Why is Glenn Beck back on Good Morning America?
Summary: Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts hosted Glenn Beck for the second time in a month to discuss issues related to religion, despite his numerous controversial remarks about Islam.
On the December 15 broadcast of ABC's Good Morning America, co-anchors Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts hosted conservative talk-show host Glenn Beck for the second time in a month to discuss issues related to religion, despite his numerous controversial remarks about Islam. Good Morning America anchors have yet to mention, for example, his statement to Rep.-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim ever elected to Congress, that he was "nervous about this interview with you, because what I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.' "
While talking with Sawyer and Roberts about the putative War on Christmas and how to greet people during the holiday season, Beck declared that "it's time for everybody just to relax and take a chill pill" because "Christmas is really about ... the death of" Jesus, "redemption ... and having a second bite at the apple." Beck then asked, "[W]ho's offended by that?" Roberts replied: "You'd be surprised." Sawyer and Roberts then held up placards with photographs of the Dalai Lama, Muhammad Ali, and Madonna and asked Beck if he would "feel a little reluctant to say 'Merry Christmas' to people who are clearly not going to be at the [Christmas] party?" Beck indicated that he would not and asserted that "Madonna would be the only one that I think would be offended" because she "is full-fledged, out-of-her-mind nuts."
On the November 28 broadcast of Good Morning America, Sawyer interviewed Beck to discuss whether Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Turkey, in the wake of criticism over comments the pope made about Islam on September 12, would "heal" tensions or "make matters worse," as Media Matters noted. During the interview, Beck repeated several comments he has made before, such as: "I believe that it is important for all of us to look evil in the eye and crush it"; "I believe there is a cancer that is radicalized Islam, and it must be cut out or it's going to kill all of us"; and "I believe it's Germany, 1938."
From the December 15 broadcast of ABC's Good Morning America:
SAWYER: All right, here's somebody who has no opinion on this at all, Glenn Beck. As we know, he's a television and talk-radio host. Hello.
BECK: Hi, guys. How are you? Very good.
SAWYER: Merry --
BECK: Ramahanukwanzmas.
SAWYER: Ramahanukwanzmas?
BECK: Ramahanukwanzmas.
ROBERTS: That's all-encompassing?
BECK: That's everything.
SAWYER: You firmly believe it's time to say Merry Christmas and just --
BECK: Oh, you know, I think it's time for everybody to just to relax and take a chill pill, and just understand what Christmas is really about. And everybody focuses on the birth of the baby, and I think it's about the death of the man. And the whole message of Christmas is about redemption, and starting over again, and having a second bite at the apple. That's what Christmas is about. And who's offended by that?
ROBERTS: You'd be surprised.
SAWYER: OK, it's one thing to say "Merry Christmas" to Robin and me, OK. But what if sitting at our table were the Dalai Lama, Muhammad Ali --
BECK: Yeah?
SAWYER: -- and Madonna?
BECK: Well, Madonna would be the only one that I think would be offended.
[crosstalk]
BECK: Madonna is full-fledged, out-of-her-mind nuts. You know that, and I know that. I'm the only one here that'll say it. The Dalai Lama wouldn't be offended by that.
SAWYER: No, but I mean, wouldn't you feel a little reluctant to say "Merry Christmas" to people who are clearly not going to be at the party?
BECK: No, no.
—J.M.
