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Glenn Beck

Why is Congress Pushing Immigration Bill?; Jimmy Carter Disses President Bush; David Hasselhoff Heads to Court for Visitation Rights

Aired May 21, 2007 - 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, immigration irritation. The immigration bill is now in the hands of the Senate. I`ll tell you why this thing should never pass.

And Nancy Reagan tells all.

NANCY REAGAN, FORMER FIRST LADY: Oh, I`m sure he would be (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Yes.

BECK: How the first lady helped make the president become the man he was.

Plus "The Sopranos" finale just weeks away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The grieving process takes time.

BECK: I`ll give star Frank Vincent an offer he can`t refuse: to be on my show.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A laser beam shooting out his ass.

BECK: All this and more, tonight.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: Well, President Bush has announced that he`s backing the Senate version of the immigration bill, saying that his administration has reached an agreement with lawmakers that both protects our borders and creates an acceptable temporary worker program. Bull freaking crap.

Here`s the point tonight. This bill is terrible for the security of this country; thus, it`s terrible for you. And here`s how I got there.

This bill kind of reminds me of a similar immigration bill that Ronald Reagan passed in 1986. That bill, the `86 Immigration Reform and Control Act, really hasn`t worked out so well, now has it?

Supporters of the `86 bill, like Ted Kennedy, said it would work because it would crack down on employers for hiring illegal immigrants. Yes, funny thing happened on the way to the deportation office; after a few short years of tepid enforcement, there was no real punishment for companies hiring illegal, cheap labor.

Consider this: in `95, nearly 1,000 employers -- that`s nationwide, 1,000 -- were find for hiring illegal immigrants. Ten years later, three. Count them, three were sanctioned.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act was passed after nine years of intense debate. Why does Congress want to rush this bill to the president? They can`t even agree on a war funding bill yet.

What they`re saying is, we`ll work all of our differences on illegal immigration, people who are not even citizens, before they can come together and protect our sons and daughters who are risking their own lives to defend our freedom. How in God`s heavenly name does that make any sense to either side, Democrats or Republicans?

You know, we failed to learn the lessons from 20 years ago. They weren`t serious about securing the border in Congress then, and they`re not serious about it now. Sorry, guys: for many Americans, it really is about safety and security.

Unfortunately, with anybody with my point of view and your point of view, you`re always going to be called a racist. And I don`t care. I want to know who the hell is in our country. Nine-11 changed the world. It`s no longer 1986.

So tonight, here`s what I know. This is the same old-same old for people on both sides of the debate. But we have got to stop yelling at each other and stop calling each other racist. Instead, we need to start listening to each other about security and putting our priorities in place.

Do you remember 9/11? Remember, we said we promised each other what our priorities would be: family, safety, country.

I suspect you feel the same way. Our leaders need to remember 9/11. Because what some people like me are trying to say to Congress is simply this: secure the border. If we give Congress the amnesty candy they so desperately want, they will not take the medicine they need.

Here`s what I don`t know: where are the people on both sides of the aisle who have spines? Is there going to be anybody who will stand up and do the right thing and will lead the charge? What`s the real motivation for pushing amnesty down the American people`s throats?

Joining me now is Congressman Ed Royce from California.

Ed, let`s start here. What`s the real -- what`s the real motivation? Why does Congress want this candy so bad?

REP. ED ROYCE (R), CALIFORNIA: Well, Glenn, I would say it`s because the open borders lobby has been pushing this initiative, have been looking for an opportunity, and now with the Democrats in control of the Senate and the House and with the president willing to sign this bill, it looks as though that`s what they intend to do.

My hope is that enough information gets out there to the American people about the cost of this particular bill, which would be 2.4 trillion dollars going forward, that -- and about the consequences.

BECK: OK. Give me some of -- give me some of the facts. First, we had the Secure Fence Act of 2006. We`re supposed to have 800 miles of fence. Now I see something about 300 miles of fence in this bill. Is that additional fence or what?

ROYCE: The difference is 500 miles that they`re not going to build that was mandated by the previous law, a bill that Congressman Duncan Hunter and I pushed that would give the Border Patrol exactly what they said they needed. They said they needed that 800-plus miles of fence. And now instead, what are we going to do? Build some camera towers along that border.

BECK: I told Duncan Hunter when he was here. He was here when that thing passed, and he said, "Glenn, we`ve written this very carefully. It`s law. They have to build it."

I said, "No, they don`t. They won`t do it." They have to enforce their own laws, and they`re not doing that.

