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Glenn Beck

What`s the Best Path in Iraq?; Jerry Falwell Weighs in on `08 Elections; Is Rosie Right about Racism on "American Idol"?

Aired March 08, 2007 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

GLENN BECK, HOST: Coming up, Congress` latest recipe for disaster in Iraq.
Plus the Reverend Jerry Falwell will be by to tell us whether Rudy Giuliani or any of the other conservative candidates have the right stuff. Get it? Right stuff?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Tonight`s episode is brought to you by Giuli-Ann Taylor, the clothing line for mature ladies and the men who dress like them. Ooh, sexy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: All right. The debate over the troop surge continues, and here`s the point tonight. The blood of our troops will be on the hands of Congress.

Here`s how I got there. Democratic Party leaders are proposing a new Bill which calls for bringing the troops home from Iraq by early next year, and then removing whatever troops remain by October 2008.

If the president doesn`t agree to this timeline, which he`s never agreed with timelines, then Congress will force him to deny the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan over $100 billion in necessary funds.

To those in Congress who say they`re against the war but support our troops, you`re lying if you vote for this Bill. You don`t support anyone or anything except your own selfish political interests.

Here`s what the speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: No matter what, by March 2008, the redeployment begins.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: There`s no middle ground here. If you`re in favor of the war and think we need to win at all costs, great. If you`re anti-war no matter what the situation, even if you`re a crazy hippie, at least you`re consistent.

But then there`s that murky center. It is immoral to say that a war is worth fighting, and then not give it everything you`ve got. If you don`t, more of our soldiers and innocent Iraqis will be killed. The people who want to get out of Iraq -- the Nancy Pelosis and the John Murthas -- are acting like spineless jellyfish, and this spinelessness will leave our troops high and dry and at the mercy of our enemies.

The people that we are fighting in the Middle East can sense the weakness in us, and they will pounce on us. How do you think Saddam Hussein kept Iraq together without civil war? Fear. The people we are fighting against only understand fear, strength and intimidation.

There are really only three choices in Iraq. The first one, pull out all the troops today. Pull them out. Sure folks will be happy for a few weeks, until Iraq -- through the influence of Iran -- will turn into a radical Islamist state that will be hell bent on uniting the world to destroy the entire west.

Best case scenario for option No. 1. It is going to make Darfur look like Disney World.

Two, second option, fight this thing with everything we`ve got. Give our troops what they need. They`ve got enough troops? Great. Give them more troops. Stabilize Iraq and then hope and pray that democracy will flourish.

Or, three, do neither. Don`t do anything. Just deny our troops the funding. Watch our young men and women get slaughtered between now and October 2008, effectively turning Iraq into another Vietnam, which is what we promised each other we wouldn`t do.

This is not a political issue, but it`s being turned into one by our leaders in Congress. The people in Congress need to understand this is not about left or right. It`s not about Republicans and Democrats. Us, we the people, those of us living in the real world, we know this is about right or wrong, and in this case any shades of gray are incredibly dangerous.

Trying to please everybody and playing the middle ground on Iraq just so you can win an election is not just arrogant or misguided. To our brave soldiers it is a death sentence.

So here`s what I know tonight. You can`t have it both ways in Iraq. You can`t say that you support our troops and then proceed to tie their hands behind their backs. You fight to win a war, not an election.

Here`s what I don`t know. How do these people in Congress, Democrats and Republicans, who want to have it both ways, how do you sleep at night? How do you do it?

If your Bill goes through, I hope you can`t go to bed any single night without the images of body bags of our American soldiers coming off those planes. I hope they dance in your head every single night, because you will be just as responsible for their deaths as anyone who has ever strapped a bomb to their chest and screamed "Allah akbar."

Joining me now are Congressman Chris Van Hollen. He is a Democrat from Maryland and the head of the DCCC. And Duncan Hunter, he`s a Republican from California and presidential candidate.

Let me start with Mr. Van Hollen. You have been against the war from the beginning. Congratulations on being consistent, sir.

REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D), MARYLAND: Thank you.

BECK: Now tell me, how can you possibly be for this Bill and not just say pull our troops out now?

VAN HOLLEN: Well, Glenn, you began the segment by saying this was the latest disaster from Congress. I would just begin by pointing out that what we`ve have, and I think you would agree, is many years of disaster from the Bush administration.

BUSH: Let`s not make this about politics, sir. Let us talk about the war and not the past. Let`s take it from where we are.

