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Glenn Beck

Women`s Rights Threatened in Middle East; Hillary Playing the Victim?; Is Dog the Bounty Hunter a Racist?

Aired November 05, 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, meet radical Islam`s leading marriage counselor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (speaking foreign language)

GRAPHIC: This shows you that...

BECK: Yes, this guy will actually tell young Saudis how to beat their wives.

Plus, Duane "Dog" Chapman, in the doghouse for using the "N" word. Crime fighter or racist?

And what does this supermodel have in common with this billionaire? They`re both betting against the dollar. And that spells hot trouble for America.

All this and more, tonight.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: Oh, I can`t wait for the hot trouble for America. And I`ve got it in spades tonight. Hello, America.

When you were young, did you picture getting married and living in, you know, a perfect existence with no disagreement whatsoever with your spouse? Yes, me too.

And then you grow up. We all do. And it dawns on us that marriage can be pretty hard work. That`s why people like Dr. Phil are around, to help us navigate the waters, you know, just a little bit. But while your wife is fixated on whether or not you took the garbage out, wives in the Middle East are being oppressed and abuse.

Here`s "The Point" tonight. Stopping this abuse not only helps women; I believe it will win the war on terror. And here`s how I got there.

What do you do when you reach an impasse with your significant other? Well, Dr. Phil might suggest you try to communicate better. Others would suggest beating her until she does exactly what you want. I mean, why not, huh?

Let me introduce you to the man who apparently fancies himself the Saudi Arabian Dr. Phil. His name is Mohammed al-Afari (ph). He is a Saudi cleric who advocates beating your wife but not just willy-nilly. Here he is on Lebanese television, calmly describing the dos and don`ts of domestic abuse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (speaking foreign language)

GRAPHIC: A donkey understands nothing but beatings, but a woman, a man, a child, and so on, are generally more affected by emotions than by other things. If you beat her with a toothpick, or if you beat her lightly with your hand, and so on, it is meant to convey: "Woman, it has gone too far. I can`t bear it anymore." If he beats her, the beatings must be light and must not make her face ugly. He must beat her where it will not leave marks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: I mean, you wouldn`t want to make the face ugly. You`d lose your investment. That is ridiculous.

Now, if you think this style of relationship seems a little one-sided, he goes on to worry the woman has a way to defend herself, as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (speaking foreign language)

GRAPHIC: Therefore, while the man may use beating to discipline his wife, she sometimes uses her tears to discipline him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Well, there you go. The woman can always cry the man to death.

I suppose the trendy thing to do today is to broadcast via candlelight to stop global warming. But instead of using symbolism to look like we care about a two-degree temperature rise 90 years from now, I thought instead we`d show you what`s really happening in our world to women today.

Here`s "The Point" tonight. America, you need to know, I have said this over and over again. The way to stop Islamic extremism for good is to empower women in the Middle East.

You know what? I don`t think that`s ever going to happen. It`s not going to happen when women`s rights groups in the west are quiet about the real plight facing real women in the Middle East right now.

Manda Zand Ervin is the president of the Alliance of Iranian Women. And Anefsheh Zand-Bonazzi is the outspoken women`s rights and Iranian activist.

Anefsheh, let me start with you. How prevalent is this? This is -- this is unbelievable to watch this stuff.

ANEFSHEH ZAND-BONAZZI, IRANIAN ACTIVIST: Well, you know, we`ve been listening to this all our lives, pretty much. I mean, before the revolution through very small Muslim enclaves, you know, the sort of more religious classes were very much of that mindset, and since the beginning of the Khomeiniist revolution, it`s been always the same story, and we have heard this over and over again.

And it doesn`t end in Saudi Arabia or in Iran. As you know, it goes on in all of the majority Muslim countries, as well as, for example, in places like Indonesia. And, well, what can we say? It`s in the Koran.

BECK: It is -- it is really, truly amazing, because this is -- this is real hatred here of women, and it`s not just the husband that can beat the wife, right? It`s a whole family affair.

ZAND-BONAZZI: Indeed. Often, actually, in Iran right now I can give you a little example of a woman who`s in prison because, in fact, her mother-in-law was the one who abused her. Used to put out cigarettes on her and do all kinds of horrible things to her, cut her with knives and so forth, because to her that is the way of life. It is -- she has been raised as a mother to obey her father, then her husband, then her sons.

