Glen Beck is an Idiot...

[velkyn]

That Beck had to implore his followers NOT to bring signs (infringing on their speech rights?!) is very telling. He knows EXACTLY the sorts of signs that would show up.

Hmmm, didn't know about that.  As you say, how telling. 

[Max Kodan]

That Beck had to implore his followers NOT to bring signs (infringing on their speech rights?!) is very telling. He knows EXACTLY the sorts of signs that would show up.

Hmmm, didn't know about that.  As you say, how telling. 

By the by, anyone know what time this is supposed to happen?  (East Coast, same time zone as D.C)

[Gimpy]

According to The Christian Science Monitor (in an article discussing whether this is a political rally or not), it states, "Information packets provided to those who have registered to attend say flatly not to publicly display embarrassing statements. . ." (though wonder how they determine that since most of the teabaggers I know think it's a-okay to show Obama with a bone in his nose)

They are also told to leave their firearms at home. . . wonder how well this went over with them.

[Max Kodan]

According to The Christian Science Monitor (in an article discussing whether this is a political rally or not), it states, "Information packets provided to those who have registered to attend say flatly not to publicly display embarrassing statements. . ." (though wonder how they determine that since most of the teabaggers I know think it's a-okay to show Obama with a bone in his nose)

They are also told to leave their firearms at home. . . wonder how well this went over with them.

They don't want any embarrassing statements, but...they're letting...Glenn Beck...THE Glenn Beck...speak.  On a microphone.  On national television.  Anyone sense an epic fail in the future?

[velkyn]

By the by, anyone know what time this is supposed to happen?  (East Coast, same time zone as D.C)

from Beck's website: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 28, 2010.

[jedweber]

In case there's any change, just turn on Fox News, I'm sure they're running constant up-to-the-minute promos. I'm sure they'll have live coverage all day tomorrow, too. It's the Teabaggers' Woodstock!

Watch for the inflated crowd counts, sure to be five or ten times whatever the authorities estimate.

[Nick]

This event would be a perfect time for the 2nd comming or the rapture.  They are all in one place and Beck is their new Moses..."Let my people go".

[pingnak]

Remember that 'to serve man' Twilight Zone episode?  The aliens could've just come down wearing wings and projected halos, and the Jesus freaks would rush right into the cattle hold.

[jedweber]

Apparently, the more Glenn talks about God, instead of just hunting for Communists and bashing Obama, the more it makes some of his fundie followers uneasy:

Some evangelicals on defensive over partnering with Glenn Beck, a Mormon
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/27/some-evangelicals-on-defensive-over-partnering-with-glenn-beck-a-mormon/

Anti-Beck quotes:

"The Apostle Paul warns Christians against uniting with unbelievers in spiritual endeavors," Howse wrote. "While I applaud and agree with many of Glenn Beck's conservative and constitutional views, that does not give me or any other Bible-believing Christian justification to compromise Biblical truth by spiritually joining Beck."
...
 "Beck asks Christian leaders to 'put differences aside,' but Beck himself daily peppers his broadcasts with Mormon distinctives because he cannot keep his beliefs to himself."

The pro-Beck side:

"Glenn Beck is being used by God - mightily," ... wrote Jim Garlow, an influential California pastor..."Glenn is not perfect... But his expose on America's sins is stellar."

"I have interviewed persons who have talked specifically with Glenn about his personal salvation - persons extremely well known in Christianity - and they have affirmed (using language evangelicals understand), 'Glenn is saved,' "
...
"Christians concerned about Glenn's faith should judge the tree by its fruits, not its labels,"...wrote David Barton, an influential evangelical activist who is joining Beck's rally...

I bet the pro-Beck side will carry the day, since Beck has the money, TV ratings and influence going for him...

[Nick]

I wonder if the process has started to make him a saint.  I think you need two or 3 miracles in his name or as a result of something he did.  I think he already has one.  The fact that so many people cannot see him as the fraud that he is is a miracle in itself.

[jedweber]

^ Mormons and fundies don't have saints, do they? (And the Catholics are not desperate enough to start canonizing Mormon TV hosts, at least not yet.)

But I bet it's just a matter of time before somebody calls him a prophet, or claims they were healed by him through the TV...

[Nam]

Watch for the inflated crowd counts, sure to be five or ten times whatever the authorities estimate.

I remember when FOX did that the last time.  They stated there were thousands of people at a rally when there were actually only a few hundred, they used footage from another rally that actually had thousands of people and stated it was for the rally in question[1].

-Nam

1.	at the time

[jetson]

Watch for the inflated crowd counts, sure to be five or ten times whatever the authorities estimate.

I remember when FOX did that the last time.  They stated there were thousands of people at a rally when there were actually only a few hundred, they used footage from another rally that actually had thousands of people and stated it was for the rally in question[1].

-Nam

1.	at the time

Funny, my Dad specifically pointed out reference photos of crowds gathered in the Mall in the past, so that I would not be "fooled" by any mainstream media lies about the true attendance.  Yes, he's a Becker...

[Max Kodan]

Watch for the inflated crowd counts, sure to be five or ten times whatever the authorities estimate.

