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Eric Massa Gets Under Glenn Beck's Skin

I don't think I've ever watched a more enjoyable hour with Beck in all my years blogging. I have to hand it to a somewhat unbalanced Eric Massa. I was deeply concerned about him, based on the changing stories and what appeared to be angry lashing out at the White House. But Beck saw that and thought, "Jackpot!", betting his entire hour that Massa would give him the ammunition he needed to once more condemn the Maoists/Communists/Fascists/evil-doers (pick your ism) in the White House.

Talk about rolling craps.

While Beck shook his head in disbelief and repeatedly demanded in his best McCarthyite gravitas for Massa to name names, Massa refused to give the payout he was looking for. Massa admitted guilt, took responsibility and repeatedly said that the best thing for people to do was to participate in the electoral process and try to bring around campaign finance reform. Time:

Massa had come on Fox to out-Beck Glenn Beck. Armed with the very same weapons — a deep sense of victimhood, outrage at the powers that be and remarkable personal candor — the Representative delivered a dizzying confessional. [..]

Beck, who is used to controlling the gravitational force of victimhood around him, kept interrupting to point out that he was a bigger target of even greater forces than Massa. "I have two unauthorized biographies coming out against me in the spring," Beck said at one point. Minutes later, Beck went even further. "Do you realize my family is at stake?" he said. "You've got a little scandal with your children in college. I've got one for all time now, because I am not going to resign. I'm not going to back down. I have come to a place where I believe at some point the system will destroy me."

But Beck could not compete with the oddity of the sympathy card Massa kept pulling. He appeared frustrated that Massa wasn't revealing any more sinister plots afoot in the nation's capital, and he got visibly annoyed when Massa tried to take some measure of responsibility for his actions and attempted to walk back some of his more heated rhetoric against White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.

And to make things worse, when Massa turned from discussing his own woes to the machinations of Washington, he offered ideas that have no place in Fox News's tightly regulated framework. Massa suggested that Beck and other Americans demand "campaign finance reform" to curb the corruption on Capitol Hill. Beck, who has called such proposals a "huge mistake," put his hand over his mouth, as if he were holding back an upset stomach. Massa, who has opposed Obama's health reform because it is not liberal enough, told Beck that he should stop calling people names like "socialist" and "communist." "You can be a progressive and be a fiscal conservative," Massa then explained, as Beck lost control of his own program.

I can't tell you how tickled I was watching Beck get more and more deflated as the hour went on, finally resulting in apologizing to his audience for wasting their time. And it was laughable when he turned the interview into a chance to promote his own victim hood while never mentioning that Beck made 23 million dollars last year.

Beck: "I believe at some point the system will destroy me."

Looks like the system is being kind to the man who describes himself as a Rodeo clown, wouldn't you say?

The sad part is that Beck DID waste his viewers' time, but not in the way that he thought. He was so blinded by his hatred of the administration, so focused on his witch hunts that he completely missed that he had an exclusive interview with a former congressperson who resigned due to a litany of ever changing reasons and his inability to get past the all-encompassing need to raise money as a politician and his frustration with campaign financing. The rest of the media will focus on the salacious details of his ethics investigation and miss it too.

But Massa is 100% right. The best way to end corruption in DC is campaign finance reform, and that's an area that all of us, from the nuttiest tea-bagger to the dirtiest liberal hippie can support. But Beck didn't want to hear about real problems or real ways to make things better in this country.

About Nicole Belle
Nicole Belle's picture
Mom, Wife, Media Critic/Political Analyst, Blogger, Austen Fanatic, Unapologetic Liberal NicoleBelle@crooksandliars.com
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63 Comments
Ape-Man's picture

Delusional. Boring.

Beck wastes your time every day. He just wanted his ice cream.


"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-

docb's picture

looking in the MIRROR...,Same Same wackey, delusional can not keep his lies straight ugly little subhuman!

Pete Seattle's picture

Glenn Beck is the skidmark of America.
His fans are the lingering farts.

jakflorida32169's picture

Could that be considered Massa-baiting?


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

Serendipitydude's picture

Massa-ji backstage.

And while I'm here, would somebody please put Glenn Beck out of our collective misery? Granted, he's insulated himself against revelations of "improper" behavior that could torpedo his career by having already revealed his cocaine and other habits, but maybe, just maybe, some day some where he really f*cked the goat and can be busted on it.