And then so when the daughter-in-law decides to misbehave, she basically gives her the same treatment that she`s received as a woman all her life. And so the woman -- the daughter-in-law basically became frustrated and killed the mother-in-law.

And now she`s in prison fighting for her life. And she`s one of the women, in fact, that we talk about all the time and write about to try to see if we can get her released from the Islamic Republic`s prison.

BECK: Manda, let me go to you. In Saudi Arabia women can`t drive. A lot of times it`s better to be sick because you can`t go to the doctor because the doctor can`t see you naked. You can`t get a divorce. You`re worth -- you know, what is it. In some Islamic countries you`re worth a third of a man in testimony. In others it`s half.

Women, it`s my understanding, will actually burn themselves to make a statement. Where are the rest of the women in the world standing up?

MANDA ZAND ERVIN, PRESIDENT, ALLIANCE OF IRANIAN WOMEN: Well, the western women who can be really helpful to these women in the Middle East and under Islamic laws are totally silent. Their silence is deafening.

We have been asking for their help, for their support, for the women of Iran who are struggling. They`re fronting on the front right for their own rights, for their children`s rights. But the women of America don`t care, and they don`t want to get involved.

BECK: I don`t understand this. I mean, there was a big movement years ago about female genital mutilation, and everybody was, you know, jumping on the bandwagon of, you know, this has got to be stopped; this is abhorrent. This is the same stuff.

Where -- have you asked the women advocates in America or have you figured it out at all on why are they suddenly silent?

ERVIN: Well, they don`t tell us why they are silent. We have -- Code Pink has taken pictures of the Iranian women who have been protesting against the Islamic -- unfair and indecent Islamic laws against them.

And Code Pink took their picture and PhotoShopped it to show that the Iranian women are protesting against America. When we protested what they did, they took that picture off their site. When we asked them to support the women of Iran, they did not respond to us.

I had an article in Front Page magazine three weeks ago. In that article, I asked from American women to support the Iranian women. It`s not that the Iranian women are just sitting there doing nothing. They have been at the front lines fighting for their survival. But there is not a peep from American women to support these women.

BECK: Banafsheh, let me -- I had lunch with a very powerful American woman, and I said to her, I said, "You want to solve the Middle East? Here`s how you do it. People like you band together with other really powerful women, and you stand up and you help free the women of the Middle East."

That is the way to do it without putting a boot on the ground. Pretty much -- pretty much dismissed and laughed at for that. Am I -- am I wrong on thinking this is the most peaceful way to change the Middle East?

ZAND-BONAZZI: You`re absolutely right. In fact, you know, one of the things that people do not know is that Iranian women have been out there -- well, I mean, obviously, in terms of various other women and various other parts of the Islamic world.

Like for example, they have backed people like Malali Dria (ph) in Afghanistan, who`s a brave and wonderful woman who is -- who`s now an Afghani politician. There`s also Mukhtaran Bibi, who was a woman who was gang-raped. And she was strong enough to get out and speak out and fight for, you know, justice for her against her rapists.

But the bottom line is, is that western women have pretty much forsaken us and decided that, well, you know, well, gee, we just might be intruding on the way that these women have actually chosen to live. Meanwhile...

BECK: It`s -- it`s amazing to me. If this were happening in America, if that was a Christian saying those things on television, the world would be on fire today. But here in America it`s just quiet.

Manda, Banafsheh, thank you very much. We`ve got to run.

Now, you know, if you agree with me that women are a huge part of the answer in dealing with radical Islam, then please, I invite you to go to GlennBeck.com right now and preorder a copy of my new book, "An Inconvenient Book: Real Solutions to the World`s Problems." It has a whole chapter on radical Islam, including lots of information that you have never heard before and about why women are not standing up to these monsters.

Please, pick it up. Preorder a copy right now at GlennBeck.com. That`s "An Inconvenient Book." It`s out in bookstores in a couple of weeks.

Coming up, Hillary has taken some heat for her weak performance in the most recent Democratic debate. Now she`s playing the victim card. Kind of leader we need in America, in the White House right now?

Also, Dog the Bounty Hunter is in real trouble for using the "N" word. Details in just a bit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Coming up in just a bit, will the real Dog the Bounty Hunter please stand up? Is he the crime fighter who`s taken dozens of scumbags off the street, or is he a racist who`s now just beginning to show his true colors? We`ll try to find out, coming up.

But first, Hillary Clinton`s campaign continues to whine about how Hillary was treated unfairly at the Democratic debate last week because she`s a woman. You know, in case you missed the debate, and I can`t imagine why you would have, allow me to review.

