On the November 15 broadcast of 630 KHOW-AM's The Caplis & Silverman Show, co-host Craig Silverman praised CNN for airing a program hosted by Glenn Beck -- whose syndicated radio show airs in the time slot before Caplis & Silverman on KHOW and who also hosts a program on CNN Headline News -- for “doing a special exposing Islam, exposing what people in Islamic countries are taught about Jews and Christians and the Western world.” Silverman added that “to me, it's going to be a valuable service on the part of CNN.” However, in praising Beck's November 15 special, titled “Exposed: The Extremist Agenda,” Silverman failed to note that on numerous occasions, Beck has made derogatory statements regarding Muslims and American Muslims.

Silverman made his remarks regarding Beck during a discussion of Fox Broadcasting Company's decision to air a controversial two-part interview with O.J. Simpson; the company announced November 20 it would not air the interview. During the discussion with co-host Dan Caplis, Silverman compared Fox's Simpson interview to CNN's controversial airing of an Iraqi insurgent sniper video. According to Silverman:

And Fox has to participate. You know, ReganBooks, Judith Regan, they're a subsidiary of Fox. It reminded me of our conversation when a lot of people were upset, and I was upset too, because I thought that CNN crossed a line when they showed the sniping at a U.S. soldier -- even though they didn't show the exact moment of impact, we all got the idea and we all know that it was the enemy who brought them the tape and wanted it to be played for their own purposes. And we thought it was wrong, and there was discussion of a boycott of CNN.

Silverman further stated that, “Tonight on CNN, Glenn Beck -- who precedes us on KHOW, who was a guest on our show last week -- he's doing a special exposing Islam, exposing what people in Islamic countries are taught about Jews and Christians and the Western world. And to me, it's going to be a valuable service on the part of CNN.” *

As Media Matters for America has noted, Beck has repeatedly suggested that American Muslims are aligned with Muslim extremists. In fact, in a November 14 interview with Rep.-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN), who in the November 7 election became the first Muslim ever elected to Congress, Beck said to Ellison, “I have been 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.' ”

Beck had previously warned that if “Muslims and Arabs” don't “act now” by “step[ping] to the plate” to condemn terrorism, they “will be looking through a razor wire fence at the West.” He also has declared that “Muslims who have sat on [their] frickin' hands the whole time” rather than “lining up to shoot the bad Muslims in the head” will face dire consequences.

Furthermore, during his November 15 CNN special -- despite his repeated calls for Muslims in the United States to “step up to the plate” and condemn terrorism -- Beck called a September 10 letter by Islamic Society of Nevada director Aslam Abdullah criticizing Al Qaeda in Iraq “surprising,” precisely because “the man who wrote it is a Muslim.”

From the November 15 broadcast of 630 KHOW-AM's The Caplis & Silverman Show:

CAPLIS: Yeah, and we both practice civil law, and we're both in the business of collecting on judgments we win at trial if there isn't adequate insurance there to pay for the judgment. But you look at this and, and how would he protect this? I mean, under California law, he's been able to protect, you know, some of his pension, et cetera, but Goldmans were actually in court trying to get ownership of his name and image, so they could then sell this or that with the O.J. Simpson likeness for money. But now, if he's actually making money from talking about how he committed the murder, even though he's not flat-out admitting it -- come on, it's more than a wink and a nod -- how could they not get access to that money? But you can be sure he has some, some scheme in mind.

SILVERMAN: And Fox has to participate. You know, ReganBooks, Judith Regan, they're a subsidiary of Fox. It reminded me of our conversation when a lot of people were upset, and I was upset too, because I thought that CNN crossed a line when they showed the sniping at a U.S. soldier -- even though they didn't show the exact moment of impact, we all got the idea and we all know that it was the enemy who brought them the tape and wanted it to be played for their own purposes. And we thought it was wrong, and there was discussion of a boycott of CNN. Tonight on CNN, Glenn Beck -- who precedes us on KHOW, who was a guest on our show last week -- he's doing a special exposing Islam, exposing what people in Islamic countries are taught about Jews and Christians and the Western world. And to me, it's going to be a valuable service on the part of CNN. Now Fox News, who was so critical of CNN, they're lining the pockets of this double murderer.

* According to a Nexis search of CNN transcripts, Silverman has appeared on CNN 10 times since August 16. Colorado Media Matters conducted a Nexis search of CNN transcripts for the terms “Craig Silverman” and “Craig Silverman and CNN.”