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Glenn Beck

Will Next Congress Make Progress?; B&B Owner Demands Employees Speak English

Aired December 12, 2006 - 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, we know Congress is useless, but just how useless?
Plus, the creator of a Canadian sitcom called "Little Mosque on the Prairie." I kid you not. That and more next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Tonight`s episode is brought to you by the Kofi Annan commemorative plate collection. On the front, a picture of the outgoing U.N. secretary-general. On the back, a list of all his achievements.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Well, again from downtown Tampa, Florida, where we have our second night of our sold-out Christmas comedy tour. But even during this blessed Christmas season, politics still on everybody`s mind. Not so much.

The Nancy Pelosi-led Congress, however, is set to take power shortly after the new year, but according to some recent polls and some recent questionable decisions by the incoming speaker, all signs point to one thing: we`re screwed. The more things change, it seems the more things stay exactly the same.

So, here`s the point tonight. The No. 1 question that people ask me when I meet them is what can I, as a private citizen, do about the perfect storm and, you know, avoid that whole getting vaporized thing? Should I write my congressman? The answer: no, no, big fat no. Practically everyone who is inside the beltway, I don`t care if you`re a Republican or a Democrat, they`re not leaders. You are the leader.

Here`s how I got there. "USA Today" did a survey recently which asked Americans to rate their most trusted members of society. Congressmen ranked near the bottom.

Only two percent of people said members of Congress had high ethical standards. That`s the same grade they gave insurance salesmen. And honestly, I think that`s an insult to insurance salesmen. My father-in-law is an insurance salesman. I trust him a thousand times more than anybody in Congress. In fact, I`ll go a step further. I`d rather spend my entire Christmas vacation at an insurance seminar than listen to anyone in Congress for more than five minutes.

After the elections last month, Nancy Pelosi said that she would set the highest ethical standards for the incoming Congress. Really? Democrats aren`t even really in power yet, and we`re already seeing signs of scandal and incompetence. Might as well left the Republicans in.

This is something we`ve seen for the last few years from the Republicans, and now it`s the Democrats` turn.

Pelosi has passed over a ranking Democrat, Jane Harman, for the post of House Intelligence Committee chair. She put Silvestre Reyes in Harman`s place. That would be fine, except for the fact that Reyes just flunked a foreign policy test given to him by "Congressional Quarterly`s" Jeff Stein.

Reyes was asked whether al Qaeda was a Sunni or Shiite organization. Now, the average Joe may not know this, but he should. He said, quote, "Al Qaeda, they have both," Reyes answered. You`re talking about predominantly. Predominantly, probably, Shiite? In fact, Congressman Reyes, al Qaeda was founded by Osama bin Laden as a Sunni organization.

Now, later in the interview, Reyes was asked if he knew who Hezbollah was. No. Apparently didn`t have an answer on that one.

Stein says the woman Pelosi passed over, Jane Harman, knew her stuff cold, but her bipartisan tendencies may have been a little unpopular with the rest of her fellow Democrats. Now, granted, GOP members flunked the test, too, which drives me nuts.

But if you`re Nancy Pelosi and you`re going around the country preaching high standards, don`t you pick the qualified person, not the idiot who has absolutely no idea who our enemies are?

How is it that a recovering alcoholic former DJ with a radio and TV show gets it, you get it, but our elected leaders, no, not so much.

Here`s what I know tonight. All of the incredibly serious problems that we face as a country right now cannot be possibly solved by elephants or donkeys. Why? Well, because as I see it, one of them is afraid of a tiny little mouse, and the other one is just a jackass.

They`re not out to help you. They`re out to gain and retain power. Everything this Congress does in the next year will be to help their side win the 2008 elections, just like everything the Republicans didn`t do last year was all about `06. But while they`re fighting for their own side, who will be fighting for our side?

Here`s what I don`t know. I`m torn. I really am. I mean, I would like to see a Congress actually get in there and do something, but then again, maybe we`re all better off if the incoming Congress is just so incredibly inept and stupid that they can`t even find their way to their own congressional chambers.

Mike Allen is "TIME" magazine`s White House correspondent.

Mike, from where you sit, Democrats, worse, better, or exactly the same as the Republicans?

MIKE ALLEN, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Well, Glenn, you`re right that they`re going to do what`s in their interest, but I point you to the election returns from November 7, which suggest that it might be in their interest to do some of the hours, do some of the bipartisanship, accomplish some of the things that you talked about.

