Beck mischaracterized Media Matters item quoting his interview with controversial evangelist Hagee
SUMMARY: CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck suggested that, in a recent item, Media Matters for America claimed that Beck did not "directly ask [evangelist John Hagee] about the Catholic Church and anything like that." In fact, what Media Matters noted in the March 5 item was that Beck did not challenge Hagee on his specific comments about the Catholic Church or any other of a long list of controversial statements he has made.
On the March 10 edition of his CNN Headline News program, Glenn Beck mischaracterized a March 5 Media Matters for America item, in which Media Matters noted that, during the March 4 edition of Glenn Beck, he did not ask evangelist John Hagee, founder and pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, who recently endorsed Sen. John McCain for president, about any of the multiple controversial statements Hagee has made about the Catholic Church, Islam, women, and homosexuality. Citing only the headline of the item, which read: "Beck failed to ask Hagee about controversial statements, instead asked him if Obama might be the Antichrist," Beck pronounced it "spin" and falsely suggested that Media Matters claimed that Beck did not "directly ask [Hagee] about the Catholic Church and anything like that." He added: "This is an accusation that is not only asinine, but it is also completely false." In fact, Media Matters did not assert that Beck failed to ask Hagee "about the Catholic Church"; Beck did ask Hagee generally about criticism he has received from Catholics and about his attitudes toward the Catholic Church. What Media Matters noted was that Beck did not challenge Hagee on his specific comments about the Catholic Church or any other of a long list of controversial statements he has made.
As "evidence" to support his claim that Media Matters' "accusation" was "asinine" and "completely false," Beck aired a video clip from the March 4 program, in which he said to Hagee: "You've had some problem with the Catholics this week, and now it looks like John McCain, who you've endorsed, may be distancing himself. Can you explain what happened this week, and what your stance is with Catholicism?" But contrary to Beck's suggestion that Media Matters did not note Beck's comments to Hagee about Catholics and his "stance ... with Catholicism," those comments were noted in the third sentence of the March 5 item, as well as Hagee's response; the comments were also included in the complete segment transcript. Additionally, the excerpt of the March 4 video clip Beck aired during his March 10 program was a part of the video Media Matters provided of the entire interview with Hagee.
What Beck did not do on March 4 -- which Media Matters noted -- was challenge Hagee on specific statements he has made on such topics as the Catholic Church, Islam, women, and homosexuality. Hagee has written that "[m]ost readers will be shocked by the clear record of history linking Adolf Hitler and the Roman Catholic Church in a conspiracy to exterminate the Jews," which Beck did not note. Nor did he ask Hagee about controversial statements he has made about Islam, women, and homosexuality, including his comments that "those who live by the Quran have a scriptural mandate to kill Christians and Jews"; that "the difference between a terrorist and a woman with PMS" is that "[y]ou can negotiate with a terrorist"; and that "Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans" because it "had a level of sin that was offensive to God," as evidenced by plans for "a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came." Beck still has not addressed these comments on his CNN Headline News program.
From the March 10 edition of CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck:
BECK: Step two: The story is then leaked by the liberal blogger to a liberal website and it's picked up by a bigger liberal website, and this one only took about one day for the blog Media Matters to put their own spin on the story. Here it is:
Quote, "Beck failed to ask Hagee about controversial statements, instead asked him if Obama might be the Antichrist."
So, now, not only did I not, you know, directly ask them about the Catholic Church and anything like that, I just asked Obama if -- you know, about Obama to see if he was the Antichrist. This is an accusation that is not only asinine, but it is also completely false.
May I present the evidence, your honor? Thy very first question to Hagee.
BECK [video clip]: Let me just get this right on the table, pastor. You've had some problem with the Catholics this week, and now it looks like John McCain, who you've endorsed, may be distancing himself. Can you explain what happened this week, and what your stance is with Catholicism?
BECK: Wow. Well, I guess I didn't use the, you know, exact comments that Hagee posted earlier, you know, in asking the question like I guess the blogs wanted me to. But then I know that the blogs instead would have said, "Beck repeats Hagee's outrageous claims about the Catholic Church." And I only know that because that's exactly what they've done to me in the past.
MM got their original post totally wrong, and they should own up to it.
Beck didn't mischaracterize anything.
Not cool, MM. Not cool.
See the actual video - and not the distorted clip - by Beck
Glenn Beck's Real Story - How the Liberal Media Works
Now ask yourself this question: If MMFA were honest, why wouldn't they simply show the entire video? (Not enough bandwith on the net?)
Go Obama!!!
Let me borrow some tone from the majority of th posters here.
