News Hounds

After Calling Obama A Racist, Murdoch Denies Having Called Obama A Racist

Media Matters confronted Rupert Murdoch about his comments on Australian television saying that Glenn Beck was "right" to call President Obama a racist. Despite incontrovertible proof to the contrary, Murdoch now denies that he said it. Video after the jump.

Anti-Defamation League Says Glenn Beck ContributingTo Climate of Extremism

The ADL, whose mission is to "to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all," has issued a special report which discusses how Glenn Beck, who is described as "fearmonger in chief," is an example of how "the mainstream media has also played a role in promoting anti-government anger and pandering to people who believe that the Obama administration is illegitimate or even fascistic." He is cited as "the most important mainstream media figure who has repeatedly helped to stoke the fires of anti-government anger." They add that "Beck and his guests have made a habit of demonizing President Obama and promoting conspiracy theories about his administration." This is followed by several example of Beck's comparison of the Obama administration to Nazi Germany. Sadly, given the nature of Beck's demographics, I don't think his fans really care what the ADL thinks which is ironic given their belief that Obama is Hitler!

Is Glenn Beck Trivializing Rape In Comparing Government Run Health Care To Rapist Polanski?

Remember when the right wing got so upset about a comment made by Democratic Senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, who referenced Nazis in the context of a comment about Guantanamo. They were very angry about the inappropriateness of using a Nazi metaphor in connection with American politics. Flash forward to 2009 and the right wing routinely compares Obama and health care reform to Hitler. Despite the ADL’s Abraham Foxman’s statement that this type of rhetoric is "outrageous, deeply offensive and inappropriate,” Glenn Beck, a voice for America’s radical right, persists in the Obama/health care reform as Nazi metaphor. Last night, on Beck’s “One True Thing” segment, he outdid himself in the "outrageous, deeply offensive and inappropriate” category when he compared government run health care to what Roman Polanski did to a 13 year old girl. In the use of a disgusting act of violence to describe a health care system, he insults our duly elected representatives who are working on health care reform, those who support it, and all who have been sexually assaulted. The question to Beck is “have you no shame, sir?”

H/T: TPM

Hide The Women And Cue The Black Helicopters - Bill O’Reilly And Glenn Beck Are Coming To Your Town

Scarier than Godzilla and killer bees – Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck are taking their weak act on the road and they could be coming to a venue near you. This magical, mystery tour, billed as “Bold&Fresh” is, according to the website, “an event that makes professional wrestling seem like a night at the opera.” (Oh please tell me that they’re not wearing tights). It starts in January when they’re “coming out” (simmer down) “from behind their desks and going on tour.” BTW, did ya know that “in Bill's world, brutal honesty beats hypocrisy every time.” (“Family values” and unwanted phone sex – no problem!). And who knew that Glenn Beck, college dropout, is “steeped in the teaching of our forefathers.” (Who are surely rolling in their graves as we speak). Anyway, the tour starts not in Levittown; but in Westbury Long Island which is where Bill actually grew up and then heads south to Florida, South Carolina, and Virginia. So act now for primo tickets and a chance to have your loofahs and AK 47’s autographed by the stars. “Bold and Fresh” – I think we can come up with more creative titles. Talk to me.

Connecting The Dots... Glenn Beck's Penchant For Extremists And White Supremacists As Guests

Glenn Beck often attacks the Obama administration with McCarthyesque, guilt-by-association accusations. As it happens, Beck has a bit of 'splaining to do about some of his own radical associations. Sam Stein at the Huffington Post connected the dots and found a rather long string of extremist, white supremacist guests repeatedly hosted by Beck on his shows. (H/T Lula)