Glenn Beck’s ‘apology’ for attacking 11-year-old Malia Obama
Keith Olbermann shows that even in his apology Glenn Beck is scum.
But really, it doesn’t matter whether Glenn Beck apologizes or not, or what kind of apology he makes. What he said shows what is in his sick twisted head.
Glenn Beck evidently realized that he had set himself up for endless mockery and serious public disgust by attacking Malia Obama yesterday on his radio show, so he promptly issued an apology — of sorts: read on>>
In discussing how President Obama uses children to shield himself from criticism, I broke my own rule about leaving kids out of political debates. The children of public figures should be left on the sidelines. It was a stupid mistake and I apologize-and as a dad I should have known better.
As Keith Olbermann observed, in naming Beck his Worst Person in the World:
Well, that obviously changes things, because Beck at least has shown that he realizes his own hypocrisy, and he deserves — wait a minute! He did the very thing he was apologizing for, and he did it in the apology!
Olbermann points back to the opening line of the “apology”:
In discussing how President Obama uses children to shield himself from criticism …
Olbermann observes:
In apologizing for putting kids into political debates, he put the president’s kids back into political debates! This guy is feral, that even in his brief moment of semi-sanity, he’s still completely nuts!
It’s also worth remembering that Beck’s “rule” doesn’t just pertain to children — it regards politicians’ entire families:
Beck: There’s a difference! Leave my family — leave people’s families alone! I don’t think I’ve — I mean, I don’t think I have ever — I mean, I made this when it was Bill Clinton — you don’t go after Chelsea Clinton! You don’t talk about the Bush kids! Now, the minute they get into politics, that’s a different story. You leave the families alone! We’ve never done anything but protect the families, and question why the White House would bring their children into political debate. Leave the families alone!
As Zachary Pleat at Media Matters observes, Beck’s apology is thus incomplete, by multiple standards:
Beck involved Obama’s children in another attack on the president earlier this week, comments Beck did not address in his apology today.
Further, Beck limited his apology to just “my own rule about leaving kids out of political debates.” But he has repeatedly stated that entire families are off-limits — and he has dragged President Obama’s family into “political debates” several times over the past year. In a sexist attack on the president’s wife just last week, Beck referred to an image on the Drudge Report of Michelle Obama at a White House state dinner for the Mexican president and his wife, stating:
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the first lady with her — excuse the expression — but with her breasts all smooshed up.
Beck has also repeatedly brought up Obama’s parents on his Fox News and radio shows — specifically in the context of discussing Obama’s politics — and more than a year ago, he made fun of President Obama’s aunt.
Glenn Beck’s apology is incomplete until he apologizes for all the other instances in which he dragged the president’s family into his political attacks.
Indeed, probably the scummiest show Beck has ever put on was devoted to tearing down President Obama’s late mother. He certainly never came close to apologizing for that.
But I think Beck’s apology is incomplete in a much more important sense, as Karoli pointed out in her update: He failed to apologize directly to Malia Obama for mocking her, and to her parents for attacking their child.
Any real man making a real apology would have done that. This was not a real apology. This was half-assed ass-covering, at best.








mei 30th, 2010 at 3:24 am
Glenn Beck is one of those old white American males who is terrified of losing control of the USA.
mei 30th, 2010 at 3:56 am
Horrible guy, on the internet he would be ignored. Alas, not in real TV world, too many Americans still watching his show. Even more Americans … which tells something about them selves.
mei 30th, 2010 at 4:16 am
I wouldn’t worry too much about malissa. Beck is a spoiled baby whining at her. Even at 11 years old, she’s already out of his league.
mei 30th, 2010 at 4:22 am
“eikel” doesn’t realy translate correct in English.
But I think I have found one…..
mei 30th, 2010 at 5:20 am
Looking for words to describe Beck?
mei 30th, 2010 at 5:20 am
jackass
mei 30th, 2010 at 5:21 am
shit head
mei 30th, 2010 at 5:21 am
fuckup
mei 30th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Dit is een vies mannetje.
mei 30th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Ik kende hem niet maar weet al genoeg.
mei 30th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Of course we should also see that it was daddy Obama who was the first using his kid’s ‘opinion’ in a political debate. I remain an Obama fan, and very much so, and deplore Beck, but let’s put things in perspective.