Perhaps I take a special interest in writing about Glenn Beck, because I identify with his taking unpopular stands and actions and paying a price. Indeed, I have been credited with being the precursor to Glenn. In the July 31, 2010, edition of Red County, a generally conservative but nonpartisan Internet publication, Dr. Richard Swier, while reviewing my book "Whores: Why and How I Came to Fight the Establishment," wrote: "Long before there was a tea party, Glenn Beck 912 movement, 13 Patriots and thousands of others, there was Larry Klayman. Larry believes that it is more important to be virtuous than liked."
So when it was announced by Fox News recently that Glenn was "leaving" the network, this came as no surprise. More than any other political commentator and analyst on television – and frankly, I can think of no one else – Glenn speaks intelligently from his heart and does not worry about the consequences of what he "teaches" the American people.
This is not a fluff column, and there is no ulterior motive for my observations about Glenn's departure from Fox News. But for those of you who watch Fox News, as I also do from time to time, there was a world of difference between Glenn's show and the other prime-time shows. He is a pure ideologue, in the best sense of the word. If he sometimes was perceived as going over the top, it was obvious that it was because he believes in his own words. And his words were unique among Fox News' hosts, and certainly even more so from other cable hosts on other networks.
Like me, Glenn believes not only that President Barack Hussein Obama is anti-white, anti-Christian and anti-Semitic, but that he is part of a broader conspiracy – the "great left-wing" conspiracy – to reduce our nation to ashes, only to refashion it and have it rise up as a great socialist state, which has ceded its sovereignty to the "New World Order." George Soros, the tycoon ultra-leftist philanthropist, is part of this conspiracy, which is evil in Glenn's and my estimations. Soros is a Jew, and he and his father did sell out their own people to the Nazis during World War II – and regrettably continue to do so with Israel. That Glenn would say this straight up is more than brave given the leftist Jewish domination and bent in the mainstream media; it is necessary to understand the mentality and goals of those who support Obama and leftist Democrats these days. Soros goes hand in hand with the other subversive ultra-leftists, domestic terrorists and black Muslims that Obama has associated with over the years, and with whom he still associates – people like Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Rev. Louis Farrakhan and Bill Ayers.
In short, Glenn honestly believes that Obama and his friends intend to destroy the United States of America as we know it! I do too!
But with all the good Fox News did following the election of President Obama in 2008, the network, as has been true throughout its successful history, has not stood by the true ideologues it has at first showcased over the years. During the late 1990s, for example, there was Matt Drudge, who had his own show at the time. While Matt's show was successful, he was fired for airing a photo of an aborted fetus. Matt was discussing the pro-choice policies of the Clinton administration at the time of the airing. Other stellar Fox News hosts over the years, like Catherine Crier and Paula Zahn, also had their run-ins with management, namely Roger Ailes, and were forced out. And, from my book "Whores," it is no secret that I have also had my differences with Roger. No matter how hard I have tried to patch them up to communicate more widely with my audience, with a few exceptions, I am still essentially boycotted by him from the network – no matter what important news event I generate.
Recently, Fox News has "taken" the name Freedom Watch to benefit itself and trade on my supporters and followers. Judge Anthony Napolitano's show borrows much from the themes of my Freedom Watch, whose name originally was conceived of by the executive producer of "West Wing," Aaron Sorkin, who created the semi-fictitious character Harry Klaypool after me during the 2000 maiden television season. While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, unfortunately the image of Judge Napolitano spewing my themes and ideas is not comforting, particularly since I candidly don't think he truly knows what he is talking about much of the time, even if his coif is "unique."
So to be blunt, I do not believe that Glenn's departure from Fox News was consensual. Because of his clear and honest views, and the departure of mainstream advertising revenues, Glenn was obviously shown the door. He was in effect too hot for even Fox News to handle and, without the jingle of advertising coin, expendable – no matter how much good he was doing to cut Obama and his socialist comrades down to size.
Sure Glenn and Fox News have tried to put on a good face. There is nothing entirely wrong with that; Fox is trying to avoid a viewer backlash. But the lesson to be learned is that the virtuous always pay a price.
Glenn Beck does not need Fox News. He is by now a very rich multi-millionaire and has more talent than anyone there in prime time. But Glenn's virtue is that he – like only a few others in the conservative movement – does not bow down to the altar of money or suck up to the conservative media establishment. He is much better than that!
In this day and age of intellectual corruption on television and in the media in general – "whores," if you will – Glenn will stand out wherever he ultimately lands. He offers a unique and important message of freedom to the American people and the world. We need more Glenn Becks to help save the republic!