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Glenn Beck

Bloomberg to Enter Presidential Race?; Joy Behar Calls Saints Insane; Iranians Release Tape of Confrontation

Aired January 10, 2008 - 19:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GLENN BECK, HOST (voice-over): Tonight, as the candidates slug it out on the campaign trail, billionaire Mayor Mike Bloomberg may be ready to crash the whole party. But, can he win? And if he can`t, who does he hurt the most?

Plus, Joy Behar`s strange view on sainthood.

JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, ABC`S "THE VIEW": You can`t find any saints anymore because of psychotropic medication.

BECK: I got to ask, just how heavily medicated is "The View" co-host?

And newly released documents show armed Mexican military personnel have crossed our border dozens of times. It`s time for answers on what`s happening on our southern border. We pick up the flag again tonight.

All this and more, coming up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: Hello, America.

You don`t want to miss "The Real Story" tonight. We have a story that is not being reported anywhere else, and it`s coming right from our border, and it is huge.

Now, we`ve had the two big primaries, and it looks like we -- you know, we know all the important players in our little election game, right? Not so fast. Just when -- just like Texas billionaire Ross Perot muddied up the `92 election with his independent candidacy, another rich white guy, this time with, you know, smaller ears might decide to spend his way into the race. His name is Mike Bloomberg, the mayor of New York City.

But here`s "The Point" tonight. I don`t care how much money this guy throws at the process. Mike Bloomberg cannot win the presidency. With a mixed bag of conservative and liberal points of view, he`ll do more to hurt viable candidates and the country than anything else. I`m just not sure which side he`ll hurt the most. And here is how I got there.

Most -- most experts will agree that it will take about $100 million to mount a successful campaign for president. Considering that Bloomberg has a personal net worth of $11 to $11.5 billion, he can certainly afford to take the shot, you know? Some say that he will spend up to a billion dollars of his own money to win the presidency.

So, while he may have the cash, I mean, what does he stand for? I mean, we`re all still lying to each other that it`s not money that makes you president, right? I mean, we`re still -- don`t deny the reality there.

He`s pro business. He`s pro immigration. He`s anti-gun, anti- transfat, so, as I understand it, pro-immigration. I`m pro-immigration. I`m just anti-illegal immigration. I guess that means that illegal aliens can take our jobs, but U.S. citizens can`t have handguns or French fries. That`s the way I understand it.

This guy is all over the place. His political philosophy uses what I like to call a Chinese menu approach. You know, pick something from column A, something from column B, then wonton soup or an egg roll and everybody is supposed to be happy. Unfortunately, at least for me, just like with Chinese food, after I hear Bloomberg, I`m hungry for real ideas, like, 20 minutes later.

Conservatives see this guy as a liberal. And we see him a million miles away. Liberals see him as a positive conservative. A New York City mayor has never, ever gone on to win the presidency. If Rudy Giuliani can`t make it happen, I don`t think Bloomberg really has a shot at all.

Here`s the laundry list that he says is wrong with America.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE BLOOMBERG, MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: What has changed is that people have stopped working together; government is dysfunctional; there`s no collaboration and congeniality. There`s no working together, no, let`s do what`s right for the country.

I think there`s no accountability today. And nobody`s holding themselves accountable to the standards of what they promised when they ran for office. And I think lastly, there is no willingness to focus on big ideas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Who doesn`t know that? I feel like I`m listening to Barack Obama. I don`t even know what that means. Try tossing in a solution every once in awhile. I`m just saying.

Tonight, America here is what you need to know. As all candidates find out eventually, you can run for office by pointing out what`s broken. But you can only get elected by pointing out how you`ll fix things.

But even with his hodgepodge of positions, we have to consider what one pollster says of Bloomberg`s chances. He said, quote, "History says he shouldn`t run. Logic says he shouldn`t run. The American political structure says he shouldn`t run. But a billion dollars says, oh, yes, run."

Former Clinton White House aide and host of "My Two Cents" on BET, Keith Boykin, joins me now, along with Republican strategist, Chris Wilson.

Mr. Boykin, let me start with you. First of all, let me -- let me change topics and go right to John Kerry endorsing not John Edwards, but Obama. What -- is that going to make any difference at all?

KEITH BOYKIN, HOST, BET`S "MY TWO CENTS": Well, I think it will give Barack Obama a little built of enthusiasm in South Carolina and maybe Nevada, but John Kerry is yesterday`s news for all intents and purposes. I don`t think it`s going to affect the Democratic base. I don`t think it`s going to affect Republicans. I think it`s really -- it`s just -- it`s just a way to keep the momentum going after the news where Hillary won New Hampshire.

