Beck likened Gore to Nazi propagandist, let Inhofe distort his climate change testimony
On the March 22 edition of his CNN Headline News program, Glenn Beck allowed Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) to distort former Vice President Al Gore's March 21 testimony before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Meanwhile, Beck himself likened Gore to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels for Gore's statement, during his testimony before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, that he would initiate a "mass persuasion campaign" to urge Congress to act on climate change.
Inhofe noted that he asked Gore at the Senate hearing to sign a pledge requiring that his Tennessee residence consume no more energy than the average U.S. household. Inhofe's pledge stems from recent allegations by the Tennessee Center for Policy Research (TCPR) that the Gores used more than 220,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2006. Inhofe told Beck: "I said, 'Are you ready to change the way you live, 'cause you're consuming 20 times the amount of energy?' and he would not respond to it. I asked him three times if you go back and review the tape." In fact, as Media Matters for America repeatedly noted, Gore did not explicitly answer with a yes or no to Inhofe's question. Gore said that he and his family "purchase wind energy and other green energy that does not produce carbon dioxide," but Inhofe interrupted him six times. It was not until Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), the committee chair, promised Inhofe five minutes of additional questioning time that Gore was able to offer a full response:
GORE: We live a carbon neutral life, Senator, and both of my businesses are carbon neutral. We buy green energy. We do not contribute to the problem that I'm joining with others to try to help solve. We pay more for clean energy, and I think that utilities ought to provide more green energy that doesn't produce CO2, and we are in the midst of installing solar panels.
Beck and Inhofe went on to discuss Gore's "mass persuasion campaign," a movement to draw attention toward the challenge of climate change -- which prompted Beck to declare that Gore "sounded a little bit like Goebbels."
From the March 22 edition of CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck:
BECK: OK. The pledge that you asked him to sign that he wouldn't.
INHOFE: Yeah.
BECK: He didn't even answer the question on that.
INHOFE: He uses 20 times the amount of energy as the average American and, yet, if you will look at the -- this movie, this thing that he has on, the last slide says: "Are you ready to change your -- the way you live?"
Now, so I said, "Are you ready to change the way you live, 'cause you're consuming 20 times the amount of energy?" and he would not respond to it. I asked him three times if you go back and review the tape.
BECK: Right.
INHOFE: So, I think that's it. Here's what we need to do. We had a pledge for him to sign, just to do what he's asking the rest of America to do, and I think, every week or two, we should say, "All right, it's been two weeks now. Have you signed the pledge yet?"
BECK: It is really -- one of the things in it that I heard yesterday in his testimony that I thought was disturbing was this -- what did he call it? -- a massive persuasion campaign. That sounded a little bit like Goebbels or Gore-bels.
INHOFE: Well, yeah. But also, we had a chance -- and this plays into this. In New York, there was a bunch of his people -- and this is The New York Times; they all love him -- and yet they said in The New York Times that he is getting so extreme in some of his examples that he's hurting his own cause.
BECK: Right.
INHOFE: And I told him that. And that is happening. I'm recognizing. We're seeing a major shift, Glenn, of the people who are his top supporters are coming over now and saying, "Hey, wait a minute. Let's look at the science again. This [inaudible] thing isn't working."
BECK: Hey, you know, Senator, I tend to agree with you on the fact that he's going to hang himself. I mean, he's -- to me, it almost seems like he is going to be the next Cindy Sheehan, where the Democrats ran out to embrace Cindy Sheehan and get their photo taken and be there when it was hot, but then, once the Cindy Sheehan thing started to be exposed on who she really was, I mean, you can't -- you won't find those pictures of those people anywhere.
INHOFE: I think that -- I think that's a great analogy, because, right now, if you watch very carefully, he'll -- he prides himself in trying to intimidate people or being condescending, and that just doesn't play. You know, people -- there's nothing wrong with humility. He ought to try it sometime.
BECK: Senator, when he was talking about some of the programs, I cannot help but think that -- what a lot of people don't -- you know, the freshmen in college that are, you know, gung-ho on the Earth, what they don't understand, because they haven't been around long enough, is that this really is nothing but a tax program.
There are millions, billions, and, globally, trillions of dollars at stake here, and that's what really this is all about, isn't it? A tax program?
INHOFE: It really is. Now, what I tried to do, is I said -- I went down to the floor in 1993 when we had the Clinton-Gore tax increase. It was that $32 billion tax increase.
This is a $300 billion tax increase -- 10 times greater than the other one. That means every man, woman, and child, or every family of four who's watching you right now will have to pay an additional $2,700 a year in taxes. That's huge.