ROYCE: And I think this gets to your point about the `86 amnesty. If they never enforced the employer sanctions on the `86 amnesty, what makes us for a minute think that the same open borders lobby is going to push for any element of enforcement here?

This is simply an attempt, A, at a mass amnesty; B, to increase legal immigration to another three-quarters of a million a year; and C, to have a guest worker program of 400,000, again, low-skilled people coming into the United States, hence the cost.

BECK: Why -- why is it racist to say that we want high-skilled people coming into our country? I mean, if you want to talk about immigration, let`s do it. Why is that racist?

ROYCE: Well, it`s not. And frankly, illegal immigration is a world- wide problem for the United States. But post-9/11, as you said, we now have people like Mahmoud Kourani, who was the Hezbollah agent who came over our border with Mexico in the trunk of a car.

We have these three jihadists attempting to attack Fort Dix. Again, these are individuals who came illegally into the United States through our southern border. We have an opportunity to do what law enforcement has asked us to do and secure that border. Instead, we move to open borders.

BECK: Congressman, please keep up the hard work. I`ve got to tell you, man: anybody who fights, anybody who stands up now and is fighting for the security of this nation on the border, and north and south, is going to be remembered the day it happens again.

ROYCE: House Republicans will be working to do just that. Thank you, Glenn.

BECK: I hope so. Thanks a lot, Congressman.

ANNOUNCER: This is GLENN BECK.

BECK: Seems as though every time President Bush breathes a word about illegal immigration, the poll numbers cross the border, as well, and head way south. And for some reason, nobody seems to get this in Washington.

The latest Rasmussen poll has the president`s approval rating at 34 percent, taking another hit because of this issue.

Joining me now is the president of "Rasmussen Reports", Scott Rasmussen.

Scott, is Bush the only politician that gets hit in the polls for being soft on illegal immigration, or does Congress get it, too? Is this just a Republican thing? What is this?

SCOTT RASMUSSEN, "RASMUSSEN REPORTS": People are skeptical of all politicians. It hurts the president in a different way than others, because his support has been down because of the situation in Iraq for a variety of factors. But immigration hurts him at his base.

It will hurt John McCain if this bill goes forward. It`s probably already hurt him in his quest to become president.

But ultimately, it makes people skeptical and cynical about politicians. That`s what a lot of the issue is all about right now. People don`t trust the political leaders to enforce the laws that we have. They don`t trust them to keep promises to enforce them in the future, and that`s why there`s strong support for enforcement first policies.

BECK: OK. I saw a poll. I don`t know if it was yours or not that shows that Congress actually has lower numbers than the president does. Of course, the media doesn`t ever focus -- focuses on that. Congress has numbers that are in the toilet bowl. Is security a right/left issue or a right/wrong issue?

RASMUSSEN: You know, security is obviously an issue that Americans of all stripes care about. It is not a left/right, Republican/Democrat issue. Something has changed in that issue during the last few years. Immigration is one part of it.

It used to be the Republicans were the party of national security. No longer. The public is imminently divided as to who`d they trust. Ultimately, the way this issue in immigration plays out will have an impact on perceptions of national security.

BECK: Because -- I mean, that -- that really goes to the heart. The Republicans are sitting around scratching their heads, going, "What the hell happened? How did we -- how are we losing the national security?" Here`s why.

RASMUSSEN: It`s part of why.

BECK: The Americans see -- well, yes, but a big part. This why people see -- they see the border. Everybody`s saying it`s race, but it`s not race; it`s security.

RASMUSSEN: It`s not race. We asked a thousand people across the country, are you racist if you -- if you oppose these sorts of reforms? Only 14 percent said Americans are racist if they want to enforce the existing laws. That`s not where the issue is.

There are concerns about national security. There are concerns about the economy. But ultimately, the American people view our nation as a nation of immigrants and as a nation of laws. They want the politicians to remember the second part.

BECK: Would you do me a favor, Scott? Would you run a poll for me?

RASMUSSEN: Sure.

BECK: And ask this? I think if you take it out of immigration and you ask people this question: should we know the names and who -- foreigners, who is in our country at any given time? I`ll bet you Republicans and Democrats off the charts, everybody says yes.

RASMUSSEN: I`ll frame the question. I`ll clean up the wording a little bit and send you the result. But I`m sure you`re right.

And by the way, on most of these immigration questions, there is not a gap between Democrats and Republicans. It is an issue that cuts across both parties. It`s a gap between people in Washington and the people outside Washington.

BECK: Real quick. I`ve only got about 10 seconds. Am I wrong on this? I think -- I sense great anger over this with the American people.

