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Glenn Beck

Revised Bailout Bill Full of Pork; Who Will Independents Vote For?

Aired October 02, 2008 - 19:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GLENN BECK, HOST (voice-over): Tonight, to quote the "New York Post," oink, oink, little pig. The Senate passes its own bailout or -- I`m sorry, rescue bill -- this time loaded with pork and handouts. There really is no honor among thieves.

Plus, the media`s been trashing Sarah Palin now for weeks. Tonight, it`s her turn to fight back. I`ll tell you what she needs to do to win and, actually, it`s really pretty simple.

And billionaire entrepreneur Jon Huntsman weighs in on the U.S. economy and the state of American business.

All this and more tonight.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: Well, hello, America.

As we sit here watching our country, the country that we love slowly turn into France without any of the good wine or good cheese, today I`m reminded of the line from the Declaration of Independence: not the, you know, "all men are created equal" part or the repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury, although that certainly does apply right now.

I`ve been reminded of the last line in the Declaration of Independence. It`s my favorite line: "We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our futures and our sacred honor."

Here`s "The Point" tonight. Please, there`s no sacred honor among thieves. In fact, there`s no honor at all. And right now, thieves is a pretty generous way to describe most of our politicians, and here`s how I got there.

Last week, treasury secretary, a guy who has managed our economy almost as effectively as Kwame Kilpatrick managed Detroit, offered up what turned out to be his most ridiculous prediction yet. He said, and I quote, "I believe that we`re going to get a bill that works and a clean bill at that." Yes. He`ll be here all week. Try the veal.

As you probably heard by now, what started out as a bad deal for the country got a whole heck of a lot worse last night when the thieves in the Senate added $150 billion in so-called sweeteners to the bailout bill. I say so-called sweeteners because, let`s call them what they really are, bribes. Bribes that put wooden arrows and wool research -- what do we need to know about wool research? -- over our country`s future. That`s what they were going last night.

In fact, these people didn`t vote for a financial rescue package as much as they voted for a whole bunch of little pet projects that just happened to come with a side of bailout money. What else can you call that but outright theft of your taxpayer dollars? And where was the king of no pork, John McCain, last night?

The saddest part about all of this is there are some things in this Senate bill that, I don`t know, they may not be good or bad, but I`d like to know more about them. There might even be a good idea or two in there.

But the question is, it`s not whether these things are good or bad. It`s whether they have to do anything with buying troubled assets. Do they? No. They don`t. They do have everything to do with buying votes. They are bribes.

So America, here`s what you need to know. When Harry Reid stood up before last night`s vote and said, this rescue package was, quote, "not for the titans of Wall Street," he was absolutely right. It`s not for Wall Street. I mean, it`s not more Main Street either. It`s for K Street. It`s for the lobbyists and the special interests and everybody else who thinks they can finally -- look at that. It`s a cookie jar large enough to hide my greedy little hand in.

Well, I`ve got news for all of you crooks in Washington. No cookie jar is big enough to hide what you`ve done. The American people are onto you. We`re going to track every single handout to the politician it was meant for. And I swear on my sacred honor, if that politician changes their vote from a "no" to a "yes" because of that earmark, then I will expose you to America as the honorless thief you are. And my apologies for disparaging actual thieves.

Iowa Congressman Steve King is with us.

Steve, which earmark was meant for you, sir?

REP. STEVE KING (R), IOWA: That`s quite -- quite an introduction, Glenn.

BECK: Am I wrong? Am I wrong?

KING: No. I`m not -- I can`t -- I cannot rebut what you`ve said. I mean...

BECK: OK.

KING: You characterize it in a fashion a little differently than I might. But actually, it illustrates it in a better fashion than I think I might.

BECK: OK. Which earmark was meant for you?

KING: Zero. None of those earmarks for me, and nothing there is going to be enough sweetener to tempt me to vote for this thing, which still is a $700 billion buyout, a leveraged buyout with taxpayers` money...

BECK: Right.

KING: ... to pay off Wall Street. And now it`s a net of -- my number`s 110 billion more dollars out of 150 billion increase. That`s so that it adds up now to this year -- in 2008, accumulation of $1.91 trillion in bailout money to try to stimulate this economy, taxpayer dollars. It`s the wrong thing to do, Glenn.

BECK: Congressman, is there -- I mean, where do I find the sacred honor in Congress from anybody who would say, "No, I don`t want to do that." But then would change their vote because, "Well, I couldn`t get my project, you know, passed ever, but they offered this to me. And, well, we got to do it anyway so why not?"