I can say it was refreshing to hear you talk about some Democrats besides Senator Obama. I was starting to think he was the only politician that was here in Washington.

BECK: I`m surprised that they haven`t already moved his boxes in. I mean, it`s like they`ve appointed that guy king all of a sudden.

ALLEN: His staff is doing the White House briefing. I don`t know what that -- what that`s about.

BECK: Is it?

ALLEN: You mentioned that quiz that was given to the incoming chairman, and it`s reminiscent of a quiz that was given to then governor, now President Bush back in 2000. It was sort of a gotcha thing. But Glenn, I can definitely tell you, that chairman is not going to be doing any interviews anytime soon. That was the last -- last one for a while.

BECK: You know, I will tell you that it is kind of a gotcha, but then again, it`s not. I mean, again, I`m a rodeo clown. I am not a guy that should ever be put into any kind of office or anything of any position of power at all. But even I know the answer to those questions. And the guy who is in charge of intelligence should know the difference between Shiites and Sunnis.

ALLEN: Well, of course, and Glenn, your larger point, I don`t think anybody in Washington doubts that it was a self-inflicted wound for speaker-to-be Pelosi not to appoint Congressman Harman, who was very well respected, was in line for that job. There have been a couple self- inflicted wounds.

And of course, Republicans say this governing thing is harder than it looks, and they`re sort of enjoying having Democrats discover that. I think some of these Democrats up here in the last few weeks wish that they were already off at their Montana weddings or their mammoth ski vacations.

BECK: Right.

ALLEN: Instead, they`re in Washington actually doing work tomorrow and the next couple days. The president is having a malaria summit. So it`s not quite the holidays here yet.

BECK: Don`t we kind of get what we deserve, though, in a way? I mean, I saw that William Jefferson is back in Congress. This is the guy -- correct me if I`m wrong -- this is guy that had the $90,000 in the freezer, that you`re kind of like what`s the money in the freezer there for?

ALLEN: How often do you get actual bags of money?

BECK: I know.

ALLEN: I mean, we joked about that, but it`s not often you actually have that. And then he didn`t say you got me. He`s like, well, you know - - who knows why you need money in the freezer. But you`re right. Republicans have been contending that this culture of corruption can go both ways.

BECK: Sure.

ALLEN: They felt that the Jefferson disclosure was very helpful in making that point. And if you`re a Democrats and wanting to turn the page, you would not want this congressman to be in the news. There`s no question about that.

BECK: Wait, wait, wait. This one`s not about -- this is not left or right. This is not about Democrats and Republicans. This is about us. How did American citizens actually vote a guy back into office where he had bags of cash in the freezer?

ALLEN: I mean, Glenn, I agree with you, it`s inexcusable. I think Democrats have -- I think people of all parties have to believe that you sort of hope that, in the end, juries and voters do the right thing. And that certainly is in question in this particular case.

But maybe that`s a reminder that if it looked clean but it wasn`t really, maybe people`s guard would be down. Maybe this is a reminder of what we need to watch out for in our elected officials.

BECK: All right. OK, Mike, thank you very much.

ALLEN: Merry Christmas, Glenn.

BECK: Merry Christmas to you, too.

In case you weren`t paying attention, Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich -- thank goodness, because I was nervous this wasn`t going to happen. -- he has officially announced his candidacy for president today. Thank goodness. We`re all saved.

You know, he didn`t do real well when he ran in 2004, but maybe this time it will be different. He`s already put out a commercial, or so he`d have you believe. I mean, we decided to help him out and make one for him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Honest, hardworking, straightforward. With Dennis Kucinich, as president, you`ll get more than just meaningless catch phrases.

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have a plan to get the U.N. in and the U.S. out.

Get the U.N. troops in and the U.S. troops out.

To get the U.N. in and the U.S. out.

ANNOUNCER: OK. Maybe I`m wrong. Anyway, on November 4, not next year, but the near after that, vote for Dennis Kucinich. He`ll get the U.N. out. No, wait. The U.S. in. What was that slogan?

KUCINICH: I want to get the U.N. in and the U.S. out of Iraq.

ANNOUNCER: OK, I get it!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is GLENN BECK.