RASMUSSEN: Absolutely.

BECK: OK. Scott, thanks. We`ll talk to you. Run that poll and we`ll have you back.

RASMUSSEN: All right.

BECK: Coming up, when ex presidents attack. Jimmy Carter has gone on the offensive, suggesting that George W. Bush is the worst president ever. My question is, has he forgotten his own presidency? I`ll remind him, next.

Plus, dozens of troops killed as major firefight -- firefights erupt in Lebanon. Government troops are battling Islamic militants. This only verifies what I`ve been saying all along. This is not about us or Israel; it`s about politics and power. I`ll explain in "The Real Story".

And the don of New York has a sit-down with me. The "Sopranos" star Frank Vincent drops by to discuss the series finale of one of TV`s most popular shows. Don`t want to miss it. It`s coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Coming up, a little later in the program, David Hasselhoff is supposed to be back in court, yes. Will he get the right to see his kids following that drunken cheeseburger video rant? It`s what America needs to know. And we`ll have the latest for you in a second.

Also, I`ve heard a rumor today that Nancy Reagan is watching tonight`s program, and we`re going to do a piece on Ronald Reagan over the next couple of days. And actually, Mrs. Reagan, if you happen to be watching tonight, it`s really more about you.

But first, former presidents say the darnedest things, don`t they? Over the weekend, a news story came out in which Jimmy Carter had to say this about President Bush, and I quote, "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history."

Wow, maybe he doesn`t think it sounds so harsh with his southern accent, but I think as far as the adverse impact on the American nation, I would say that the Carter administration was the worst in history, but you know, what do I know? You know, I`m not a peanut farmer or anything like that.

Carter`s statement didn`t really leave a lot of room for misinterpretation, but he decided he needed to clear himself. Watch this as he tries to clarify himself this morning on NBC`s "Today Show".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY CARTER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, what I was really doing was responding to a question comparing the -- this administration`s foreign policy with that of Richard Nixon. And I think Richard Nixon had a very good and productive foreign policy.

And my remarks were maybe careless or misinterpreted, but I wasn`t comparing the overall administration and certainly not talking personally about any president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Well, that explains it. I mean, he left out his administration. He was only comparing to Nixon. The only thing worse than a guy who`d kick a president when he`s down is a guy like Jimmy Carter who doesn`t remember what it`s like to be the guy getting kicked.

So let me remind him. Steven Hayward is the author of "The Real Jimmy Carter" and fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Steven, help me reminder President Carter what things were like in -- during his presidency. Let`s start with the interest rate.

STEVEN HAYWARD, AUTHOR, "THE REAL JIMMY CARTER": Right. When I think interest rates topped out at about 27 percent in 1979 and 1980.

BECK: Those were the days.

HAYWARD: And inflation was 15 percent.

BECK: Geez.

HAYWARD: For a while, inflation and Carter`s approval rate were running neck and neck.

BECK: Yes. Wait a minute. Hang on just a second. Didn`t they invent a word for him? Wasn`t stagflation invented for him?

HAYWARD: Well, stagflation was invented in the `70s, and it got worse under him.

What Carter should be remembered for, I think, among other things was inventing the Misery Index in 1976, when he ran for office. Remember, that was the combination of inflation and unemployment together. And I think it was something like 15 percent when he ran for office in 1976, and it was about 28 percent or so in 1980. So the Misery Index almost doubled under his own measure.

BECK: I`m trying to remember, because I was young enough to not really remember things clearly, except the misery of my parents, who owned a small business. But am I -- am I correct in remembering the fact that he blamed inflation on the American people?

HAYWARD: Well, he blamed a lot of things on the American people. At one point, he said that inflation was related to the moral failings of the American character. Look, that was all part of a piece with Carter. Remember that he ran for office on the slogan of giving us a government as good as the people. That was one of his leading slogans.

BECK: Well.

HAYWARD: And then at low ebb in 1979, he gave that famous speech where essentially he said the American people were no good. It wasn`t his fault; it was our fault.

BECK: And foreign policy, because as I`m reading this in the newspaper, I look up at TV, and the entire Middle East is on fire. And I`m thinking -- and he was remembered for his peace process in the Middle East. Didn`t really work out so well.

Isn`t he really indeed responsible in many ways for what happened in Iran and what`s still going on today?