VAN HOLLEN: I would like to do that, and what this package is, it`s very consistent with the independent and bipartisan Baker-Hamilton Commission recommendations, whose essential message was that it`s in the national security interests of the United States to ask the Iraqis to assume more responsibility for their future. And the United States should begin to assume less.

And this Bill calls for ensuring that our troops that we send there are ready, that they`re prepared and trained. And it requires the Iraqis to take on greater responsibility for their own future and do what the president has said they should do and what their own government has said they should do and begin to hold them accountable for their own future.

That`s in our national security interests. That`s in the interests of our soldiers, and that is the right way to go.

BECK: Duncan Hunter, isn`t this exactly what we promised we wouldn`t do? Isn`t this Congress playing politics with war and war-gaming this situation and not letting the generals fight it. The new general that Congress just approved didn`t say this is what he wanted.

He`s asking for what the president was trying to give him, and I`m not a -- I`m not an ally of how President Bush has fought this war. Isn`t this Vietnam all over again, sir?

REP. DUNCAN HUNTER (R), CALIFORNIA: You know, this is -- this is 232 Democrats being generals, and I`m going to -- I`m going to oppose this Bill. I`m going to fight it every inch on the floor because this is what I call the slow bleed. The idea that -- and let me tell you, Glenn, I`ve had a son who`s done two tours in Iraq as a Marine, the last one in Fallujah.

The idea that you can`t send a Marine unit over, because maybe one of their people hasn`t done enough time on the rifle range so you keep the entire unit back, absolutely disables our military, and it sends a signal to the bad guys, I think the first signal of retreat in the war against terror.

The real answer to this, the right way to leave Iraq, is standing up the Iraqi forces, which we`re doing every day. Stand up those 129 Iraqi battalions, rotate them as we`re doing in Baghdad, rotate them into the front. And when they hit their stride, and we`ve got all 129 battalions with some operational experience, we rotate out the Americans. That`s the right way to leave Iraq. Not with these deadlines which will be absolute disaster for our country.

BECK: Chris, let me go to you, and you please explain this Nancy Pelosi comment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PELOSI: I say to my colleagues, never confine your best work, your hopes, your dreams, the aspirations of the American people, to what will be signed by George W. Bush because that is too limiting a factor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: This is not a game, Chris. You people in Washington, you make me sick on both sides of the aisle. This is not a game. This is -- this is not some -- what exactly are you trying to do? Get the president to veto this so then you can cut the funds?

You know, I don`t know if you know this, Chris, but these are American troops. These are not Republican troops. This is not a Republican war. This is an American war, American troops. Stop trying to win elections and making little points and support our troops!

VAN HOLLEN: Glenn, that`s exactly what we`re doing, and I think you know that. We`re all working...

BECK: No, sir, I don`t.

VAN HOLLEN: Well, we`re working together to support our troops, and we need to make sure, No. 1, they`re ready when they`re deployed and, No. 2, that that they`re treated with dignity and respect when they come home at places like Walter Reed.

BECK: Yes.

VAN HOLLEN: And that`s one of the reasons why this Bill...

BECK: What an -- what an interesting way to -- no, no, I can give it to you, sir.

VAN HOLLEN: Listen -- listen, that is -- we need to treat them with respect going and coming back. And we also need to make sure that we treat them right and the people of this country right and our national security interests right.

The fact of the matter is, a bipartisan independent commission, and you may disagree with the Hamilton-Baker position, but that`s...

BECK: No, no, sir. That`s exactly what the Bush -- Bush used the same thing when he said let`s up the troops.

VAN HOLLEN: No, no. Glenn...

BECK: It`s very interesting to me that you say we`ve got to support. You`ve loaded this Bill with anti-IED tanks. You`ve loaded it with more money than Bush has asked in Afghanistan, Walter Reed.

It`s an amazing thing, because now anybody who votes against this Bill, you people are going to make commercials saying they`re voting against our troops. They don`t want to fix Walter Reed. Interesting game.

VAN HOLLEN: Can I say something about that?

BECK: Yes.

VAN HOLLEN: Can I say something about Afghanistan? We did -- look, we took our eye off the ball in Afghanistan. The fact of the matter is, according to our intelligence committee now, the Taliban has been resurgent for more than a year, and al Qaeda is now coming back.

It is really outrageous that those who are responsible for the attacks on this country of September 11, 2001, have not been held accountable.

BECK: No, you`re exactly right.

VAN HOLLEN: We should be.

BECK: We`ve never fought a war on more than one front.

BECK: Duncan, I`m going to give you the last -- the last word.