Unlikely of course since Fox already finds him employable, but hope springs eternal.

jakflorida32169's picture

Fish of the Day: Groper


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

jakflorida32169's picture

Isn't that something the KKK thought up?


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

ysbaddaden's picture
)O(

I get the rolling craps every now and then

When I drink and drive...


Diabolus est Deus Inversus

curtilingus's picture

You drive a Craps? Who makes those? Ford?

jakflorida32169's picture

: )


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

curtilingus's picture

Oh.

What a feeling...

MaryK's picture

The sudden-acceleration kind.


"Courtesy is owed. Respect is earned. Love is given." --Unknown author, found in Guide to Texas Etiquette by Kinky Friedman

jakflorida32169's picture

hee-hee


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

BigD145's picture

The Crap is Made in America? I thought it was made in China.

jakflorida32169's picture

--


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

dnyknot's picture

for some one who was in the USAF , i expect more ysb


every time you throw a little mud , you lose a little ground .

Bainbridge22's picture

I watched* this on my XM radio on the way home from work, the first segment anyway. I almost ran off the road laughing as Massa went off and Beck tried to be both polite and drag the conversation back to his own turf. Between that Crisis Garden ad Monday and this, Beck is comedy gold.

And that guy filling in for Maddow...he's like an impersonator. Is it just me, or do his speech patterns closely match hers?

*us old people watch the radio, yes.

Ape-Man's picture

Ya, everyone that does her show for her takes on her inflections. that's cool. it's the show.


"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-

Believe me, boyo, can't come soon enough for us!!


“The greatest evildoers are those who don’t remember because they have never given thought to the matter, and, without remembrance, nothing can hold them back,”

derekthered's picture

and his faithful steed.

to understand becks' delusions, you must understand that his catholic upbringing prepared him for his current condition. when one is steeped in mysticism as a child, it may cause one to have a rather tenuous grasp of reality; add to that many years spent in a drug-addled state, and well you see what i mean.

goofy glenn, in the throes of his messiah complex, really believes he must save america, i rather suspect he caught wind of what is known as "the white horse prophecy", see following link

http://www.mrm.org/white-horse-prophecy

glenn is simply riding in to save the day.

we can but hope that he gets the help he needs.

jakflorida32169's picture

He knows he's bellowing to fools and intends on making millions doing it, just like Limbaugh. He's a narcissist beyond compare. To characterize him as delusional is a big mistake.


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

derekthered's picture

i can't tell if he is faking it or not; if not, then he has gone from seriously neurotic to full blown psychopath. scary as hell, with the audience he has.
his antics have gone beyond discourse and into the realm of pure demagoguery, and demagogues are dangerous.
beck loves to prattle on about hitler, i think he is projecting.

jakflorida32169's picture

He can orchestrate the sentiment behind the violence, then disassociate himself when the violence erupts. Much like fanning the flames of a fire but claiming not to have started it and taking no responsibility for what the fire destroys.

It's the classic "I-didn't-mean-that-to-happen" defense. A clever construct (although not original). And, yes, dangerous.


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

continued.....he looked into the camera and apologized for wasting his audience's time....He should to do that EVERY night.


“The greatest evildoers are those who don’t remember because they have never given thought to the matter, and, without remembrance, nothing can hold them back,”

Ape-Man's picture

Ya, that could be where he gets his ideas alright. his background, but now he's gone beyond delusions and into the land of vapo-rub eyes.


"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-

glogrrl's picture

Boy, from the frying pan into the fire.....the guy's a total lunatic.


“The greatest evildoers are those who don’t remember because they have never given thought to the matter, and, without remembrance, nothing can hold them back,”

Mike The Riverine's picture

Its amazing that when you start muckraking, you sometimes get covered in crap. In Massa, Beck thought he had a hammer to beat the Democrats over the head with and ended up dropping it on his foot.

As strange as it may seem, I feel some pity for Massa for I truly believe he is mentally ill. It's also sad that Blue America did back Massa, but that was before Massa self-destructed and I cannot blame Blue America in any way.

As fucked up as Massa is, he did us all a valuable service by showing what a sniveling hypocrite Beck is, and made him look like an idiot. Massa was at least right on one thing--campaign reform is sorely needed.