Where is -- where is the honor? Where is somebody standing up in Washington and saying, this is reprehensible? This is the -- we`re being told this is the most important package of our life, and you`re doing that?

KING: There is honor there. And I think if people like Scott Garrett, who`s very close to Wall Street, who stood up and said, "I`m drawing a bright line. We`re not crossing this Rubicon into a taxpayer- funded bailout." He has a lot of pressure on him, but he`s taken a principled stand and then goes on over and over again. You`ll find those people among the no votes when this comes up to the Florida House of Representatives.

BECK: Speaking of no votes, how many no votes are there going to be? How many Republicans are going to be pressured into, bought, et cetera, et cetera? They still need to have at least what they had last time, and they need a few more. Are the Republicans going to cave?

KING: There will be some, I believe, that will change their votes and they will rationalize it in their way.

But, you know, we should remember that this bill was anticipated to pass when it came to the House floor on Monday. And it did not, because the constituents got on the phone, and they went to the offices and they gave Congress an earful, and so that needs to continue.

I`ll know -- I`ll say this. Our Internet services in my office are sometimes shut down today by all the people trying to tape in and send messages in.

BECK: OK.

KING: So we have that wave coming again.

BECK: Congressman, you know, I wanted to check here. While you were talking, I checked. I believe an earmark was meant for you. It was a biodiesel earmark.

KING: Oh.

BECK: I`m not saying that -- I`m not saying you put it in. I`m saying they targeted you. This is something that you have wanted, and they were trying to buy your vote. You disagree with that?

KING: No. In fact, I initiated the language of the biodiesel credit to begin with. I`m the first one to introduce that into Congress. I saw it signed into law as part of the first bill that I introduced six years ago.

But to sweeten it up with that piece, match it up against this now, $810 billion, that just isn`t enough.

And by the way, where was Barney -- Barney Frank and Charlie Rangel and Chris Dodd and other folks over there that had that on the shelf? Why couldn`t we have gotten that done? If it was a good piece of policy; it should have been something that was buried for duration of the 110th Congress or just to hold it back as a bargaining chip when they wanted something that was a big buyout.

BECK: Congressman, you stay -- you stay strong, and I hope we crash the servers tomorrow in Washington. Let people know in Washington exactly how America feels. I thank you for your service, sir.

KING: Well, Glenn, we do have free market solutions, and I`m glad to be on board with you.

BECK: All right. Let me turn now to "TIME" magazine columnist, senior editor for the "National Review," Ramesh Ponnuru.

Ramesh, thieves too strong for you?

RAMESH PONNURU, SENIOR EDITOR, "NATIONAL REVIEW": Well, you know, this is the sort of thing that Americans hate about politics. Apparently, there`s not just a credit crisis. It turns out, according to Congress, there`s a world research crisis, a wooden arrow (ph) crisis that we just haven`t heard of.

And you know, I agree with the congressman and with you. If these are worthwhile pieces of legislation, they ought to be done separately, some other time, not as part of this make or break bill that -- I mean, that we`re being told is an emergency. There`s no emergency on these other issues.

BECK: I mean, I don`t know if I could go as far as saying that wooden arrows -- I mean, I can`t imagine how you could make the case -- go ahead. Try. Try to make the case for wooden arrow subsidies.

PONNURU: Yes. The economy is on a precipice. The wooden arrow thing could put it over.

BECK: Yes, that and wool research. What do we need to know about wool research? Why is my sweater itchy? I mean, what is that? No answer.

PONNURU: No. This is just Congress being Congress. They see an opportunity to do what they always do. Even when it`s really important, they can`t give up their games.

BECK: OK. Ramesh, I believe McCain lost the election today. I think if he would have come out and he would have been strong, I mean, he is Captain Earmark. "Yes, no earmark shall pass by me." He votes for this damn thing.

This is an unpopular bill in the first place and then, if he would have just stood up and said, "Absolutely it`s got to be clean; if we`re going to do it at all, it`s got to be clean." He looks like he`s part of the problem.

PONNURU: You know, I think you`re right. This is an issue that`s tailor-made for him, and he ought to, at the very least, denounce the earmarks and the pork that`s been thrown in here.

BECK: He can`t now. He just voted for it.

PONNURU: Well, he can at least say, you know, when it goes to conference he hopes that it`s -- that it`s taken out.

BECK: It`s just -- I think he`s lost the election.

All right. Is this going to pass tomorrow?