HUNTER: Well, let me just tell you, Glenn, there`s a right way to leave Iraq, and that`s operationally rotating up the Iraqi battalion, standing them up, rotating out the American battalions. That`s the right way to leave Iraq.

This is a slow bleed, and the Democrats are hiding behind everything. They`re hiding behind a commission. They`re hiding behind talk about Walter Reed, which is not on the subject.

The one thing that they`re doing is they are trashing a mission that our American troops have been sent over to do and which most of the troops that are in country strongly support.

You know, America is over there right now with a mission to execute. We should stand behind them, not cut off their supplies, not cut off their training. This is a slow bleed.

BECK: Yes, yes. You win a war. You fight to win. Congressmen, thank you both very much, both of you.

VAN HOLLEN: Thank you.

BECK: New polls indicate now that Rudy Giuliani is ahead of Hillary Clinton in some key swing states, but does he have the right stuff? Jerry Falwell stops by to share his thoughts next.

Plus, Rosie O`Donnell is picking fights again, this time "American Idol" controversy. Scary part is I actually agree with Rosie this time.

And watch out. Al Gore, PETA has your number. Animal rights groups asking Gore to practice what he preaches when it comes to global warming. Explained tonight in "The Real Story" coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Let`s be consistent, shall we? Scooter Libby, how is it that these Republicans and these conservatives are going, "Ah, this is an abomination." He perjured himself with the grand jury.

He gets what he deserves if you perjure himself. Aren`t you the same people that, when Bill Clinton was perjuring himself to the grand jury, your head was going to pop? I know mine was.

I don`t care if you`re a Republican or a Democrat. Let`s be consistent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Well, the presidential primaries are a long, long way away. The election is even further, but the campaigning and the polling are in full swing just to drive all of us nuts, especially in the swing states which, you all know, which of the states are red and which ones are blue.

Elections are often decided by those that are a little purple, you know what I mean? Like Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida.

New polls shows that Rudy Giuliani devastates Barack Obama in all three of those states and is way ahead of Hillary Clinton in Florida and Pennsylvania. He`s been able to win over the independents and those that Hillary Clinton was hoping that would be all hers, female voters.

But we have to remember early, very, very early. I believe there was a little guy named Gary Hart that was ahead at this point in the race.

With the elections still 18 months away and her war chest still overflowing, it`s way too soon to count Hillary out. She could have, you know, honestly, a stake through her heart and she`d still be giving speeches, not that I believe she`s the walking dead but not that I`m not saying that either.

This new poll does raise some interesting questions. Are Americans seeing more hope in a conservative with a character like Rudy Giuliani than the liberal leanings of Senator Clinton or Barack Obama?

And even with his shaky personal life, Rudy still has the highest favorability rating of any 2008 candidate, Republican or Democrat.

Joining me now, Reverend Jerry Falwell, conservative commentator, chancellor of Liberty University. Jerry Falwell, doctor.

JERRY FALWELL, CHANCELLOR, LIBERTY UNIVERSITY: Hi, Glenn.

BECK: Hi. Welcome. Are you surprised at all by this poll?

FALWELL: No, not at all. I remember when the mayor really distinguished himself during 9/11 following. He was a real hero and became the mayor of every city in America.

He, you know, I think he`ll have difficulty with evangelicals, since he is wrong on all the social issues, but he is a very attractive candidate, and I imagine that both Hillary and Barack know that.

BECK: I have to, and maybe you can tell me where I`m going wrong here. I`m a one-issue guy. This started really a couple years ago. You know, I`m pro-life and everything else, but I -- I don`t think we`re going to have babies to save if we don`t win this war and we`re not tough on terror and security. Do you think a lot of people are feeling this way now?

FALWELL: Yes. That`s far and away the top issue in the minds of all Americans, including evangelical Christians. What Mr. Bush is doing in Iran and -- I mean, Iraq and in Afghanistan, is very necessary.

And since 9/11 we`ve had about a dozen little incidents, not little for those who were killed, such as the 18-year-old boy in Salt Lake City who in the shopping mall killed five people, and there have been about a dozen of those incidents. All of them were radical Islamic terrorists.

But the press never mentions that, most of the press, because they are trying to keep Islam in a good light here in this country. And there are pros and cons on that.

But the fact is we have not had a major problem since 9/11, and I would say that`s to the credit of President Bush and homeland security and a lot of law enforcement people. And the candidate, Democrat or Republican, who convinces the American people that he or she will be toughest on terrorism.

BECK: Yes.

FALWELL: And toughest on the nations who are breeding terrorism, I believe, will get the vote of the majority of the people.

