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In Arguing with Idiots, Beck compares FDR's actual electoral victories to Saddam Hussein's "electoral" victories

September 27, 2009 4:55 pm ET by Media Matters staff

From Glenn Beck's Arguing with Idiots, p. 225:

fdr

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

"He was elected four times, obviously he was popular!"

FDR is anpther president who is inexplicably ranked near the top of many "best presidents ever" polls. The fact that he is the only president to ever be elected four times is oft cited as proof of his popularity, and popularity, as we all know, always equals competence.

A.D.D. Moment: Saddam Hussein was elected a lot of times too.

A.D.D. Moment: Did I just use the word "oft"? Wow, I really need to stop reading history books.

Tags: Glenn Beck, Attacks on Progressives

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    • Author by worrierking (September 27, 2009 5:01 pm ET)
      4  
      He really does need stop reading history books. He gets nothing out of them.

      His interpretation of the history of FDR makes as much sense as Charlie Manson's interpretation of "Helter Skelter".
      Report Abuse
      • Author by John Paradox (September 28, 2009 4:36 am ET)
        1  
        Reminds me of a saying I learned from my father:

        You buy them books,and all they do is eat the covers.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by political_left-religious_right (September 28, 2009 6:00 pm ET)
             
          Eat the covers? Maybe they should stick to the Reader's Digest.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by epkklk851 (September 27, 2009 5:14 pm ET)
      2  
      Yes, Glennie, but we still have the records. There are newspapers and radio shows that talk about the elections of 1940 and 1944. Can you show me one iota of proof that FDR cheated? Can you show me one iota of proof that anyone accused him of cheating and staging elections? It just must break your heart that FDR was popular and is considered a great President by so many people.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by mattcable250650 (September 27, 2009 5:31 pm ET)
      2  
      I took a course on Presidents of the Late 20th Century. At the end, we had to choose the best and worst. Our professor told us "Can't pick FDR as best" because obviously, we would have all picked him and it would have bored the professor to have read all that. I settled on Eisenhower for best and Lyndon Johnson as worst.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Crazyness (September 27, 2009 11:00 pm ET)
        4  
        Well, that and the fact that your professor would have pointed out that FDR wasn't a president of the late 20th century -- dying in 1945 and all. :) :)
        Report Abuse
    • Author by New Frontier (September 27, 2009 6:05 pm ET)
      6  
      To paraphrase Beck...

      The fact that Glenn Beck gets good ratings, makes millions and was on the cover of TIME is oft cited as proof of his popularity-and popularity, as we all know, always equals competence.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by pete592 (September 27, 2009 7:07 pm ET)
      4  
      "and popularity, as we all know, always equals competence."
      OMG, how ironic is it to see this line coming from Beck?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by John Paradox (September 27, 2009 7:52 pm ET)
      1  
      Isn't that nice.. he has special sidebars for his Attention Deficit Disorder sufferers.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by pete592 (September 27, 2009 8:00 pm ET)
      3  
      What Becky is really doing is equating America's electoral system to the regime-enforced sham that took place in Iraq every 7 years.

      Why does Beck hate America?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by IRONY 101 (September 27, 2009 10:19 pm ET)
      1  
      What a creep... Glennn, you're giving alcoholic Mormons a very bad name.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by fawltylogic (September 28, 2009 12:36 am ET)
      2  
      Funniest thing to me is that he didn't even bother to research anything about Hussein, so he put in "a lot of times". I bet Glenn actually does not know much more than that about the "elections" in Iraq.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by fawltylogic (September 28, 2009 12:39 am ET)
      3  
      inexplicably ranked near the top


      "Inexplicably"? Only if you know absolutely nothing about history, economy, the US, FDR, and the Presidency is FDRs ranking "inexplicable".

      Which I guess means that, yeah, it makes sense that Beck writes that.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Don Hussein Fabuloso (September 28, 2009 12:58 am ET)
        4  
        Has MMFA covered the chapter where Beck discusses the Sun inexplicably dropping into the ocean every night?

        A.D.D. : The moon, very suspiciously, disappears during the day, keeping a schedule that is almost the opposite of the Sun's.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by political_left-religious_right (September 28, 2009 6:05 pm ET)
           
        It would be interesting, for a few meaningful minutes anyway, to see who Beck thinks were the best-ever presidents.

        Here's my quick guess of his list:

        1. Reagan
        2. G.W. Bush
        3-4. Washington/Lincoln
        5. Nixon
        6. Eisenhower
        7. Jefferson Davis
        Report Abuse
        • Author by Blue Dog Dem (September 30, 2009 2:31 pm ET)
             
          Um, wasn't Jefferson Davis the President of the Confederate States of America? Please don't reply that he's obviously a US President, since there is, of course, a Jefferson Memorial....!
          Report Abuse
    • Author by congero6189599 (September 28, 2009 7:28 am ET)
         
      "and popularity, as we all know, always equals competence."

      I think it's a subconcious cry for help! hehehe! :-)
      Report Abuse
    • Author by tharri874 (September 28, 2009 9:49 am ET)
      1  
      Now that there are relatively few people who were alive during FDR's presidency, the right wing has become increasingly bold in trying to rewrite his role in history.

      The trouble before was the GOP looked to seniors as a strong base, but many seniors, even conservative ones, admired FDR for his leadership during the Depression and World war II.

      Reagan would quote FDR to bolster his position. I think it's going to be a long time before we see a major Republican do that again.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by bintx (September 28, 2009 11:15 am ET)
        1  
        My parents [late 70s] and my grandmother [almost 97] were alive . . . they will tell you that EVERYONE loved FDR and, in their minds [all of which are still very sharp], was the BEST president we have ever had.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by shaggles (September 28, 2009 11:57 am ET)
      1  
      "...popularity, as we all know, always equals competence."

      I love this in light of the frequent references here to Beck's ratings.
      Report Abuse

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