Glenn interviews O'Reilly - does Bill plan to stop by the GBTV studio?

September 27, 2011

Writer

Glenn interviewed Bill O'Reilly about his new book, Killing Lincoln, and towards the end of the interview Bill dropped a bombshell - he would be stopping b the GBTV studios sometime next week. While details were sketchy, it looks while get more information on this special guest in the weeks to come.

"I'm telling you, if you want to learn about Abraham Lincoln, this is a tremendous, tremendous book," Glenn said of Bill's new book.

"It is not just a dry history book. It is truly fantastic. Truly, truly fantastic. Bill, great job," Glenn said.

"Yeah, there's all kinds of stuff about Lincoln and Booth that I didn't know and I'm a former history teacher. So we researched this thing right down to what Abraham Lincoln did when he got up in the morning," O'Reilly explained.

Bill said that the book was aimed at teenagers and young adults.

The two friends and former co-workers did get into an argument over who was the "gold standard" for Presidents, with Bill claiming Lincoln and Glenn claiming George Washington.

As the interview was coming to a close, Bill said, "So we're going to be on GBTV next week."

"I might squeeze you in," Glenn joked.

***

Read the raw transcript below:

>>Glenn: Yeah, that's right. Bill O'Reilly is on now. Yeah. And I have a few words for Bill O'Reilly. In the no spin zone here now. [ THEME MUSIC ]

There's the one thing that Bill O'Reilly knows and that is history. He doesn't know the progressive era very well. You know, most people who went to Harvard don't. They kind of bury that part of it. But he knows history real, real well. He was a history professor or teacher for a while. It didn't work out for him.

He to go do something else. I don't know what he went on to do Bill O'Reilly has written a new book called killing the Lincoln, the shocking assassination that changed America forever. I have two ways of going here. I could tell you that I read not all of it. I haven't finished it yet, but most of it and it is really, really well written and it's a history book that you will like because it's actually in story form and it's not like and in 1861, then the young Abe-- no, it's written in a way that is not just dates, names and places, but in story form and it's really engaging, or, I could say hello, Bill. I read your book. Well, I read part of it. I read the part that said killing Lincoln and the next page.

CALLER: thought it was repetitive, it said killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly, and I hope that you can explain because then there's something about for-- whatever. The next page says killing Lincoln again, and you lost me because I'm like, I got it. You're killing Lincoln. Tonight I'm going to read a note to readers, which sounds fascinating and something you like to call pro-log.

>> A guy like you, it takes about three days to get through the four vanity pages of the book. Get the audio, Beck, and then I'll be yelling at you while you listen.

>> You actually read the thing?

>> What do you mean you read it?

>>Glenn: I mean you read it outloud?

>> I did. 278 pages of it.

>>Glenn: Woof, that had to be tough work. Who paid you for it?

>> Don't you read your books?

>>Glenn: Actually. I like reading my books. I don't have time anymore. I have a job. In this economy, I have four jobs. I'm not like you.

>> You need to give your listeners the audio version. You don't have time.

>>Glenn: I'd like to. I'm not a rich fat cat like you who keeps asking the president for higher taxes because that's what you rich people are doing.

>> If you're not a rich fat cat, then rich fat cats don't exist.

>>Glenn: Let me tell I did read the book. It is really exceptionally well written and really fascinating. You are really good at the history of Lincoln. Like I said, progressives not so much, but this is really good. You start just a few days before Lincoln is assassinated. In just a couple of pages, I learn stuff about John Wilkes Booth that I didn't know.

>> Yeah, there's all kinds of stuff about Lincoln and Booth that I didn't know and I'm a former history teacher. So we researched this thing right down to what Abraham Lincoln to what he got up in the morning. I wanted to write a very personal-- I'm writing this for America's kids. I want the kids to read it. By kids I mean 12 to 28 because they don't know anything about our history. They don't know what a good leader is, and I believe that Abraham Lincoln was the best president, the gold standard of leadership for this country and that today, we desperately need somebody to bring us back, and we have to be looking for people, not who are as good as Lincoln, but who approached that.

