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CBSNews /

CBS/ September 23, 2009, 11:43 AM

Glenn Beck: McCain Worse Than Obama

In an interview for the inaugural installment of @katiecouric, the new Web show hosted by Katie Couric, Glenn Beck said that he thinks "John McCain would have been worse for the country than Barack Obama."

Beck, the Fox News personality, radio host and author, also said that he may have voted for Hillary Clinton over McCain had Clinton been the Democratic nominee in 2008.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, I think I would have much preferred her as president and may have voted for her against John McCain," Beck told Couric.

Prompted to elaborate by the CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor, Beck said he thinks "McCain is this weird progressive like Theodore Roosevelt was."

"I think John McCain would have been worse," he continued, laughing. "How about this? I think John McCain would have been worse for the country than Barack Obama. How's that?"

Watch the clip here, and come to CBSNews.com tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET for the full interview.

For more about @katiecouric, click here.



Disclosure: Glenn Beck's book "Arguing with Idiots" is published by Simon & Schuster, a division of CBS corporation; also Mr. Beck and Katie Couric are both represented by Hiltzik strategies.
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved.
24 Comments Add a Comment
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independent80401 says:
My only comment is that journalism in this country died with Tim Russert. I watched this interview out of interest only, as I am not particularly a Beck supporter. However one thing rang out loud and clear to me: Hey Katie....let's try and be objective in your interviews. It is painfully clear where you stand. While your personal beliefs are your right to have, you are in a profession that absolutely MUST remain objective. I couldn't even finish watching the entire interview.

Every single time I happen to catch an interview you did, always taped as we don't watch CBS in our home, one can see where you stand....honestly it's why CBS News is no longer watched in our household. We turn the channel after our local news on CBS over to another network, who's reporting, though one-sided at times, at least makes the attempt to be "in the middle". I only happened upon this site today and clicked out of interest....you didn't let me down. I'm am neither a democrat or republican, I'm one of those independents. Goodness, just be objective Katie, or better yet, jump on over to MSNBC, you'd be happier there, and perhaps CBS would get a ratings jump. Maybe put Harry Smith where you are (Harry is the closest to Mr. Russert as anyone)

Just try this....be like Mr. Russert if you can. No one really knew how Mr. Russert personally stood on an issue. Was he democrat or republican? The beauty of that is you didn't know. What credibility that carried.

Now THAT'S a true professional. I saw a glimpse of that with Campbell Brown recently and I was thrilled. She gets it, and is at least trying to be objective.