BECK: And Chris, you feel the same way? I mean, do these endorsements really mean anything anyway?

CHRIS WILSON, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, they don`t. But what he does bring that I think has a little bit of importance to it is a semblance of a structure that still exists. And they may be people that have no commitment to him or no loyalty left, but he can still contact them. He can still communicate with them. And that could bring something with it.

BECK: OK. Keith, back to you. Bloomberg. Ego is running this thing. I mean, I can`t think of a single reason why this guy should run. There`s no real opening for this guy, is there?

BOYKIN: I think you`re right. I mean, I was surprised how critical you were of him. But you`re exactly right. I voted for Mike Bloomberg when he ran for mayor here in New York City. I`m a Democrat. He was a Republican at the time.

But I would never vote for him for president. Most New Yorkers would not vote for him for president.

And the country -- let me be honest with you, the country is not clamoring for another New York billionaire to come into the race and run things for us. It`s just not going to happen.

BECK: I`ve never seen that. I`ve just never seen -- I`ve never said to myself, jeez, if I just had another really, really rich white guy, you know, to run things. And then, I mean, you say you`re surprised on how anti-Bloomberg I am -- yes. I mean, Chris, do you want to go into it at all? His stance on guns and what he`s doing with the Second Amendment?

WILSON: Well, and as a Republican, it`s just -- I actually am enjoying watching this. Because I don`t think there`s any question where his impact is going to have, because of the stands that you mentioned, Glenn. And it`s going to have -- he is not someone who appeals to Republicans. He appeals to -- Keith voted for him for mayor, and he`s going to have an appeal to Democrats.

And that`s because of those types of liberal stances based on issues.

BECK: You agree with that, Keith? Because I mean, here`s -- he`s pro-gay marriage, pro-abortion rights, pro-gun control. And, I mean, serious gun control.

He`s against the death penalty. He`s against lowering taxes. He`s raised property taxes now 18 percent in Manhattan. He`s against global warming. I mean, he`s fighting, you know, global warming. He`s against fatty foods. He`s against traffic. And his solutions are crazy.

BOYKIN: I don`t agree with that, in part, because, look, he won two terms as mayor, but only 16 percent of the people in New York who wanted him to run for president...

BECK: Yes, he won in New York. New York -- how long have you lived in New York, Keith?

BOYKIN: I`ve lived in it for seven years.

BECK: See, that`s too long. You`ve got to get out across the river. I tell you, America is nothing like New York. New York is a different world entirely.

BOYKIN: I completely agree. And I think that the problem is, he may play well here in New York City, but he won`t play well in red states, middle America. They don`t want him.

BECK: He doesn`t play well in Secaucus.

BOYKIN: I don`t know where he plays well. It`s really problematic, too, for him, too, because Barack Obama is rising and John McCain are rising, and they`re appealing to that same sort of independent base that he hopes to get to win. I don`t know how he could possibly thread the needle.

BECK: You know, usually, I have said, every single election we`ve ever gone through, I felt like, jeez, are these the best two we`ve got? And we`re not at the end yet.

But I think the Democrats have some really good people to choose from. I mean, you can be crazy and go with little the space alien, you know, or Hillary Clinton. She`s a viable candidate. Barack Obama is a viable candidate.

You have all kinds of viable candidates, as well, on the -- on the right. We don`t need more choices here, do we? I mean, I think we`ve got really good choices, for the first time in my life. Don`t you?

BOYKIN: I agree. I think the Democrats have great choices. I think the reason why Hillary and Barack are competing against each other so well is effectively because the party likes both of them. We can`t decide who we like better.

BECK: Keith, Keith, or I mean, Chris, let me ask you, because you hesitated here. You don`t agree with that?

WILSON: Well, again, as a Republican, I kind of like to watch this happen. If you look at the numbers right now, 70 percent of independents are planning to vote Democrat or are leaning towards supporting a Democrat for president.

BECK: Right.

WILSON: So, if you`ve got 70 percent of independents that are right now leaning towards the Democrat, and Bloomberg has got the opportunity to divide that up, it really gives Republicans a much better chance. So I`m enjoying watching that.

BECK: Sure. Specifically, I`ve only got 30 seconds here on my question. My specific question is, I think we have great choices. I think both parties have great choices within all of the candidates. May not be the one that you get, but you`ve got -- you`ve got the whole range to pick from this time around.

BOYKIN: Yes, no question about it. And from that standpoint, I don`t know where Bloomberg is able to capitalize. His issue stance has already been taken by other candidates. He can`t come in talk about change. Every issue you stated before, somebody already has ownership of that.

