Acknowledging Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World" designation, Beck said Sheehan is "pimping out the tragedy of her own son's death"

Summary: Reacting to the recent designation of 'Worst Person in the World' by MSNBC host Keith Olbermann for saying that anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan is "pimping out the tragedy of her own son's death for her own agenda," Glenn Beck expounded further: "It's almost so horrible, it seems true."

In a discussion on the reaction from several media outlets and organizations to his recent hiring by CNN Headline News, nationally syndicated radio host Glenn Beck attributed his notoriety to "socialist organs that are just whipped up into a frenzy." Beck said, "I mean, nobody cared about who I was for so long. ... [N]ow, all of a sudden, I'm the Antichrist."

Beck -- who, as documented by Media Matters for America, has said that "it took me about a year to start hating the 9-11 victims' families" and referred to Hurricane Katrina survivors as "scumbags" -- discussed the criticism received by CNN for hiring him during a conversation with executive producer Steve "Stu" Burguiere on the January 20 broadcast of his show. During the broadcast, Beck noted a weblog headline that read "MoveOn.org's Panicked Attempt to Keep Glenn Beck Off of CNN" -- a possible reference to a post on the Media Research Center-operated NewsBusters blog describing what it called "MoveOn's Panic-Stricken E-Mail Campaign: 'Stop CNN From Becoming Fox News' " -- and stated, "[T]hey hate me, they really hate me."

Beck and Burguiere also discussed Beck having been dubbed "Worst Person in the World" on the January 19 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann for comments he made about anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan. Olbermann bestowed the "award" upon Beck for the latter's description, documented by Media Matters, in his January 10 radio broadcast of the anti-war protester as "a pretty big prostitute"; Beck later amended his statement, saying that "tragedy pimp" would be "the most accurate description." In commenting on his "Worst Person" designation from Olbermann, Beck expanded on his previous statements, saying that Sheehan is "pimping out the tragedy of her own son's death for her own agenda." He added: "It's almost so horrible, it seems true."

From the January 20 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Glenn Beck Program:

BECK: Boy, the reviews are just pouring in on the television program, which is interesting because no television program has been seen by anyone. But, boy, some people are very, very excited -- heh, some people are very, very excited about me coming to Headline News, which -- you know, Stu, you know, I think we're on the right track, because have you noticed that there are a lot of, you know, just big, huge -- not even liberal organs, but those, those socialist organs that are just whipped up into a frenzy? I mean, nobody cared about who I was for so long, and I really liked it that way. Nobody cared who I was for so long; now, all of a sudden, I'm the Antichrist. Have you noticed that, Stu?

BURGUIERE: Well, I think you've always been the Antichrist; they're just discovering it now.

BECK: You know what it is? You know what it is? You're trying to get them on your side.

BURGUIERE: I am?

BECK: Well --

BURGUIERE: I was very happy, by the way, Glenn. My debut yesterday in the we-hate-Glenn-Beck, you know, liberal blog --

BECK: Blogosphere --

BURGUIERE: I was finally, finally -- thank you, would you please include me more often? -- I was finally included in one of the releases.

BECK: I read a headline someplace, didn't even read the story, you know -- downloading them on my Treo yesterday. One of the headlines was "MoveOn.org's Panicked Attempt to Keep Glenn Beck Off of CNN," and I thought, I can't believe that. MoveOn.org -- ah, they hate me, they really hate me -- it's kind of, you know, it's kind of a nice thing, you know? You know what I'm saying? Does that bring a smile to your face at all, Stu?

BURGUIERE: Oh absolutely, absolutely. And we were again the "Worst Person in the World" on Keith Olbermann's TelePrompTer show, which airs on MSNBC.

BECK: Again?

BURGUIERE: Yes, again. Unfortunately -- it's hilarious, Glenn; I mean, no, we never find out about these things. We're mentioned on local newscasts, and we'll get 20 emails from people saying, hey, by the way, you know, this guy in Akron said this about you. We -- Keith Olbermann -- I don't think he does anything else on his show other than talk about us, and no one ever alerts us to it. The only time I ever find out about it is if it's on some Google news alert. Nobody --

BECK: Why am I the "Worst Person in the World" again? With Keith Olbermann --

BURGUIERE: Because you called Cindy Sheehan a tragedy pimp or whatever.

BECK: Oh yeah, yeah. That was harsh of me, wasn't it? To say, to say that she was a tragedy pimp -- pimping out the tragedy of her own son's death for her own agenda? It's almost so horrible, it seems true.

BURGUIERE: But you can read about it in her new book.

BECK: [laughter]

—A.D.