PONNURU: Oh gosh. Who knows? Everybody thought it was going to pass on Monday. I mean, that`s the way people are betting right now, but I would -- I would not put any serious money on it.

BECK: OK. Ramesh, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

PONNURU: You`re welcome.

BECK: Coming up, we`re going to look at this bailout bill. We`re going to go earmark by earmark, and we`re going to let you know which one of the representatives are being -- they`re trying to buy off with pork. Blood will shoot out of your eyes when you see this thing piece by piece.

And over the past few weeks, vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has been butchered by the media. I`ll tell you why she should push all of that crap aside and just go out there and just be herself tonight at the debate, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, coming up, since being tapped as John McCain`s running mate, Sarah Palin has been almost nonexistent in prime-time television. The few times that she has appeared she has been, hmm, hammered, shall we say, by her critics. So how will she fare in tonight`s debate with the entire world watching? I`ll tell you exactly what she should do tonight. That`s tonight`s "Real Story," coming up.

But first, I told you in the last segment that we would trace all of these kickbacks in that bailout bill passed by the Senate last night. Please call your House of Representative member. Please. Let them know how you feel on this.

We want to trace everything back to the senator or the congressman that they`re meant to bribe. And we`re going to start right now. If you think you can change your vote based on the inclusion of some tax benefit for wooden arrow manufacturers in your district and nobody will ever know about it, you are sorely mistaken, my friend.

Tom Schatz is the president of Citizens Against Government Waste, and Steve Ellis is the vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Boy, are you guys needed today.

Steve, let me start with -- let me start with you. Let`s go by some of these earmarks one by one. The first one is the arrow thing. Who is this meant for?

STEVE ELLIS, VICE PRESIDENT, TAXPAYERS FOR COMMON SENSE: Well, it was sponsored by -- the original legislation was sponsored by senators Wyden and Smith from Oregon.

And so there`s certainly the target of this provision, which is essentially removing a 39 cent excise tax. It would cost taxpayers about $2 million. And looking at one of the Oregon beneficiaries, it`s Row City Archery, which would get about $200,000. So it`s a pretty cheap date to try to get a lawmaker to flip their vote.

BECK: OK. Do you think that -- how did this work? Did they -- did the Senate say, "OK, we`re targeting these guys. We need these guys"? Or did these guys -- do we know yet -- go to the Senate say, "Put this in and I`ll help you"?

ELLIS: Well, what they did is they essentially took an entirely separate piece of legislation, the energy tax and tax extenders bill, that has been bouncing around between the House and the Senate for a while. It last passed the Senate on the 23rd of September and just crammed it all onto this $700 billion bailout.

So some of it is can we buy some votes with it? Some of it is the normal last train leaving the Capitol Hill station. Let`s get our stuff before we leave town.

BECK: OK. Tom, let`s go to the film and TV production? What was this?

TOM SCHATZ, PRESIDENT, CITIZENS AGAINST GOVERNMENT WASTE: This is $10 million for small and medium-sized film producers. One would think they could simply charge more at the box office if their picture is any good and they could make up the money in that way. That`s how most businesses do it. If they`re successful, they go out and find a way to bring in their own money.

But this is a taxpayer subsidy that`s supposed to change votes of Congressman Brad Sherman and Adam Schiff of California. Congressman Sherman has already said, "It`s not going to change my vote." So that`s a giveaway for nothing.

BECK: OK. And what about Adam Schiff?

SCHATZ: Unclear where he`s going to be, but again, these are sprinkled throughout the bill as Steve said. It`s been floating around for a while. If it`s that critical, at the end of this session, they should be doing this separately, not as part of this $700 billion bailout.

BECK: Steve, the Exxon Valdez, what is this bill -- part of the bill?

ELLIS: Right. Well, essentially this is something where you had people who were affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill who got their settlement and so, instead of making them take a one-time tax hit all one year, they`re letting them spread out the settlement over three years so it will cost the taxpayers $49 million.

And this is clearly looking at Representative Don Young, who voted against the bill on Monday and is reported to be wavering as far as whether he`s going to support it or not tomorrow.

BECK: Here`s another one. Tom, mental health care provision. What`s this?

ELLIS: This is a bill that began under Senator Paul Wellstone, who of course, passed away tragically a few years ago. This is a very old provision that is trying to force insurance companies to provide mental- health coverage on par, at the same cost as regular, non-mental health coverage. Very controversial. Shouldn`t be in this bill.

Congressman Jim Ramstad is the one that is supposed to benefit from this, in terms of support and perhaps get him to vote for this bill.

