Glenn Beck: GOP Needs to Admit it Has a Problem

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Republicans

(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

CPAC Convention, Washington -- "It is still morning in America," media personality Glenn Beck told a raucus crowd Saturday night, harkening back to the popular Ronald Reagan theme. "It just happens to be kind of a head pounding, vomiting for four hours kind of morning in America, and it's shaping up to be a nasty day, but it's still morning in America."

Yet it's not enough to blame Barack Obama or Democrats for the current economic state, Beck told an audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Republicans have an addiction to spending, he said, likening the party to Tiger Woods, or an alcoholic.

"I have not heard the people in the Republican party yet admit they have a problem," he said. "I don't know what they stand for anymore."

At the premiere conservative conference of the year, the winners of the unofficial 2012 straw poll came down to candidates from years past. Rep. Ron Paul won the poll, but a strong chorus of boos erupted when the results were announced, revealing the dissatisfaction conservatives have with their current field of Republican politicians.

"It's not enough to just not suck as much as the other side," Beck said in his speech.

Tapping into the anxieties of conservatives who fear the creeping growth of the federal government and the stalled economic progress of middle America, Beck used his trademark black chalkboard on stage to spell out what he called "the disease in America:" "Progressivism."

"Progressivism is the cancer in America," he said, infecting both parties. In Republicans, "it's just progressive lite," he said, dating back to Theodore Roosevelt. While the Democratic party is taxing and spending, Beck said, Republicans are guilty of not taxing but still spending.

Beck told the audience the "cancer" of progressivism "must be cut out of the system because they cannot co-exist. You must eradicate it."

Conservatives believe in personal responsibility and the right to pursue happiness, Beck said -- but not to happiness itself. He said progressivism has deteriorated the nation's ability and willingness to accept competition, or the losses that come with competition.

"The worst is still ahead of us, but no one has the spine in Washington to tell you that because they don't think you can handle it as an American," he said. "We need big thinkers and brave people with spines who can make the case, who can say to Americans it's going to be hard."

He added, "All we have to do is recognize the problems that we have, admit to our mistakes."

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Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by Beekerr February 25, 2010 9:26 PM EST: I don't trust any politician after they have been on the job longer than 6 months, regardless of party affiliation. Politics has turned into a system of underhanded power brokering and money laundering.; Reply to this comment


by P0ST1ING_AWAY February 25, 2010 8:00 PM EST: by national1942 February 24, 2010 6:15 PM EST
Mr. Beck if you think the GOP has a problem you should look at the Dems. Now they've REALLY got a PROBLEM and his name is Barak Obama, among a host of others.
===============================================================
Denial is one of YOUR problems.
Being dim is another.; Reply to this comment


by national1942 February 24, 2010 6:15 PM EST: Mr. Beck if you think the GOP has a problem you should look at the Dems. Now they've REALLY got a PROBLEM and his name is Barak Obama, among a host of others.; Reply to this comment


by jherrer2 February 24, 2010 5:17 PM EST: The righteously religious have destroyed the party. Good. They have too much power and constantly pick fights against peoples individual freedoms.

Who cares about what two men do in the privacy of their own home.

Who cares if people like to smoke pot its a hell of a lot safer than alcohol.

Roe vs Wade will never be turned over.

Get out of kids textbooks with your creationists/revisionist bullcrap.

Stop giving blank check power to giant corporations.

And I wish both parties would stop politicizing every issue. Stick to facts. Think about the money last.

Healthcare and Climate change should be taken a lot more seriously than bribing people to lie for your opinion.; Reply to this comment


by noloyalisti February 23, 2010 5:30 PM EST: Beck and the rest of the air-headed tea baggers are railing against socialism while participating in it. Beck said he learned what he knows by reading at the PUBLIC library. And he believes in the current system of socialism for the rich corporations.

What a freakin' hypocrite. The stupidity takes one's breath away.; Reply to this comment


by noloyalisti February 23, 2010 5:14 PM EST: The Republican ARE the problem. They are standing in the way of progress, in fact they want to go BACKWARDS. I hope everyone realized what a nightmare they caused the last 10 years and how they have been wrong about EVERYTHING for the last 30. God forbid we forget and they EVER get back into power.; Reply to this comment


by johndevinejr February 23, 2010 1:00 PM EST: Conservatism is the philopophy that seeks to prevent progress. Without progress a society stagnates.; Reply to this comment


by daffy64 February 23, 2010 12:43 PM EST: While the Democratic party is taxing and spending, Beck said, Republicans are guilty of not taxing but still spending.

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Odd statement. But strangely true. This sure makes the current Republican party look irresponsible, doesn't it?

No wonder it was Ron Paul who was the darling at the conservative convention.; Reply to this comment

by RedWings_ninety_one February 23, 2010 11:38 AM EST

They all have problems, no one's perfect. If there were people that were, and they were elected into various political positions... and we lived in a perfect world, everyone would be happy. Everyone would get what they want.

However, there's no such thing as a perfect world. Belive it or not, you need stress to live.

Just admit you have a problem and move on. It will NEVER be 100 % fixed to the point where there are no problems, so why not admit it. You have problems, I have problems, the whole d*** world has problems. The GOP is not alone.

I know I'm stating the obvious and preaching to the chior, but apparently it needs to be said to the GOP.

Reply to this comment


by book_of_wally February 24, 2010 10:24 AM EST: Yes but the Lord said he who is without sin cast the first stone. That guy gets on TV every night slinging them one after another.


by rented_alligator February 23, 2010 11:30 AM EST: "We need big thinkers and brave people with spines who can make the case..."
This idiot is describing Ron Paul.; Reply to this comment