BECK: I don`t know who`s owning the French fry thing, but he`s on it. Chris, Keith, thanks a lot.

Now where am I wrong, America? Even if Mike Bloomberg had all the money in the world, which he almost does, he would have no shot at winning the presidential election. Agree or disagree? Go to CNN.com/Glenn right now and cast your vote.

Coming up, "The View" co-host Joy Behar has suggested that Christian saints are just do-good nut jobs, and that modern medicine has, quote, "wiped them out." We`ll find out who the real psycho nut job is here in just a second.

Then we all know Hollywood love as good remake. And so does Iran. The Iranian government has released their video of that naval standoff with the U.S. We`ll take a look at both videos. You decide.

And more on the story we brought you yesterday on that double murder in Texas that might be a radical Muslim honor killing, coming up in just a bit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, I have said it before; I`ll say it again. There would be absolutely zero interest, corporation-wise, in global warming if there wasn`t profit to be made. And that is exactly why you shouldn`t be fooled by carbon offset products.

That is tonight`s "Real Story," and the latest on what`s happened on the border just last Monday that nobody`s talking about, coming up in a bit.

But first, let me start by saying, I know daytime television isn`t exactly a place to find, you know, enlightened ideas on theology or political science, but I think kind of like a drunk driver, ABC`s "View" has crossed over the double yellow line into oncoming traffic.

It seems that Rosie has left the program to devote more time to, I don`t know, concocting conspiracy theories and eating or whatever, but Joy Behar now has been crowned the queen kook.

Yesterday, she decided to share her unique understanding of who becomes a saint and why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEHAR: I think that the old days, the saints were hearing voices...

WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, ABC`S "THE VIEW": Right.

BEHAR: ... and they didn`t have any thoracine to calm them down. Now that we have all of this medication available to us, you can`t find a saint anymore.

ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, ABC`S "THE VIEW"; I don`t think so. Mother Teresa.

BEHAR: Mother Teresa had issues. Let`s not forget. She didn`t really believe 100 percent like these saints who were hearing voices. She didn`t hear voices.

HASSELBECK: What do you mean?

BEHAR: So the church said, OK, she does good deeds, make her a saint. In the old days, it used to be, you heard voices. They can`t do that anymore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: I would think she would hear voices maybe in her ear, somebody saying, shut up! Shut up!

Let me go to Bill Donahue. He is with the Catholic League.

Bill, where do I even begin on this one? First of all, I agree with her that drugs have stopped people from hearing that inner voice. There is so much prescription drug, there are so many illicit drugs that we`re pouring into our bodies now that we can`t hear sometimes the voice of God. Yes or no?

BILL DONAHUE, CATHOLIC LEAGUE: Well, I think you`re right. What exactly she`s been drinking, I don`t know.

But, you know, what you really have here is you have a combination of ignorance and malice. Ignorance in the sense that she`s talking about the situation in the Catholic Church, about sainthood and the likes, Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa never, never said that she didn`t believe in Jesus. She did say, "There were times when I didn`t feel his presence." There`s a...

BECK: Bill, how is it any thinking person that understands Christianity theology at all can speak like that? Jesus Christ was down on his knees on a rock in the middle of the night, going, "Please don`t make me do this."

He said, while he was on the cross -- he didn`t say, "Hey, give me bigger nails." He said, "Why have you abandoned me?" Even the savior himself was left alone.

DONAHUE: Well, you know your scripture. And I think most Americans know their scripture. That`s why you heard the ignorance of Joy Behar.

But I also said there was another element, mainly the malice.

BECK: Yes.

DONAHUE: There were 15 occasions where they wrapped the Catholic Church for Labor Day of 2006 up until through May of 2007, which is why we took out an op-ed page in "The New York Times" last June holding Barbara Walters accountable. Not because she said anything untoward, but because it`s on her show that Rosie O`Donnell and Joy Behar were doing this. They did clear up their act up until yesterday.

BECK: Let me -- let me go to the praying to statues comment. Because I`m not a Catholic, but I just hate all religious bigotry. It drives me out of my mind. And this is such ignorant religious bigotry against Catholics I can`t take it. Watch this about the statues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOLDBERG: Thou shalt have no false idols. And every time I would go in and see a statue, or I`d see -- I`d be in a building, I think, this is not -- this is -- something`s wrong here.

BEHAR: What about all the saints` statues. Those are false idols.

HASSELBECK: Well, I don`t think they are.