HAYWARD: Yes, I mean, it`s a long story. But essentially, Carter was AWOL over the whole revolutionary period in Iran and pulled the plug on the shah, whom he personally disliked. And what a catastrophe that has been. That was a major turning point in giving us the world we have today of out of control Islamic radicalism threatening to engulf the western world. And that really was the major turning point for it.

BECK: Yes. He is such an amazing guy that I don`t know -- I don`t know how or why anybody is embracing him. I swear, it`s like collective amnesia or something. But they`re embracing him. The world is embracing him. And he hasn`t done anything of real lasting good in the peace department, has he?

HAYWARD: Well, no. Well, I mean, the Camp David Accords were his one genuine achievement. The two things about Carter that made him work for him. One is he trades on his good works like Habitat for Humanity and working through...

BECK: I noticed that interview was with the building in the back. Yes.

HAYWARD: He`s in New Orleans banging nails today. He`s good at that. If he stuck with that I`d think he was a fine fellow, too. But he trades on that, the moral authority he gets from that, to pontificate on American politics and foreign affairs.

BECK: It`s not -- it`s really the foreign affairs -- foreign affairs thing. No president goes across overseas and says these kinds of things. And yet he`s got a history. He called -- correct me if I am wrong. Didn`t he call Kim Jong-Il someone like George Washington?

HAYWARD: Yes, that`s right. He says things like that all the time. Yes, I think it`s a very telling thing that Carter is most popular in the countries that hate America the most. That`s all you really need to know about his attitude and the way he conducts himself overseas.

BECK: Well, I`ve got to tell you, it makes sense he`s popular in those countries and in Michael Moore`s house.

HAYWARD: Well, that`s right.

BECK: Steve, thanks.

Coming up, David Hasselhoff heads to court to defend his drunken cheeseburger incident, but will it be enough to save the visitation rights he has with his kids? The latest details coming up.

And an all-out fight for survival in Lebanon as the government troops battle Islamic militants. What? We`ll have "The Real Story" on what this means for America.

And our piece on the Reagans. Don`t go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: David Hasselhoff is heading to a court hearing today which may determine if he is once again granted visitation rights for his two teenage daughters, rights that have recently been suspended. And in case you`ve been living under a rock, here`s why.

This was his infamous drunken rampage. One of his teenage daughters was at the other side of this camera, begging him to stop drinking. He was a mess.

Joining me now to discuss the legal ramifications of the day is Wendy Murphy, former prosecutor, now a professor at New England School of Law.

Wendy, the damage is done here. This tape is old. Why -- why should the court uphold the suspension?

WENDY MURPHY, NEW ENGLAND SCHOOL OF LAW: Well, it`s good question. You know, the court isn`t going to make a decision based only on this tape, Glenn. But they are going to ask some of the toughest questions this guy is ever going to have to answer, including are you really going to get sober?

Do you understand what it means to be an alcoholic and the harm that it does to your kids? It`s not only that you can`t keep them safe; it`s psychologically destructive. You can`t love them if you`re filled -- yourself up with booze. Go ahead.

BECK: He has been sober for a while now, it`s my understanding. This tape is really old. And you know, when I first saw it, I was so disturbed, I thought, "Oh, boy, this was bad." But then I realized that he had already -- this was old tape. He had already been -- he had already been sober. So I think to myself, well, who released this tape? That`s the real villain here, is the one who released this.

MURPHY: You know, it`s so easy to say that. Right? The point is, this could have been just a very heartfelt gigantic intervention. And that`s -- you know, that`s not malicious. Releasing a tape like this because you`re worried about a guy relapsing.

BECK: But it`s not my understanding that`s what happened. You have different information? I understand he was -- he was sober.

MURPHY: Well, you know, but he`s been sober 13 times, and he has fallen off the wagon a lot. So let`s at least accept that the good thing about this kind of father is, unlike Alec Baldwin, who blames everybody else for his problems, Hasselhoff appears to be willing to accept responsibility. He`s not blaming others. That`s the kind of father who`s going to do well in front of any judge. And that`s the good news.

BECK: I will tell you that my daughter said to me this weekend in one of the most miraculous conversations I`ve ever had with my daughter. She said, "Dad, I only have one hero in my life. And it`s you." And I didn`t even know how to respond.

And she said, "I watched you recover. I watched you put your life back together. And I have so much admiration for the strength."

It is a tough thing to come back from, but boy, it is -- it`s miraculous on the family when you do.

MURPHY: Well, and you know what? I hope David Hasselhoff is watching you tonight. Because there`s nothing more inspiring than knowing that your love for your children is the strongest motivating force in avoiding all kind of addiction problems. He can do it. He knows his kids love him.