You are all a bunch of blinded liberal bigots. If you WATCH the segment you will SEE that MediaMatters totally got this wrong and is now spinning faster than an O'Reilly loofa comment. Look at the whole segment, listen to what he actually said. Look at the body language, listen to the tone.
Ignorance is bliss, I guess that's why there are so many happy idiots around this board.
"Can you explain what happened this week, and what your stance is with Catholicism?"
Oooooh, that's a really hard-hitting question...particularly when you're sitting on actual inflammatory quotes from Hagee about the Catholic Church. Beck is a joke.
And, BTW, he says he asked the anti-Christ question because he had gotten so many e-mails from his listeners/viewers asking him if Obama was indeed the anti-Christ. Saya a lot about Beck's audience doesn't it?
"I wonder if Obama is the anti-Christ. It's really been bugging me lately. I can't stop thinking about it. Maybe I should ask someone. How about... Glenn Beck?"
I have this rash on my behind that won't go away. I've been thinking of e-mailing Glenn for advice about that. ;>)
Oh, wait...! Maybe that's it. I thought it was Madonna. ;>)
If it's wearing a funnel-shaped bra, it's Madonna.
Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww.....
:-)
And, BTW, he says he asked the anti-Christ question because he had gotten so many e-mails from his listeners/viewers asking him if Obama was indeed the anti-Christ.
He would have also referred to the many letters he got from his listeners/viewers, but most of them were in crayon.....
What, you have to go to practice to be a Catholic, too? I thought you only had to go on Sundays. :>)
Guess that's why I left the Church over 30 years ago - not enough practice, same reason stopped taking piano lessons....
Therefore, unless you have a medical degree, don't have an opinion on any health issue....
Your assertion is that one must be degreed in the topic under discussion in order to have an opinion. Opinions abound here, and without attendant degrees, I'm thinking.
Speaking for myself I have no interest in what your stupid video clip is about. You are a liar. MMFA isnt twisting anything which is why you just made the claim and left out any actual examples. If you dont LIKE this site I suggest the several million other sites out there. Freepersewer is probably more your speed. They are probably ignorant enough to take you seriously.
You're so cute, with your little video clip n' everything.
Try LGF. They like people like you over there. (As long as you're not Muslim.)
Solonswine,
You're asking quite a lot of this crowd, suggesting they actually consider what somebody SAID, rather than the Media Matters spin.
Let's face it--this bunch's frenzy to promote an unknown political candidate--one THEY know diddly about, reminds one of the front three rows at an Elvis concert, complete w/the weeping and passing out.
How typical of the brainwashed wingnut. Thinking I have to listen to someones OPINION about this site to know about it when I have been coming here for YEARS. I guess when you put your cerebral cortex on hold and listen to wingnut bloviators to find out what you believe you cant imagine getting information the old fashioned way. THINKING FOR YOURSELF. You should try it some day. Granted you will have to beg, borrow, steal, or rent the equipement since higher brain function is far beyond you but its a real hoot if you ever get the chance to try it.
The chances of you devoting as much time to investigating Obama's pastor and what he has to say are......
zip
"I have been coming here for YEARS..." SOLON
Yes...we can all tell by your consistent, mean-spirited, hateful, condescending, rants that you are a true liberal. You are blinded by such hatred that it must consume you...How SAD.
If you say so. Just like we can tell by your consistent ignorance and stupidity that you are a conservative. I am sure you would love it if only the conservatives got to spew mean-spirited personal attacks. Those days are gone; get over it.
I'm just here to help, Solon. What did you say a troll was again? Someone who doesn't engage but disrupts? And personal attacks are meant to engage? My God! I was right! You really are a doddering old hypocrite!
Re: a certain poster...
The sheer volume of the vitriol, time after time, recalls the "...he doth protest too much" passage.
You're hitting a nerve. Good work.
Re: a certain poster...
The sheer volume of the vitriol, time after time, recalls the "...he doth protest too much" passage.
You're hitting a nerve. Good work.
Your kids were civilized, and you're to be commended.
Mine just immediately punched each other out, in total silence.
But they always made up.
In your case, it's called T-BALL.
And...
Go rent a sense of humor. And buy the insurance coverage with it, since it'll be a mess after being in your possession for even a short time.
Can you please stop with the "we"... there's others who read here who don't consider themselves part of your "we" and I, for one, am not only ok with, but am grateful for, divergent opinions.
I don't consider what solonswine did even remotely enough to refer to him as a troll and I take such reactions to another point of view to be just plain infantile. It seems you just aren't comfortable with any discussion that doesn't allow you to continue on blissfully complaining about life with like-minded people.
In essence, your response to SolonSwine was as much as what a troll might do as anything - just a troll that got here first, and found a few other trolls to partner with, that's all.