This was the senator`s response to a question about releasing her White House records.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Now, all of the records, as far as I know, about what we did with health care, those are already available. Others are becoming available. And I think that, you know, the archives will continue to move as rapidly as circumstances and processes demand.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is an example of not turning the page. We have just gone through one of the most secretive administrations in our history. And not releasing, I think, these records at the same time, Hillary, as you`re making the claim that this is the basis for your experience, I think, is a problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: I`ve got to tell you, that whole minority thing might work for Clinton. You know, "I`m a woman." But not against Barack Obama.

She was very crafty in her personal reaction to the debate, saying, quote, "I don`t think they`re picking on me because I`m a woman. I think they`re picking on me because I`m winning."

Well, Hillary, let me try to choke the vomit back as I say this. I agree with you. If you`re trying to project a strong presidential image, you`re going to have to expect that you`re going to be whacked by your opponents, especially when you lead your closest rival by 20 points in the national polls.

But alas, she didn`t leave it at that. She continued, quote, "If you can`t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. And I`m very comfortable in the kitchen." Good gracious. What Clintonian doublespeak is that?

Joining me now is Democratic strategist Peter Fenn and Cooper Lawrence, who`s a developmental psychology researcher.

Cooper, let me start with you. The comment from Senator Clinton, "And I`m very comfortable in the kitchen," what -- what is that even about?

COOPER LAWRENCE, DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCHER: You know, a lot of women use the emotional currency. That`s their currency, emotion. And sticking to feminist ideals. So that`s not in place here.

This is -- we`re talking about somebody who`s a political candidate, who`s trying to separate herself from, you know, the typical ideals that women hold. And that doesn`t -- that doesn`t do it. That puts her right back in the realm of somebody who can be attacked for what she`s saying.

BECK: Right. First of all, I don`t believe for a second that she`s comfortable in a kitchen.

Second of all, Peter, if -- if somebody is -- if I were debating her and I said, "Hey, if you can`t stand the heat, you know, get out of the kitchen, but I assume that you`re very comfortable in the kitchen," she would have nailed me. You can`t have it both ways.

PETER FENN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Glenn, you know, the funny thing about that, of course, was it got a heck of a laugh line when she said it. And everybody remembers in 1992 when she said that she wasn`t Tammy Wynette, stand by your man, staying at home baking cookies.

BECK: Yes.

FENN: So she got whacked for making cookies.

But I tell you, I think you`re absolutely right on one point, and that is we`re in the Margaret Thatcherization of politics here. I mean, being strong and tough, you know, is very important. She is leading all candidates on experience, on competence, in a sense on toughness. Now we`ll see how tough she is. She`s got two months of...

BECK: Yes, I mean, look, here`s the deal. They were coming out and saying that -- her camp said that Tim Russert was being so unfair in asking tough questions. Good gosh, if you can`t handle Tim Russert, how are you going to handle Hezbollah?

FENN: Well, yes. That`s true. But you know, Tim -- look, he`s going to ask the questions on Social Security. You know that. He always asks it.

The whole point was that -- you know, it is true. Barack Obama got a question about what he was going to wear for Halloween. And of course, we got the UFO question for Mr. Kucinich...

BECK: I would have rather answered anything about the national archives than, "Have you seen a UFO?"

FENN: But I think she`s going to be the pinata out there in the next two months. And that was expected.

BECK: Right.

FENN: And she`s going to have to take it.

BECK: Let me ask you this, Cooper. I have very little sympathy for Hillary Clinton. All my sympathy stops...

LAWRENCE: Really? I couldn`t tell.

BECK: Yes, I know. All my sympathy stopped the day that she continued with the vast right-wing conspiracy bull crap. You can be victimized by somebody once, but when you`re repeatedly victimized, she`s in control of this situation.

She knows -- I mean, I don`t for a second think that somebody victimizes Hillary Clinton. She knows exactly what the score is, and she calculates it every step of the way. Am I wrong?

LAWRENCE: It`s very clever. No, it`s very clever. Because the minute you say I`m the victim, what are you doing? You`re setting up the other people to be bullies, and you immediately get sympathy.

But the idea is we don`t want somebody who is going to take the victim role. We want somebody who`s not going to succumb to that, somebody who`s going to look at the idea of the victim role as something they would never want to embody.