And you know what? Unlike so many contentious divorces...

BECK: Yes.

MURPHY: ... including Alec Baldwin, everybody on all sides thinks this is a good guy with great potential...

BECK: Right.

MURPHY: ... except for when he`s drunk.

BECK: Let me give you -- I just want to give you a quick quiz here before we got. I`m going to put some pictures up on the screen here. I want you to look at them. Tell me who`s worse: Hasselhoff as a dad, Alec Baldwin, Britney Spears as a mom, or Paris Hilton`s mom and dad?

MURPHY: They`re all -- can I choose all of the above?

BECK: No, you`ve got to choose one. David Hasselhoff, Alec Baldwin, Britney Spears or the Hiltons?

MURPHY: You know what? I actually think Alec Baldwin is the worst. Because there`s no excuse for his behavior. It was intentional. He`s a bad guy.

BECK: OK. Thanks, Wendy.

Up next, the Great Communicator, Ronald Reagan, what his new diaries reveal about his most important mentor.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Coming up in just a bit, a sit-down with the head of the Brooklyn mafia, Frank Vincent stops by. We`ll talk "Sopranos," De Niro and the most dangerous mob in America: Hollywood.

Also, our look at the Reagans in just a second.

But first, tonight`s "Real Story," where we try to cut through the media spin and tell you why a story is actually important to you. Today, saw more combat near Tripoli, as Lebanese troops did battle in a Palestinian refugee camp with Islamic militants. Hmm, Islamic militants, where have I heard those guys before?

The "Real Story" is, this is just yet another example that it isn`t America that Al Qaeda and other extremist factions have a problem with. Oh, they`ve got a problem with us, but they hate everybody who`s not going to submit to their will, and they will not be happy until they`ve brought down the East and the West and established an Islamic new world order.

This is how it works. It`s now us against them, and the us is the United States and anybody else who doesn`t subscribe to the radical Muslims` demented interpretation of Islam. The "them" are the Islamic extremists everywhere. One day, it`s violence in Lebanon, then they attack a subway in Spain, next, a nightclub goes up in Germany or Bali. America is certainly at the top of the Islamic extremist kill list. 9/11 attacks made that crystal clear.

But we can`t forget that they have a very long list, and it includes a whole lot of Arabs and Muslims. And until we realize that Al Qaeda and its splinter groups have enemy lists that are gigantic and they will stop at nothing in their pursuit of destroying everyone on that list, things are going to be bad. And until we put them at the top of our enemy lists, things are going to get worse.

Mike Evans, he`s a Middle East analyst and the author of "The Final Move Beyond Iraq." Mike, this really -- I was watching the fighting this weekend -- this exposes that this isn`t about Israel, this isn`t about America. This is Arabs and Muslims that are fighting each other for power over the entire Middle East. Am I wrong?

MIKE EVANS, AUTHOR, "THE FINAL MOVE BEYOND IRAQ": You`re right. It`s Arabs and non-Arabs, Persians who consider Arabs infidels, and it`s about the mafia, the Muslim mafia, who`s spinning all the way through Iraq, all the way through Lebanon, with the vision, as you said, of a new world order.

BECK: Now, everybody is saying, just based on your first question, I think we probably agree -- everybody is saying that it`s Syria, possibly Al Qaeda. I think there are a lot of people involved, but the real head of the snake, the real source of evil in all of this really is Iran, isn`t it?

EVANS: Indeed, it is. I was over in Iraq just a few weeks ago, Glenn, and I was in Kurdistan. The Kurds, 200,000 of them were gassed. I was with the minister of interior on a state visit, and I found out just after I left that Al Qaeda came to Iran, attacked Kurdistan twice, and left them a little note and said, "Give us the names of the Muslims who have converted to Christianity."

Now, the truth is, if we pull out of Iraq, every Christian in Iraq will be slaughtered. They`re dead. The Kurds are dead. And then the Arabs are dead. They`re going after the Arabs.

BECK: I will tell you this, that, Mike, I think if we -- I mean, we cannot lose in Iraq. If we pull out, it is going to make Darfur look like an absolute picnic. I have yet to meet the person that says that`s not true.

EVANS: Well, you`re right. I met -- you know, I`ve met one. His name is Jimmy, Jimmy Carter.

BECK: Well, I meant anybody who really is, you know, halfway sane. How does this -- how does this play out in the refugee camps? I mean, what`s intriguing to me is, I saw it in the newspaper, I saw it on television, where they are shooting into these refugee camps, they`re shooting into apartment buildings, and yet no one in the media is pointing out that there are innocent people there.

