| Glenn Beck | |
 | |
| Born | February 10, 1964 |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Talk-radio and television host |
| Religious beliefs | Latter-Day Saint |
| Spouse(s) | Tania Beck |
| Website | |
in January 2006, the progressive media watchdog Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting criticized CNN president Ken Jautz's description of the newly-hired Beck as "cordial" by pointing out statements he made against figures like Michael Berg, Michael Moore, Hurricane Katrina rioters, and certain 9/11 victims. FAIR brought up a 2005 comment Beck made on his radio program where he noted he was "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."[28] Beck responded to FAIR by saying that these comments were taken out of context.[29]
- A self-described[30] progressive media watchdog group Media Matters for America, highlighted comments Beck made in an interview with Keith Ellison, the first practicing Muslim elected to the United States Congress. In the November 14, 2006 interview on CNN Headline News, Beck said to Ellison,
| “ | With that being said, you are a Democrat. You are saying, 'Let's cut and run.' And I have to tell you, I have been nervous about this interview with you, because what I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.' And I know you're not. I'm not accusing you of being an enemy, but that's the way I feel, and I think a lot of Americans will feel that way.[31] | ” |
Beck later said that his remarks were "poorly worded" and he "wish[ed]" he "could take back and rephrase."[32] He also stated in An Inconvenient Book that at numerous other points in the interview he stated quite clearly his belief that Ellison was not an enemy of the United States.
- On June 28, 2007, Beck read on his radio program a fake ad created by the "Insiders" — a group of subscribers to his web site — that recommended turning the bodies of Mexican illegal immigrants into fuel. Beck noted at the outset that "sometimes the Insiders go too far," and remarked "I don't think we need to make the illegal aliens into fuel....That would be evil conservative, yeah. I don't even know if that's conservative. That would be...psychotic, perhaps? Sociopathic, perhaps?" Despite Beck's comments distancing himself from the fake advertisement, Media Matters pointed out that "the ad was posted on the front page of Beck's website under the title 'Picture of the Day,' with a caption that described the 'ad' as a 'brilliant creation.'"[33]