>>Glenn: At least striving to be.

>> Put their country above themselves which is the key to what Abraham Lincoln did.

>>Glenn: I'm going to let you pass on the Abraham Lincoln is the gold standard. It was clearly George Washington and George Washington could take Abraham Lincoln in any fight that you could possibly--

>> I'm not going to mock you for your view there because there are two sides, but the reason I say that Lincoln is the gold standard, I would put Washington second, okay.

>>Glenn: Whoa.

>> What Lincoln had to deal with was absolute breakdown of the union.

>>Glenn: You're so right. George Washington just had to go fight a war with no shoes. Cake walk.

>> He wasn't president then. When Washington got to be president, the country was calm and he was coronateed. Some wanted him to be king. He didn't have to deal with what link hadn't to deal with from the jump, which is an abysmal situation brought to him from the infamous James Buchanan.

>>Glenn: Worry wise known, for anyone listening, James Buchanan translates in modern English, George W. Bush. Lincoln inherited those problems from George W. Bush.

>> I would never put George W. Bush in the category of Buchanan who was worst.

>>Glenn: It's new history. All problems were caused by the actual George W. Bush.

>> Look, Lincoln had three daunting tasks in front of him. As you mentioned, we only take the last two months of his life. The last few days, we really zero in on him because everything was happening, civil war was ending, the bloodiest battle ever seen was fought in Virginia. There was a big conspiracy not tonally to kill Lincoln but that the governments of the south would rise again. There's Abe in the middle of it. Everyone hating him. He was the most hated man in the America. The south hated him and many in the north hated him. The guy was under siege from every side, but he prevailed. One thing he wanted to do was number one, win the civil war and keep people together. Number two, get rid of slavery. That was huge. Number three, after the war was over, because he knew he was going to win. At the end two months, he knew he was going to win. Grant was chasing Lee. Lincoln wasn't in Washington. He was on the gun boats watching these battles, but anyway, those were the three that after the war was over that Lincoln would not punish the south but bring it in. All three of those things took a toll on the man. He was a robust, Schwarzenegger type when he got into the office, over six foot, strapping man. When he left, he's bent over and aged 30 years and that was the period of four years.

>>Glenn: Let me ask you this. I didn't know that James Buchanan, I mean, just the idea that the vice president during the second inaugural speech, the vice president-- you like that one, Pat.

>>Pat: I did. Sadly, I did.

>>Glenn: The vice president come out and gives a drunken--

>> he was loaded. Andrew Johnson was loaded when he gave his, the vice president, when he gave his speech.

>>Glenn: He came down on the south and ripped them apart.

>> Right. Right. He was from Tennessee, Johnson. He wanted Lincoln to go in and scourge and he wanted them to kill and hang, all the confederate leaders and generals. Lincoln said I'm not doing that. We'll never get this union back together if I do that. That's another reason people hated Lincoln because they wanted revenge.

>>Glenn: That is amazing. I read that part and I thought this is-- this is the choice that we have in front of us again. Here is this drunken sock getting up, the vice president, and he says rip 'em apart.

>> Right.

>>Glenn: Take them apart and Lincoln comes up and his second inaugural address is the exact opposite with mall has toward none, he says, we're going to put it all back together, and we're all brothers in this. Totally different choice. When he's walking up to give his address, explain what happens. Another piece of lost history that I find fascinating. Explain what happens when Lincoln is walking up.

>> Well, he didn't want to give the address when the people were demanding it. They were chanting and they were screaming and he finally had to give it and booth was in the audience, John Wilkes booth. Is this what you're referring to?

>>Glenn: Yeah. Let me ask the guys if they knew this.

>> Booth was a racist, a narcissist. Only 26 years old, but very famous actor, he and hated Lincoln and he wanted to kill Lincoln and he--

>>Glenn: An actor.

>> He wanted to kill them all and he felt he could kill them all with his guise, he felt the south would rise again.