BECK: Coming up, no Spanish in the workplace. English only sentiment is spreading across the country, but is it legal? I`m joined by one employer who demands, no Spanish on my dime. That`s next.

Also, Kofi Annan is stepping down as the U.N. secretary-general. What a tragic loss for the United Nations. Yes, not so much. Tonight, "The Real Story" of how useless the man`s term really was.

Plus, are the lives of post-9/11 Muslims really a laughing matter. A new television sitcom in Canada thinks so. The title has Michael Landon rolling over in his grave. The creator of "Little Mosque on the Prairie" stops by to explain. Don`t miss it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Along with the usual infighting and back fighting, this past election season also saw a number of ballot initiatives that called for legislation making English the official language.

All across the country, a wave of English-only settlement is swelling like it never has before. And employers and government officials are striving to compel new immigrants to speak our language, not that of their homeland.

It is increasingly clear that more and more Americans are resenting having to adjust to immigrants and not the other way around. For some reason, it seems like today`s immigrants don`t really appear to be as interested in melting into our melting pot as our grandparents did.

One woman on the frontlines of this debate is Adele Northrup. She is the owner of the Virginia Highlands Bed and Breakfast in Atlanta, Georgia, who proudly says to her employees, no Spanish on my dime.

Adele, welcome to the program.

ADELE NORTHRUP, OWNER, VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS BED AND BREAKFAST: Hi. Glad to be here.

BECK: You didn`t expect to be on the frontlines of this issue, did you?

NORTHRUP: Absolutely not. It just snowballed. It`s amazing.

BECK: Now, what exactly did you do? Because you sent out -- you sent out to your new employees, right, English -- Spanish to English dictionaries and you wrapped them in Hanukkah paper. So, this is a completely politically incorrect gift.

NORTHRUP: It is.

BECK: Wow. I mean, you`re not going to be elected -- I`d vote for you, but I don`t think you could be elected the president after that gift.

NORTHRUP: Oh. I thought it was very politically correct.

BECK: Good. Now, why did you do it?

NORTHRUP: I think that learning English is more helpful than giving them a $50 bill.

BECK: Why do you say that?

NORTHRUP: Because the more English they learn to speak, the better jobs they`ll get. They`ll be less subject to abuse. They`ll be able to rise up in the work ladder.

BECK: Yes. Now, you`ve worked with these two employees. Where are they from originally?

NORTHRUP: Oh, Pedro is from Guatemala and Margarita is from Mexico.

BECK: OK. And Margarita has a son with special needs, and so she has a hard time just on time issues to learn. And Pedro, how long has he been in the country?

NORTHRUP: Four years.

BECK: Four years. And how much English does he speak now?

NORTHRUP: You know, I took him to Borders bookstore, and we spread out all the English-Spanish dictionaries, and I said which one would be the easiest for you to learn from? And he picked out the one of his choice.

BECK: What was their attitude?

NORTHRUP: He was excited. Now he`s gone to -- he`s bought a video that he can watch at home on the television. And he thinks he`s learned about 40 percent.

BECK: OK. Now, neither of these guys -- I mean, honestly -- I don`t even know how this became a story. Why is it I`m talking to you? I mean, they didn`t complain. They didn`t have a problem. Who does?

NORTHRUP: Glenn, you know what happened? I went to a meeting on immigration that was held by the American Jewish Committee.

BECK: OK.

NORTHRUP: And I just went because I have two Spanish workers, and I wanted to know what`s happening.

And it turned out that I was the only conservative voice in the room. It was a very liberal -- it was not a well-balanced panel.

BECK: No!

NORTHRUP: No. And I was the only one who stood up and just calmly made a few comments and asked a question. And after that, the "Atlanta Journal" just descended on me, and yesterday I was on the front page of the "Atlanta Journal".

BECK: Because that stun you, Adele?

NORTHRUP: Does it what?

BECK: Does it stun you?

NORTHRUP: Stunning. Absolutely.

BECK: Yes.

NORTHRUP: And last night, CBS interviewed me. Today here I am with you, Glenn, on CNN.

BECK: Yes.

NORTHRUP: Tomorrow I`m supposed to be on a talk show in Baltimore, then a talk show from Michigan has called me.

BECK: So, have you -- have you received a lot of hate because of this? Have you received any hate mail or...

NORTHRUP: Yes. I`ve gotten 12 e-mails, and eight are supportive and four were not.

