In a new article in Mother Jones, writers David Corn and Stephanie Mencimer caught Mitt Romney singing the praises of Glenn Beck at a May 2009 fundraiser for a dubious, unaccredited college that seemed more intent on promoting extremist views than academic excellence. The entire article is quite eye-opening about how the recently-moderate Romney pandered to the far right. But most relevant to us as News Hounds are Romney’s comments about Beck. (h/t News Hound emeritus Aunty Em)
Corn and Mencimer wrote:
In a video message—obtained by Mother Jones—that was recorded for the event, ...(Romney) introduced Beck as a “man who is really making an impact in our entire country today.” Romney noted that Beck’s “approach is refreshing” and that he “tries to focus his message on action…on learning the principles of freedom and liberty, on standing up and making your voice heard, on reading and applying the wisdom of our nation’s founders to the challenges of today.” Beck, he asserted, was “a statesman in his own right.”
Video of Romney’s statements is below.
The article also notes:
At the time of the fundraiser, Beck had established himself as a champion of the far right who peddled extreme and conspiratorial views. In the weeks prior to this event, he had declared that President Barack Obama was “clearly” a socialist who had “surrounded himself with Marxists his whole life,” and Beck had told listeners of his radio show that Obama will “surely take away your gun or take away you ability to shoot a gun.” Yet Beck was a towering figure on the right and a favorite of the emerging tea party movement. It was not odd that Romney, anticipating another presidential run, would seek to win his favor and proclaim him a “statesman.”
Here are a few other examples of what Romney apparently found “refreshing” and “statesmanlike:"
April 15, 2009, Beck praised Texas secessionists: “They just think Texas does America best,” Beck said.
On February 20, 2009, Beck put forth a series of bizarre doomsday scenarios that suggested civil war was a likelihood if not a certainty.
April, 2009, Beck pretended to pour gasoline on an American and asked, “President Obama, why don’t you just set us on fire?”
Media Matters has a long list of other examples of Beck’s crazy behavior that eventually proved too much even for Fox News.
And I can write a novel about the hateful, fearmongering, paranoid call to arms Beck’s been sporting lately on the radio. But I say just go to Media Matters, they have his greatest hits, and crooks & Liars has a few they missed.
And every watchdog site has practically their own section about GBTV.
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Willard, does that mean you’re planning on having Becky in your Cabinet?
If so — if there wasn’t a reason to make sure you never get within 100 miles of the White House before, there is now . . .
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