Glenn meets Huck face to face
DECEMBER 14, 2007

GLENN BECK PROGRAM
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GLENN: So when I found out that Mike Huckabee was coming to the airport, I don't believe in coincidence. I arrived at the airport, Mike Huckabee is there, I went to talk to him and the first thing I said is, Governor, I struck out at you the other day in anger and I apologize for doing that. Should have been much more measured in my speech and don't like to speak out of anger. I didn't mean to ratchet things up quite honestly because the spirit of contention is not the spirit that comes from the Lord, and I apologize for that. He said, that's fine. He said, what was it? The Mormon thing?

Now, so you know I found out prior and after from his chief of staff while the governor played coy with me and I can't say -- I don't want to judge the man's heart. I knew that everybody on his staff knew exactly what I said on the air where I called him the one-eyed Mullah Huckabee, not that the man is a terrorist but the man is judging other people's faiths and saying you're not Christian enough. Well, I've heard that in the Middle East: You're not Muslim enough. And they knew exactly what I said but he said, was it that -- well, I understand. And he went in then to talk to me about how he has been persecuted on his faith and been questioned on his faith and his doctrine, you know, because he believes things that, you know, are unpopular, et cetera, et cetera, and I said I understand that but I doubt there's been anybody from the right who has been pushing you on that. I doubt it's been anybody on the right who has been talking about your doctrine. I said, you know, I don't think you understand this and it really bothers me.

We need to unite as God-fearing people because I truly believe we are in the battle of our lives. I truly believe that there is a chance -- I'm not saying -- they've been saying this since Jesus was here. So I'm not saying this is it, but there is a chance that we are in the ultimate battle of good and evil, that we are starting to see the makings.

You know, I was reading something about global warming today where they are saying all of the seas are going to die. In the next 50 years all of the reefs will die, which will cause the seas to die, and it made me think about the rivers running with blood and all of the oceans boiling and everything else and I thought, you know, there's a chance that we are living in those days. And I said, what do you think? What do you think, Governor? If we're living in those times, if we are really struggling right now and we're fighting a battle against good and evil, does Satan want us to bring each other together or divide? God-fearing people, Jews, Muslims, Christians, all denominations, people who get down on their knees or people who pray, people who look to the Lord for guidance, people who are trying to live a better life, people who are really truly, who truly believe that America is the last great hope for mankind. Should we be dividing ourselves? Because I know I can get religious bashing from the left.

Well, he tried to explain to me that it was just eight or ten words in an 8100-word newspaper article. To me it was the question that he asked. I said, you know, Governor, if you really want to know, you'd ask somebody who knows, and I don't think that's a reporter at the New York Times. He said, well, he was a very bright man. I said, I'm sure he is. I'm sure he is, but you would ask somebody who knows. And if you would like to know, I arranged this for Al Sharpton. I said this to Al Sharpton, why don't you go meet with the brother in Salt Lake City, why don't you go meet with the heads of church in Salt Lake City. Can't say that I arranged it, but I planted the seed and he went. Congratulations. He went. He did his own research. Now, whether it's an honest search or not, I don't know. I don't really care quite honestly. But I made that offer. I said, you know, why don't you go to meet with some of the heads of the church? Why don't you ask them these questions. Why don't you educate yourself on that. He didn't take me up on that. Didn't quite frankly show any interest. I didn't expect him to. I don't really honestly believe that -- I don't believe the man -- here's what I said. I said to him at the end of the 25-minute conversation -- and by the way, I accepted his apology. He accepted mine. But I find it very interesting -- and this has happened to me now with two reverends. I know when I've really hurt somebody. I know when somebody hurts me, and I didn't have this my whole life. This is a new thing for me, empathy. I've had this now for really starting to kick in in the last five years, but the last eight years or so I started to really feel other people's pain, and it's getting worse and worse or better and better, however you want to look at it. I'm feeling more -- when I talk to people, I've had an amazing experience in the last four weeks. I have been -- I've seen -- they tell me last night I have probably signed 50,000 books in the last four weeks, and I have noticed something incredible that is new to me. I have been able to spot not every time, but a lot of times I've been able to spot pain in people. They come up to me and they'll smile or whatever and there will be something to them. There will be something in their eyes where I can see, and many times I will just say to people as they walk away -- it was at the very beginning that I started doing this and I would allow them to walk away and then it would bother me and I would say, excuse me, come here for a second. And I would ask them if I could give them a hug. I have spotted pain in people.