So that`s not an image that I think any woman would want to make part of her -- let alone a campaign, make part of her identity.

BECK: Peter, why do you -- why do you think that she`s even going down this road? I mean, if Barack Obama said, "Hey, they`re picking on me because I`m black," he wouldn`t win, because we would have to have -- we`d have to have a president that was strong enough to say, "I don`t care what you throw at me." You know?

FENN: Here`s the thing. It`s a fine line. If she -- if she tries to be, as Cooper says, if she tries to say, "I`m a victim. I`m a victim. Poor me. Woe me [sic]," she`s in deep trouble. I don`t think she`s doing that. That`s not a smart strategy.

What she`s saying: "Look, did I get ganged up on in that debate? Absolutely. Was I the focus of the debate? Absolutely. Why was I the focus? I`m the focus, because they know they`ve got to take me down to win. So, you know, I`ll fight them. I`ll go -- I`ll go toe to toe with them."

And that`s the right approach. Not to say "woe me [sic]" and -- look, if she gets folks who are mad at the other candidates for coming hard at her, so be it. But that`s not -- that`s not the kind of strategy she should use.

BECK: I like -- I like the candidates to be hard -- fair but hard with -- with each other. I mean, stop -- stop pussyfooting around, man.

FENN: Look, most of those guys are going to get it. I mean, you know, look, holier-than-thou John Edwards is going to get hit hard for being in with the trial lawyers.

BECK: Yes.

FENN: He`s going to get hit hard for being -- making his money on hedge funds when he bashes hedge funds. I mean, he`s not -- he`s not going to escape this stuff.

BECK: It`s a comedy show.

Guys, we`re out of time, but thank you very much.

So now where am I wrong? Hillary Clinton`s supporters may be crying victim, but the truth is she`s the power behind everything she`s involved in. Agree or disagree? Go to CNN.com/Glenn and cast your vote right now.

All right. Coming up in tonight`s "Real Story," we`re going to talk a little bit about Pakistan and then hot models and then cold hard cash. You don`t want to miss tonight`s "Real Story."

And Dog the Bounty Hunter is in the doghouse for getting caught on tape using the "N" word. And now he`s falling under a way of criticism. What does it say about Dog`s character? We`ll try to find out next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, ever since a tape of Duane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman using the "N" word surfaced last week, my viewers and listeners have been sending tons of e-mails, asking where I stand on the issue.

Honestly, it`s simple. I mean, I didn`t realize that I even had to come out and officially say it. But using the "N" word is always wrong. I`ve said it before on this program many times before. It doesn`t matter if it`s Snoop Dogg or the Dog. It is always, without equivocation, 100 percent wrong to use the word.

With that being said, I`ve got to tell you, I believe that good men can often make horrible, horrible mistakes. But I believe that we should have the ability to atone for those mistakes. It`s a gift of redemption that is available to all of us.

But there is a price that you have to pay. You have to prove that you`re really, truly want it. The question now is whether Dog is ready to do that.

I was supposed to talk to Dog`s pastor about this, but he bailed out at the last second on the program. So I`m joined now by clinical psychologist Jeff Gardere.

And Jeff, I`m sorry to do this, because now we`re talking third -- third person, and I didn`t want to have this conversation with third person, because then we`re back into the media grind of just trying to read into somebody`s heart. And is it even possible to read into somebody`s heart?

JEFF GARDERE, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: I think it is. It is by the way that they then behave after something like this has happened. Whether they are, in fact, genuine in what they`re saying. I think, Glenn, we have a good sense, as human beings, as to whether someone is being truthful or whether they`re just trying to sell us a bill of goods.

BECK: OK. Let me -- let me play what he said on this program about another swear word and not the "N" word but another swear word. Watch this. This is what he said on the program months ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DUANE "DOG" CHAPMAN, BOUNTY HUNTER: We`re working on our language. But we don`t -- when we call people an "SB", we don`t mean their mother`s really a female dog. When we go "F" you, we don`t really mean the actual word. It shouldn`t hurt people`s feelings.

So I apologize for swearing. And really, with Tim Storey, my preacher, is working on my mouth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: OK. That was the preacher we were supposed to have on today.

GARDERE: Right.

BECK: Do you believe that there is language that you can be surrounded by that you use and not have it carry that weight?

GARDERE: I believe that we should learn from our mistakes but especially the mistakes of others.

We know that using the "N" word and using the "SB" word or any other word is wrong. It`s wrong ethically, it`s wrong morally, and we should not use that word.

