15 Whoppers Beck Did Not Get Fired For In 2010

[lakhota]

15 Whoppers Beck Did Not Get Fired For In 2010

In 2010, Glenn Beck repeatedly made up facts on Fox News show -- a barrage of lies that would force any credible news outlet to fire him. Media Matters counts down 15 of the most notable fibs that Beck told this year on Fox News, culminating with the biggest lie of all.

No. 15 The Fed Hoards Its Profits
Beck Complains That "Nobody" Is Looking To Recover The Fed's Profits. During a January interview with Sarah Palin, Beck discussed the Federal Reserve's 2009 profits, and claimed, "Exxon had their record profit a couple of years ago. It was $45 billion. The Fed just had record profit, over $50 billion. No one's having hearings on the Fed. Nobody is looking for a windfall profit tax on the Fed. We can't even open the Fed's books." [Fox News, Glenn Beck,1/13/10, via Nexis]

REALITY: The Fed "Returns Its Profits To The Treasury." The Washington Post reported that the Federal Reserve "will return about $45 billion to the U.S. Treasury for 2009 ... the highest earnings in the 96-year history of the central bank. The Fed, unlike most government agencies, funds itself from its own operations and returns its profits to the Treasury." The Post added that these profits "are good news for the federal budget and a sign that the Fed has been successful, at least so far, in protecting taxpayers as it intervenes in the economy -- though there remains a risk of significant losses in the future if the Fed sells some of its investments or loses money on its stakes in bailed-out firms." [The Washington Post, 1/12/10]

No. 14 Tax Dollars Funded An Art Exhibit Actually Paid For By Private Donors
BECK: "And Then You Have The Tax Dollars Funding This Wonderful Art Display. It's Christmas At The Smithsonian." Beck said of an exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, which is titled "Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture":

Perfect storm. Eroding values. Hard work, sacrifice, thrift, honor, truth, God. As a nation born out of faith in God, how's that going today, huh? Twenty-five percent of those under 30 years of age describe their religion as atheist, agnostic, or nothing in particular. Now, as you get older, it goes down. Thirty to 40 years old, only 19 percent. Ages 40 to 50, 15 percent. If you're over 60, less than 10 percent say that.

And then you have the tax dollars funding this wonderful art display. It's Christmas at the Smithsonian. Here's this wonderful -- oh, look, it's Jesus with ants on him. They describe it as the first major exhibition to focus on the sexual difference in the making of modern American portraiture.

What? You got to be kidding me, right? What does this have to do with the birth of the baby Jesus, and why is he now covered in ants? Whose values are these? And you wonder why there's the breakdown of the family. [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 11/30/10]

REALITY: Smithsonian "Receives Public Funds" But "Does Not Use That Money For Exhibitions." The Washington Post reported:

The exhibition, which opened Oct. 30, was funded by the largest number of individual donors for a Portrait Gallery show. The show, which cost $750,000, was also underwritten by foundations that support gay and lesbian issues.

[...]

As part of the Smithsonian, the gallery receives public funds. Overall, the Smithsonian gets about 70 percent of its annual budget from the federal government, but it does not use that money for exhibitions. [The Washington Post, 11/30/10]

No. 13 Obama Did Not Make Oil Spill "Our Priority"
BECK: Obama Did Not Prioritize The Oil Spill. Beck falsely claimed that Obama did not prioritize ending the oil spill in the Gulf:

BECK: What are we doing now with the spill? If this were really about the spill, we would first work on, what? Stopping this!

Before talking about energy and taxes and cap and trade or solar panels or saying, "Don't tell me that we can't fundamentally transform the country into solar panels and green energy." You would stop the oil spill. You would get a tourniquet. This should be our priority. But it's not. [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 6/17/10]

REALITY: Obama Said "Make No Mistake: We Will Fight This Spill With Everything We've Got For As Long As It Takes." During an address from the Oval Office prior to Beck's claim, Obama stated: "But make no mistake: We will fight this spill with everything we've got for as long as it takes. We will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused. And we will do whatever's necessary to help the Gulf Coast and its people recover from this tragedy." [Remarks By The President To The Nation On The BP Oil Spill, WhiteHouse.gov, 6/15/10]