But if this would have been Israel doing exactly the same thing these Arabs are doing to each other, that would have been the lead. And Israel would have been condemned as the bad guy. How come people aren`t condemning this radical Islamic group as bad guys?

EVANS: Because the refugee camps have been used to promote -- they`re a food chain. They`ve been using them as a food chain for terrorists. The refugees, the Palestinian refugees, the only refugee crisis in the entire world that hasn`t been solved. All of them been solved. Why? Because they don`t want to solve them.

BECK: You`re exactly right.

EVANS: The Arab regions don`t want to solve them. They use these little children as bait for terror. And it`s a crime, and it`s outrageous. And every peaceful Muslim should scream their head off about it.

BECK: OK. Thanks a lot, Mike.

So I was out in Salt Lake City over the weekend, and "The Real Story" is that just about everybody wanted to talk to me about Al Sharpton. You know, he had that little slip of the tongue and said that Mormons didn`t really believe in God. Funny, Al, they seemed a little extra cranky about there out that.

Well, that statement that got Sharpton a lot of well-deserved criticism and a meeting with Mormon leaders that he asked for in Utah was that we didn`t believe in God. He`s now enjoying the mountain air, even as we speak.

OK, Al, I just want to remind you what you said during our last interview together.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THE REVEREND AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: I`ll talk to you when I come from Utah.

BECK: You do.

SHARPTON: All right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: You can see that I really believed that we really have that. So, Al, when you get back and you`ve recovered from jet lag, call me.

If you`ve been watching the Republican debates, I`m sure you have heard just about every candidate invoke the name of Ronald Reagan, and I`m so tired of it, because I don`t think they really get it. I mean, invoking his name, good reason. The country prospered; our nation was secure; and the only person that the president was having sex with, quite frankly, in the White House was his wife.

As a conservative, the Reagan presidency set a new standard for what I wanted in a leader. Today`s candidates could do a lot worse than model themselves after such a gifted politician. But the "Real Story" is, you know what? There`s a whole bunch more to learn from the Reagans other than politics. There`s a tremendous new book out. It comes tomorrow, called "The Reagan Diaries." It provides a rare glimpse into the day-to-day life of Ronald Reagan in his own words, and what stands out so boldly is the powerful relationship he had with First Lady Nancy Reagan.

Their marriage, at least to me, was truly inspiring. Two people in a partnership that wasn`t politically convenient, like, let`s say, I don`t know, pulling name out of the air, the Clintons. It was based on love; it was based on understanding and mutual respect. They couldn`t get enough of each other.

Speaking just for me, I can`t imagine my life without my wife. She is my strength. Along with my children, she lends purpose and meaning to everything I do. And much like the Reagans, my marriage is a partnership. And yours should be, as well. My wife is my best friend, and I mean this sincerely. I am less than half the man without her.

So in a time when the family is under attack, this country needs the core values of Ronald Reagan, the values that made this nation so strong and we are in such short supply of. I think, for tonight, we should put aside the politics and just focus on the values of Ron and Nancy Reagan and the values that they put into their marriage, the marriage they built together.

Sheila Tate was the press secretary for First Lady Nancy Reagan. Sheila, do I have this right? Was this really a partnership between them that had nothing to do with politics, it had everything to do with love?

SHEILA TATE, FORMER PRESS SECRETARY TO NANCY REAGAN: It was based on their relationship exclusively. I mean, there were political components to it. There had to be. His life was politics, but it wasn`t the basis for their relationship.

BECK: I remember watching all of this play out in the press. And she was always perceived in the media, she was always painted as somebody who was trying to, you know, work behind the scenes, all with politics and everything else. She was instrumental in his day-to-day life, but it was really just to protect him from people, honestly, that were going to kill him, just in overworking him. Am I wrong?

TATE: Let me tell you a story. One day, we were in Las Vegas. And she got a fax. We were in her room. And she handed it to me, laughing, and she said, "You know, I`m always criticized for being overprotective of Ronnie," as she called him. And she said, "But here`s why."

And I looked at the schedule, and they had him booked the next day from 7:00 in the morning until 11:00 at night. Nancy Reagan knew that Ronald Reagan didn`t function well under that kind of a schedule, that his natural inclination had a different pace to it. So she helped make sure that happened, and he liked that she did that for him.

BECK: You know, I tell you, I love the love letters between the two of them.

TATE: Yes.