>>Glenn: An actor.

>> Right. Booth is there listening to Lincoln and close to him, close to him, and at one point in the speech, booth lounges toward Lincoln and a Marshall, Washington Marshall stops booth and looks at him and recognizes him, and doesn't arrest him because he said, oh, an actor like that, woe never try to hurt the president.

>>Glenn: It would have been bad for the police had they arrested somebody as famous as booth.

>> Booth said, oh, I just stumbled.

He was so angry, he couldn't contain himself. One of the poems in the book and this is great, John Wilke booth was engaged to Lucy Hail, the daughter of a senator who was very anti-slavery. While she was contemplating marrying booth, she was going out on the side Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham's son, an officer. We believe booth found out about that and that enraged him further. These are the kinds of details that we uncover in the book.

>>Glenn: I'm telling you, if you want to learn about Abraham Lincoln, this is a tremendous, tremendous book. Because of 245, he tells you stuff in it that you've never heard before. It makes the story fascinating. It is not just a dry history book. It is truly fantastic. Truly, truly fantastic. Bill, great job.

>>I appreciate that very much. So we're going to be on GBTV next week.

>>Glenn: I'm thinking about it. I'm not sure.

>> If you can deem.

>>Glenn: I might squeeze you in. I don't know. I only have a two-hour broadcast now and it's me.

>> No guests.

>>Glenn: I don't have any guests, but I might make room for you. However, however I've read recently how much you hate everybody on the staff over at Fox, and I want you to know that bill O'Reilly, Glen Beck on GBTV sounds good, but Sean Hannity's thinking about it.

>> In the same article you're referring to is that I fear you.

>>Glenn: I know that. That's what gave that article such credibility.

[ Laughter ]

>>Pat: That's when they had me. I thought this is all true.

>>Glenn: I thought this is all a lie and then I read he fears Glen Beck and I thought that's true. That came right from Bill.

[ Laughter ]

>>Pat: Came right from Bill.

>> I'm glad you read part of the book and enjoyed it.

>>Glenn: I'm going to read the contents tonight. If I can get through the pro-log, I'll read the contents. It's fascinating by the way you've written it. Chapter one, it's fascinating. Bill O'Reilly, thank you very much. We'll talk again soon, my friend. The name of the book is killing Lincoln, the shocking assassination that changed America forever. A great, great book.

>>Stu: The case is essentially that partially this assassination happened because of a love triangle jealous type thing.

>>Pat: With Abraham Lincoln's son.

>>Glenn: Can we get Bill back on?

>>Stu: I don't know. You hung up on him. I can try.

Trump is INDICTED: Here are the TOP 5 questions about Trump's indictment ANSWERED

Brandon Bell / Staff, J2R | Getty Images

BREAKING NEWS: Trump has been INDICTED.

Today marks the first time in U.S. history that a President has been criminally indicted—but what does that actually mean? Unless you have a legal or political background, it is difficult to follow what will actually happen surrounding Trump's indictment.

Glenn will provide more clarity in coming days as this story continues to unfold. In the meantime, Americans are wondering what Trump's indictment means and what comes next.

Here are five things you NEED to know about Trump's indictment.

1. What does "indictment" actually mean?

To "indict" someone is the formal term used when a person is notified that they have been officially charged with a crime. In this case, the Manhattan grand jury found that the Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, brought forward enough evidence to criminally charge Trump with a crime.

2. What crime is Trump being charged with?

Though the story is still developing, at the time of this article's publication, Trump was apparently being charged with mislabeling campaign finance funds. A week before the 2016 Presidential election, adult film star Stormy Daniels claimed she allegedly slept with Trump years prior and threatened to go public with the story. Trump's then-advisor Michael Cohen paid Stormy Daniels $130,000 and labeled the fee as "legal fees" in their campaign finances. Trump repaid Cohen once he was elected to office.