REALITY: Obama Had Called The Spill "My Top Priority." During an earlier press conference, Obama said: "Those who think that we were either slow on our response or lacked urgency don't know the facts. This has been our highest priority since this crisis occurred." He also said, " But here's the broad point: There has never been a point during this crisis in which this administration, up and down up the line, in all these agencies, hasn't, number one, understood this was my top priority -- getting this stopped and then mitigating the damage; and number two, understanding that if BP wasn't doing what our best options were, we were fully empowered and instruct them, to tell them to do something different." [Remarks By The President On The Gulf Oil Spill, WhiteHouse.gov, 5/27/10]

No. 12 U.S. Sending "Another Trillion Dollars, Your Tax Dollars" Over To Europe
BECK: "Now We Find Out Through The Fed That We Are Going To Do Almost Another Trillion Dollars, Your Tax Dollars, Over To Europe." Discussing efforts by the International Monetary Fund to stabilize European economies, Beck said:

BECK: We also told you that the IMF would bail out Europe. Here we were on this program, oh, I don't know how many months ago. Watch.

BECK

[Deleted]

I'm no big Beck fan obvioulsy but Media Matters isn't an independent news source, just be aware.

[lakhota]

Thanks for the heads up. Who told you - Fox News...?

[Deleted]

A little birdy told me

But link me to some articles where media matters points any criticism to Maddow or Olbermann.

[warsaw (banned)]

Maybe because they don't tell WHOPPERS! ty

[Deleted]

Dec 30, 2010 23:44:00 GMT -5 warsaw (banned) said:

Maybe because they don't tell WHOPPERS! ty

Are you really saying Maddow and Keith O. never stretch the truth? Never have said anything worth criticizing?

[ungenteel]

<,I'm no big Beck fan obvioulsy but Media Matters isn't an independent news source, just be aware>>

Perhaps you could attack specifics instead of a generalized attack on the souce???

[Deleted]

Dec 31, 2010 0:23:09 GMT -5 ungenteel said:

<,I'm no big Beck fan obvioulsy but Media Matters isn't an independent news source, just be aware>>

Perhaps you could attack specifics instead of a generalized attack on the souce???

Are you serious? They don't even claim to be neutral.

mediamatters.org/p/about_us/

Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.


I see no illusion of neutrality, as if there is no 'liberal misinformation' in the entire media?

[Tennesseer]

Lakhóta-when the board finally quiets down for the evening, why not post each "Whopper" so that poster may address a particular whopper and Media Matters' findings. Hopefully no one will break up the 15 posts posted all in a row.

Just a though.

[Deleted]

Dec 31, 2010 0:28:43 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Lakhóta-when the board finally quiets down for the evening, why not post each "Whopper" so that poster may address a particular whopper and Media Matters' findings. Hopefully no one will break up the 15 posts posted all in a row.

Just a though.

I'm definitely not here to defend Beck, he's generally a douche, I'm sure he's told 15,000 lies this year let alone 15.

My point is that this group doesn't equally dish it out.

[warsaw (banned)]

Maybe because they don't tell WHOPPERS! ty




Are you really saying Maddow and Keith O. never stretch the truth? Never have said anything worth criticizing?

No, I'm saying they don't tell whoppers...

[Deleted]

[warsaw (banned)]

I see no illusion of neutrality, as if there is no 'liberal misinformation' in the entire media?

THERE ya go...

[nicomachus]

The purpose behind Media Matters is to debunk the myth that the media are basically liberal or leftist leaning. They do this by exposing a number of conservative outlets, such as Fox News.

The point is not to say that there is no media biases anywhere; it is to show that the reason Sarah Palin is not VP right now has nothing to do with "That liberal media hooey."

There are conservative sites which also expose other leanings as well.

[lakhota]

The purpose behind Media Matters is to debunk the myth that the media are basically liberal or leftist leaning. They do this by exposing a number of conservative outlets, such as Fox News.

The point is not to say that there is no media biases anywhere; it is to show that the reason Sarah Palin is not VP right now has nothing to do with "That liberal media hooey."

There are conservative sites which also expose other leanings as well.

nicomachus, very well said. Thank you.