BECK: I have to tell you I think that this poll says it all. Everybody says people are against the war in Iraq and the war on terror. They`re tired of it, et cetera, et cetera. That`s not this poll.

You know, you can find people who are tired of the war and against the war and want to bring our troops home. Rudy Giuliani is not that guy. What America is tired of are the politicians using the war. They`re looking for somebody who`s serious and is going to go in and guns a- blazing, get the job done and keep us safe. Am I wrong?

FALWELL: No, you`re right. The Republicans have some great candidates. John McCain is a great man. Mitt Romney is a great man, and Mayor Rudy Giuliani is a great man. These are all highest up in the polls.

And if -- if Newt Gingrich decides to run later in the summer, he would immediately be among the front-runners, if not the front-runner.

BECK: I don`t think so. I really -- I think that Newt Gingrich -- I think he`s a brilliant man.

But I also think he`s a guy that will be viewed quickly, because the Clinton money is never going to let this happen. He`ll be viewed quickly as the old guard, which I think is what a lot of these candidates are facing right now. They look like they`re part of the problem, that old system that everybody is sick of.

FALWELL: You know, he just wrote a book that is a classic. Everyone should read it, "Rediscovering God in America". He`s had a personal spiritual renaissance in his own life, and he`s told me so. He`s our commencement speaker May 19 here at Liberty University.

And I believe that he is coming on strong, and I believe that unless McCain or Giuliani or Romney really show that they`re taking a strong stand, I mean, a relentless stand against terrorism, whether it involves Iran also or not...

BECK: Yes.

FALWELL: ... you`re going to find this guy -- Newt is going to be real difficult to beat.

BECK: OK. Reverend Falwell, thank you very much for joining us.

FALWELL: Thank you.

BECK: And we will be back in just a second.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right. The ongoing "American Idol" scandal surrounding Frenchie Davis and Antonella Barba has some crying racism, Rosie O`Donnell crying weightism. The guy from the "Girls Gone Wild", meanwhile, just smells money.

One thing`s for sure: as long as people are talking about it, the ratings are going to go up. And this story ain`t going anywhere any time soon.

Joining me now Nikki Gostin in "Newsweek."

Hi, Nikki.

NIKKI GOSTIN, "NEWSWEEK": Hi.

BECK: How are you?

GOSTIN: I`m good, thanks.

BECK: I don`t think I`ve ever said this before in my life. I said it on the radio show today, and I can`t believe I`m going to repeat it now on national television. I think Rosie O`Donnell is right. I think if -- I think if the -- I don`t remember her name, the fat one.

GOSTIN: Frenchie.

BECK: I don`t mean -- Frenchie, I think if Frenchie, you know, was as hot as this current one is, Frenchie probably would have probably been on the air still, don`t you?

GOSTIN: Yes, totally. I think that if Frenchie looked like Halle Berry she would not have been kicked off, definitely.

BECK: Exactly. It has nothing to do with race.

GOSTIN: No.

BECK: And it doesn`t have anything to do with "American Idol`s" standards. Good heavens, man, they`re into ratings. That`s their standard.

GOSTIN: Exactly, no, and they`re into hotness. I mean...

BECK: Yes.

GOSTIN: Like everyone else. I mean, that`s the truth.

BECK: So let`s be really, really honest.

GOSTIN: Yes.

BECK: She`s the least talented on the show.

GOSTIN: Yes, definitely.

BECK: She`s staying tonight, isn`t she?

GOSTIN: Well, you know, the American public has to decide.

BECK: You know the American public as well as I do. She`s hot.

GOSTIN: Yes, she`s definitely hot, but she really can`t sing. She`s awful, so it will be interesting. I mean, that what makes "American Idol" such a great show.

BECK: Yes, right. I`d be shocked if those 12-year-old boys who are watching this didn`t dial in all night long.

The fat people, you know, they say that Rosie O`Donnell says their weightist. They`re not. There`s a ton of really heavy people that are on the show and have been heavy in the past.

GOSTIN: Right. Ruben Stoddard who won was a really heavy guy, I mean, really was obese. And, yes, some of the girls now aren`t particularly thin, but I just think it`s like the rest of America. I don`t think it`s easy for people who are overweight.

BECK: Nikki, have you noticed that we`ve become this society where you don`t have to be good. You don`t really have to create anything at all of value. This is going to be the best thing for this Barba girl.

GOSTIN: Totally.

BECK: I mean, she`s going to be wildly successful because of posing, you know, the way she did, and it becoming a big deal. And she doesn`t really have talent.