BECK: I hear there is one that said something about why don`t you show America the room you`re chaining your people to? What was that about?

NORTHRUP: Somebody said why didn`t you show the reporters the room where you chain up your help and whip them and push the dictionary in their face?

BECK: Adele, how is it -- because I agree with you. You`re never going to be able to be a success here in America if you don`t speak English.

NORTHRUP: No.

BECK: It`s common sense. How could I expect to be a success in Germany if I go over there and refuse to speak German or learn German? It makes no sense.

How is it, in your mind -- you`re full of common sense. How is it the compassionate thing to not help people speak English or insist that, you know what, you`ve got to learn?

NORTHRUP: I feel like I`m being very helpful. I`m being -- I want only the best for Pedro and for Margarita. And I feel that helping them learn English vocabulary and English phrases is the best way I can help them.

BECK: Sure.

NORTHRUP: I pay them well. And I don`t feel guilty about that. And I treat them well. And this is...

BECK: Well, when they`re not -- when they`re not chained in your basement.

NORTHRUP: Yes. When I unlock them.

BECK: I`ve heard stories. I`ve read about them. Adele, thank you so much. And best of luck to you.

NORTHRUP: You`re welcome. Thank you.

BECK: You bet. We`ll be back in a minute.

NORTHRUP: Bye-bye.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE))

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ladies and gentlemen...

SOLEDAD O`BRIEN, CO-HOST, "AMERICAN MORNING": He`s already been chosen twice as president and the "TIME" magazine person of the year. This time, George W. Bush makes the list again, but it`s a more complicated calculation.

JOSH TYRANGIEL, "TIME" WRITER/REPORTER: Every year somebody can make the argument that the president of the United States is the person of the year because it`s the most powerful office in the world. There`s no question.

And so, even in a year where there`s not a war, where there`s not a diplomatic, you know, brouhaha, you could say it`s no-brainer, president of the United States. I happen to think this year was about President Bush losing control and not gaining control. And this year, the world changed him.

This has happened to Bush. He`s getting a lot of direction from the people he has to respond to now in Congress. He now has appointed a commission to think of what to do about Iraq. He may be successful and the country will be successful, but it`s not him carrying out a plan that he engineered or one that, you know, really he`s going to do all by himself.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: You know, one of the things I enjoy most about my Christmas comedy tour is the chance to interact with people across the country. And the biggest question I get other than why is a jerk like you on TV every night, is, Glenn, what is your day like? And let me tell you something. My life is not all fun doing "J.A.G." reruns. No, although I wish it were.

Brent Hunsaker, he`s from KTVX in Salt Lake City. He found out what a hell life my life is, how being Glenn Beck is exhausting, especially if you`re one of the people around me.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT HUNSAKER, KTVX CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Glenn Beck is living the dream.

BECK: I wanted to be in radio when I was 8 years old.

HUNSAKER: From his studio overlooking Rockefeller Plaza, Glenn Beck hosts a three-hour radio free-for-all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s the fusion.

HUNSAKER: It`s conservative.

BECK: The problem is we`ve been the world`s policeman for so long, nobody else knows how to do it.

HUNSAKER: Funny.

BECK: We should be in there. But really, are we going to? How do we do it now? We`re a little busy, rest of the world. Can somebody else help out?

HUNSAKER: And sometimes frantic.

BECK: Send in the Marines!

I put the radio back into Radio City. Hello, you sick, twisted freak. This is the third-most listened to show in all of America and, I mean, I can`t explain it but thanks a lot for tuning in.

When I started doing talk radio, everybody said you`ve got to be all politics or you have to be comedy or you have to be Dr. Laura. And I said, well, I`m kind of a little of all of that.

HUNSAKER: He arrives at radio city at 7 a.m., having already conducted several cell phone meetings.

BECK: Britney Spears. On the run.

HUNSAKER: Here there are more leads, not only for radio and television but also a monthly magazine called "Fusion" and even an upcoming tour.

BECK: Let`s go through the list of U.N. accomplishments.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.

BECK: That could be very funny.

HUNSAKER: Radio in the morning, TV in the afternoon. Glenn walks to the Time Warner building in midtown Manhattan.

BECK: Where`d Rich go? Rich.

HUNSAKER: His staff in tow.

BECK: Oh, we`re not going to get an e-mail on that one. Listen, next time you complain about the leadership in our country...