And so he doesn't like to talk about that. And if you notice, he would never respond to that. Well, he knows it's true. In fact, I'll tell you this: The figures that he had when he was in the White House as vice president were $338 billion.
BECK: Senator, keep up the good work. Thank you.
INHOFE: Hey, will do. Thank you, Glenn.
Is Glenn Beck really such a solipsistic boob that he thinks anyone who disagrees with him is comparible to a Nazi? Is attempting to "persuade" toward your position on an issue somehow inherently totalitarian? Can we officially declare these people 100% parody proof?
is the left so incredibly gullible that it believes that humans are responsible for the warming of our planet, not that big, yellow hot thing up in the sky that is also causing temperatures to increase on Venus, Mars and Jupiter? Whenever a group of scientists gets together and asserts with near 100% vailidity that a theory which is not replicatable in a lab, you have to look at the real incetives for suc a statement.
This is all about getting funding for pet projects inside the beltway This is NOT about saving the world. The Kyoto treaty excludes both China and India. AND, if every recommendation and rule listed by the treaty were followed the net effect to the temperature would be a reduction of 0.1 percent. It's all bullcrap. Grow up people and find something legitimate to gripe about... like those people across the world that want to eliminate all things American. Like those radical Muslims that want to kill non-Muslims, suppress their women and kill homosexuals. Where is the left on those issues?
The right is so incredibly brainwashed that when their propaganda masters, who serve corporate power tell them the sky is magenta they run out and scoff at us silly liberals because we notice its actually blue. I keep wondering what has changed, people used to be ashamed of their ignorance. Rightwing propaganda parrots like cannonballhead, is so proud of his he can WAIT to make a fool out of himself.
Nice rant, Colon. No facts or debate worth mentioning, but a nice rant nonetheless. ;-)
It is hard to tell who is the bigger doofus - Beck or Imhofe. I almost think Imhofe doesn't know what green energy or carbon neutral are.
What's so funny about raising taxes on polluters. Let them pay to clean up their mess. Seems reasonable to me.
Is Gore going to pay extra for that Zinc mine he profts from? I highly doubt it.
Are you going to back up any of the bullcrap you spew?
I highly doubt it.
You mean the mining under property purchased by his father in 1973 that legally binded Al Gore. Jr. to abide by for 30 years.
You mean the profits he stopped receiving four years ago, that has not been renewed, about which Gore has exhorted "best practices" to eliminate releasing of emissions into local waters?
You mean acting on mining emissions that were not even recorded and reported until 1998?
No. Al Gore owes nothing from his profits.
Can anyone explain why Gore won't agree to practice what he preaches?
Seriously? And none of this carbon offset bull.
Can anyone explain why idiotic right-wing blowhards like you will believe an astroturf group over the facts?
"Can anyone explain why Gore won't agree to practice what he preaches?
Seriously? And none of this carbon offset bull."
The quote that MMFA provided should clear it up for you:
GORE: We live a carbon neutral life, Senator, and both of my businesses are carbon neutral. We buy green energy. We do not contribute to the problem that I'm joining with others to try to help solve. We pay more for clean energy, and I think that utilities ought to provide more green energy that doesn't produce CO2, and we are in the midst of installing solar panels.
If he's not contributing to the problem, then why does he need to buy carbon offsets?
So he should WHAT? Ride a bicycle to China to give his presentations that are meant to HELP? This is an attempt to put Gore in a catch-22 if he travels he uses oil products if he DOESNT then he is effectively silenced. Do you REALLY expect anyone to take such nonsense seriously?
So he should WHAT? Ride a bicycle to China to give his presentations that are meant to HELP?
I lol'ed. =D
Oh, by all means he should do what he wants. But don't tell everyone else they shouldn't. Nor expect them to follow. Not everyone is wealthy and has the ability waste their money on scams like carbon offsets. Not to mention most places don't offer "green" energy.
He hasn't changed his lifestyle. He'll still fly around on private jets and pump more CO2 into the air in a year than most humans will in their lifetime. All the while preaching that we should change our lives.
I'm still puzzled how the left, the people that love to hate big business, are turning a blind eye to the fact that they are being used by big business in the whole global warming alarmism. The coming light bulb ban is a great example and the concept of carbon offsets is absurd. It's a modern day equivalent to a whipping boy.
The elitist mentality surrounding the whole issue is ridiculous.
By the way, imagine your reaction if the words "Mass Persuasion Campaign" were to come out of the mouth of a Republican.
So then you DO think he should ride a bicycle to China to give the kind of presentations there that could help. Like I said, your gambit is a transparent attempt to put any advocate in a catch 22. They have to either sit at home and NOT make the case in the most effective way or else be called a hypocrite. No one is dumb enough to fall for the schtick, at least not on OUR side.