BECK: I am so impressed by that. I understand, you know (INAUDIBLE) said that, on Wednesdays, he would go home and take a nap in the middle of the day, but that`s really not true. He wanted to be with her and just wanted to work from upstairs, right or wrong?

TATE: That`s right. No, that`s right. Frequently, I was up there meeting with her when he was in his office right down the hall doing a lot of work. But he would come in and check on her frequently and stop by to talk, because he just liked to be with her.

BECK: I heard her say this morning on "Good Morning America" that everybody said it would be easier for her after he died. And she said it`s much, much harder. How`s she doing?

TATE: Well, I think she`s just doing a -- I`m always surprised at her strength. Yes, it`s hard. Yes, she misses him. But I`ve never seen her give into it.

BECK: Does she feel the pressure to finish the job and go out -- I don`t mean to sound crass -- but to leave us with as much class and dignity as he did? I mean, this has been a class act from start to finish.

TATE: She cares about his legacy, for sure. And the way she cares is by taking care of the library and making sure that the programs are as vibrant as they are. It`s a wonderful facility, by the way, if you haven`t been there. But between the library, raising money for the library, and her efforts on behalf of Alzheimer`s, that`s what she`s devoting the rest of her life to.

BECK: I`ll tell you, you talk about the Reagan legacy, she`s a big, huge part of it. And anybody who doesn`t understand that, you should read this new book out or read "I Love You, Ronnie."

TATE: I can`t wait for myself.

BECK: Thank you very much.

That`s "The Real Story" tonight. We`ll be back in a minute with the boss of New York, "Sopranos" star Frank Vincent. It`s coming up next. Don`t miss it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: We`ve had enough of the Republicans and the Democrats. I mean, this -- you can`t get a war spending bill passed, but you`ve got immigration? What do you know? And why do you know it? What do you believe? And why do you believe it?

And only when you know what you know, why you know it, why you believe it, why it`s true to you...

... and only when you know what you know, why you know it, why you believe it, why it`s true to you will you actually be able to live it in the tough situations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: So many people all across America talking about last night`s episode of "The Sopranos." I didn`t see it, because, you know, I`m usually in my jammies by 7:30, but everybody is yapping about it, so here`s a clip from last night`s "Sopranos."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES GANDOLFINI, "TONY SOPRANO": On the other thing, this asbestos, I thought about your offer. What do you say to 15 percent, plus we forget about the balance of what you owe me on the vitamin truck?

FRANK VINCENT, "PHIL LEOTARDO": First off, it wasn`t an offer. It`s my position, 25 percent.

GANDOLFINI: That`s it?

VINCENT: What else would you like me to say?

GANDOLFINI: Come on, Phil. What`s the problem? I come here on good faith. I make a reasonable counter.

VINCENT: Which I considered and rejected.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Phil Leotardo himself, actor Frank Vincent is with us now to tell us what might happen. Of course, really, nobody really wants to know what is going to happen in the last few episodes of "The Sopranos," do they?

VINCENT: Well, I`m not going to tell you, Glenn. That`s for sure.

BECK: But, I mean, I used to be -- I`m not anymore this season, because, boy, did they jump the shark -- but I used to be a real fan of "24," but I would never really want to know the plot line, because I wanted to be surprised. Do you find the same with "The Sopranos"?

VINCENT: Everybody wants to know. And everybody bothers you to tell them, but I don`t tell anybody.

BECK: So now you were -- if I`m not mistaken, in "Goodfellas," you were killed by Joe Pesci. In "Casino," you killed Joe Pesci.

VINCENT: I was beat up by Joe Pesci in "Raging Bull."

BECK: In "The Sopranos," I think you two should kill each other simultaneously.

VINCENT: You think so?

BECK: What do you think?

VINCENT: Actually, how it`s going to end is Tony and I are going to get in a car, convertible, and drive off a cliff.

BECK: Yes, right.

VINCENT: Like "Thelma and Louise."

BECK: That would be great.

VINCENT: That would be something.

BECK: Why do you suppose that we are so fascinated by the mob?

VINCENT: Good life, happy living, a lot of money, lot of pretty girls, the best clothes, the best places.

BECK: I mean, come on.

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: You are shoving people through a meat grinder. How is that happy living?

VINCENT: Well, I don`t mean happy living from that point of view. I mean, doing what you want to do, I guess. It`s not really a good life, but people think it is, because I think there`s a lot of money involved and a lot of -- you know, everybody -- not everybody, most people get up and go to work 9:00 to 5:00. These guys don`t do that. They go to the club, they play a little pool, they shake somebody down, they make a few dollars.

