Glenn Beck

Not sure how I feel about Glenn Beck. He's fidgety. He's melodramatic. I find it hard to watch him at times. I prefer satire, but he's sarcasm. He makes me laugh sometimes, but not always. I prefer Limbaugh's humor.

Beck boarders on being a populist and a demagogue. I have a really hard time watching the sort of self righteousness that people like O'Reilly and Beck sometimes display. But then, Beck also get self righteous for good reasons, like his big scores against Van Jones and ACORN.

Beck can be cringe inducing--like when he says he only married his wife because she wouldn't sleep with him otherwise.

Beck also runs his mouth. Calling Obama racist was, I think, pretty dumb. This is maybe my biggest beef with Beck. People in positions like his should pick their words carefully. (Same complaint about Ann Coulter and her 9/11 widows remarks). I even knew what he meant, and agree in general, but his words give the opposition too much ammunition.

On the plus side, we pretty much agree on most things. Also, Beck's a principled libertarian, where as O'Reilly is a a populist without consistent guiding principles.

Beck is criticized unfairly. Beck isn't "dividing us." Americans are divided because we disagree about how this county should be governed. That's what democracy is about. We should battle out our differences, not try to suppress them.

Beck is also a convert to the church. He bears a strong testimony and seems quite genuine in this respect. I very much enjoy watching him when he is talking about church and religion.

So, with those reservations, I say, two one cheers to Glenn Beck!