It would take quite a lefty to think that Gore could literally ride a bike across water. I knew he was thought of as the Messiah, but...
No no, bicycle, bad idea. Nobody wants the Gorebot to harm his own circuits. I do hear they have lovely paddle boats. Though the manufacturing to produce them. Tsk Tsk Tsk. I recommend a hand carved canoe. But only after replanting a tree in its place.
What you recommend is he stop talking about an Inconvienient Truth that rightwingnuts WISH they could refute scientifically. They cant so they come up with this weak catch 22 and hope the simpleminded take it seriously
Clearly, the simpleminded are taking it seriously.
Your correct Solon
Many of the anti-global warming righties can't come up with any DESCENT scientific information to deride most of Al Gore's presentation, so they resort to needless name calling, and screaming "Hypocrite." Maybe they'll wake up when their home is completly flooded lol...
A mind is a terrible thing to waste and I am afraid you are wasting yours. The tip-offs are of course the usual wingnut canards: liberals "hate big business", liberals are "elitist" and then bringing up the same point ("zinc mine") no matter how many times debunked. Moreover, confusing a "mass persuasion campaign" with a "mass propaganda campaign" - one is based on lies and distortion the other based on facts and reasonable, substantive and persuasive arguments, is another tip-off that you have sacrificed your intellect at the altar of ideology. You do seem to have the intellectual capacity toward making substantive arguments, but choose not to. Tsk.
I disagree Setir.
Everyone has inalienable rights of course, but if it disturbs the livelyhood of others than it is not protected by the constitution. That is why murder is illegal, and why you CAN NOT do everything you want. If you believe in man-made global warming(which I do) than it is necessary to take actions to prevent the possible catastrophe that could occur.
"contributing to the problem" would be adding to the levels of pollution. he does not do that. math escapes you.
two words: zinc mine
You guys do know when you come in here doing your propaganda parrot routine that the nonsense has been dealt with already dont you? He bought the land from his parents at that time it was already under lease he had NO ability to stop them from mining. He has contacted the new owners and encouraged them to be environmentally responsible. All this was linked to the last time this line was regurgitated at us. Four words YOU HAVE NO POINT.
Two more words: complete crap.
Not every activity in Gore's life can be carbon neutral, such as when he must fly for presentations/business and his bicycle (Thanks, Solon!) is in the repair shop. If/when Gore cannot fly commercial (e.g., scheduling problems, etc.) and must rely on private planes, he buys carbon offsets. In other instances where he cannot be carbon neutral, he buys carbon offsets. Why is it so hard for the Gore bashers to understand?
What escapes them is that GORE IS PRACTICING WHAT HE PREACHES. His power costs more because it's cleaner/carbon neutral. He buys carbon offsets for his air travel to remain carbon neutral. Non-hypocritical living is beyond the ken of conservatives who still thinks Bush 43 has a clue what he's doing.
If only Gore would or could just magically wish all the excess carbon away, they'd back his play, especially the magic angle. Magical thinking (such as Iraq will JUST work itself out, IF we just have FAITH) goes hand in hand with the Bush conservative's mindset.
Randy
PS If Gore could link Global Warming to biblical prophecy, Bush conservatives would follow him to ends of the Earth. It just science they cannot handle.
correct. the power gore buys is produced by a second company that then sells it to the main power company. under the agreement, it must be either wind or solar produced. it costs more to produce that power and the smaller company is paid a larger fee. that money comes from the people such as gore. were those people not paying it, the smaller company would not be in business. any way the right wingers try to spin it, gore is taking a stand that a lot of them will not.
It seems to be a tactic, often used by many like Beck, to accuse their oppnents of what you feel their doing. It feels weird to call someone a Nazi when he's called you one first. The mention of Goebells is the same kind of insult. Is Stalinist still availible?
Is Stalinist still availible?
Maybe we should create an all-purpose "you're totalitarian because you disagree with me" insult. Shall I suggest "Stalimaoinazifascist"?
By the way, and off topic note the MM admins: this text editor really does not like Linux (or at least the distro I'm using). Perhaps they should consider installing something a little more basic for us non-Windows users. :(
as long as you are not asking for a DOS editor... ;)
I guess it would be ok if I likened Beck to a mindless ignoramus and a flat out knee crawling thug with the morals of a weasel on speed. (appologies to the late great Hunter S Thompson)
INHOFE:This is a $300 billion tax increase -- 10 times greater than the other one. That means every man, woman, and child, or every family of four who's watching you right now will have to pay an additional $2,700 a year in taxes. That's huge.