GOSTIN: Right, and, you know, she`s already being offered from the "Girls Gone Wild" creator, Joe Francis, has already offered her, you know, a quarter million dollars. And you know, she`s a good looking girl and I`m sure if she`s got any brains actually, she`ll carry it as far as she can.

BECK: If she has any brains she wouldn`t have taken those photos. I`m just saying.

GOSTIN: Well.

BECK: OK. Also tonight they`re talking about a big announcement, and I`ve been reading about this, and it`s going to be the biggest thing on television. It`s going to -- that`s what I read. Somebody said it was going to be one of the biggest things to happen ever to American television. I thought...

GOSTIN: Yes, well, maybe that was the "American Idol" producers.

BECK: Yes, it was.

GOSTIN: Right.

BECK: What could possibly live up to that?

GOSTIN: The story that I heard from my "American Idol" sources is that there`s going to be a songwriting competition.

BECK: Oh, my.

GOSTIN: Announced, yes.

BECK: I didn`t know. There`s the moon landing.

GOSTIN: There you go. That`s right, it`s big news.

BECK: And then the songwriting competition.

GOSTIN: Yes.

BECK: He was right, biggest thing to ever happen in American television.

GOSTIN: Yes.

BECK: Nikki, thanks a lot.

GOSTIN: Thank you.

BECK: Is a meat-free diet really the best way to fight global warming? According to PETA, it is. Now, normally, PETA would make blood shoot out of my eyes, but you cannot miss tonight`s "Real Story". It`s great, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right. Welcome to "The Real Story."

In what looks to be another case of homegrown terrorism, an ex-U.S. Navy sailor was arrested yesterday on accusations that he planned to kill U.S. servicemen by providing terrorists with classified information. Among other things, Hassan Abujihaad -- we didn`t check the guy with the last name "Jihad"? -- who is also known by a far more convenient name for dopes like me, Paul Hall, allegedly sent an e-mail to a known terrorist support cell disclosing the exact date that a U.S. battle group would pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Now, he also suggested that an attack by rocket-propelled grenades would be most effective against them. America, I`ve got two real stories for you tonight, two angles that I don`t think anybody else is talking about tonight.

First, being charged with supporting terrorism and the intent to kill U.S. citizens, gee, that`s nice and fancy. I feel all warm inside. But isn`t there a much simpler term for it? What was it? Oh, I remember. We used to like to call it treason.

Here`s the deal. If you`re an American, and you`re in the Navy, and you`re working with terrorists to kill other Americans, then you`d be charged with something crazy like treason, wouldn`t you? At least in a country that makes any sense.

Seems like, you know, we should have charged him with treason and that would have bipartisan support, but apparently, no, not in today`s P.C. America. No, it`s new and improved and sanitized for your protection.

The other "Real Story" is that Paul Hall was from Phoenix, Arizona. That may not mean something to you, but if you`re a longtime listener of the program, you know what I mean.

A couple of months ago, we did a story on how that city has been involved in quite a few "unrelated" terrorist incidents, everything from the Phoenix memo, which was the pre-9/11 FBI warning about bin Laden sending terrorists to flight schools, to a highly classified government report titled, "Arizona: Long Range Nexus for Islamic Extremists."

There were many others, as well. And, again, they`re all completely isolated, nothing to see here, people. Move along. I`ve told you we would watch Phoenix closely this year and look for any new connections. This is one of them. We`ll stay on top of it.

Next, by now you probably know my stance on global warming, but if you`re, you know, just stumbling across and you`re sitting there in your underpants watching TV, let me explain. The Earth has warmed.

You know, I don`t think that there`s anywhere near enough conclusive evidence to prove that Miami is going to be under, you know, 20 feet of water anytime soon, unless we all start panicking immediately, but I do believe that global warming has become more about politics and the redistribution of wealth than some altruistic notion of saving the planet for some people.

And today, the "Real Story" is that the most unlikely of organizations, PETA, a group that I literally have nothing in common with, PETA, has helped make my point even more apparent today.

Now, I don`t know this for sure, but I`m pretty sure that PETA not really a fan of this show. I mean, I like to eat a nice pink-in-the-middle filet stuffed with ham, topped with chicken, while wearing a full leather body suit. I do. I`m wearing a leather belt right now.

But thanks to global warming, PETA and I tonight have some common ground. In a letter to Al Gore yesterday, PETA nicely explained to him that the single best way for an individual to fight global warming is to become a vegetarian. In fact, according to the United Nations, an organization that Al Gore is usually quite fond of citing, quote, "Raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gases than all of the trucks and the cars in the world combined."