As an independent, I'd give it to SolonSwine, too, if he pulled some crap like that.
Oh well, I tried. So much for open mindedness, huh? Hypocrites.
Based on your user name, Swine, you're only here to cause trouble. Go back to Free Republic where you belong.
Oh, wait, this is MMFA? Forget everything I just said.
I figure you've already forgotten what you've typed, Swine. Based on the "quality" of your posts (and your constant belittling of those who disagree with you), I'm just chalking up your posts as just so many meaningless rants from a brain-dead dittohead.
Your "constant belittling" of those who disagree with you..
But then you go on to say that calling myself an intelligent person is a contrived falsehood.
Am I missing something here? Need I only refer you to Solon's response of my initial post to open your eyes to exactly who is doing the insulting and belittling?
"Your link had nothing to do with the thread."
Do I need to point out the obvious here, or can someone talk some sense into this guy. Oh, nevermind......
I'll type slowly for you so you can understand........
The link that I posted goes DIRECTLY to the ENTIRE video that this thread is all about. MMFA only posted a 2 minute clip.
Am I missing something here?
You're missing something with every breath you take, Swine.
Solonswine,
Maybe I'm just missing something here, but it appears your moniker is a direct provocation aimed at Solon. I must say with that in mind, I am confused at your indignation or surprise that a confrontation with Solon has now occurred? You really don't understand that? Really?
Top 10 reasons you may have a confrontation with Solon....
1) you look at him
2) you talk to him
3) you don't compliment his new tie
4) your sled is red while his is beige
Stay tuned for the other six. And don't be so darned serious, allaya.
Whatever. You can agree or disagree with folks here, I don't care. Take it or leave it. But you're wasting your time insinuating the right has anything of interest to offer regarding objective truth. Conservatism is a dasterdly ideology which produce deceit like rabbits produce bunnies.
When you finally realize that materialism is the only higher principle that guides conservatism and are ready to join the humanitarian left, we will be here to welcome you.
Round,
Humanitarian left?
You are a seasoned debater, in that you overwhelm with absurdity, and the opposing side is at a loss as to where to begin.
You get an A for today.
Swine, I'm pretty open-minded, but have stopped clicking on links except for those by posters (thanks, Solon, Snoop, everybody else who bothers to pick that option) who have figured out to open in a new window.(ever since the MMFA "maintenance, going to a link that opens in the same window sends me back to the top of the thread when I leave the link).
Col. Sanders,
Hold down the shift button while you click and the link will open up in its own separate window.
Just a helpful hint if you want to use it.
Thanks, OPenmind. That I didn't know.
Still, I'm using my rule of thumb that works pretty well; Those who have the good manners to set up the link in a new window generally have something worth looking at.
Lol. Who is a hypocrite? I just watched the entire segment. I found it unintentionally pretty hilarious.
Beck describes how the liberal blogs like mediamatters supposedly work their items into the "liberal" media (well at least the editorials). Beck then brings on a conservative blogger (Noel Shepherd of newsbusters.org) onto his nationally televised show to attempt to backup his point, but ultimately damaging his argument for those that are able to see the irony of the whole thing.
The whole time he never once accurately qouted MMFA's actual argument. Thank you for posting that clip. I almost forgot how stupid Glenn Beck is.
You seem to equate openmindedness with whether people agree with you. Have you considered that your own argument(or Beck's) may simply be unconvincing to some openminded posters?
Have you honestly considered that your own argument could be wrong? If not, I don't know why you would expect as much from anyone else.
I've watched the video...
In it Glenn Beck refers to "Book of Revelation crazies" e-mailing him about whether Obama is the anti-Christ. He called them "nut jobs". Is John Hagee a Book of Revelation crazy, too? And a nut job? Beck introduced Pastor John Hagee as a "self-professed End of Days expert". If Beck believes that ardent Apocalypse believers are crazies and nut jobs why didn't he indicate that to John Hagee?
Now, Beck says that "the whole thing was done in jest". Is Beck now ridiculing John Hagee's beliefs? Is Beck calling his audience "nut jobs"?
But the biggest question, IMO, is why didn't Beck ask Hagee about the specific remarks Hagge has made about the Catholic Church. In particular, Hagee is reported to have called the Catholic Church "the Great Whore", "the apostate church" and "a false cult system", among other things.
The bottom line is that Glenn Beck went easy on John Hagee and only ended up giving the Obama is the anti-Christ smear more air time. But, I'd still like to know if Beck is disdainful of his audience and John Hagee. Those are fair questions that Beck's video raises.