Mislabeling legal fees is a misdemeanor—not a felony—yet Trump is being federally charged. Hillary Clinton was guilty of the same misdemeanor, mislabeling funding for the Steele Dossier as "legal fees" in her campaign finances. Why did she get away with paying $130,000 to the Federal Election Commission, while Trump is facing federal criminal charges?

Mislabeling campaign finances can't be considered a felony unless there is evidence it was used to shield a federal crime. So what was Trump covering up? Even NBC admitted that Bragg's case to prove this point was flimsy to begin with. It has not been revealed what evidence was presented to the grand jury to determine that Trump is guilty of a federal crime.

3. What is a "grand jury" and how are they able to indict Trump?

A "grand jury" is a type of federal jury that evaluates criminal cases. A U.S. prosecutor has to submit evidence before a grand jury, who will determine whether there is “probable cause” to believe an individual has committed a crime and should be put on trial. In this case, the Manhattan grand jury ruled that the evidence submitted by Manhattan DA Bragg was sufficient enough to believe that Trump had committed a federal crime.

Grand jury proceedings are closed to the public, thus, we don't have access to the evidence Bragg submitted before the jury.

4. Will Trump be arrested?

The simple answer is: yes.

Trump's arrest won't look like your typical crime shows with police officers busting through Trump's door and handcuffing him. The district attorney’s office will ask Trump’s attorney when he plans to come to New York to be arraigned, which means to appear before a court to face criminal charges. Once Trump arrives in Manhattan, he will likely surrender himself at the courthouse where he will be formally "arrested," taken to get fingerprinted, get a mugshot taken, and even a DNA test. He will then await his trial to defend himself against the charges.

5. Will Trump appear in court?

Yes. Once Trump is arraigned, he will await his court date to defend himself against his charges. Trump will likely pay bail to avoid being confined to the courthouse or a jail cell.

Buckle up, America! Be sure to tune into the Glenn Beck Program to stay up-to-date on all the developments surrounding Trump's indictment. And if you haven't already, be sure to check out last week's episode of Glenn TV where Glenn dove deep into the "big distraction"—the REAL reason they're going after Trump.

Message to America after the Nashville massacre: We are worshiping a FALSE GOD

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / Contributor , DEA / A. VERGANI / Contributor , Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images.

We had yet another tragic school shooting. There is only one way to begin to address this tragedy, a tragedy that has repeated itself all too often. We must begin by mourning with the families of the victims. Our hearts break for the victims, their families, and the entire community affected by this senseless act of violence.

I'm a parent, and I mourn with you as one.

I'm also a concerned citizen deeply concerned with the profound brokenness that pervades our current culture. All of us fear for the safety of our children and our loved ones. We share the same goal of creating a safe and secure environment for everyone, especially for our children, in our schools, in places of learning and growth.

It is natural for all of us to feel anger and fear during these times, and it may seem unnatural to rise above it. But we must. It's essential to remember that we have to come together as a society, together, and address the root causes of violence. Let me state it plainly: the root cause is not the gun, but rather, the misuse of them by individuals who are mentally ill or have criminal intent. I, for one, want to address the problem of gun violence. I am worried about this with my own children. Every American, regardless of who you voted for, feels the same.

But enough is enough.

When will we address mental health? Do you know the damage we have done to our children, just because of COVID? We have destroyed the mental health of our children. Our country's suicide rate is proof enough that something has gone deeply awry within the soul of our nation—the souls of our children. What is causing all of this? It is the loss of the old guards of our civilization.

Something has gone deeply awry within the soul of our nation.

There are several groups that we need to address. First, to the parents and families of the Nashville victims, I'm sorry. We love you. Our society is sick—it is sick and unrecognizable to most of us. Your loved ones have paid the ultimate price for that illness. I'm sorry because I'm part of the society that has an unwillingness to see the truth, apparently.

Second, to the mother of the 27-year-old shooter, we mourn with you as well. I've read your old posts. You've been fighting against guns in school. While we disagree, we both want this violence to end. I've also read your posts about your children, and how proud you are. There were so many moments of beauty. You feel the same way every mom and dad feels about their child, and you were right to feel that way.