We may think it. We may get angry and say things that we don`t mean. But, especially if we`re in the media eye, we should know better. Dog should have known better.

Now, that being said, Glenn, as an African-American, I can tell you you`re a white man. I`m African-American. I agree with you. He should be allowed to atone for his sins. He should be allowed to learn from his mistakes, though he should have learned, perhaps, the first time...

BECK: Yes.

GARDERE: ... when people were upset with the "SB" word. So we need to give him some space in order to grow.

Too -- too often, Glenn, we point fingers at others and say how racist they are, but in fact, all of us have stereotypical thinking about others.

BECK: I will tell you this. There`s a -- there`s a police chief in East Cleveland that used the same language, and he`s an African-American, and he can laugh it off.

I mean, we just have to settle as people and say this word is just not used. You don`t use it in any situation, no matter what color you are. It`s just a bad word. Stop using it.

GARDERE: Glenn, you`re right on. I was talking to some African- Americans in the media about this. And I said, this is a real good example as to why we, as African-Americans, can no longer use the "N" word. We can`t say because we`re African-Americans we can do that. We can`t do that.

BECK: Jeff, thanks. Back in a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, they`ve been one of our closest allies in the war on terror and our efforts to catch bin Laden, but Pakistan now is in what can only be called a state of emergency after protests and riots have hit the streets. I`ll tell you what it all means to our interest in just a bit.

But first, welcome to "The Real Story." What does supermodel Gisele have in common with billionaire investor Warren Buffett, I mean, besides how sexy the two of them really are? The "Real Story" is they now both believe the U.S. dollar is headed for even more trouble, and now they`re both putting their money where their mouth is. Gisele reportedly -- and may I just for a second -- Lord, if you happen to be watching, thank you, thank you for finally giving me a story where I can talk about currency fluctuations and supermodels at the same time. I mean, you really are powerful. I mean it.

Anyway, Gisele has reportedly demanded that some of her employers, like Procter & Gamble and Dolce & Gabbana, pay her in euros from now on. And Warren Buffett, that sexy, sexy man, has recently said that he`s -- what, no pictures of Warren Buffett in the little box? He reportedly said that he`s buying stocks of companies that earn their income in foreign currencies.

I told you last week the dollar has now lost over 40 percent of its value against the euro in the last seven years. But, gang, some top economists and Gisele now say it may be just the beginning. I understand that currency valuation isn`t exactly the most riveting TV topic, but unless we start to really pay attention to it, unless you enjoy paying twice as much for almost everything you buy, we`d better start educating ourselves on this.

There`s a lot of things that we can do, like personally get out of debt, making sure our government doesn`t rack up more debt, and ways we can mitigate the consequences of a fall, but we have to be willing to listen. And I hate to break it to you, there may not always be a supermodel available to make it interesting.

Bill Gross is the Pacific Investment Management Company`s chief investment officer. Bill, I mean, you`re one of the big guys. You`re a billionaire. And I want you to spend the next three minutes talking down to me like I don`t watch the FOX Business Channel or CNBC all the time. Just pretend.

I read one of the analysts at Morgan Stanley said the dollar decline might turn to a violent correction and require U.S., Europe, and Japan to intervene in the exchange markets. Pretend I don`t know what that means.

BILL GROSS, CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER, PIMCO: Oh, goodness. I`m not sure I know what it means. We`re on an even plane here.

BECK: Good. See, that makes me feel better.

GROSS: No, central banks every now and then do intervene in order to stabilize their currency. It`s important to have a relatively stable currency, because that levels out the purchasing power. It`s the same thing as saying that import prices and export prices are relatively stable. So that`s important in terms of commerce, I suppose.

BECK: But here`s the thing that I don`t understand. The Fed rate, we keep cutting the Fed rate, which everybody in Wall Street and everybody cheers for, and I understand, I think, why we`re doing it. But why I think we`re doing it is because we`re being lied to on how much trouble these banks, like Citibank, are really in. What`s your gut tell you?

GROSS: Well, I agree that we`re not sure how much trouble they`re in. I think the primary reason, however, is that the U.S. homeowner actually needs lower interest rates. Ultimately, it`s the mortgage rate which drives housing prices, and housing prices are going down by 5 percent or 10 percent a year.