GOLDBERG: But it says -- you should not have any idols. People shouldn`t pray to the...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: OK, Bill. I mean -- first of all, she -- you know what that is? That`s akin to people who say, "I can`t take a picture because it robs my soul." It`s that kind of thinking. It is a picture; it is a statue. It reminds people of who they are. It helps them reflect. Am I wrong? And I`m not a Catholic.

DONAHUE: You`re absolutely right. The saints are there because some of these people lived the most incredibly decrepit lives, but they realized Jesus in their heart, and they were saved. These people didn`t walk around devout all the time.

Saint Augustine certainly had his share of problems. So did many, many of them. The fact of the matter is, we look at the saints as role models. We pray to Jesus through them. We don`t pray to saints.

Now, look, Joy Behar is an ex-Catholic. The biggest anti-Catholic bigots in the United States are the ex-Catholics. This woman`s got it in her claw. She`s angry. She`s the one who needs some medication.

BECK: I`ve got to tell you. Bill, I`m an ex-Catholic but I...

DONAHUE: You`re respectful.

BECK: Because people need to respect each other`s religion. For the love of Pete, this is America. And it`s driving me out of my mind. If I tear down your religion what`s going to stop you from tearing down my religion?

We`ve got to stick together. Jeez, people, we are in one of the worst crisis in our -- in our country`s history, and if people who believe in God don`t start sticking together, we`re doomed.

DONAHUE: Well, I would agree with you. And the Protestants and the Muslims and the Mormons and everybody else, the Jews, who respect their religion, they`re not a problem with Catholics. Catholics don`t have problems with these people, because they respect their religion. And therefore, they will respect your religion.

It`s always the ones with one foot out the door. In cases like her, I`d like to take the other foot and put it right out the door with her.

BECK: All right. Be respectful.

All right. Believe it or not, Joy Behar is actually mentioned in my book, "An Inconvenient Book." While I`m not going to tell you exactly what I said, I will say that it -- well, it might stop me from becoming a saint. I`m just saying.

Anyway, the book is back in stock all across the country. I just got word before I started the program today it made "The New York Times" best seller list again, unbelievably, for like, the seventh straight week. I mean, listen, America if I can do it, anybody can do it. This is a great country. GlennBeck.com, or you can go wherever books are sold.

Coming up, we`ve got two different versions of the Iranian speedboat showdown. Each tells their own story. I guess Iran needed a little more extra time in the edit room. I`m just saying. You`ll see it coming up in just a second.

And, if you haven`t heard, we got a little bit of a border crisis going on. New evidence that Mexican drug lords are teaming up with American counterparts. And a skirmish, an out-and-out war happened on Monday while we were paying attention elsewhere. That`s tonight`s "Real Story."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: It`s often been said that pictures don`t lie. Well, let me show you two videos of the same incident, and you tell me if that`s true, because one of them is lying. It is a confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz between U.S. warships and Iranian speedboats.

Here is the video that the Pentagon released of the standoff where the Iranians say the coalition ship will soon explode. Watch and listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Inbound small craft, you are approaching a coalition warship operating in international waters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You will explode after a few minutes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You will explode after a few minutes?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: OK. Bizarre, especially when you put it together with this tape that was released by the Iranians two days later. Their own video, the same incident. What we hear or don`t hear is something completely different.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Attention warship. This is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Iranian and navy boat. How do you copy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is coalition warship 73. I read you loud and clear. Over.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coalition warship 73, this is Iranian navy (UNINTELLIGIBLE) boat. Request sight number. You are operating in the area this time, over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: OK. Somebody is lying here. I mean, they`re obviously lying, and I believe you can probably guess who I think is lying. But it is awfully strange.

With the thoughts now on this, Clifford May. He`s the president for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Cliff, that was a weird, "We will explode in a few minutes." What do you make of all of this?

CLIFFORD MAY, PRESIDENT, FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: I think what we have here is an Iranian provocation initially, an Iranian threat, a violation of international freedom of the seas, and now it`s all wrapped up in a great big lie. And I think the last thing it is, is a warning. This is what you can expect from Iran.

Remember, when they took British naval officers hostage. Remember when the U.S. was attacked, the USS Cole in international waters and a hole blown in it and many of our seamen were killed. Imagine an Iran that has nuclear weapons and what kinds of threats and provocations it might be bold enough to offer.

BECK: I don`t believe -- Iran is an awful lot like the former Soviet Union. Their soldiers, their sailors and their airmen, they just don`t do things on their own. This isn`t a mistake. This is -- this is something that came from the highest levels, if, indeed, our side of the story is true.

What is it they`re trying to get us to do? Or what is it they`re trying to do here?