Now, I don't know. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think it's actually a honing of empathy. For some reason I'm getting an extra dose of that. I don't know why. I don't think Mike Huckabee had any empathy for me or anybody else that happens to be of Mitt Romney's faith. Because I said to him at the end, I said, you know what, it's not that you offended me. It's not that you hurt me. I said, I know the pain you caused other people. I know I am so sick and tired of people who were chased out of this country with torches and pitchforks and buried their children in the plains because they wanted to worship God of their own understanding. I don't care if you're a Mormon or not a Mormon. They were people like the pilgrims that came for a reason and they were driven out of the country and they went to Utah which was not part of the United States and they said no one will bother us here because it's a desert and we're protected by the mountains. Well, they have been bothered ever since, and it was legal to kill them in the 1800s, legal to kill them, for the only reason that they were Mormon. When they first started running after Utah game a state, they started running and they actually said other politicians actually said, you don't want to vote for them. Oh, boy, you don't want to listen to them. Don't put any credence in anything they say; they have horns, you know. And it was printed in the paper.

I told Mike Huckabee those things and he looked at me astonished. You might want to do your homework. I know these people. You know one of the reasons why I wanted to be -- I didn't want to be a Mormon. I felt like I had to be one because I couldn't do it on my own anymore. And you know what? I wanted to be like the people that are of that faith. I am the worst example that you will ever see of -- I joined because I wanted to be like these people. They're good, decent people, and I am tired of having them run through the mud, tired of it. And I told him that. And I had tears in my eyes when I talked about him. We were knee to knee. Not once did this pastor reach out and put a hand on my shoulder or on my knee and say, I am so sorry, Glenn. He did say those words and I accepted those words, but as I told him at the end, by their fruits ye shall know them.

So I'll watch Mike Huckabee and so will you and maybe you will watch with disinterest on what he says about other people's faiths. And you know what? It's very easy to write these people off because, well, they're freaks, whatever. But you know what? They're Americans and they're God-fearing people and I don't -- I would say this about the Jews, I would say this about Muslims that understand God as a peaceful path, I will say this about protestants and evangelicals, Lutherans. I don't care what your religion is. I don't have to agree with your religion. I don't have to agree with your doctrines. We have quite possibly in the battle of our lifetime. We must not divide each other. Since when -- you know, Peggy Noonan has this article in The Wall Street Journal today. Since when did we start saying you're not Christian enough? She asked the question: In Mike Huckabee's world, would Ronald Reagan be welcome? She said Ronald Reagan grew up in elite Hollywood. Ronald Reagan was divorced. Ronald Reagan said he found God faster on the back of a horse on a ranch than in a church. Would Ronald Reagan be welcome? Is he Christian enough? When did this happen to us? When did we start to say, out of all of the things that are going on in the world that that is the most important. Not love of God.

Love of God, love of country, that's important to me. I've got to have a guy who understands love of God and love of country. I don't need to check his papers on what church he goes to. I'm not going to go into his bedroom and see if he prays on a rug or on his knees or standing up or while eating dinner or watching football. I'm going to take him at his word. I love God. I understand God. He rules the world. Great. That's all I need. When did that become the priority in this country?

And you know what? There is another article out today I'm going to get into here in a second. There's two articles out that you need to know about. First, Hillary Clinton looks like it's caving. They are saying now that she could lose all four early contests. I believe the other article is amazingly accurate and that is that Huckabee is the Howard Dean. Remember how you were just, oh, you just couldn't wait for Howard Dean to be elected. Oh, please, please let the Democrats go with Howard Dean. That will be so easy. That's Huckabee. One out of 20 evangelicals in South Carolina, one in 20 are supporting Mike Huckabee. That's pretty incredible. You've got to widen the tent just a little bit. I don't think we need to have a card. I didn't know you had to be a certain faith to be able to be elected here in America but maybe I should go back and read the Constitution again.

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