What the Fed needs to do is put a floor under those housing prices. Aside from Wall Street, they`re looking at Main Street, here in Middle America. And 12 months down the road, if housing prices are down by 10 percent to 15 percent, we`ve got a big problem, and it`s not just Goldman Sachs.

BECK: But if we keep lowering the rate, don`t we dramatically increase the odds of dramatic inflation and also a falling dollar?

GROSS: Oh, sure, that`s the problem.

BECK: Right.

GROSS: You know, that`s never a perfect solution. And if we lower interest rates, yes, our rates, currently at 4.5 percent, are actually lower than rates in England and lower than rates in euro land and lower than in some other major countries, and so that depreciates the dollar, and that adds to inflation. It`s not a perfect solution here.

BECK: You said that if there was one thing you should do it is get out of the dollar or to invest in companies, like Buffett is doing, invest in companies that are earning in foreign currency. But most people, I mean, they`re sitting at home and they`re watching, they`re like, "OK, I`m in a 401(k), what do I do?" What is the one thing the average person should do?

GROSS: Well, they can invest in U.S. companies that they`re very familiar with that have a majority of their earnings in foreign currencies. How about a company like Coca-Cola? How about a company like General Electric? These are perceived to be U.S. companies, but they have a majority of their earnings coming from foreign shores. And that is a buffer or a hedge against the foreign dollar.

BECK: All right. Bill, thanks a lot.

GROSS: You`re welcome.

BECK: Now, reports say that upwards of 1,500 people have been arrested since Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf suspended Pakistan`s constitution, dismissed the chief justice of the Supreme Court, and declared an indefinite state of emergency on Saturday.

Publicly, the U.S. has condemned Musharraf, saying that he needs to hold free elections, bring the constitution back, and take off his military uniform, blah di, blah di, blah di. But the "Real Story" is my gut says, off the record, the U.S. might actually want to embrace this crackdown but can`t.

Tomorrow in my free e-mail newsletter, I`m going to publish the five lessons that I think we should all learn from what`s happening in Pakistan right now, and it`s not good. But right now, I want to focus on one important one, and that is you can`t make deals with Islamic extremists.

Pakistan has tried almost everything so far to stomp out the Islamist threat. They`ve tried to bring them into the fold. They`ve tried to negotiate with them. They`ve even tried to co-exist with them by creating no-go zones. But despite all of that, along with all of the billions in aid and all the intel that we`ve given them, everything they`ve tried has failed.

There`s one thing in my book they haven`t tried yet, and that is killing every single one of the radicals. Now, my gut tells me that this crackdown probably not focused on that. It`s all about politics over in Pakistan. But even if it was, it`s probably also too late. Musharraf has lost the trust of his people and his allies, and it`s likely just a matter of time before he loses his power, as well.

So where does that leave Pakistan? Oh, most importantly, if Musharraf goes, who controls the stockpile of nuclear weapons? Our next guest has answers to both of those questions. You`ll hear them in 60 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right. So let me recap. Pakistan may be sliding towards chaos, but they also may have as many as 30 nuclear weapons in their arsenal. If things go poorly, you don`t like to throw nukes in there, as well. So if Musharraf is tossed out, where does that leave Pakistan and the nukes?

Joshua Hammer is former correspondent and former Middle East bureau chief for "Newsweek" magazine.

Joshua, first of all, you think this could be the end of Musharraf?

JOSHUA HAMMER, FORMER "NEWSWEEK" MIDEAST BUREAU CHIEF: I think it`s a very good chance it will be the end of Musharraf. It could happen immediately; it could happen in weeks. I mean, there`s really no way to tell. But certainly the scenario of a military coup against him is looking possible, I would say.

BECK: OK. And the odds that extremists take this country or at least grab control of the nukes?

HAMMER: Well, I think it`s very, very minimal chance that the extremists, the Al Qaeda, Taliban, fundamentalists, whatever, are going to take control of the nukes. I mean, Pakistan is definitely in trouble. It`s having a chaotic period right now. I mean, there`s really no way to tell which way the leadership is going to land.

But one thing it does have is a professional military. It has a very highly trained professional army. And a lot of officers who are Westernized, been trained, educated in the U.S., and I think that the nukes themselves are in pretty, pretty reliable hands.

BECK: OK. This is kind of the situation -- and you`ll have to excuse me. You`re an expert in this region. I am -- I mean, would you guess, I`m not an expert in this region. But the way I understand the military over in Pakistan is it`s almost like Turkey, that Turkey is really kind of the protector of -- I mean, the military`s kind of the protector of at least some sanity.