That`s not from PETA. That`s from the U.N. But it`s not just them. University researchers have also determined that switching to a vegan diet has more of an impact on global warming than switching your car from a Camry to a Prius.

Now, Mr. Gore, I understand. You can`t change your carbon footprint easily, I mean this. You do have to fly around and give speeches. A lot of those panic speeches are really good. Anyway, but what about your meat footprint? Seriously.

If you honestly -- and I mean this sincerely; the key word here is honestly -- if you honestly believe that global warming is the most important issue the world faces, bigger than terrorism, bigger than AIDS, bigger than hunger, then why haven`t you started eating veggie burgers and drinking soy milk? I hear it`s yummy.

PETA`s letter says it best. Quote, "One good way to hush Rush Limbaugh and his ilk" -- I think they`re talking about me -- "is to act as a role model in the fight against global warming and becoming personally a vegetarian." Al, I couldn`t agree more with PETA. I don`t think I`ve ever said that: I agree with PETA.

If you want to insulate yourself from criticism, then don`t be a hypocrite. Live the life you preach.

But this isn`t just about Al Gore. It`s about all of the people who champion drastic lifestyle changes without leading by example. And since most of them love to use panic and fear as a motivational tool, I thought we`d give them a little taste of their own medicine tonight.

Just saying.

Matt Prescott, PETA`s vegan campaign manager, Matt, what`s the deal? What`s the beef?

MATT PRESCOTT, PETA: Well, the beef is that all of the livestock in America produced about 130 times as much waste as the human population of America. Where do you think all that goes? It goes into our land; it goes into our rivers; it goes into the air.

And so bad that, in California, women living downwind of a dairy farm were found to be having miscarriages from the toxic fumes coming from the dairy farm.

BECK: OK. There`s a 400-page report that came out last year from the U.N. called "Livestock`s Long Shadow." Why do you suppose the global warming people are completely ignoring this?

PRESCOTT: You know, like most politicians, Gore is beholden to his contributors. He`s beholden to high-paid lobbyists, like those from the meat industry.

BECK: So like Frank Perdue is behind this?

PRESCOTT: Yes, it`s probably one reason why.

BECK: Because I think that`s bologna.

PRESCOTT: Well, you know, farmed animals are exempt from all federal laws protecting them from cruelty, almost all farmed animals, that`s probably one reason why. You know, I imagine that, for Gore, admitting that the meat industry is horrible for the environment is probably just too inconvenient a truth.

BECK: So what do you think about "An Inconvenient Truth"? Because that`s nowhere in there.

PRESCOTT: Well, one problem with Gore`s solutions is that he doesn`t offer anything that`s accessible to people. Most people can`t afford a $20,000 Prius or expensive energy-saving light bulbs. He doesn`t offer people the chance to go vegetarian or the suggestion.

It`s free. It`s something everybody can do. There`s vegetarian options at every grocery store and restaurant. It`s the most accessible way and the most effective way to help curtail global warming.

BECK: OK. Are there any global warming activists -- because, you know what? One guy I really -- I actually can`t believe I`m saying this either tonight. My gosh, I`ve agreed with Rosie O`Donnell and PETA. I mean...

PRESCOTT: It`s a banner day for you.

BECK: Jerry Falwell, I agreed with him today. I mean, I think I`m going schizophrenic.

PRESCOTT: It`s a banner day.

BECK: It is. I have respect for Leonardo DiCaprio, because I think he lives the lifestyle, until I found out about the vegan thing. Is he a vegetarian or a vegan?

PRESCOTT: I believe he`s vegetarian. He may be vegan. I know that there are a lot others. Joaquin Phoenix is a vegan. Woody Harrelson is a vegan. The list goes on and on.

BECK: All right, so you`ve got some vegans out there. Is there anybody that could have the credibility to talk about global warming?

PRESCOTT: Well, if Al Gore went vegetarian, he certainly would be a good candidate. So many people listen to him that, if he were suggest to people the fact the going vegetarian, simply just cutting the meat out of your diet, is the best way to help your environment, which scientists now know is true, then he could really have a major influence. And the fact that he doesn`t suggest that is a pretty big problem.

BECK: OK. Now is there a way to find out my meat footprint? Because I imagine my meat footprint is enormous.

PRESCOTT: Well, let`s see. We know that the average meat-eater uses about 4,000 gallons of water a day and the average vegetarian about 300. So, over a year, I guess you probably use about 1.5 million gallons of water, and I probably use about maybe 10,000 or something, 100,000.