Every child will have to pay $2,700 more in taxes?Man, I feel bad for not buying more Girl Scout cookies.
"Campaign of Mass Persuasion" is pretty good too.Sounds like hitler just charmed his way across Europe, or cajoled those people onto the trains.
We need to repeal the ban on child labor. We don't need a generation of dead beat children pulling a fast one on Uncle Sam.
They need to pay their fair share.
Where's the incentive to work, Worrierking? Don't you know that raising taxes makes people quit their jobs? and with that extra 3 large little Johhny and Susie have to come up with, I wouldn't be surprised if chldren nationwide go on the dole all summer.
Don't believe me, go to the beach or pool in a few months for proof that we need TAX CUTS FOR OUR PRE-ADOLESCENTS NOW!.
I meant "Campaign of Mass Persuasion" being compared to Hitler or Goebbels was good.
"INHOFE:This is a $300 billion tax increase -- 10 times greater than the other one. That means every man, woman, and child, or every family of four who's watching you right now will have to pay an additional $2,700 a year in taxes. That's huge."
-----
It's just a drop in the bucket compared to what the disaster in Iraq will finally cost us.
This is a $300 billion tax increase -- 10 times greater than the other one. That means every man, woman, and child, or every family of four who's watching you right now will have to pay an additional $2,700 a year in taxes. That's huge.
Inhofe is right it would be a terrible blow to our economy and our way of life if we wasted hundreds of billions of dollars on a ill-conceived scheme with no tangible benefits. It would be even worse if we were not able to extract ourselves from that mistake say four or more years later.
Beck's also way off on why Sheehan isn't in the news all that much anymore. Her story is not news cycle friendly. It has no end in sight, it doesn't really change over time and it can't be captured in segments of 2 minutes or less. She won't be getting any major coverage for a very long time unless she's part of some huge event or if new slams against her by the RWNM are distributed to the producers and editors of our "librul" media.
Unfortunately the same is most likely true of Gore's story. This is only coverage friendly as long as big stuff is happening. Had there been no controversy at his Congressional speeches he would have gotten far less media attention.
So I guess we should thank Inhofe for being such a loudmouthed jackass and keeping this out there for a bit longer.
This is for Setir Copyh From the USA Today :
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-08-09-gore-green_x.htm
Correction: In this column that appeared Aug. 10 on the Forum Page, writer Peter Schweizer inaccurately stated that former vice president Al Gore receives royalties from a zinc mine on his property in Tennessee despite his environmental advocacy. He no longer does, as the mine was closed in 2003.
Thank you ever so much, RUDYKIP9
You instill what for too long many have forgotten...the dogged insistence to recover both, Truth & Honesty. Too long have Americans been without.
That we not be further blinded by the deceit of liars who profit by other Americans’ sufferings.
I had no idea that the Gorebot initiated his global warming instructions only after the mine closed. Good to know.
You have no idea of ANYTHING not put into your head by Weinerdog, Limpballs, Gangleskank or Shammity
setircopyh, nasal lew satoi dignil bmub naerauoy.
you understand what I mean?
that was good...
Once again, Beck demonstrates himself to be a cheap hack & a lying propagandist for the right. He's consistently smarmy, malicious, & outright dishonest. I can't make up my mind whether he continues to use such simplistic & dishonest tactics because he's just such a dumbf*ck that that's the best that he can do, or that its simply that he's attempting to appeal to dumbf*cks & has concluded that this is the most efficient way to do it.
Or both.
"dumbf*cks"
looking in a mirror?
Sorry, Whereismiddleamerica.
I guess the dumbf*ck remark really struck a sore nerve with you.
Why? Are YOU standing behind him?
I should not have to py a dime more than I already pay. If this can be done without raising taxes and major lifestyle, I am in.
Who's Major Lifestyle? Is he an employee of Jeff Gannon/Guckert?
Glen?
Is that you?
The Beaver interviews Chuckles the clown.
Hey...it was funny.
the extreme right, in general, is on the run. at long last the democrats have the majority and, thank goodness, control the agenda. in reaction, sycophants like inhofe must at least try to muddy the waters and confuse the issue with diversions. beck is a handy forum for inhofe because he smears anyone they direct him to unquestioningly. why? because this sellout of basic decency pays very, very well, think about it, where else would an alchaholic, drug addict dolt like beck go to make the kind of money the right wing think tanks pay him? in a short time he has become very wealthy, simply by lying, distorting, and smearing. talk about a nazi!