BECK: All right. I want to go through three others. We put the other three up here. There`s more than this. The Puerto Rican and Virgin Islands rum producers get 192 -- excuse me? Who`s this targeted to? I mean, as an alcoholic, these people in Washington are making me want to drink more and more every day. I need more rum, for the love of Pete. But who`s this targeting? Either of you guys know?

ELLIS: No, no. Unclear. Clearly the companies in business in those jurisdictions of the United States want to get this benefit continued, because it`s an existing benefit. They want to extend it.

BECK: Auto racing tracks, any idea what that one is?

SCHATZ: Certainly, going to the NASCAR track owners. And it`s essentially, you can, sprinkle it on across the country. A bunch have multiple beneficiaries.

BECK: Guys. Just put another Pennzoil patch somewhere and pay for the track yourself. Corporations operating in American Samoa. What is that? I thought that was only the Chicken in the Sea people, and that was -- that was the Nancy Pelosi`s company, was it not?

SCHATZ: Well, in her family. But again, by the way, the Puerto Rican and Virgin Islands rum could be Bacardi. They could be a beneficiary. Big donor to members of Congress. American Samoa, they have two electoral votes. Hard to tell who that`s helping.

BECK: Let me -- let me ask you this. Is there another way to describe this as shameful and bribery?

ELLIS: I think you have hit the nail on the head, Glenn. I mean, essentially, they`re cramming this through and they`re daring the House to turn it down again.

BECK: And here we are in the biggest economic crisis that we have been in, they say.

Tom, last week, it wasn`t just these earmarks. Last week or the week before, they did another $25 billion in earmarks, did they not?

SCHATZ: Yes. They had the auto loan $25 billion. They had earmarks in these appropriations bills that have gone through.

Look, this is business as usual in Washington, and anyone who thinks that it`s going to make any difference who`s in control of the White House or Congress, until we get the reforms that Steve and I and others have been supporting for all these years and more shame in Washington, we`ll see this continue.

BECK: All right. Thanks, guys. Appreciate it. We`ll check back in again.

Coming up, if you`re looking, you know, to the vice-presidential debate to help you decide on the candidate this election season, one, don`t hold your breath. And two, don`t miss tonight`s angry independent segment. That`s coming up next.

Plus, if you think trust and honesty is dead in American business, you have not meant one of my good friends, Mr. Jon Huntsman Sr. Come along for a walk with Jon and I as we discuss how to get your great country back on the right track. That`s coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: I am so excited. We`re about a month away until this stupid election is over.

Polls continue to show that senators McCain and Obama are essentially playing footsy for first place. I think everybody knows why, and that`s because nobody knows who the hell the independents or the undecided voters are actually going to vote for. This election is going to be decided by those guys. How much more information do you need?

Let`s see what`s -- let`s see what`s on their minds, which way they`re leaning, with our very own angry independent, humorist and author Brian Sack -- Brian.

BRIAN SACK, HUMORIST: Hi, Glenn.

BECK: Hi.

SACK: One of the benefits, Glenn, of being an independent voter is that it allows me to look at things through a nonpartisan lens.

BECK: OK.

SACK: Now, that was particularly handy this past Friday night when I watched the Obama-McCain debate. Now, as an angry independent, I`m not rooting for anyone in particular, which allowed me to really sit back and watch as the best candidates our country of 300 million could come up with made their case for my vote.

BECK: Well, so what did you think of the two? Which one?

SACK: Well, here`s what I learned, Glenn. Obama, polished and articulate. He evaded answering certain questions. Said exactly what I expected he would say.

BECK: OK.

SACK: Now, as for McCain, polished and articulate. He evaded answering questions and said exactly what I expected he would say.

BECK: Right, right. So really, you didn`t really learn anything new there?

SACK: No. You know, not really. But from an independent`s perspective, Glenn, Friday night could have been better spent. But tonight is looking real good as we prepare for the vice-presidential Mad Libs championships.

BECK: The debate? You mean the debate?

SACK: No, no, no, no. The vice-presidential Mad Libs championship, Glenn. Didn`t you see the graphic?

BECK: I`m looking at it now. I see that.

SACK: OK. Let`s take a look at some replays from the last round. Now, if you recall, Glenn, Katie Couric almost stumped Joe Biden with this particular jab -- uh-huh.

BECK: When the stock market crashed...

SACK: U.S. President.

BECK: ... got on...

SACK: Noun.

BECK: ... and he talked about...

SACK: Plural noun.

BECK: ... plural noun of type of sin. Yes.