Today, I can only imagine how confused you must be. You should know, we love you too. You lost a child as well. You lost a child to the same society that has an unwillingness to see the truth. You should also know, you are part of our community, and we mourn with you as well.

You lost a child to the same society that has an unwillingness to see the truth.

Now, lastly, to the political class and the media elites. You have been dividing us for years. At first, I think I was a part of that. I've tried really hard not to be. However, you're not sincere in anything you do. At first, maybe you thought you were right in your motivations, but then every time society proved you wrong and you just dug your heels in.

Why do you continue to divide us? Is it just to win over your opponent? Is it just to crush the other side? Is it because you believe that everyone who doesn't vote your way is evil? Or is it that you just no longer care? I'm one American among many who no longer believe in you.

I can understand how easy it is to think people who vote differently than me are the problem. I really can, and those people aren't the problem. The problem begins with people, like you, who only care about money or power, or are so arrogant that they think they know better than the rest of us. You make yourselves and your system into a false god. The arrogance.

You make yourselves and your system into a false god.

You go after the disaffected, the weak, and the hopeless, and you prey on these people, promising to be their savior, hoping they will help you gain power over those who you call your enemies. You have lied. You have lied through half-truths. You have lied through omission. You have lied through fabrications. You have distorted the truth to the degree that it's no longer recognizable.

You call men women, and women men. In your world, our children are legally children until 25 for insurance purposes. Yet you also consider our children "adult" enough to alter their own bodies at eight years old. You have called evil good, and good evil. We do not have a gun problem in America. Per capita, there were more gun owners 50 years ago than there are right now, yet they didn't have these problems. Is it the gun, or is it the people?

What we have in America is a TRUTH problem. We have turned ourselves inside out. We have turned ourselves against the basic principles that gave us life and freedom, and the promise of a fuller life. Our women have no more children, and our men have lost all meaning, reason, and faith.

What we have in America is a TRUTH problem.

Just yesterday, the Wall Street Journal released a poll that showed what principles the American people value most. Children, God, family—the values that used to define us as Americans—were LAST on the list. What was on the top? Money was in the top three. Money? Since when has money become a principle?

Perhaps it is because money is the god that so many worship—money over principles every time a corrupt bank is bailed out, money over principles for those who never want to pay their school tuition, every time we make someone who didn't go to school pay for someone else's tuition.

What kind of god do we worship, that makes children so allegedly flawed that we lay them on our metal alters to the gods in the surgical gowns, who can mutilate and sterilize them to make them "just the way they were intended?" That's an ancient god I don't recognize.

We all know the words that were written in the summer of 1776: "We hold these truths." But other words were written later that year when things weren't so sunny. It was December 21st: "These are the times that try men's souls." These words turned our nation around. These truly are the times that try men's souls, and the modern-day patriots—the lovers of truth and justice—must stand firm in the face of an ever-growing storm of disinformation and division. The weak-hearted are not going to be able to weather the storm, but those with the courage to fight for what is true will emerge victorious.

Lovers of truth and justice must stand firm in the face of an ever-growing storm of disinformation and division.

We live in a time when our faith in institutions, our faith in everything we know, is at an all-time low. Our republic is under siege, and the only way out is to remember our founding principles. We are drowning in a sea of lies. Cling to the life raft! Cling to the enduring belief in life and liberty, truth and justice. We'll only be able to find our way out if we can rekindle the flame of unity and embrace the American spirit that carried us through so many crises before. We have been here before.

But this time, in our current American crisis, we have to constantly remind ourselves that our fight isn't against an external enemy that we conquer. Our enemy is causing the internal divisions that are threatening to tear us apart, divisions that are created by monsters of men. These monsters are not just tearing us apart individual to individual, but tearing us and our children out from the inside out.

Cling to the enduring belief in life and liberty, truth and justice.