I remember when FOX did that the last time.  They stated there were thousands of people at a rally when there were actually only a few hundred, they used footage from another rally that actually had thousands of people and stated it was for the rally in question[1].

-Nam

1.	at the time

Oh, I remember that, good times...Jon Stewart pointed that out, didn't he?

[Nam]

Oh, I remember that, good times...Jon Stewart pointed that out, didn't he?

I think everyone but FOX pointed that out.

-Nam

[jedweber]

I remember Beck claiming that the big tea party rally last year had 1 to 2 million marchers, something like TEN OR TWENTY TIMES everybody else's estimates, and then he blamed the mainstream media for deliberately under-counting the crowd...

[jedweber]

At the moment, Fox is only reporting "thousands" at the rally, I'm sure that will upgraded to gazillions by the time of Beck's show on Monday.

Fox also just reported that Beck has asked attendees NOT to hold signs, because "this is not a political rally." LOL, he's obviously afraid of being embarrassed by his loony supporters...

[Nam]

I remember Beck claiming that the big tea party rally last year had 1 to 2 million marchers, something like TEN OR TWENTY TIMES everybody else's estimates, and then he blamed the mainstream media for deliberately under-counting the crowd...

I just saw at Washington Post's website, that, in the artice it says, "There are thousands of people at the rally..." and then it shows a picture of just a few people on the lawn, and what looks like a couple of hundred at the memorial.

-Nam

[Nam]

Fox also just reported that Beck has asked attendees NOT to hold signs, because "this is not a political rally." LOL, he's obviously afraid of being embarrassed by his loony supporters...

I forget what article I read it from (either the one I just mentioned, or another one) but I read that a person at the rally stated that she loves Beck because he teaches her the "real" history of America etc., and it's not what she learned in school when she was a kid.  Apparently what she learned were all lies, and what Beck says is all truth.  Idiots.

-Nam

[DVZ3]

You know, I didn't want to believe the 2012 "End of the World" conspiracy theory but.....  I guess the real question is...would it be Palin/Beck 2012 or Beck/Palin 2012....

Maybe 2012 really will be the beginning of the end.

[jedweber]

...would it be Palin/Beck 2012 or Beck/Palin 2012....

Either way, it would be a Dream Ticket...for Democrats, and anyone who likes the absurd. Oh, please let them do it!

[jedweber]

I couldn't bear to watch the thing live, but you can read the Rude Pundit's twitter coverage here:

http://twitter.com/rudepundit

Apparently Glenn repeated crap from his show, invoked God and Jesus a lot, cried like a baby, and talked about raising money. Sounds like he was indistinguishable from any low-rent televangelist.

[Nick]

Well, all I can say is that in the morning when we all get up the world will be a different place.  Thank you Glenn for changing the world.

[jedweber]

CBS News came up with this figure based on aerial photographs:

Glenn Beck Rally Attracts Estimated 87,000
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20014993-503544.html

I wonder what Beck's estimate will be.

[monkeymind]

ABC NBC national and local news said 'hundreds of thousands.'

Geesh! I can't get it right!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#38895358
I listened to it again. OK what was said was tens perhaps hundreds of thousands.
The local affiliate did say hundreds of thousands.

[ParkingPlaces]

ABC NBC national and local news said 'hundreds of thousands.'

Geesh! I can't get it right!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#38895358
I listened to it again. OK what was said was tens perhaps hundreds of thousands.
The local affiliate did say hundreds of thousands.

They raised $600,000 bucks. Six bucks or so per participant. Man they really love the vets the money is supposedly going to. (After expenses, of course.)

At other tea bag rallies those folks spend more than that just on crayons.

[pingnak]

...would it be Palin/Beck 2012 or Beck/Palin 2012....

Either way, it would be a Dream Ticket...for Democrats, and anyone who likes the absurd. Oh, please let them do it!

It's possible these are the most sane and intelligent people left in the Republican Party.

The Talibush chased all the sane people away.

Fortunately for the Republican Party, they continue to work for the 'lowest common denominator' of American society.  Fear and crassness seem to work well for them and their constituency of the brainless.

[jedweber]

ABC NBC national and local news said 'hundreds of thousands.'

Beck has reportedly claimed that 500,000 people were there.
Michele Bachmann put it at one million.

Conservative websites like the Drudge Report plaster these estimates on their front page. Then, to be "fair," news organizations like ABC and NBC have to report that there are estimates in the "hundreds of thousands."

Poor CBS, which actually paid an outside company to have experts study the aerial photographs, then looks like the odd man out and can be accused of "liberal bias." 

I don't know why these people even have to lie. Even if the turnout was only 80-100,000, that's still an impressive achievement for a rally that was basically the brainchild of one crackpot talk show host.

[monkeymind]

They raised $600,000 bucks. Six bucks or so per participant. Man they really love the vets the money is supposedly going to. (After expenses, of course.)

At other tea bag rallies those folks spend more than that just on crayons.

Awesome, maybe now we can get an open air MRI at our clinic. Or a stethescope or something...