that thinks of a baby as a mistake, I am very sorry to see where this country is headed. It is truly sad to think of all the people that have died for this country and in one generation it is being destroyed. I wonder if the MSM actually realize what they are doing.

[Lucky9teen]

Doesn’t matter what religion one practices...we ALL believe in the same God....and should follow the teachings of the Bible (as Beck seems to be doing).

We are ALL God’s children.

[Former Proud Canadian]

Hard to get past the first sentence. Their arguments might carry more weight if they didn't engage in ad hominem attacks right out of the box. Maybe they do so because they don't believe in their own arguments.

They cannot discuss things rationally and logically. They have to default to ad hominem attacks and emotional arguments. We are framing the debate. We are winning.

[Yosemitest]

He get it.











Obama "GOT IT".

[Hacklehead]

“I am very sorry to see where this country is headed. It is truly sad to think of all the people that have died for this country and in one generation it is being destroyed. I wonder if the MSM actually realize what they are doing.”

The destruction has been going on since the 60’s. These people have purposely undermined every tradition and value that made the country great. IMO it is impossible that they dont know what they are doing. No one in their right mind could implement the policies they have and think it would make things better.

[MamaDearest]

I do think that it's important for us to recognize that right now, the country's going through a very difficult time, as a consequence of years of neglect in a whole range of areas.

Fixing it: I do think that it's important for us to recognize that right now, the country's going through a very difficult time, as a consequence of the year and one-half of neglect government takeovers, WH bashing of the State of Arizona, stimulus funds we need for democrat candidate stash, whiney unemployed workers, healthcare businesses going out of business instead of waiting for Obamacare to do it for them, citizens who have no business trying to figure out who I am, where I was born or what religion I REALLY am, trying to silence my opposition, keeping the media informed of what I want them to say, making too much of my family's vacations, interrupting my golf games and a whole range of other areas.