SACK: Now, let`s check out his response. Shall we?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE BIDEN (D-DE), VICE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on television and didn`t just talk about the -- you know, the princes of Greece.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Oh, shoot.

SACK: Pretty good, even though it was a President Hoover at the time and no one actually had a TV in 1929.

But then, yowza. Palin really snuck up from behind and clobbered Joe with her Mad Libs mastery, Glenn.

BECK: OK.

SACK: Now, here`s the question.

BECK: OK. Look at the question. "But the adverb, what the noun does is very those who are concerned about...

SACK: Right.

BECK: ... the...

SACK: And Palin`s response, Glenn?

BECK: Uh-huh.

SACK: Beautiful.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), VICE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the -- it`s got to be all about job creation, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SACK: Yes. So anyways...

BECK: She strangely agrees with Michael Moore on that.

SACK: Yes.

BECK: That`s what I think.

SACK: So, you know, Thursday`s going to be a wonderful diversion from watching our banks disappear, Glenn. Pinch me. I must be dreaming.

BECK: No, I`m not going to. I`m not going to.

Brian, thank you very much. We`ll see you at the Mad Lib finals. We`ll be back in just a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Tonight, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden debate. It has been very, very interesting to me to see the whole pre-game build-up.

For weeks, the media has been saying look at Sarah Palin. Boy, isn`t she a dumb-dumb dummy while she`s drawing crowds of 60,000 people and hitting speeches out of the park and revitalizing John McCain`s, what I believe, now dead campaign.

Then, this week comes. She does her worst interview of her career by far with Katie Couric and I can`t stop seeing the stories today about what a sharp debater she is. How if you underestimate her, she`ll just rip you apart. She is suddenly intelligent again and a competent, strong woman.

Kind of like, you know, kind of like when she was the governor of Alaska and not the vice presidential nominee for the Republicans. It`s funny how that happens. It`s almost like they`re trying to raise your expectations so unless she`s the most powerful woman in the universe, you`re disappointed.

I wonder if I`m the only one who woke up this morning disconnected to the whole thing. Mind you I woke up and I heard about the bailout this morning, I left pork in there, I was so frustrated with this bailout in Washington that I honestly I said to my friend about 7:00 this morning, you know what? Sarah, run, and I don`t mean like run for president. I mean, run and get away while you still can.

You know, we love this woman because she`s real. She`s unaffected by the poison in Washington. You know, I just wanted to say, don`t let them change you, Sarah. It seems like that`s what`s been happening. Nine percent of this country approves of Congress and yet they`re the ones calling the shot.

What do you say we give the hockey mama a shot at it? We can`t afford to lose people who actually give us hope. Conveniently for Sarah Palin, being herself is the only way she can win this debate. Joe Biden was picked specifically to be Obama`s vice president because of this night.

He can debate as well as any other public official. Sarah Palin just needs to be Sarah Palin; true to herself and her principles and not worry about what Keith Olbermann is going to take out of context for the next day and splice up. The McCain campaign needs to let Sarah be Sarah; if she does that, she`ll fine.

I`m joined now by Taylor Stockdale. He is the son of former vice presidential candidate Admiral James Stockdale; Kaylene Johnson, author of "Sarah, How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska`s Politics Upside Down" and Ramesh Ponnuru, he is a columnist for "Time" magazine and senior editor for the "National Review."

Taylor, let me start with you. I read one of the most moving articles -- the most moving editorials I think I ever have. I saw your father in a whole new light. Tell me what you learned from this whole debacle that happened with your father when he ran with Ross Perot? What can we learn from it?

TAYLOR B. STOCKDALE, SON OF ADMIRAL JAMES STOCKDALE: Well, I think I mean, the entire experience was pretty surreal for me and my family and I think the, I mean here`s a man who spent eight years in a prison cell for our freedom. He was a college president. He was a scholar. He was a medal of honor winner, he was a fighter pilot and yet, America saw somebody very different that evening during that 90-minute period and I think that that was beyond frustrating for the family.

And the purpose of my article was to, you know, try to set the record straight. He never allowed to do this when he was alive but I thought it was important to try to let America know, let`s look beyond the 90-minute debate format before we form our opinions of people.

BECK: So what is your advice for Governor Palin that you might have seen or learn? I mean because, well in reading this editorial, which by the way, we put it on our news letter today, glennbeck.com it`s free. And you`ve got to read this editorial. It was fantastic.

What did you learn? It seemed like your father was just set up.