Comparing anyone to the Nazis today should be immediately condemned by the Anti-Defamation Leaque: it is an insult to the 6 million Jews (not to mention Gypsies, Poles and homosexuals) tortured and murdered in the Holocaust.
The fact that supporters of Beck and his ilk call themselves conservatives goes to show how much they know about conservatism, propriety, moral rectitude or anything else for that matter!
Who seems more consumed with mindless hatred of Al Gore?Inhofe or Beck?They both do such a lovely job of wallowing in the pig slop mire of Gore bashing that I just can't choose.
One tends to assume that people who rise to the top levels of government (like Senator) or the media (talk show host) get there because they are smart, brightest and best. But no. They really can be quite stupid.
Thank goodness for MMFA.
Look,
Gore was asked if he wanted to pledge (or not) to consume less energy; he could have just answered yes or no. He chose to start lying since his real answer is just "NO".
Another point is this. Now if what Gore had said of being "carbon neutral" is true, then he has done it voluntarily & this means there is no need for federal legislation. People can like him can become "carbon neutral/negative" voluntarily. Why is he trying force everybody to pay through a Boxer's legislation?
The fact is GW on Earth and on Mars is both caused by Solar activities.
N.B. I am a chemist/biochemist.
I'm glad a scientist chimed in on this discussion but biochemistry isn't exactly atmospheric science or climatology. Almost every climatologist I've discussed this matter with agrees there is a danger with the rising levels of CO2. What the effect will be right now seems to be anyones' guess but do we really want to take the chance that it might be bad? Inhofe, Bush, Limbaugh and others express skepticism when it comes to global warming but most climate scientists do not. I'm sorry but I'll take the word of a climatology professor who has actually done the research over the guys who don't take it seriously because Jesus is coming soon anyday but that's just my take on the matter. BTW, who cares if Gore drives the Concorde across the street to a Zinc mine while turning on every light in Nashville anyway, either CO2 emissions are a problem or they are not. Don't shoot the messenger. Dr. King wasn't a saint but I dig his message, same idea.
You'd be interested to know that NASA and climatologists disagree with you on your point about global warming being caused by solar activity. This is just another, in a long line of right wing talking points put forward to discredit the actual science behind what climatologists and atmospheric scientists are doing on Earth right now. Mars' climate is different than Earth's, obviously, and the receding "ice" caps on Mars are a normal cycle of their seasons (according to NASA), not to mention most of the ice on Mars is frozen carbon dioxide, which is what most of the atmosphere is made up of on Mars, and on a yearly basis, it sublimates from solid to gas, which is why the Mars ice caps recede, every, single, year.
Does solar activity have an influence on the warming and or cooling of Earth? Of course it does, but the science behind global warming says that the increased carbon dioxide emmissions coming from us humans adds to the warming trends seen by solar activity also, and increases the temperatures more than they would without it. But hey, you're a scientist, maybe you should read the reports about this.
But then again, I'm not so sure that being a biochemist/chemistry doesn't expose you to a lot of climatology work. Now, if we were talking about stem cells, DNA testing, or some other subjects that were more in your roundhouse, your scientific training would be more pertinent wouldn't it?
Are you REALLY a scientist or do you just play one on the internet. Did you MISS the part of elementary astrology when it was mentioned that Mars has an eccentric orbit? Did you MISS the stories over the last few years about Mars being closer to the Earth than it had been for thousands of years? Did you REALIZE that the Earth is closer to the Sun so that means Mars is closer to the Sun. Are you a not very BRIGHT scientist or do you just repeat the newest rightwing talking points WITHOUT giving them one seconds thought? The MARS canard is dumb. If you were taken in by it I have to wonder just how good a scientist you are.
Idiotic. The point is not to use less energy, the point is to use energy in a way that does not contribute to global warming. Taken to absurdity, your stance asks everyone who uses solar or wind energy to reduce their energy use.
There is no peer-reviewed science to support your claim about solar activities being the solitary or even primary cause of Global Warming. This lends me to believe if you are a scientist you are an incredibly poor one, or you received your degree in a vending machine.
"mass persuasion campaign"
Didn't the Bush adminsitration use a "mass persuasion campaign" in pushing the war in Iraq on the American public? Didn't they to do so through Bush, Cheney, the Secretary of State and other administration officials? Hvaen't they continued to do it through the right wing media? Their efforts have, in my humble opinion, far exceeded Al Gore's campaign to bring attention to global warming, and even contained some rather sinister elements of dishonesty and distortion, as well as retribution directed towards dissenting voices.
Just curious, but has Beck ever equated the "mass persuaion campaign" of the Bush administration and the right wing media regarding the Iraq war with Nazi propaganda?