HUNSAKER: Rehearsals for his TV show start at 3:30, and he won`t leave this studio until at least 6.

BECK: Done.

HUNSAKER (on camera): Where do you go from here?

BECK: Probably to the hospital.

HUNSAKER (voice-over): Despite 12-hour days, Beck is a man struggling to get it right this time. Glenn makes no secret of his former life.

BECK: By the time I was 30, I was a friendless, hopeless alcoholic, using drugs every day. My family was just a shambles.

HUNSAKER: But he has another chance with a new wife and a new religion.

BECK: I wouldn`t be here without it. I would be a drunk without it. I wouldn`t have my family without it. And I just -- I couldn`t -- I couldn`t do it. It has totally changed me, totally changed my family, brought my family together.

HUNSAKER: Mormonism, he says, has given him balance and determination, not to be consumed by renewed success.

BECK: I wish there were 50-hour days. You know, I could fill 50-hour days. I just need someone to help me say enough.

This is the third-most listened to show in all of America. I know. Says a lot about the country, doesn`t it?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right, welcome to "The Real Story."

Earlier on the program, we talked about how ineffectual Congress really is, and I think part of the reason for that is because people who speak the truth in Congress get shown the door. On my radio program earlier today, I was talking to former Senator Rick Santorum about what happens when and if Iran gets nuclear weapons. Pay attention to this.

Santorum told me that he believes President Bush will do everything he can to make sure this doesn`t happen, up to and including attacking Iran`s nuclear sites. Santorum also said there is no question that the U.S. could be in a hot war, not a cold war, with Iran within the next 12 months, if things don`t change.

Now, some critics believe Santorum would never have said these things if he had been reelected, but I believe just the opposite. I believe with all my heart that this guy has the courage of his convictions and would have said these things no matter what the political landscape looked like.

Santorum also told me that he had spoken to the president about Iran a number of times and that the president understands full well that a nuclear-armed Iran would possibly spell, and I quote, "the end of both Israel and the free world as we know it," end quote. Strong stuff, for sure.

We`ll have much more on this topic on Thursday`s "Real Story." Do not miss it.

Next, a new poll out today shows that 18 percent of Americans have a great deal of trust in President Bush to do the right thing in Iraq. "See, Glenn? Your president has lost confidence in the people. That`s why his party got kicked out of office." Uh-huh.

The real story is even less people, 14 percent, have a great deal of trust in the new Democratic leaders of Congress. Doesn`t seem like anybody believes anybody has the answer.

So let me see if we have this right: We don`t like the warmongering Republicans, and we`re already rejecting the "let`s turn into France" Democrats. But if you want to realize just how confused this country really is, listen to this part of the poll: 58 percent of the people say succeeding in Iraq is either extremely or very important. Great.

Now, I would argue that the other 42 percent are either living in a state of denial or they`re just plain stupid and just don`t get it. But tell me how that statistic correlates to this one. Are you ready? Take a deep breath as I tell you 64 percent of Americans say the costs of winning outweigh the benefits.

Now, let`s run that through the old bull crap-to-English dictionary. What it really means, I think, is that 64 percent of the American public wants to pull out because there`s just not enough to gain there. That is absolutely frightening.

We understand how important this war is, but we don`t have the guts to actually fight to win it. Sound familiar? It should. In 1940, a year before Pearl Harbor, the Gallup poll asked Americans whether we should declare war on Germany if it looked like they were defeating England and France; 77 percent said no.

Take a wild guess at what the reason was for the majority of people when they gave their people. Quote, "We would have everything to lose and nothing to gain."

Nothing to gain by defeating Hitler? I mean, this is the greatest American generation. They literally saved all of us from speaking German and eating bratwurst at Thanksgiving. But before December 7, 1941, they`re as clueless as we are right now.

If there is one recurring theme in this country`s short history, it is that we do not embrace war. And I think that`s a good thing. We have to be dragged into virtually every conflict we`ve ever entered. But the best way to honor that history is to prove that we have learned from it.

After Pearl Harbor, 90 percent of Americans favored entering the war immediately. The day that would live in infamy was also the day that woke this country up from our complacency and our denial.

But as the years have passed and so have our generations before us, our memories have faded, and so has our determination. Now, another day of infamy is coming. It will sound the alarm; hopefully, it will wake us up in time. The only question is: When and where?