STOCKDALE: Well, I mean, I think you hit the nail on the head earlier when you said that Sarah Palin really needs to be herself. I remember right before the debate with my dad, he had never -- he never had any political aspirations. He never had any political coaching and I remember we had one person who tried to give him the advice to smile a lot during the debate.

My father wasn`t a smiler. You know? He was a warrior. And he wasn`t a make nice kind of guy, and so, I think he in a sense was over- coached for that situation. And I felt like that`s what happened with Sarah Palin with the Katie Couric interview. I felt like she was over- coached.

BECK: Yes.

STOCKDALE: Unlike her earlier appearances where she was more pure. She was sort of hemming and hawing and trying to categorize things and put things in a certain light and you could almost see the coaches around her - -

BECK: Oh, you could see the wheels turning to her.

STOCKDALE: -- giving her that advice and just doesn`t -- it doesn`t come back to roost. That really doesn`t help the candidate at all.

BECK: So Kaylene you know Governor Palin. You wrote the -- literally wrote the book on her. She seems like she is not on the campaign trail but in these interviews she seems like she is almost losing herself, she`s got a thousand voices in her head. Do you think she can just say, "You know what? I don`t care that much. Just shut up all of you and just let me do what I do."

KAYLENE, JOHNSON, AUTHOR, "SARAH": Yes. And I think what she`ll do is she`ll say I care enough to just be myself and to say what needs to be said in a very clear and concise and commanding way.

BECK: You know, she is in the position to where she`s either going to be a cartoon -- because that`s what everybody`s trying to make her into -- is a cartoon or she`s going to be the reformer that she is.

Here in this bailout, America is pissed at this bailout. She has the opportunity tonight to pull that out of the fire for John McCain and -- you know, and actually say, this is the problem with Washington. Look what`s happening. Do you think she can?

JOHNSON: I think she can. She`s done it before when she was debating her opponents for the race for governor. And she definitely stepped up to the plate and I think supporters are looking forward to seeing her do that tonight.

BECK: Ok. Ramesh, does Sarah Palin still play a role? Because I know I`ve gotten to the point. And I don`t know if I feel the same way as most Americans do but I -- I think John McCain lost the election in the last two days.

If John McCain last night would have come out and said, you know what? This bailout, I`m either not for a bailout and he could do it one of two things. I`m either not for a bailout or I`m for a clean bailout but this is an insult to the American people to have, you know, subsidies for kids` wooden arrows.

He would have attached himself to the American people then he could have pulled ahead but now -- I mean, what difference does it make? We`ve got two guys saying the same thing. Does Sarah Palin mean anything anymore?

RAMESH PONNURU, SENIOR EDITOR, NATIONAL REVIEW: I think she does. I think that this debate matters. I think there is still time for Senator McCain to make the sort of statement that you are talking about. I think Governor Palin needs to go into this debate not trying to figure out how she survives it but how she wins it.

And I think that`s very much possible. Her job is not to think about her polling, you know, people have been obsessed with peoples` favorable opinion of hers going down, people think she is not ready to be commander- in-chief. None of that matters.

She needs to make the case that McCain would be a better president than Obama. That is the traditional vice presidential candidate`s role and I think she has shown in the past that she can do that kind of role fairly effective.

BECK: Taylor, let me go to you because how hard is this on the family? I mean Sarah Palin has been attacked. Your father was made into an idiot. I mean, everybody just said, I mean, who is this guy? And he was made into a joke on that one 90-minute exposure.

How tough is it for a candidate to say and the candidate`s family to see their father or their family just ripped to shreds by an agenda-driven media?

STOCKDALE: Well, it`s just a -- it is a very difficult process and there`s no easy way of going through it. I think what I would say to the family is, no matter what happens tonight - A - be incredibly proud of your mother for stepping up and putting herself out there in the way she has. And B - this too shall pass.

I think one of the things we learned at the moment during that election, it was terrible but it passed. And, you know, the only things that are important are your friends, your family, and those you love and the rest is just window dressing. It`ll -- time will move on -- time will march on and they need to be philosophical about it.

BECK: Do we have -- I`m just Conway our producer do we have a clip of Sarah Palin slicing people to ribbons with humor? Do we have that from one of her Alaskan debates? If we have that -- let me, because we`ll play it here in a second. If we have it? Do we have it, go ahead and run it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Miss Palin, do you want to enter this race? 15 seconds if you do.

SEN. SARAH PALIN, (R) ALASKA VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Just glad I`m sitting here in between them to make sure it doesn`t get out of hand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: She is so good and she`s very much, Kaylene, like Ronald Reagan in many ways. She can slice you up in a funny way and everybody kind of feels good about it.