"MMFA story was a contrived false hood"
Wrong! Are you delirious? The caption of the MMFA story was:
"Beck failed to ask Hagee about controversial atatements, instead asked him if Obama might be the Antichrist"
In fact, Beck did fail to ask Hagee about his controversial statements, some of which I mentioned above, and which have been widely reported. Beck pontificates about journalism yet he failed to ask Hagee the most important questions: Why do you call the Catholic Church "the Great Whore"? "The apostae church"? "A false cult system"?
Instead, Beck let Hagee off the hook. He didn't challenge Hagee on those controversial comments. However, he did find it important enough to ask him whether Obama was the anti-Christ...jokingly, of course. Beck is a disgrace...and the MMFA piece was dead-on accurate.
The video piece illustrates that MMFA is a fraud. There's no denying it. I loved the part where Olberman said, "Are you afraid of competition?" because when a conservative uses "anti-christ" in a question about a liberal, he gets branded the "worst person in the world". Then the liberal host immediately calls the conservative the same thing. Oh, but that's a joke, right?
Stick to the point, Swine... The MMFA story was dead-on accurate. Beck did fail to ask Hagee about his controversial statements. In the video you posted Beck even admits he didn't ask Hagee about his specific controversial remarks.
The point of the 12 minute video is how MMFA is a complete fraud!!! THAT'S the point, you won't address it.
The only point around here is on the top of your little pinhead, Swine. Now go back to Free Republic where you belong, and leave this site for the responsible adults.
Beck did not get specific at all regarding Hagee's comments. I am sure even you can see that. It is pretty obvious.
As far as the antichrist comments, I will give Glenn the benefit of the doubt that he indeed finds such ideas stupid (as opposed to a vast amount of his viewers). The first time Beck asked the question, it did not appear to me he was joking after watching your video link.
I think MMFA's actions were at the very least defensible. MMFA lets people decide for themselves by showing the video and encouraging debate in the comment section. Beck did not accurately describe MMFA's argument, which is a common tactic for him.
SWINE: You just did the same thing you’re accusing MMFA of doing. Olberman never called Beck the anti-christ. Olberman was joking that Beck has also been rumored to be the anti-christ (maybe you didn’t read the blogs or get the emails?) – and now he has some competition.
See how you wingnuts like to twist the truth? I forced myself to watch the silly video (and anything Beck IS silly) and all I saw was a goofy wingnut trying to wiggle out of his softball interview with “end-of-days expert” Hagee followed by a guest wingnut to back him up, and throw MORE lies at his audience. (e.g. “Progessive is code word for extreme liberal”)
One other point – when a liberal jokes of someone being the anti-christ it is taken as a joke, while right-wing conservatives pandering to the evangelical wackos by making such comments are “joking” about something that evangelicals actually believe in and take quite seriously. BIG DIFFERENCE!
Solonswine,
I think you simply lack a sense of humor. I hope you know that calling someone the "worst person in the world" is hyperbolic humor (I would have hoped that playing Bach's Toccata en Fugue during the segment would have additionally clued you in to that). I guess you can't be too obvious these days.
Exactly. A video explaining what he did the day before when the whole transcript was up here for all to read, and see. Sounds like Beck is trying to do a "Rush" and alter things and change things to what didn't happen.
Beck is the spinner. Not MMFA.
Looks familiar, Snoopy. Remember when Rush Limbaugh made his "Phony soldiers" smear against the troops? Immediately after, a bunch of dittoheads came here, linking to the video of Rush playing an edited version of his original comment, and explaining, after the fact, what had happened. They were actually fooled by this.
The original comments were available, but the faithful had been programmed to think that a subsequent defense by the perpetrator, along with doctored clips, was more substantial than the original comments. They are fascinating.
At least he's sorta talking, unlike another mute festering sore arround today.
Side issue. Blackwater will not be building their California training facility. A noteworthy victory!
Beck, the same guy who asked an elected Congressman if he was working for our "enemies" just because he's a Muslim. Yes, good journalism.
Solonswine, the whole piece was not a contrived falsehood. Why? It's called context. MMFA works hard to put it all in there as it pertains to the parts that they're talking about. Please try to get on board.
You said it, Bill.
There hasn't been any new blood around here for so long, they ARE all related by now.
Or at least they all look (sound)alike, after so many years together.
I'm just kidding. But they won't see the humor.
It has its charms. Make yourself what ever you like. My last reunion was for Grannies 100th.
A WC Fields quote says a lot about families to me. He was drying out on the radio. Don Amechee was paying the straight man to him. After an absurd story about an uncle dying, Don offered,"Thats sad. Its hard to lose a relative."
WC replied,"Nearly impossible."