Next, 10 years on the job, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan gave his farewell address yesterday. And after a decade of disgrace, watching over the unraveling of civilization, how does Kofi Annan say goodbye? By railing against North Korea or Syria or Darfur or Iran? No, no, no. He wanted to spend his last few minutes taking good shots at the USA.

So, tonight, the real story is: So long, Kofi, and pure hell to know you. Your years in office, Kofi Annan, were marked by nothing but corruption, scandal, and laughable resolutions that have done nothing but make our world a more dangerous place.

Kofi, you, sir, are a disgrace! But look at the bright side: At least you`re a consistent disgrace. No, no, you are.

So as Kofi cleans out his desk, let`s play a little -- take a look back at his life. This is your life, Kofi Annan. This is the last decade where he was leading the U.N.

First of all, do you remember the oil-for-food program, where Saddam Hussein was allowed to embezzle over $17 billion in oil money on Kofi`s watch? Although it wasn`t all bad. Kofi`s son did allegedly benefit from the scandal through Dad`s U.N. contacts. So, hey, you can`t accuse him of not being a family man, and that family thing I do kind of mean in a mob sort of way.

The more pessimistic among us also believed that Kofi then bribed the Volcker Commission with $34 million of Iraqi money to whitewash his complicity in the oil-for-food scandal. That would be the largest single robbery in U.N. history. Congratulations, Kofi Annan, and we`re just getting started.

Since we`re talking about U.N. corruption anyway, hey, there`s the alleged misappropriation of funds for the tsunami relief victims in Indonesia, the reports of sexual abuse committed by U.N. peacekeepers in Africa. Kofi, maybe you misunderstood: Those aren`t exactly the kind of "international relations" the U.N. should be working towards, but maybe it`s just me. Oh, and who could forget the staggering number of resolutions violated by Iraq, Iran and North Korea?

But Kofi, he`s not a complete pushover. No, no. I hear that if they violate one more, they`re off his guest list for the next Fourth of July barbecue at his house, and he kind of means it, too.

But Kofi`s been so busy cozying up to our enemies that he hasn`t just found the time to get the U.N. to actually define terrorism yet, so groups like Hamas and Hezbollah are, well, just misunderstood. Kofi, you`re incorrigible.

Lastly, I am not saying that Kofi married a relative of a prominent family in order to engineer himself the Nobel Peace Prize, but I`m not not saying it either. Take care, Kofi. Maybe one day you`ll do some hard time in prison for all of this, and maybe your cellmates will be a little more kinder and gentler than you`ve been to us.

Claudia Rosett, she is with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. She has covered the oil-for-food scandal. I believe she broke this scandal, and she`s covered the U.N. extensively.

Claudia, legacy of corruption here with Kofi Annan?

CLAUDIA ROSETT, FOUNDATION FOR THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: Oh, yes. In fact, I think you just gave a much better farewell speech for Kofi than he did.

(LAUGHTER)

BECK: These guys, in his speech, he said the United States should start collaborating with the world, specifically when it comes to Iran. But he left out Russia and China who are clearly, you know, not backing any sanctions against Iran because of dollars.

ROSETT: Oh, exactly. In fact, the whole discussion over sanctions against Iran right now ignores the fact that we`re talking about a completely leaky sieve. I mean, the way sanctions work at the U.N. is individual member states are supposed to enforce them in their own bailiwick, so if Russia wants to cheat, remember, we`re looking at Oil-for- food, Junior, here.

BECK: The U.N. -- and I really don`t understand how the whole world is in on this -- the U.N. is -- these sanctions would be laughable if it wasn`t so scary. They`re making the world a much more dangerous place, are they not?

ROSETT: Oh, hugely. Well, one of the funny things with the U.N. is these seem to come sort of surrounded with all this ceremony and jargon, and it sounds like a solution, you know, sanctions on Iran. If you actually start looking at how it works, it doesn`t work. It hasn`t worked.

BECK: I mean, all they`ve been good at, really, is like the smallpox thing, right? Which I`ll give the smallpox thing, but have they ever had any real successes outside of health?

ROSETT: Very few. I mean, the Korean War got fought because Russia was boycotting the Security Council and couldn`t stop it. You know, the -- no. I mean, my view at this point is they get $20 billion a year in funding. And through sheer Brownian motion, you`re going to get a few good things done in a system like that, but most of what they do is not only wasteful, a lot of it`s actively dangerous, damaging.