BECK: One of the amazing things about "The Sopranos" is, if you watch it, you really start to like bad guys. I mean, you become attached to these guys and you start to say, "Oh, but they`re really good guys at heart," and meanwhile they`re clubbing people to death.

VINCENT: That`s a tribute to David Chase and his writing staff. When we do the show, we can`t change one word, one comma, one period. It`s written the way we have to say it. We have to say it the way it`s written. And this is what he gets, the emotion out of the character, and this is what transforms to you, the listener. You love Tony Soprano. He`s an evil -- he`s a beast. He goes to Vegas. He gets a girlfriend. He comes home. He gives his wife a watch.

BECK: That`s funny. I was so intrigued with the storyline that had Tony Soprano really just kind of having a mid-life crisis and wondering, "What am I doing with my life?" Are the loose ends going be tied up? Or is this the prequel to a movie?

VINCENT: I don`t know, Glenn. You know, there`s some rumors, and they`re talking about in different corners of a prequel. I don`t know. I don`t know if everything is going to be tied up the way everybody expects it to be, you know what I mean? There`s a lot of ends. There`s a lot of things, family, business, who`s going to die, who`s not going to die. And...

BECK: Are you an honest-to-goodness fan of the show? I mean, do you watch it?

VINCENT: Oh, yes. I mean, I watched it before I was on it.

BECK: So as a fan of the show, would you be satisfied with the ending now?

(CROSSTALK)

VINCENT: The way it`s going to end now?

BECK: Yes, the way it`s going to end.

VINCENT: Sort of, yes.

(LAUGHTER)

BECK: Just not going to give up anything.

VINCENT: Don`t forget, these guys are all my friends. I mean, all the guys that work on the show, I`ve known, I`ve done movies with them, with the exception of one or two. So we`re New York actors. And that`s what we do. And we all do independent movies together. We do other movies. We do work. We do some stage work. And it`s just a beautiful, beautiful part of my life. I`m happy it happened to me.

BECK: You hot with the girls? Women come onto you now, don`t they?

VINCENT: I don`t know why, man, I tell you. Women, I say, why do you like this guy? He`s a bad, bad guy. They say, "Because he has money, and he`s got power, and he`s sexy." And I guess...

BECK: Frank, just do me a favor, would you? Please just tell me now and tell America now the episode doesn`t end with Johnnycakes.

(LAUGHTER)

VINCENT: Johnnycakes is gone, I think.

BECK: OK, good.

VINCENT: Don`t worry about Johnny.

BECK: Thanks a lot. Frank, best of luck to you. Back in a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Last week, there was a bill that was introduced in the Massachusetts state legislature making it illegal to discriminate based on weight and height. According to the bill`s sponsor, "You can be a shock jock on the radio and talk about fat people for a solid week, and no one would ever think of you losing your job." So who`s to blame for the rampant discrimination against fat people? Oh, I think the answer is clear.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECK (voice-over): America, land of freedom, land of opportunity, a land where man is judged by the strength of his character, not by the size of his waistline. Indeed, many of our greatest heroes have risen from the ranks of overweight, great patriots like Franklin, Taft, Garfield -- no, the other Garfield. Yes, that one. Sports heroes like the Babe, the Fridge, and every single guy on the pro bowler`s tour. The entertainers, the ones who made us laugh, not only because they were fat -- oh, yes, they were -- but because they were funny.

BUD ABBOTT, COMEDIAN: You throw the ball to first base.

LOU COSTELLO, COMEDIAN: Then who gets it?

ABBOTT: Naturally.

COSTELLO: That`s what I`m saying!

BECK: Ah, that still kills me. Now, for a long time, there was no shame in being fat. In fact, Americans embraced fatness. It was the golden age of fatness. Fat faces plastered across TV and movie screens everywhere. The names, they even said it all, "fats," "fatty," "fat."

But then came the arrival of something that would forever change the landscape of fat people forever: the birth of 24-hour cable news.

DAVID WALKER, CNN HOST: Good evening, I`m David Walker.

BECK: These once-proud fat people soon were transformed into a legion of anonymous, headless, faceless torsos, forced to wander the Earth for all eternity. Our admiration towards these people now turned to shame. Oh, occasionally, a fat head might pop up by accident.

But for the most part, today, this is all we see, this person here. Yes, he may be the next Ben Franklin, but to the rest of America, he`ll always be the guy with no head, who just doesn`t know any better than to not wear stripes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Don`t worry, America. There`s a fat man in me screaming to get out. From New York, good night.

END