Solonswine,
Your attempt to fight fiction with facts with MM(vl) should be done only with the understanding that we can be entertained by the hateful lefties and their bile they spew. They take themselves and the antics of MM(vl) far too seriously to ever have a synapse fire in their crainiums.
There are a few that will engage in debate surrounding issues, but generally they are far and few between. But even the best lose their minds when liberal/leftist ideology is refuted and then mocked. So enjoy the show and keep their feet to the fire!
A
MMFA's hair splitting just makes the operation seem so unimportant... and it gets involved in this stupid time-wasting minutae just to justify its existence. Does it really see a huge difference when Beck generally refers to the general discontent or does he really have to go down the list and question specific improprieties?
I mean, rather than excoriate Beck for not being so specific but still asking the general question, why not go find an example of someone who DID ask such questions, or DOES do things right and put it side by side with Beck's "generalaties"... THAT might make a difference.
But getting into hair-splitting, word parsing slugfests just reeks of making a mountain out of a molehill to appear important.
"...the Great Whore..." is a reference to a text in Revelation. Some have taken it as a reference to the Catholic church, or religiosity in its entirity...
I think it's cute when they tell each other how right they are.Like a Special Olympics award ceremony, where every dittobot gets a medal just for trying hard and not giving up, whether it's a debunked argument or a pointless link.
I also think it's adorable that they imagine whoever is bored enough on any given day to patiently explain things, give supporting evidence, and laugh at their delusional declarations of victory are "the few who will engage in debate".
Bless you, dittoheads!
Colonelkentuckyfriedsanders,
I resent the comment about special olympics. What if I told you I recently went to an event for my sister who competed and witnessed great inspiration.
You'll find us all much more amenable as soon as the rightwing lies and/or the feigned offenses cease. In other words, as soon as the hard righties begin to act in good faith here we can all move on.
But I understand it's not the nature of the conservative to engage in honest debate. How can it be when all manner of decorum, honesty and respect is subsumed by the prime objective of victory. So I won't hold my breath because I know, from years and years of witnessing conservatives sacrifice their integrity in service of political victory, that they cannot curve their hostile, lying ways.
It's that simple.
It's who conservatives are, it's what conservatives do. I will not waste my time trying to be civil to a person who has no principles.
This is just the sort of stuff that makes me despise a site like yours. It just seems to me that you are so itching to stay relevant that you end up parsing such minutae that it just ends up seeming like a bunch of immature, angry high-schoolers who have nothing of substance to offer and only get their identity out of splitting hairs over such utter nonsense.
"Boy, that Beck really did you wrong, huh?"
It must hurt to be so misrepresented... well, one good turn deserves another.
sitsAROUNDthehouse,
How is pointing out the fallacy in the minutia that MM(vl) sees as something from the great right wing conspiracy? The humorous thing is that the whole conversation was done in jest! Listen to the not-so-subtle tone of Beck's question. I know that many of you fear our links, it might be enlarging your carbon footprint so we dare not do that, but if you look at the first, second and third bits of footage, then we could have some dialogue.
A few from the left who come to this site are interested in reasonable dialogue and I don't believe anyone would agree with you that I need to move beyond those who offend me. Those discussions reflect respect and humor, maybe that's a concept beyond an angry lefty's narrow mind, squarehut!
Angry left? So what? Our future is too important to be nicey, nicey with the corporate nitwits populating the right.
I will make no apologies.
You mean the corporate nitwits who you are profiting from in your retirement fund?
Or maybe you'd be content with that lifelong loser of an investment you made called (hilarious) SOCIAL SECURITY.
All Utopians should have to exist on that "progressive" panacea. You guys have a great batting average.
By the way, subjecting Social Security to income tax was another brainy idea of Progessives, who also gave it sufficient votes to put it into law.
Gosh, wonder who is screwing the middle class?
MM nitpicks about this and that in an attempt to distract from the real intent behind their post evidenced by their big and bold headline -- to advance the idea that Beck and Hagee seriously entertain nonsensical notions such as this, by quoting accurately, but failing to put it in its proper context. Doing so would actually make it apparent that Beck and Hagee both think that kind of thinking is crazy.
I would recommend simply watching Beck's show for full context, and not relying on the rather selective analysis offered here.
Listening to the original source material, it's clear to see how Mr. Beck's words were clearly taken out of context and skewed to sound like he called Obama the anti-christ or asked Mr. Hagee if he thought Obama was the Anti-Christ.
Mr. Beck clearly stated that he laughs at the people who have conspiracy theories calling Obama the anti-christ, he said he thinks those types of people are crazy. Please report his words honestly and not out of context. That's what a good journalist does.