MAY: A couple of things. One is they`re testing the waters. They`re seeing what happens when an American warship is provoked, how close they can come before we`ll fire on them. They want to see if we`ll back down.

The view, I think, in Iran right now is we`re spooked by them. The National Intelligence Estimate that came out that said they weren`t building nuclear weapons, I think a lot of those in the leadership believe that`s an excuse because America didn`t want to do anything about them, so we`re making them believe that there`s no problem whatsoever.

It`s very much like the Soviet Union in that you`re taking film and playing with them. Remember, in the old days, you know, Trotsky is up there with the other leaders in the Kremlin, and the new picture of Trotsky isn`t up there with the other leaders in the Kremlin. So, you have a little bit of that involved in this, as well.

BECK: With Bush being over in the Middle East this week, is this -- there`s no coincidence here that these are happening at the same time?

MAY: I think it`s also an attempt to humiliate the Americans, to show the Americans will back down. To show that they`re not frightened of President Bush. I think it`s related, sure.

BECK: OK. Cliff, thanks a lot. We`ll talk to you again.

Coming up, possible alliance between American and Mexican gangs. No. Yes. We go back to the border, in tonight`s "Real Story," next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Yesterday, I brought you the story of two teenage sisters who were murdered in what some are calling an honor killing. Today we`re going to look at domestic abuse and the role that it plays in radical Muslim communities and what can be done to stop it.

Something on the story doesn`t smell right. We are going to try to get to the bottom of it coming up in just a bit.

But first, welcome to the "Real Story."

It says a lot about a country, where all of the recent political talk has forced us into stop talking about actual issues. You know what I mean?

You`d think that they would go hand in hand, but apparently, Hillary`s crocodile tears are much more important than, oh, let`s just say a heavily- armed, you know, group of Americans that were involved in a major 30-minute gun battle on the streets of Rio Bravo, Mexico, a city that is located right on the Texas border.

Surprised you haven`t heard that before? Don`t be. It`s simple.

The gunfight happened on Monday, when everybody was distracted by what we thought was about to be a landslide Obama victory in New Hampshire. Of course, if we would have been paying attention, we would have learned that a full-out war is going on on our border right now, complete with machine guns, grenades, grenade launchers, and snipers.

It`s all part of a new operation encompassing 2,300 Mexican soldiers that is targeting the Zetas. This is a violent paramilitary drug gang.

So, what were the Americans doing there? Well, as it turns out, they were hit men suspected of working for the gulf cartel. Apparently, Americans are in demand in Mexico because of how easy we`re able to sneak guns across our border. So, I guess you can say that Americans are just doing the jobs that Mexicans can`t.

But if you`re concerned that the border is somehow or another becoming this one-way street going south, don`t worry. Don`t worry. The "Real Story" is, Mexicans are still crossing the border, as well. And I`m not talking about the low-wage worker kind.

Based on a Freedom of Information Act submitted by Judicial Watch, U.S. border control has now confirmed 29 separate incursions into the U.S. on U.S. soil by armed members of the Mexican military or other government agents in just a one-year period. And while some of those incidences may have been accidental, others involve direct confrontation with U.S. agents.

Just said this a few months ago and everybody denied it.

Despite what some people claim, the debate over our borders is not about racism, it is about two thing that every American should be screaming from our roof tops -- national security and national sovereignty. That`s it. Sealing our borders once and for all would help reclaim both of those things.

Fred Burton is the vice president for counterterrorism and corporate security at Stratfor.

Fred, first of all, tell me about -- tell me about what`s happening on the border now as of Monday. What was this all about?

FRED BURTON, VICE PRESIDENT, COUNTERTERRORISM, STRATFOR: Glenn, what started was the Mexican military was acting on intelligence on the location of some specific high-value Zeta targets which are enforcers of the gulf cartel, and they moved into these two little towns which adjoin our border. And a firefight ensued which involved the exchange of hand grenades, rocket-propelled missiles, as well as machine gun fire, and it was a tremendous firefight, but it was predicated upon an effort on the Mexican military to root out the Zeta hit men.

BECK: OK. So, what I find interesting about this story is, 2,300 troops are involved, so the Mexicans can amass troops on their side of the border, we can`t, though.

BURTON: Well, we do have National Guard presence on our side of the border. But when you look at the -- this incident this week, it highlights our problem from a national security perspective in that we have one citizen from Texas that was involved in this, as well as two other individuals from Detroit.

And the intelligence that we have is that these individuals are Zeta hit men who are money couriers. In essence, these individuals are bringing weapons south into Mexico, and money, and then they would be given assignments or enforcement jobs. They are like liaison officers...