America, it is high time to reaffirm our commitment to the values that define us as a people. It is our collective responsibility, as free people, to stand up for those principles of truth. The seeds of division have been sewn by those who seek to manipulate and exploit us for their own gain. They shatter our trust in one another to instill fear and hatred where there should be understanding and compassion.

Truth is now clouded by conspiracy. The lines between fact and fiction have been blurred. Truth is a light. Everything we face is not insurmountable, but now is the time to return to truth and decency and justice for all.

Our kids are the ones who are going to pay the highest of prices for what we do now.

What's on Glenn's desk? THIS graphic novel's dystopia has TERRIFYING similarities to our world.

Matt Battaglia

Imagine a global health crisis. Everyone is ordered to "stay-at-home" and only to venture out for "essential" purposes. Travel is regulated by government surveillance, with only permitted workers allowed to go into the city. Inflation is at historic levels, and basic necessities, such as food and gasoline, become invaluable commodities.

Sound familiar?

As the COVID pandemic begins to recede into our cultural memory, it is harrowing to remember the sheer breadth of power we surrendered to our government in order to "keep us safe." We would be foolish to think that the pandemic wasn't a repetition of an age-old tale in the west, and we would be even more naive to believe that we aren't at risk of repeating it in the future: the government's manipulation of a crisis to secure its complete control over its people.

We would be foolish to think that the pandemic wasn't a repetition of an age-old tale

Filmmaker Matt Battaglia published a first in what is likely to become an emerging genre of post-pandemic apocalyptic literature, bringing to life the harrowing consequences of what could happen if we continue to surrender our liberty to the government for the sake of "safety and security."

Battaglia's graphic novel, House on Fire, brings this world to life in an even more vivid dimension through pictures, telling the story of a single day of a man living in this apocalyptic world that doesn't seem too distant from our own.

The setting

Imagine there is another global pandemic of a respiratory virus that is similar to COVID. The government implements COVID-like lockdowns and restrictions from their 2020 blueprint, but this time, the regulations are here to stay. After all, this pandemic isn't the only threat allegedly facing the American people. The future of our planet is at stake. On top of the pandemic regulations, our government restricts the types of food available for consumption, implements individual carbon quotas, mandates electric vehicles, eliminates gas-powered heating, cars, stoves, etc.

Of course, the pandemic and climate change policies require major government funding, so the President uses his emergency powers and executive orders to push through a multi-trillion-dollar proposal that secures the funding necessary to finance the "clean and safe transition." Yes, inflation will be an issue, but that is a small price to pay to secure our health and the future of our planet. Don't forget to include foreign aid for our warring allies in the multi-trillion-dollar packages as well.

Inflation is a small price to pay to secure the future of our planet.

Now fast forward 20 years of living under these all-too-familiar draconian policies. This is Battaglia's apocalyptic world where we meet our nameless main character, causing the reader to question whether our world could devolve into Battaglia's in such a short amount of time.

The plot

Battaglia's story begins with our character kissing his wife goodbye and leaving their country home on a one-day mission to the city in search of a cure for his wife's most recent bout of the illness that is, presumably, a result of the pandemic.

All of the themes that contribute to the apocalyptic nature of Battaglia's world are familiar to us, disturbingly so. Our character drives through country roads, passing by gas signs that list $20 per gallon prices. His radio reports on another invasion of Poland, while country fields transform into steeple-like towers of run-down factories, like old monuments to former industries of a time long past.

Our character reaches the city limit, a border-like security checkpoint where he is required to scan his identity card to enter the city, the likes of which we see in China today. Masks required. He then drives through empty streets of a once bustling city, save for several suspect people who seem to blend into the crevices of alleyways and corners, shrouded by their masks.

Finally, our character meets with his "contact," who gives him some type of canister, supposedly a remedy for his wife's ailment. He barters with several cuts of meat, a rarity more valuable than inflated cash in this "Green New World." From this point onward, things take a turn for our character—for the worst.