JOHNSON: Right.

BECK: How do you -- if you`re Joe Biden, how do you possibly go up against her and push back on her? You can`t, can you?

JOHNSON: Well, I think that there`s been so much talk about how tough this debate is going to be on governor Palin, I think that it might be just as tough or tougher on Joe Biden.

BECK: Yes.

And Ramesh, there is no leader now on the economy. I don`t see one. Not these two candidates, I think -- do you agree with me, you`re shaking you`re head do you agree with me?

PONNURU: I do agree.

And I think, again, governor Palin has an opportunity here tonight because she needs to talk about how the choice in November is going to affect the person paying a mortgage or running a small business or even trying to make a difference in the PTA in Alaska.

You know, that she can talk about some of these real life experiences that she shares with so many people more than, say, being a 35-year Senator. If she can make a connection, she can win.

BECK: Right. And don`t you think that she also can use -- I mean, one of the keys and everybody knows it in their guts, one of the keys to our economy is energy and there`s no bigger expert out of the four of them on energy than her.

Wouldn`t that be helpful to bring that up tonight?

PONNURU: You know, if she gets a question about almost anything, she should steer the conversation toward drilling where I think she knows her stuff and she`s on the right and popular side of the issue.

BECK: And by the way I think she should say also to Katie Couric, just one real quick note, Katie, you asked me where I get my news every night. I just like most Americans, not from the CBS "Evening News."

Coming up, billionaire businessman and philanthropist Jon Huntsman and I have an honest conversation on greed and the lack of integrity that has taken hold of American business today.

Don`t miss it. It`s coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: This past weekend I had the honor to spend time with a man I feel lucky enough to call one of my dearest friend. Mr. Jon Huntsman, Sr. This guy grew up in a home with card board walls in it and then went on to found a chemical corporation. In the process, he created one or two things you might have heard of: McDonald`s Styrofoam burger containers; the Legg`s panty hose shells and so many other things plastic forks; you name it, he`s done it.

Huntsman Chemical is the largest privately-held chemical corporation in the country. And Jon is a billionaire many times over but you wouldn`t know it from this man.

He has used his fortune to create the Huntsman Cancer Institute and he gives billions of dollars away all over the globe. The Huntsman Cancer Institute is an incredible hospital and research facility that Jon calls a circle of hope.

This man`s only goal is to use all of his money, every dime; he`ll die broke to help other people. His integrity is like none other than I have ever, ever seen. He is a representation of a kind of business leader America needs now more than ever.

Over the weekend, I spoke with Jon Huntsman to find out if he thinks there`s any hope left for Wall Street; if there`s still a place for honor and integrity in the midst of the today`s economic crisis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON HUNTSMAN, HUNTSMAN CANCER INSTITUTE: But one thing that is critical in life is to keep your word and to have your word be your bond.

I think we both came out of the school where we don`t understand what`s happening today around us. We don`t understand the collapse of these companies and individuals where greed becomes more important than integrity and honor and character. Winston Churchill once said, you can throw out all of the human traits except integrity because that covers them all and we just don`t have them. You have them, Glenn.

In your business, you`re one of the most remarkable men I`ve ever seen because you always tell the truth. You always shoot straight. You always let the American public know exactly what the situation is. You bring to the average American home a great sense of hope, integrity and honesty and I say that with all my heart.

BECK: Well, thanks. I`m learning more and more of it from you.

America`s looking now and seeing all of these things that are going on just shaking their head. We`re coming to a place in our country that I don`t even recognize anymore. I don`t think you recognize it either.

HUNTSMAN: No, no.

BECK: I think America keeps saying, where is the leader? I don`t mean politically. I mean, are there people like you still?

HUNTSMAN: You know, Glenn, I don`t know if it was Ronald Reagan or Richard Nixon or which president coined the term the silent majority. I really honestly believe that a great majority of Americans feel this way.

I think they have great hearts. And all they want to leave for their children and grandchildren or their relatives or their friends is something that centers around my love for you; my concern for you; my graciousness for you.

And yet, all we read about are these people out here on the edges that are ruining America. That are keeping score of all the billions they`re making that are ripping other people off, creating fraud in their businesses and in their situations in life. But I truly believe, Glenn that most people listening to this program today genuinely, in their heart of hearts, will be remembered as gracious, honorable, sweet, loving people.