HAMMER: Well, the military -- yes, that`s a good analogy. I mean, there are obviously some significant and subtle differences. But in terms of the military sort of controlling the country and being the real power behind any government, whether it`s openly military like Musharraf or if it`s a civilian government, like Bhutto, I mean, basically it is the military who call the shots.

They run the businesses. They control much of the economy. They`ve been in power for most of Pakistan`s history. And if they don`t like what they`re seeing, they`re capable of moving that person aside and declaring a military coup and taking over, as Musharraf has done. It`s happened repeatedly...

(CROSSTALK)

BECK: Friend or foes to us with the military? Are they friend or foe with us with the military?

HAMMER: Well, it`s been an up-and-down relationship. I`d say, and the military is not -- the thing about the Pakistani military, you have to remember, is that it`s kind of a divided entity right now. I mean, there`s a lot of internal debate going on, a lot of anguish about the war going on, on the border with the Taliban, Al Qaeda extremist forces. It`s a divided military. There`s people who are very pro-American. There are others who do not like us at all.

BECK: If you had to bet, are we going to swing more towards us or more towards the enemies?

HAMMER: Yes, I think this is the 60 million rupee question that everybody wonders. If Musharraf goes, which way goes Pakistan? And I wish I could come up with an answer for you.

I think that it really -- I don`t think anybody in the military quite knows who`s going to take power should Musharraf leave, how it`s all going to play out. I think you`re definitely going to see the military controlling the country for a long time to come. And Musharraf has certainly surrounded himself right at the core of the leadership with very pro-Western, pro-American people. When you get rid of that thin layer, nobody quite knows who`s underneath.

BECK: All right, Joshua, thank you very much. That`s the "Real Story" tonight.

Coming up, a new list ranks the most influential conservatives in America. Do I make the top 100? We`ll divulge it, coming up next. It`s not pretty.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: I think the conservatives in America -- first of all, you`re not stupid. The second thing is I think conservatives break out into, you know, a verse of "God Bless America." When I see somebody succeed, I sing out "God Bless America." You see something on TV and somebody will really make it big, God bless America, only in America can a guy be living in -- do you remember? Because we used to live in the same complex. I mean, it smelled like soup.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Well, if you`ve watched this show for any length of time, you know two things. First, I`m a conservative. And, second, I`m a snappy dresser. But let`s concentrate on the first one, shall we?

"London Daily Telegraph" put together a list of the 100 most influential conservatives in the United States, with the final 20 names being revealed just this last Friday. In the top five were Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, Matt Drudge, General David Petraeus, and number one, Rudy Giuliani.

Now, you`d think that my problems with this list would begin and end there, but allow me to show you who else made the top 20. Me, at number 18. I mean, that`s how much trouble this country and the conservative movement is in at this time.

Let`s talk to the man who put the whole thing together. From the "London Daily Telegraph," Toby Harnden. Toby, a lot of people will say Rudy Giuliani isn`t really a conservative. How can he be number one?

TOBY HARNDEN, "THE DAILY TELEGRAPH": Well, it was a list, Glenn -- influence within the movement, was a sort of primary factor. And the fact that Rudy Giuliani is the Republican front-runner at the moment, that he`s very strong fiscally, he`s very strong on national defense, he`s maybe weaker on the third leg of the Reagan stool, but this is a man who performed admirably on 9/11, became known as America`s mayor, and who may well be the next Republican nominee, looking very good at the moment. So I think, on that basis, you`ve got to look at him as very high up on our list.

BECK: What I was really surprised at is how far down Fred Thompson is. I mean, here`s a guy that just this summer everybody said, "Oh, this is the guy," and now he`s, in a way, disappeared.

HARNDEN: Yes. Well, that`s a very good point, Glenn. I mean, I saw -- I think Fred Thompson was 54. I saw Fred Thompson at the start of his campaign in September. I saw him again this morning in New Hampshire. It`s a politics and eggs breakfast, and he was disastrous. He was rambling, meandering. He wasn`t glad-handing people. He wasn`t focused. And I think this is a man who`s behind the curve, in terms of a presidential race.

BECK: Toby, I will -- and I`m not fishing for a compliment. In fact, I`d rather you didn`t make this about me here, but you put me at 18. I swear to you, when I saw that Bill O`Reilly was like at number 82, I was like, "No chance of being on that list." Sean Hannity is in the forties. It makes absolutely no sense to me. Why? Why? Why are those guys so far down?