Glenn's warning

Many of these scenes bring to life themes that Glenn has been warning about for years, from the government's use of a pandemic to seize control over its people, the depleted dollar and record-high inflation resulting from government spending and foreign conflicts, the Great Reset's goals to eliminate meat, gas-powered products, and other "high emissions products." All of these will be done in the name of seemingly righteous goals: "health," "safety," "security," and the "future of our planet" come to mind. However, we won't realize our freedoms will be a faint memory of the past until it is too late.

All of these measures will be done in the name of seemingly "righteous" goals.

House on Fire's poignant ending leaves the reader with a terrifying yet vitally important question: are the issues plaguing our society latent within society itself, or do they stem from the troubles within our own souls? Does society mold the human soul, or is society, as Plato puts it, the human soul "writ large?"

Battaglia's short yet powerful graphic novel brings to life many of the themes that Glenn has been warning his listeners. It is sitting on his desk, and we hope it will sit on yours too. It gives the reader a glimpse into our society after years of decay and oppression, calling on the reader to halt its progression before it's too late.

Click HERE to get your own copy!

Elon Musk comments on Glenn's podcast with David Sacks, takes jab at U.S. foreign policy

Pool / Pool | Getty Images

Elon Musk chimed into Glenn's conversation about foreign policy with PayPal's founding COO David Sacks on the most recent installment of the Glenn Beck Podcast.

Musk tweeted, "US foreign policy is bronze tier on a good day!" He hit the nail on the head, as Glenn and Sacks discussed the deterioration of U.S. foreign policy and the rising probability of war with Russia and China.

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Glenn asked Sacks, "How likely do you think it is that we'd be headed towards war?" Sacks responded that he has been warning about the imminent threat of war since the Ukraine situation started and lamented that we have entered into a "proxy war of choice" with Russia.

"We engaged in a series of actions going back to 2008 that the Russians have viewed as highly provocative," Sacks said, decrying the continued expansion of NATO into Ukraine. Russia has continually warned the U.S. against expanding NATO into Ukraine, yet the State Department "crusaders" have persisted in their NATO-driven objective, which is "unacceptable to the Russians," Sacks said, "in the same way the Soviet Union trying to put nukes in Cuba was unacceptable to us in 1962."

If NATO expansion isn't enough to provoke a response from the Russian bear, our ongoing and escalating aid to Ukraine certainly is. As Sacks explained, "We're not just providing [Ukraine] with money and weapons. We are providing them with intelligence, we have commandos on the ground" and we are even directing Ukrainian soldiers on how to use our weapons on how to hit specific Russian targets. As Sacks said, "We are providing the kill chain" for Ukraine.

To put this in perspective, that would be equivalent to Russian soldiers instructing Taliban members on how to use Russian weapons to hit specific U.S. camps in Afghanistan. In that situation, wouldn't we accuse Russia of engaging in an act of war? The term "proxy" is increasingly diminishing in its relevance towards the U.S.'s involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. We aren't engaging in a "proxy war" anymore. As Sacks said, "We are effectively a co-belligerent in this conflict."

It is no wonder that we are driving Russia into China's arms while both Putin and Xi continue to forge ties with sworn enemies of the U.S., including Iran and North Korea. If we continue to "poke the bear," it is only a matter of time before Russia finds its confidence with its newly-forged allies to retaliate against its aggressor.

Musk rightly said, "US foreign policy is bronze tier on a good day." But U.S. foreign policy has not even had a "good day" in some time. We are not only jeopardizing our own international reputation with ongoing aid to Ukraine; we are jeopardizing the whole world order by marching NATO increasingly toward war. Elites in the Biden administration and the military industrial complex may benefit from aggravating Russia towards war, but it certainly doesn't benefit anyone else, in the U.S. and abroad.

There are few tools in the conservative's kit to fight back against the elites' dangerous agenda. However, Musk mentioned one of these vital tools in a comment he tweeted on Glenn's interview with San Fransicko author and Twitter Files contributor Michael Schellenberger back in January: "Citizen journalism is vital to the future of civilization."