Massa's remarks on Rahm Emmanual are spot-on, he is a nasty prick that Obama ought to dump. Do we need to have a Democratic equivalent to the shameless Karl Rove?

Oh, and Beck didn't really need Massa to make him look like an asshole, he does quite well on that all by himself!


Democratic Party progressive, Vietnam veteran and proud Union member for 41 years

savannah43's picture

Rahm knows how to kill you.

but I watched an extended clip with Massa doing a complete 180 on Countdown last night and I'm tellin' you--------THAT was entertainment!
When Beck put his hand over his mouth, I thought he was gonna hurl right there on camera! Good times.


“The greatest evildoers are those who don’t remember because they have never given thought to the matter, and, without remembrance, nothing can hold them back,”

Pete Seattle's picture

is a sloppy re-enactment of 'Carnivale'.

Looks like Congressman Kennedy is right there with me.

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (while screaming with rage) calls out the real reason why Americans think so poorly of Congress.

I'm right there with him... I'm so sick of watching everyone salivate over every word coming out of this guys mouth, and watching even the news sources I trust treating it as if it as actually a story.

glogrrl's picture

! Good for him.....he's right. The media is f**ked--all they care about is scandal and stupid celebrity--balloon boy, tea parties, Massa, etc. God forbid they should spend any time on anything important that's going on in the world. Jerks!


“The greatest evildoers are those who don’t remember because they have never given thought to the matter, and, without remembrance, nothing can hold them back,”

DamOTclese's picture

LOL! I'm surprised that anyone can watch this frothing, spittle-flying right wing idiot, leave alone enjoy the amusing insanity.

DamOTclese's picture

LOL! That straight-laced, tie-wearing, mainstream corporate media shill calls himself a hippie. LOL. Love it.

jakflorida32169's picture

He is a little hippy.


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

DamOTclese's picture

I confess that I do not watch television, I do not know who that guy is. I do watch videos on line provided they don't have advertizing.

It just struck me as amusing, seeing a guy in a $1000 suit and that military-length haircut proclaim himself a hippie. I guess I'll take his word for it.

Next time he should toke up a joint to provide evidence. }:-}

he's dippy.


“The greatest evildoers are those who don’t remember because they have never given thought to the matter, and, without remembrance, nothing can hold them back,”

curtilingus's picture
3p:

"Massa...repeatedly said that the best thing for people to do was to participate in the electoral process and try to bring around campaign finance reform."

See. This is what curtilingus told everyone yesterday. Scrap the bill and focus on finance reform. Until then, all legislation is doomed.

But no one ever listens to curtilingus. He's just a sex crazed maniac.

What was it Massa got busted for?

DamOTclese's picture

Nothing, yet. The claims is that he was Republicanizing fellow male colleagues working with him, doing so without asking permission first.

I had thought that if it wasn't done in public airport bathrooms, it didn't count. LOL!

Trantorian's picture

Massa got busted for being honest and truthful. He's not crazy. We are.


The people of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage." J.K. Galbraith

kraftysue's picture

Massa is so "all over the place" in his comments, I'm worried about his health. Many non-Hodgkins lymphoma patients suffer problems with memory, concentration, logic, and their reasoning skills no longer seem as good as they once were. I wish he were spending time with his doctors instead of on tv making a fool of himself. Perhaps he should not be held responsible for his dissociative remarks if he is indeed very sick.

MaryK's picture

Inconsistant.

The Ethics Committee investigation has been ended. That means they probably know something like what you're saying; could be he's deteriorating mentally. Of course, talking about campaign reform being the single most important issue is some hard truth.


"Courtesy is owed. Respect is earned. Love is given." --Unknown author, found in Guide to Texas Etiquette by Kinky Friedman

DamOTclese's picture

Don't worry! He'll settle down in to some solid reason for fondleing men at the office, then he'll be okay, really. Maybe it's a form of tourette syndrome and he'll just note that grabbing mencocks in passing is something he can't control.

A neurological disorder.

No need to worry. He'll be fine. Just cover your crotch when he's around you at all times.

taller ghost walt's picture

I was told this was the "DC Handshake"

"...he'll just note that grabbing mencocks in passing is something he can't control."

jakflorida32169's picture

You (and people like you) are why I like to come here. Conservatives would just call him "psycho" (or worse) and be done with it.


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

Trantorian's picture

Yeah certainly no one here is doing that.