BECK: Who are they hitting? What kind of people get hit by the Zetas?

BURTON: These are individuals who would be marked for assassination, this would be rival cartels such as the Sinaloa inside of Mexico, or they would be carrying intelligence messages back into the United States, and as U.S. citizens they can just freely flow between the two.

BECK: Right.

BURTON: And it`s a real, real problem.

BECK: We`re a safe haven for the Zetas here in many ways.

BURTON: Yes, we are. And that`s what most of America doesn`t understand, that on the border, we have a serious corruption problem on our side of the border. We also have safe havens on our side of the border, logistical safe havens that the Zetas and gulf cartels and Sinaloa cartel members utilize to hide.

BECK: I am -- I`m hoping to go down to Laredo here in the next, I don`t know, 60 days. We want to do a show down here. But I have to tell you, I`ve heard from everybody saying, what, are you crazy? It is more dangerous down on the border, here in America, than it is in Baghdad.

Right or wrong?

BURTON: With the violence that we see currently this week, I would have to say, yes, that the scope of the violence, in broad daylight, on our border, is more violent than Baghdad today. And there is also a serious lack of open source journalist reporting, because most of the journalists have been threatened, killed or ran out of town.

BECK: Right. Yes, they`re afraid.

Thank you very much, Fred. Appreciate it.

Now, while serious talk about border security seems to be missing from the national debate, talk about global warming, I can`t get that to shut up. Shut up about global warming.

You know why nobody`s shutting up? Because one byproduct of the mania is what I like to call the green rush. It`s kind of like the gold rush, except this time, everybody is trying to spend a fortune instead of making a new fortune.

And then, somebody else is making that fortune. The most obvious example of the green rush is that whole carbon offset phenomena. This is usually where people who don`t want to personally sacrifice instead decide, I`m just going to give some money to a company that`s doing something, you know, planting trees, or saving the polar bear, whatever. And that way the company would offset this individual`s CO2 emissions.

Well, that just sounds like the American way of solving a problem, doesn`t it? I mean, it sounds like a great idea in theory.

The "Real Story" is that while these offsets may make -- they may make people like -- you know, people in Hollywood feel good, they often don`t do much good. For example, it`s stylish to say, oh, I`ve gone green. Last year, the Academy Awards, oh, they went green.

They decided to give every presenter and every performer a statue that represented an offset of 100,000 pounds of carbon. I believe the average Americans -- they want them to only be able to have 18,000 pounds of carbon, but that`s a different story.

They say 100,000 pounds of carbon, that is the amount of emissions for a typical Hollywood celebrity in one year. Sounds great. They got the little statue and everything.

Except, when you follow the money from the Oscars, you see that the money went from the academy to the third-party company called TerraPass, to a variety of projects, one of the largest being a garbage dump in Arkansas. Oh, that sounds great.

Here`s the problem -- the dump instituted a program to cut their methane emissions years ago, way before TerraPass ever starting giving them any cash. So, the extra money isn`t offsetting anything.

It is lining the pockets of the dump`s owner, which happens to be Waste Management, a $3 billion company. In fact, when "Business Week" did a story about this last year, they called the developers of six projects who had received money from TerraPass. Out of the six, five said they were doing the projects anyway, that the offset money was, "just icing on the cake."

I`ve said it before and I want to say it again -- I care deeply about the environment. I truly believe we have an obligation to leave this Earth no worse than what we found it like. We`ve got to do it for our children.

But I also believe that the hysteria over climate change has created a situation where well-intentioned boobs are easily being separated from their money. After all, for companies that aren`t so well intentioned, the green rush really isn`t about pollution, now, is it? It`s about profits.

Dan Esty is the co-director for the Center for Business and Environment at Yale University, and author of "Green to Gold."

Dan, I don`t know how you sit in these classrooms with these college kids and talk about the environment without losing your -- without losing your mind, especially when it comes to these offset companies. Companies - - people are paying people like Weyerhaeuser to go plant more trees.

First of all, Weyerhaeuser is going to go plant more trees, they have to. And second of all, planting trees a stupid idea for a carbon offset.

DAN ESTY, AUTHOR, "GREEN TO GOLD": Well, Glenn, first of all, it`s a new day and age out there. We have got a new set of students who are bringing new ideas to bear in how to protect the environment. And the really hot idea of the year is that you need to harness the private sector.

Now, as you point out, it doesn`t mean that every time people are doing it right. It doesn`t mean they are doing the right projects or with the right companies.

And frankly, I agree with you. If you are trying to offset carbon, I would not suggest tree planting as the first place to go. But there`s lots of ways that you can put your money into projects that are driving new technology...