BECK: I may be the dumbest man in America, but for the life of me, I can`t figure this out. Why the hell are we even in this organization? It does not help us. It is working to aid our enemies every step of the way. It`s making the world a much more dangerous place.

Why do we have all of these politicians who say, "We got to be in the U.N., it`s a good organization"? That`s bull crap!

ROSETT: Yes, and the reason is huge vested interests. Because the U.N., remember, $20 billion a year budget, all sorts of prestige, world stage, the U.N. is a gravy train. And there are so many people in our own foreign policy establishment in Washington, in New York, who ride that train, and it`s very hard to get them to back off.

You know, they`re in the fancy foreign policy circles. A lot of people get a lot of things that they like out of the existence of the U.N. And the fact that, for most American taxpayers, it`s actually taking our money and hurting our interests doesn`t register.

BECK: Yes. I only have a second here. I just want to know: Kofi`s successor, better, worse, or more of the same?

ROSETT: Ban Ki-Moon, we don`t know, but he is inheriting an organization so corrupt that, unless he is a heroic fellow, he`s going to sink in the swamp.

BECK: Yes, not so much. Claudia, thank you very much. That is the "Real Story" tonight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CALLER: The biggest thing I teach my kids, a very simple phrase: We have to be kind and thoughtful. If we could just get that through our heads...

BECK: It really is what`s destroying us. And if we could just teach -- if we could just insist in our own homes that you don`t care who`s right, who`s wrong, who started it, you just are trying to be decent people -- that there are certain principles that you never compromise in your family -- we would be able to raise a next generation that would be able to demand that those values are held by our leaders, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: All right. Do you remember last month when there were six imams that were removed from a U.S. Airways flight for screaming Allah`s names, changing their seats to the exact same configuration of the 9/11 hijackers, all kinds of different things. I think there were five different things they did wrong.

Well, now those imams want money for their trouble. That`s great. It`s the great American lotto system. God bless America. You know what I think? I think it`s great material for a sitcom, seriously. Canadian Broadcasting Company is mining those zany scenarios like that one for its new comedy, "Little Mosque on the Prairie."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`ve been praying this for months. It`s not like I dropped a bomb on them. If God thinks it`s suicide, so be it. This is Allah`s plan for me. I`m not throwing my life away. I`m moving to the prairies to run a mosque.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Step away from the bag. You`re not going to paradise today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: That`s funny, because I could see it happening like that. "Little Mosque on the Prairie," is it going to be the "Two and a Half Men" for Muslims in Winnipeg? Zarqa Nawaz, she is the creator of a new and potentially controversial show.

Zarqa, two words for you that equal sitcom success: wacky neighbor. Is there a wacky neighbor in this one?

ZARQA NAWAZ, CREATOR, "LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE": Well, we have a lot of non-Muslims on this show that are, you know, a little bit concerned about their new Muslim neighbors, so, yes, definitely we`ve got our whacky neighbor.

BECK: OK, that was a really funny scene.

NAWAZ: Thank you.

BECK: But what makes it funny is it`s true. I mean, you could see...

NAWAZ: Absolutely.

BECK: You know what I mean? And what the real debate in is America is whether that guy should be pulled off a plane. Do you at all kind of try to answer those questions? I mean, do you think, if a guy was standing in line and that scene happened, should he be pulled off the line and maybe questioned?

NAWAZ: Well, the way I would think about it is that I think it`s very funny, and I would spin it as an episode for a show.

BECK: Right, so you`re not going to...

(CROSSTALK)

NAWAZ: And that`s what the show is based...

BECK: Wow, you are not going to get involved in the fray at all, are you? God bless you.

NAWAZ: You know what? This is material, as far as I`m concerned. There`s so much material out there that is enough for our show now, and this is a very funny show, and we`re hoping people will laugh.

BECK: So are you concerned, because some Muslims don`t have a real sense of humor. I mean, is this the show that the Taliban would watch?

NAWAZ: This is a show that I think North Americans will watch and the world will watch, because it`s a very funny show.

BECK: Right. But I mean...

NAWAZ: I think people are ready for that.

BECK: OK, I understand, and I know you -- I mean, everything I`ve heard about this -- I haven`t seen an episode -- everything I`ve heard about the show, it`s funny, and I appreciate the attitude that you have. But I would like to -- I mean, come on. There are people in Dearborn, Michigan, that do not have a sense of humor. Are you afraid at all about those who interpret the Koran and Islam into a license to kill?