[lakhota]

Tennesseer, I took your advice and posted the whole nine yards at the top.

[Politically_Incorrect12]

Dec 31, 2010 0:23:09 GMT -5 ungenteel said:

<,I'm no big Beck fan obvioulsy but Media Matters isn't an independent news source, just be aware>>

Perhaps you could attack specifics instead of a generalized attack on the souce???

Interesting that you don't seem to hold the same opinion toward more conservative news sources....

[Tennesseer]

Liberal news sources no more means the absolute truth than conservative news sources. Everyone has an agenda.

[billisonboard]

Dec 31, 2010 10:03:44 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Liberal news sources no more means the absolute truth than conservative news sources. Everyone has an agenda.

???So what is the agenda of those who point out that everyone has an agenda?

[Tennesseer]

Well those folks are as pure as the driven slush!

[Tennesseer]

Tornado weather here today. And that's not a whopper.

[deziloooooo]

I HATE Tornadoes..stay safe..tornadoes in the winter?? Oh just the weather.., {phew} thats better, no warnings or alerts..ok, just finishing my second cup of coffee..little slow here right now.

[ed1066]

Once again, a poor miseducated liberal mistakes Glenn Beck's show for a news program. And you blew a lot of space on it too. Your CTRL+C, CTRL+V fingers must be tired!

BTW, Beck thanks you very much for the extra free publicity...

[Tennesseer]

Dec 31, 2010 11:36:48 GMT -5 deziloooooo said:

I HATE Tornadoes..stay safe..tornadoes in the winter?? Oh just the weather.., {phew} thats better, no warnings or alerts..ok, just finishing my second cup of coffee..little slow here right now.

Good chance of tornadoes today in the mid-south where I am. Already there are a number of warnings in Missouri, Arkansas and southern Illinois. Later today in the Memphis area.

[Deleted]

If you do not like Beck-- don't watch Beck. How simple is that?? There are lots of people I dislike, so I do not watch them on TV. Each to his/her own. Freedom of speech-- so far........

[billisonboard]

I love the give and take of freedom of speech. Beck gets goes on the air and says.....(whatever). Lakhota comes on this message board and types....(whatever). I am never impressed with any attempt to get any one to not express their opinion.

[billisonboard]

"I know you Liberals are gonna have a tough time with this one, so I'm typing slowly here."

Dec 31, 2010 0:31:29 GMT -5 @stayput said:

...

Finally, no one is calling for vile, unending, personal attacks. With that said, we should have the freedom in a conversation to say "What an asshole.", or "You're being an ass" w/out getting the post deleted or the member banned by an anal Mod. ...

Sucking up causes no interest. A lively debate, however, will bring people in from all over.

Read more: notmsnmoney.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=fun&action=display&thread=697&page=8#ixzz19fHjdcE4

[ed1066]

Methinks "Media Matters" should go do something productive for a living instead of making a profit off of selling Glenn Beck horror stories to liberal rubes.

I agree, but keep in mind Media Matters is a George Soros-funded extravaganza. It could never stay afloat without Daddy's money, just like MSNBC, Talkingpoints memo, HuffPo (basically anything Lakhota links to). Fleecing liberal rubes for fun and profit is Soros' entire reason for being...

[warsaw (banned)]

Fox Patoot! When confronted with facts, demonize George Soros. And Krickett, lies are everyone's business...

[Deleted]

Still going on about Glen Beck?? LOL!! He is a patriot, and a recovering alcoholic, and I do believe he is a Mormon.. or is he... not sure about that one. All things I approve of, and would follow if I had time to patronize news entertainment programs, which, alas, I do not. Whatever-- he is hilarious to watch, I've been watching him for years, since before he was GLEN BECK... and I like him. He makes good points, theatrical, yes.. showbiz and all. He must be making a huge splash in the general population to get people so extremly upset. Of course-- nothing Fox touches does not turn to gold these days in the ratings. GEE-- I wonder why?? Could it be because the MAJORITY agrees with most of Fox programming-- or is it that libs are so flipping nutty over it they boost the ratings by watching it every single second of the day?? LOL!!!!!!!