BECK: But there`s no regulation on these companies at all at this point, right?

ESTY: No, that`s right. We`ve got a real market that`s just emerging. And as you know, markets only work if they have frameworks that are set out so people do the right things.

BECK: But we don`t even know what the right things are. I mean, President Bush -- and this drives me crazy, and I`m going to get to this at the end of the program today -- Bush just signed where we have to have now fluorescent light bulbs or something like it by 2012.

ESTY: Right.

BECK: I`ve got to tell you, 2010, 2011, I`m going to the store, I`m buying incandescent light bulbs for generations of Beck family members. I hate those light bulbs. Now...

ESTY: They`ve got a lot better...

BECK: ... you find a better light bulb, you come up with a better light bulb, I`ll go out and buy it voluntarily.

ESTY: That`s the goal. What we really want to do here is to create incentives for the private marketplace to drive technology. So the goal here is to maximize the incentives for innovation, to really get people thinking about how to do what we want done in new and different and better ways.

BECK: But, Dan, do you point out, when you are talking to students, do you point out and say, guys, you`ve got to -- you just can`t rush to things, you`ve got -- for instance, the fluorescent light bulb, great in many ways, looks like it sucks. But for the environment, it`s filled with mercury.

ESTY: So, Glenn, here`s what I say, that if you are selling an environmental product, you can`t just sell it on green. You`ve got to meet both price expectations of customers and performance or quality expectations.

BECK: OK.

ESTY: And you are absolutely right.

BECK: You and I agree. I mean, I apologize if that offends you...

ESTY: No, no.

BECK: ... but I think you and I agree on this, that, unleash the capitalist spirit and it can do anything. But then, let me ask you this -- ethanol, it`s the dumbest damn idea I`ve ever heard. It`s not going to work.

ESTY: Let`s differentiate. Corn-based ethanol is among the worst policy ideas ever to come out of Washington. Frankly, if we didn`t have a presidential primary process that ran through Iowa, I`m not sure this would have been sustained this long.

I`m very hopeful as we take the debate across the country in the presidential election run-ups, people are going to start to say, hey, wait, folks, this is not a good idea. It`s driving up corn prices, driving up the price of hamburger.

BECK: Plant sugar.

ESTY: Exactly. If we are serious about ethanol, let`s import Brazilian sugar-based ethanol.

BECK: Yes.

ESTY: And frankly, beyond that, let`s move to second generation biofuels like...

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: OK. I think you are an environmentalist I like.

ESTY: Well, I was afraid you would say that.

BECK: I know, and I apologize to you and your family.

Dan, thanks a lot.

That`s the "Real Story" tonight.

Coming up, the murder of the two sisters in Texas that I told you about might just be one example of domestic abuse in radical Islam. Why this is an issue that you should be concerned about, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: I told you on the program last night about a story of two young sisters who were brutally murdered on New Year`s Day in the back of a cab in Texas. Well, the sole suspect at this point is dad, who is now missing.

Do we have a picture of dad that we can put up on the screen?

I had a chance to speak with the family member of one of the girls on last night`s show, and again on the radio program this morning. There is something not quite right on this story, and I don`t -- and I can`t put my finger on it, but this individual believes there was an honor killing that was involved.

That suspicion has been given more fuel today, with news that the father, who is an Egyptian-born, devout Muslim, was, according to "The Dallas Morning News" -- there he is -- "... given to fits of violence, threats and gun-waving rants about how Western culture was corrupting the chastity of his daughters."

The girls` mother insists that none of this had to with Muslim, but one thing is clear, Muslim women who are abused, just as these sisters are alleged to have been abused for years, must stand up and speak out now.

Taina Bien-Aime is the executive director of Equality Now.

Taina, first of all, the story in Texas, very similar to the story that has just happened out of Canada. What makes you think that this might be an honor killing in Texas?

TAINA BIEN-AIME, EQUALITY NOW: Well, actually, it`s very, very sad. It`s tragic news this has come to our shores.

If you look at countries in Europe, there has been a surge of honor killings. And the basic so-called honor killing is when a family -- and this happens very often in the Middle East, or, you see it among Kurds in Turkey and even Iraq, when they consider the girl has transgressed the morality of the family, the family name has been shamed either because she has a boyfriend, or has adopted so-called Western (INAUDIBLE). And so this sounds like it has all the makings of an honor killing.

BECK: So, we don`t -- we may not know because most of the media doesn`t want to cover it. They don`t -- nobody wants to talk about honor killings. In Europe, they`re not even investigating some killings because they may be honor killings, and they don`t want to light a powder keg.