NAWAZ: No, I mean, we make fun of everyone. This is a show that is no holds barred. We make fun of Muslims, we make fun of non-Muslims, we make fun of extremists, we make fun of the secular, we make fun of the right wing.

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: Right, I know that, but so do political cartoonists, and those people don`t seem to get that kind of humor.

NAWAZ: But the thing is, I`m Muslim, right? So I understand my community, and I understand the sensitivity. So when you`re from the inside writing about your own community, it`s different, right? It`s a different thing when you`re from the inside.

BECK: I`d beg to differ with you on that one. You should ask Nani Darwish (ph) about that. She is a wanted woman.

NAWAZ: Well, I`m not a wanted woman yet.

BECK: So you`re not afraid of the danger. You want to do this why? What`s motivating you for this? Is it just pure comedy? You just think it`s funny?

NAWAZ: Honestly, I`ve made short films since the early `90s about my community. I`ve done a documentary. I mean, you write what you know, right? I mean, Raymond Romano wrote his show because it was based on his life and his adventures, and this is based on my community and my material.

BECK: So now it`s on the CBC. Have you tried to approach an American broadcast group with this?

NAWAZ: I believe the executive producers are working on it, so hopefully, if there`s a sale, the American community can watch it, too, which it would be great, because I think they would love it.

BECK: Right. And when does it start?

NAWAZ: January 9th, it premieres on CBC.

BECK: Well, we`ll be watching for the reaction in Canada. Thank you very much, and best of luck to you.

NAWAZ: Thank you, and have a very merry Christmas.

BECK: You bet. We`ll be back in just a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right, right to the e-mail from Jim, who saw the piece with my wife and I being interviewed yesterday. And yes, it was me introducing a news story about me on my own show, but I don`t think that was too self- indulgent, really.

"Glenn, after seeing Tania, I must say, I don`t know what dark powers you have invoked or what you promised them to make Tania your wife, but you scare me."

Yes, it`s crazy, isn`t it? Just another example of God`s greatest gift: Tania`s apparent low expectations. I`m just saying.

Rosemary writes in, "Silvestre Reyes is failing that pop quiz, which even I knew the answers to, and it just showed how ignorant NANCY PELOSI is." You know she`s serious because she spelled Nancy Pelosi all in capital letters.

We talked about it earlier. Pelosi picked a guy to head the Intelligence Committee who didn`t know if Al Qaeda is made up of Shiites or Sunnis and barely knew if Hezbollah was a terrorist group or a new brand of goat food. But two Republicans also failed a similar test by the same magazine in the summer, so, unfortunately, not exactly an isolated incident.

Sure, it`s frightening. But in a way, I think it`s more dangerous that the average Joe doesn`t know anything about this stuff. If Americans realize how huge the threat was that is approaching our shores, people would be able to drive what the government is focusing on.

People are more focused now on, you know, how Sylvester Stallone is going to pull off "Rocky" at 60 than they are about Sunnis, Shiites and Ahmadinejad. That`s why I always beg you: Please, tell everybody you know about what we`re facing, because without people forcing its hand, the government is going to do what it does best: nothing.

Up next, John and Cheryl-Lynn with their video mail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN, VIEWER: Hey, Glenn, John and Cheryl-Lynn here in Utah. I just wanted to say thanks for great show over the weekend at Kingsbury Hall there in Salt Lake. What a great show. Thanks for spreading the joy. Anybody who`s thinking about getting tickets needs to run out and do it, because it`s just a fabulous, fabulous show. Thank you.

We just wanted to say to you...

CHERYL-LYNN, VIEWER: Merry Christmas to you and to all the other sick, twisted freaks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: OK, all right. I want to thank these sick, twisted freaks for sending in the video mail, although the point where John seemed to break into Michael Jackson was a tad disturbing. I think his wife was even just as disturbed as I was.

Still out on the road until this weekend. In Tampa tonight, then Worcester, Toledo, and Oklahoma City. There are a few tickets left in select cities. You can get all the information at glennbeck.com. You can also send in video mail, if you go to CNN.com/Glenn. Follow the instructions. And if you`ve been good all year, you can do it. Remember: Santa`s watching.

END