(Snark)


The people of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage." J.K. Galbraith

Glenn Beck, nobody made you walk the path of a propagandist but yourself. You choose to work for Fox News. Everyone at your level knows what they are; it's in fact the style that you are most attracted to.

The system won't destroy you. Your own poor choices and career affiliations will do that.

You could have been intellectually honest and taken the path of another Murrow. Remembered fondly by history.

There is no chance at all now for that. You've done irreparable damage to your own legacy.

In 500 years from now the name "Glenn Beck" will appear 50 spots down on a list of people commonly referenced in association with either Joseph Goebbels or Rupert Murdoch.

A minor blip in history, with a wholly negative description.

Think about it and ask yourself, am I happy being that guy? All I can say is the money better be worth it.

MaryK's picture

A radio guy. Not a journalist, just an entertainer, and never really called himself anything else. Probably doesn't even know who Edward R. Murrow was.


"Courtesy is owed. Respect is earned. Love is given." --Unknown author, found in Guide to Texas Etiquette by Kinky Friedman

jakflorida32169's picture

I agree with your comment. "Think about it..." Glenn Beck? Not a chance.


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

DaveZ's picture

really the point. It was all still his choice and he could have made better ones.

That's why in his case the victim card is utter bull-shit. He's the arsonist in the ER agonizing over self-inflicted burns.

(was in response to Mary)

ThunderMonkey's picture

I'm glad someone else is going to voice that.

We should deregulate Beck and Limbaugh to the shock jock category.


"When are we going to stop trying to tell elected officials what to do. Our job is to spend the taxpayers' money the best way we can." -- Tommy Watkins, Justice of the Peace, Crawford County, Arkansas

DamOTclese's picture

You could have been intellectually honest and taken the path of another Murrow.

Glenn Beck couldn't. He's too much of an insane Christianic cultist without ethics or morals to actually do journalism.

Roket's picture

That was weird watching Glenn Beck interview himself.

savannah43's picture

Isn't that interesting in a twisted nauseating way.

jakflorida32169's picture

Former U.S. Representative Eric Massa goes 'straight' to his new post as a crewmember of the all-gay RSVP Cruises. Sources say he'll be giving 'snorkeling' instruction.

/snark/


We're not going to get very far if you keep injecting logic into the conversation!

Kreskin's picture

First time I've been able to watch Beck for any length of time , was pretty funny , he met his match.

debaser71's picture

It wasn't that long ago that Massa was a featured darling of this blog. He was a blue america guy.

http://crooksandliars.com/2007/05/26/blue-ame...

Nicole Belle's picture

I don't think we have anything to apologize for.

How were we supposed to anticipate this?

Bluestocking's picture

"I have come to a place where I believe at some point the system will destroy me."

******************************************************************

Beck seems more determined by the day to perceive himself as Howard Beale from the movie "Network". The trouble with that -- as anyone who's actually seen the film knows -- is that Howard Beale was quite literally insane.


Never trust anyone who insists that patriotism requires you to blindfold yourself with the flag.

Kreskin's picture

Regardless of his sincerity and whether or not he is just playing the morons and cashing in on them , I think the guy is nuts , literally insane . His mind has got to be a pretty bizarre place to even come up with this stuff and that goes for Limbaugh also .

Winski's picture

It was SO MUCH FUN watching becko getting the crap whipped out of him by Massa and becko, in his desperation, tried all he could to pry something out of him..nada..

BUT, becko exposed more than his lame underbelly.. He blatantly exposed that he is NOTHING but a LIE-GUY.. He continually begged Massa to give him some level of detail about the WH and got so frustrated that he couldn't fulfill his McCarthy mission....

becko is going down in flames and he (and everyone around him) know it...he's just a bag of air - like limberger - and has exposed it to the world.

NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT..

Limp-Dick Blimpaugh's picture

Beck's Hitler face was hilarious with anger. I thought he was going to shit his pink flowered thong.

deedee123's picture

>>Beck..was so blinded by his hatred of the administration, so focused on his witch hunts<< IMO you've missed the real Beck. I don't think he hates the administration at all. I think the only thing he cares about is how much money he can make. If the progressives want to hire him to work for their side all they need do is come up with more money than he is getting now. He has no principles, no morals, it's "Show me the money" all the way. He can cry on cue for the other side just as easily.

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