BECK: A lot less, sure. Is there a way to offset my meat footprint? Can I buy, like, protein points?

PRESCOTT: Well, you can go vegetarian or you can stop eating meat.

BECK: No.

PRESCOTT: Or you can eat less meat.

BECK: No.

PRESCOTT: Oh, come on.

BECK: That`s not going to -- OK, serious question. Is there like a free-range -- can you just say, "I`m going to do the free range thing," and have that count?

PRESCOTT: Well, unfortunately, the term "free range" doesn`t really mean anything in America. It`s just a marketing label.

BECK: I say we let the cows loose, and then we have to go hunt them for ourselves.

PRESCOTT: You know, people can go to our Web site. It`s goveg.com. They can learn more about vegetarianism and they can get the recipes that we offered to cook Gore, like faux fried chicken, and collared greens, and apple pie.

BECK: Stop. I haven`t eaten yet. Now I`m starving. Matt, thanks a lot. That is our "Real Story" tonight. And if you`d like to read more about this, visit glennbeck.com and click on "The Real Story" button. By the way, you can also send us your own pictures of meat-eating global warming activists, just to post on the Web site, I`m just saying. E-mail them to pictures at glennbeck.com.

Coming up next, an unbelievable story of a 10-year-old facing serious jail time for a school prank. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right. Nothing funny about a fire alarm, when they`re false fire alarms. It wastes firefighters` time, puts lives at risk, and we can all agree on that. But it doesn`t stop kids from, you know, daring one another to do those false fire alarms, and that`s exactly what happened in Texas to 10-year-old Casey Harmeier.

Initially charged with a felony, but it has not been dropped to a Class "A" misdemeanor. It turns out that Casey didn`t even activate the alarm but merely removed the clear plastic cover from the alarm. Wait until you hear who did activate the alarm.

But that is not changing the mind of District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal. This is the D.A. He`s unmoved by the fact that Casey has always been a good kid with good grades -- I understand A`s and B`s -- never been in any kind of trouble until now. District Attorney Rosenthal has decided that there is evidence of scienter. I guess that`s a Latin`s lawyer term that basically said -- and we had to look it up -- that Casey, quote, "had the mental state embracing attempt to deceive, manipulate or defraud."

He`s 10, super lawyer. He`s made a stupid mistake. But if convicted, Casey could serve time in a juvenile facility with really bad kids, not first-time prank offenders. If you ask me, the case is starting to sound an awful lot like the one surrounding the Duke athletes with a D.A. that jumped to conclusions and then let ego and self-promotion get in the way of the truth.

I`m sorry, Mr. D.A. I know you`re in Texas, but I don`t think the death penalty really applies here. We did ask the district attorney to join us tonight. He has, surprisingly enough, declined.

I am joined, however, by Frank Harmeier and Tomball, Texas, public enemy number one, Casey Harmeier.

Casey, how are you holding up?

CASEY HARMEIER, 10-YEAR-OLD: I`m doing fine.

GRACE: OK. Are you a trouble-maker?

C. HARMEIER: No, sir.

BECK: OK. You ever been in trouble before this?

C. HARMEIER: No.

BECK: OK. And your grades, tell me about them.

C. HARMEIER: They`re all A`s and B`s, and I get all A`s in conduct.

BECK: OK. What happened with you in the hallway with the fire alarm?

C. HARMEIER: My friend dared me to pull the fire alarm, and -- well, he dared me to pull the case off, and I did.

BECK: OK. And then what happened?

C. HARMEIER: And then the teacher rushed over. Everybody ran back and left me right there trying to fix it, and then we all sat down, and I got sent to the principal`s office.

BECK: OK. Wait, wait, wait, who pulled the fire alarm?

C. HARMEIER: No one. I pulled the case off.

BECK: OK. And then the alarm went off by itself without pulling the alarm?

C. HARMEIER: It`s called a local alarm, and it warns whoever pulled the case, so they won`t pull the fire alarm unless it`s a real fire.

BECK: OK. And then you were called into the principal`s office. And how long were you in there with questioning?

C. HARMEIER: Four hours.

BECK: OK. Dad?

FRANK HARMEIER, SON FACING MISDEMEANOR CHARGES: Yes.

BECK: When, at what point were you called?

F. HARMEIER: About four hours after he had been taken into the principal`s office, they called us and said, hey, listen, you need to go get your child from jail.

BECK: OK. From jail?