Can you maybe start doing that Katie? Maybe your ratings would go up if you did.
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brenofky says:
I agree with above, we are all brothers and sisters in this One Nation under God, but Glenn Beck insists upon being the pain in the butt brother that you just want to beat the hell out of in the back yard every day after school. He's a whiny little brat with limited knowledge but pretends to know everything. He's the only guy I know that can butcher the Constitution so badly that he interprets slavery as something current. To proclaim himself as a journalist is laughable at the least, he is simply a carrier of the hate virus and vomits out garbage that he has managed to manipulate inside that warped mind of his. Quite frankly Fox news would be doing the country a favor to cancel Beck and Greta. Their limited knowledge of the world as it truly is baffles the mind. Greta would still be an unknown if OJ hadn't committed murder. She should thank him or put him on her Christmas list. Truthfully, had you ever heard of Greta VanSustern before the OJ murders? If Beck is spouting hate to make himself famous that is so sad but what is sadder is that people really do believe the garbage he spews. He operates under the same guidelines as Charles Manson or James Jones. He preys on the weak minded of the world who haven't a clear thought of their own and have to follow someone else. I have some advice for you all who think that Glenn Beck is an intelligent man, put down the Kool-aid and find someone with the anecdote, QUICK!!!! And Beck, take a class on the Constitution please.
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humanityVSGreed says:
The speading of hate and division will only cause this country to fall. Why does fox news, continue to spread this hatred through out our county? We need to be here for each other and unite, Greed and selfishness is a huge part of our downfall as a nation. When will we start caring about others and not only ourselves? At that time, I believe we will come back to the roots that made America the great country it was in the beginning. Barack Obama is the first president, in a very long period of time who cares about the struggles of the average American people, not just the wealthy and is willing to take a stand against the self serving nation we have become to make a better America for all. May God have mercy on us and may we turn from our selfish ways to become the Nation God has blessed once again!
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barryzm replies:
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While I like the conclusion of your sentiment there, I think you also hit more of the core in the problem. A lot of the issues people have within our bi-partisian nation is the ideological differences based upon the simple idea of morality, and then spread through the speaker of ignorance. "One Nation Under God" is a creed upon which our country was made successful. With respect of not so much God Himself, but the morality, respect and power He represents. As our country is slowly starting to phase out organized religion, and as a result the foundations of morality that, in my personal opinion, (I'm not going to pretend this isn't a biased response, but I'm trying to level it as much as possible) have been a very respectable and successful guide to overall happiness, are beginning to fail. Since the organization is beginning to fail, the line between what is "right" and what is "wrong" is starting to blur. This blurred line is the argument between the left and the right. There is not so much hate between these two sides, but a strong passion connected to the ideological beliefs that these people hold on to. In the past, an abortion could be considered taking a life, some people still hold on to that belief with a passion, as well they should. As the times began to change, people began to consider abortions legitimate so long as the fetus is still uncapable to surviving outside the womb, which is also a viable claim. The raw emotion just put in this subject can cause the passion and firey emotions that you describe as "hate". This issue, in essence, is a life or death situation, so there is the passion. However modern psychology is noticing that lack of parental care can cause unforseen and astronomical problems for children, up to possible suicide. Also there comes more internal issues of the ability to support the child, if having this child means the parent's eventual permanent decline in health. When you have one side that believes very strongly that those who abort are killing someone, and the other side believes very strongly that they are saving another, passions run raw, people say things they may not mean. This is bi-partisianship. Whoever is "right" or "wrong" is irrelevant though, we have been born into, moved to, or simply love this country that is based on the foundations of democracy. Unfortunately, democracy does not mean every person gets every issue resolved the way they want it to. Those who do their responsibility as Americans and vote appropriately have a voice to change things they don't like. So long as we talk to each other as brothers and sisters of the same house, an American House, and one that is not divided, we will begin to love and respect as "One Nation Under God" should. So when you hear hate, remember that is most likely passion, or ignorance (or both) keep an open mind but never falter from what you believe. If the law tells you that abortion is okay, but you believe differently, you follow your believe and stay away from it and continue to try to convince others that you are right in a civil manner and vis versa. Eventually there may be change. We may not all get what we want, but we can try. In the meantime, be proud of your country, abide by the laws, respect our flag, respect our soldiers, respect our president, respect your fellow Americans. If anyone finds themselves incapable of doing any of these things... Well I guess its time to get a passport and a big suitcase. May God Bless America.

**I used abortion as a catalyst for the point
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cgavic says:
If it hadn't been for John McCain andthe surge, we'd have problems in iraq.

Glenn would vote for obama, why?

Glenn, you need to join the republicans.

you're in the mist and need to come out.

I hope your ratings fall after a stupid comment.

Rightnow you're acting your shoesize rather than your age.
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cgavic says:
Glenn has done some weird stuff like this before.

Someone in this post mentioned something:

glenn has so much potential. so much insight. so many connections.
he's put the acorn web in order.

he knows the players. He's seen what John McCain has done for this country, and up to thursday, sept. 23, compared obama to nazi stalin.

and, yet, he makes a stupid ass comment like this.

the only thing I can say, is, he likes the attention so much, that he does stuff like this.

We need the gop. the gop is not lost, like some people want to think.


Glenn, you are immature.

and don't laugh about that.

John mccain has done some wonderful things.

glenn, you're jealous, so you will get attention in the weirdest ways.

Maybe you shouldn't have come to foxnews. It's for smart people.
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DMDAY1215 says:
I guess time will tell all.
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ashaindra says:
Glen Beck's inconsistency and randomness make me laugh. Well that and his rodeo clown shtick. WHO watches his show, or even Fox News for that matter? oh right, GOP Baby Boomers.

Fox News lost any remaining credibility they had by blatantly promoting Beck's laughable 912project.

http://www.newsy.com/videos/crossing_the_line
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Swine_Flu_Virus says:
Beck's cosmic irrelevance is only slightly exceeded by that of the other right wing ideologues whose daily bloviations pollute the ether.

What is truly much more fascinating (and more than a little frightening) is the colony of brain dead miscreants who seem to depend on these societal excrescences for knowledge and inspiration.

Overall, I suppose, Beck's appeal is to that segment of the population which is destined to swim forever in the shallow end of the gene pool. They recognize "family" when they see it.
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timdgrim says:
Beck is losing so many advertisers on his Fox TV show (Obama is a racist comment) that he's starting to backtrack slowly on his insanity. Rupert (AARRGGHHH) Murdock probably has a lot to do with that.
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stuart-johns says:
Glen Beck is loathsome.
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