HARNDEN: Well, that`s very modest of you, Glenn.

BECK: No, it`s not. I see the ratings.

HARNDEN: Well, I think you can certainly make a case with a lot of our choices certain people should have been higher, and certainly I think maybe Sean Hannity, yes, you could make a very powerful argument that he should have been a little bit higher.

But we tried to take a step back and look at influence, and influence, not just within the conservative movement, but within the broader populace. And we felt that you, with the show on CNN Headline News, you know, there`s an item on the Drudge Report, Matt Drudge was number three on our list, yesterday saying that you might have a big deal in the offing, we thought that you and some of the other people who were higher up on our list that maybe didn`t quite have the ratings were like an investment for the future, somebody who is going to -- you know, whose audience is going to grow and whose influence is going to grow. And the future was very key in our decisions. We weren`t just looking at the past records; we were looking at potential for the future.

BECK: America, see this guy over here? Make sure you don`t take that bet in U.S. dollars. Make sure you get it in euros or pounds. I noticed on the liberal list you have Bill, Al Gore, then the third most influential is an adviser to Hillary, and then Hillary. To me, that says two things, one, the concentration of power of the Clintons. And the second thing is she`s last in the list. She`s the one running for president.

HARNDEN: Yes. Well, obviously, we thought very, you know, carefully about that. And we decided, really, that I think there`s an increasingly strong element of the Hillary Clinton campaign which is all about a Bill Clinton restoration. I`m sure that that is how Bill Clinton sees it. I think that`s a kind of a duality there which is going to be increasingly problematic for Hillary, could be her Achilles heel. And we looked at Mark Penn...

BECK: Toby, I`m sorry. I`ve only got 30 seconds, and I want to ask you this. What is the most controversial thing that was on both lists, liberal and conservative? What`s the one you got more mail on than anything else?

HARNDEN: Oh. Well, Rush Limbaugh listeners were e-mailing me all week. I think some of them couldn`t count. They were saying "Where`s Rush? Where`s Rush?" And I was saying, "Wait until the top 20." And then half of them were complaining that he was only number five.

BECK: Unbelievable. Toby, thanks a lot.

Coming up, I probably disagree with Oprah on just about every issue you could imagine, but God bless her for putting her money where her mouth is. This is one woman who actually lives it and walks the walk. Now she`s taking heat for trying to do the right thing. We`ll explain after the break.

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BECK: Oprah Winfrey hosted a bizarre press conference earlier this morning regarding the school she built in Africa and the allegations that there was some abuse of some of the children attending it. It is truly a horrible situation that Oprah addressed at length earlier today.

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OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: This has been one of the most devastating, if not the most devastating, experience of my life. Like all such experiences, there`s always much to be gained, and I think there`s a lot to be learned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: She also went on to talk about how the whole situation has affected her personally.

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WINFREY: What I know is that no one, not the accused, nor any persons can destroy the dream that I have held and the dream that each girl continues to hold for herself at this school.

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BECK: I have to tell you, it is amazing. It doesn`t matter how hard you try to do something good for people; there is always somebody there that`s going try to screw it up. You have to feel for Oprah, because here she is. Instead of, you know, doing nothing at all or maybe just throwing some money around, she`s actually trying to build something from the ground up.

For somebody like Oprah Winfrey, giving away millions of dollars is easy. You open up the checkbook. Her time is far more valuable than anything she could find in a checkbook. It`s far more of a sacrifice for her to attempt to be a hands-on manager of a project like a school in Africa than it is just to sit back and write the check.

I don`t agree with Oprah Winfrey on everything or much of anything when it comes to social issues, but she continues to handle controversial situations like this better than anyone else in the public eye. She`s in there fighting the good fight every day. From this situation to the comparatively trivial James Frey storyline, she always comes out of this unscathed, but the reason is, more than talking the talk, she walks the walk. She is trying to do what`s right with what she has. And that, I think, is refreshing.

Before we go tonight, I want to offer my congratulations to my friend, Nancy Grace. Nancy and her husband, David, welcomed twins into the world this weekend. Lucy Elizabeth and John David were born yesterday afternoon. Congratulations.

That`s it for us tonight. Don`t forget, if you want to know what`s on tomorrow`s program or if you`d like a little more in-depth commentary of the news of the day, sign up right now for my free daily e-mail newsletter at glennbeck.com.

From New York, good night, America.

END