F. HARMEIER: Yes.

BECK: Wait, they were in the principal`s office for four hours, then they took him to jail. What did they do to him in jail?

F. HARMEIER: Fingerprinted him, photographed him, I guess whatever they do whenever they book you. He was placed under arrest at the school and then taken to the jail.

BECK: OK. Honest question, as a dad.

F. HARMEIER: Yes.

BECK: In a way, were you glad this happened to your son?

F. HARMEIER: Well, if he had done something that was against the law, then certainly we would have been behind the right punishment.

BECK: OK. I mean, if my kids do something wrong, personally, I want the school to scare the crap out of them, but that`s not what`s happening here. They`re not just scaring him.

F. HARMEIER: No.

BECK: It has gone a lot further. Tell me about the deposition that he had to take.

F. HARMEIER: You know, once they said he did it, he had to go down, and basically they were, I guess, deciding if he was going to be allowed to stay in our house. You know, they asked him -- they took him, they separated him from us and asked him things like, "Has your dad ever raped you? Have you ever seen a dead body? Have you ever been high?"

BECK: Oh, my gosh.

F. HARMEIER: He was very upset.

BECK: And, Casey, you wrote in your journal -- I`m going to quote it here, we`ll put it up on the screen, the spelling is because it was written by a 10-year-old -- "I feel like a disease, like all I am is a vile monster of a person. Well, at least that`s what I think. I`m always scared all the time I leave my parents` sight, and the questions I had to answer were scary. And they asked if I had even been high, drunk or raped, and it scared me."

Casey, do you still feel that way? Are you still freaked out by all of this?

C. HARMEIER: Yes, it`s just very -- I`m very shocked that this happened.

BECK: And there`s a chance that you`re going to go to a juvenile detention facility for how long?

C. HARMEIER: I believe a year.

BECK: Frank, you turned down a plea.

F. HARMEIER: Yes.

BECK: And you turned down a plea that would have put you in parenting class and your wife in parenting class. You thought it was insulting. Could you just explain what you and your wife do for a living?

F. HARMEIER: I have a master`s degree in educational administration, and I`m a teacher, been one for 16 years. My wife stays at home with our children, but her degree is in early childhood education and childhood development.

BECK: Casey, Frank, we`ll be watching your case. It goes to court when?

F. HARMEIER: It goes to court May 15th.

BECK: Full jury trial?

F. HARMEIER: Full jury trial.

BECK: Thanks, guys.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right. Time for the clip of the day.

Yes, this one`s from Japan, where the instructional toilet training cartoons are apparently all the rage. I don`t speak Japanese, but I believe I can translate right here. "Who went poopy in the potty?" I`m just -- maybe not.

Let`s get to the e-mail. Don in Quebec writes, "Glenn, are you nuts? Speaking openly about Putin on national TV? For the next few weeks, try not to stand next to a high-rise window, keep your drink inside a local watering hole, and get a remote car started for your car."

Thanks for the warning, Don. Luckily, nobody really takes me seriously, or I`d be worried. Plus, I`ve spent my entire life preparing to die by choking on a chicken wing or being stomped to death by my own gigantic carbon meat footprint.

Nick in Missouri writes, "Glenn, I completely agree with your thoughts on illegal immigration, but I disagree with your thoughts on legal immigration. Our country is at 4.9 percent unemployment. We don`t need no stinkin` legal immigrants."

You know, Nick, not so much. I mean, I`m kind of torn on that one. Part of me agrees, once we hit 0.0 percent unemployment, then we start begging people to come in, but the bottom line is: We need immigrants. They push us. That`s one of the great secrets of America`s success. We`re an all-star team, all the most motivated, hardest-working people left their lives, left their homes, and their home countries to come here to America and make it what it is today. We can continue that without ever rolling over and letting all of "Mejiho" coming in illegally.

Mike writes, "I was just watching the end of your show tonight with the Reverend Al Sharpton, since you leaned over and said somewhere you wish that Sharpton and Strom Thurmond were related. I haven`t been able to stop laughing. I really enjoy your shows. Keep up the great work and those things that make you go, `Hmm.`"

Mike, thanks for the comment, and for fulfilling the Glenn Beck guarantee. At least one C&C Music Factor reference per quarter hour.

All right, don`t forget, all the details on that pending global meat catastrophe can be found at glennbeck.com. Right now, run. No, seriously, there could be a giant storm forming right outside of your house if you don`t check it out. Glennbeck.com, and we`ll see you tomorrow on the radio and then back here tomorrow night, you sick, twisted freak. Bye-bye.

END