BECK: I absolutely agree with you. I know who Americans are and you`re absolutely right on that. What I`m asking you is, there`s a disconnect now. There`s a -- I look at the people who go to Washington and they`re like mutants. They have turned into aliens.

HUNTSMAN: Absolutely.

BECK: I see the people in Wall Street and they`re alien life forms.

HUNTSMAN: They are.

BECK: I would pay more in income tax to put down the debt so my children wouldn`t have to live under that crushing debt that`s coming where I would. But I don`t trust these people to actually do the right thing.

What I meant was, are there people in your circles, are there the powerful, are there the rich, are there the people that still are in there in those closed door meetings and saying, no, we`re honorable people? Do those people still exist?

HUNTMAN: You know, Glenn, I don`t know. Because I`m a positive person, I like to believe that they do. And there are many of them. But the very fact of the matter is that when Congress has a 15 percent rating - -

BECK: Nine.

HUNSTMAN: Oh, nine?

BECK: Nine percent.

HUNTSMAN: Whether it`s 9 or 15, what`s that`s telling us is that 90 percent of Americans don`t want anything to do with them. They don`t believe in that. They don`t follow them. Wall Street probably has a 3 percent rating. Hollywood probably has a 1 percent rating.

People don`t like that in their life. They know it`s dangerous. They know that they don`t want their children to follow it, they don`t want to follow it but they get all the attentions, they get all the limelight and they get all the news. And we don`t hear about the story that you`re doing here about this hospital and these patients and wonderful researchers.

And the average guy out there in America, it isn`t newsworthy because somebody hasn`t been shipwrecked but I totally agree with you, Glenn, that there has to be more people out there who care.

And I believe that there are who want to see America return to its once great stalwart nature as a country that loves each other, that loves other nations. Where its citizens love and care and help one another.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: You know, it is amazing is Jon Huntsman sold one of his big companies and he was in a lawsuit with a hedge fund. He flew them out when they did the deal just so he can look them in the eye and shake their hand on the deal. They reneged. He sued them. He won.

There is some good news tonight. Honor still lives in America. Back in a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, I came across a very important message from celebrities online that I have to share. I beg of you, do not leave early. It is vitally important that you do not switch the channel until you hear the whole message.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEONARDO DICAPRIO: Please, just don`t vote.

TOBY MCGUIRE: Don`t vote.

DUSTIN HOFFMANN: Don`t vote. Don`t vote.

ELLEN DEGENERES: Seriously, don`t.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don`t care.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s the point? Don`t.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don`t vote.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don`t vote, really.

DICAPRIO: This is one of the biggest financial disasters in American history.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why would you vote? Why would you vote?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Hmm. Yeah. If you`re like me, probably right now you`re about to shred up your voter ID Card. There`s no need to vote. Celebrities told me not to. I had almost renounced my citizenship when this happened. Watch closely.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, you could vote if you care about welfare, minimum wage.

HOFFMANN: The economy, gay rights, abortion rights.

BENICIO DEL TORO: Education.

RYAN REYNOLDS: First amendment. Second amendment. All of the amendments.

MCGUIRE: Or your future or the world or our country.

KIRSTEN DUNST: Everything.

HOFFMANN: Unless you cared that what you felt about these issues might be exercised.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I care.

HALLE BERRY: Does that matter to you? Because if it does, then maybe you ought to vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Wait a minute. I`m confused here. They told me not to vote. Was that sarcasm? I never saw that one coming. Now I can`t wait to vote. Luckily, there`s nothing I have to do to prepare in advance. Right?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, you have to register to vote, right?

DICAPRIO: You do know that, right? You have to register first in order to vote.

DEGENERES: You know that, right? You have to register to vote.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can`t believe I`m even say this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You must register in order to vote.

MCGUIRE: The deadline is days away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: I didn`t -- nobody told me I had to register before I vote. Hollywood, thank you so much. I`m so glad you`re here to help us. If there was just a plan for more people to be able to see this message.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Five friends.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They`ll send it to five friends.

REYNOLDS: And then it`ll be exponentially...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And five friends and five friends

BERRY: And then five and five and five...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Send it to five friends and they`re going to send to five friends then it`s like --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rampant like herpes but for positives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Five plus five plus five -- that`s like -- a lot of fives. I guess our country is saved. Wow. Whoo. That was close.

By the way, another country-saving action is to sign up for my free e- mail news letter at glennbeck.com. You tell five friends and then they tell five friends and that way we`ll have like eight-ish new subscribers. Do it for America. Hollywood said to.

From New York, good night, America.

END