How do we -- how do we get around this politically correct nonsense to be able to get to the truth?

BIEN-AIME: This is not about political correctness. This is about a human right`s violation. It`s about violence and discrimination against women and girls.

And actually, in Europe, because of the increased numbers of honor killings, they -- the countries are getting together and starting to investigate. As a matter of fact, in the United Kingdom, they are reopening a number of murder cases, up to 100 cases, that they believe were honor killings but were considered as regular murders.

So, I think what we really need to do as a country is really look at this as a serious concern, as a serious crime, and, also, have the Muslim communities and other communities where honor killings are...

BECK: But Taina, we have talked on this program before about it, and we are like-minded on many things when it comes to this kind of issue. But I still have not received a good answer from any human rights group that has -- that can tell me why they stay away from the horrible, horrible abuse that happens in fundamentalist extremist households that are following Sharia law.

BIEN-AIME: Well, Equality Now certainly does not shy away from condemning honor killings, and we work with a number of extraordinary individuals and organizations throughout the world, including Jordan and in groups in Iraq and elsewhere who are looking at this seriously...

BECK: But, you know, we have a situation up in Canada, where we just had an honor killing happening. I talked to Mark Stein today. I don`t know if you know him, but he`s an author of a book called "America Alone." They may not be allowed to publish that book in Canada.

It`s a fascinating book, and a fascinating look on what`s happening over in Europe with the extremist Muslim community. They may not be able to publish that book because it`s hate speech.

It`s just the truth. At least the way he perceives it. And we`re shutting down and not talking to each other.

How do you stop that from happening? How do you stop this tidal wave from coming into the United States, if we can`t speak the truth to each other?

BIEN-AIME: Well, religion and culture should never, ever be excuses for human rights violations. And I think that unfortunately, when you were talking about political correctness, people assume that because these happen to -- this sort of violence happens in fundamental communities or elsewhere, that we can`t talk about it. But violence and discrimination against women and girls is universal. It just takes different forms in different countries.

BECK: All right. Taina, thank you very much.

And America, keep your eyes peeled for this guy. He`s trouble.

Coming up, I like light bulbs. You like light bulbs. Mostly because they are better than lighting candles every night. So, what`s all the fuss about incandescent versus fluorescent light bulbs?

Oh, this is going to make blood shoot out of your eyes, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, if you watch this program, you know that more than anything else, I hate compact fluorescent light bulbs. I hate them more than poison. I do.

I can`t stand the sterile buzzing, "I`m carving up an innocent college student on a surgical table kind of light" that they throw off. So, needless to say, when I saw space devoted to fluorescent lights in "The New York Times" today of all places, I expected it just to make blood shoot blood out of my eyes. But a funny thing happened as I read the story under good old-fashioned Thomas Edison-approved incandescent lighting.

"The New York Times" actually told the truth. They brought in a panel to look at the best that fluorescent lighting had to offer, the light bulbs that are actually allowed under the disaster of an energy bill that a stupid president that I helped elect actually signed into law.

Starting in 2012, essentially, we will eliminate incandescent lights. Yeah.

The first quote in the Times was this: "It evoked a collective groan." The next light? "Sickly and glue-like." Then, "Icky, frigid blue." The next evoked "A rainy day."

One of the photographers on the panel said that one bulb gave the people in the room an embalmed look. Great. Can`t wait.

In fact, the bulb that the fluorescent bulb that the panel found to be the least tedious wasn`t even a fluorescent light bulb at all. It was a halogen bulb, pretty much the only one on the market that fits the new standards.

You know what? People like me need all the help we can get. I don`t need light bulbs making me look even more pasty. You know?

I eventually figured out that the light that I look best in is no light at all. But that`s a different story.

When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, he didn`t make Congress ban the torch. We didn`t go, "You know what? We need a ban on candles or the sun."

He made something that was better. And people wanted it because of that.

I guess it would be one thing, you know, if there were an actual benefit, but as I outline in my "Inconvenient Book," Australia, one of the worst, one of the -- they`ve taken this thing all the way. The most aggressive plans to implement compact fluorescent light bulbs.

To put it into perspective, the plan amounts to an entire continent being forced to use them, and then reduces world emissions by .003 percent. Of course, increases in other sectors will nullify the entire cult by forcing everybody to use the light bulbs in approximately five hours.

Sounds worth it, doesn`t it?

Full disclosure. None of this cuddling up to "The New York Times" has anything to do with my book being in their top five again this week. None.

It`s weird, isn`t it? I mean, how long does it have to be in the top five before they review it?

I`m just saying.

From New York, good night, America.

END