President and Chief Creative Content Officer for TheBlaze Joel Cheatwood updates Glenn on Hurricane Sandy's aftermath

October 30, 2012

Writer

President and Chief Creative Content Officer for TheBlaze Joel Cheatwood is based in the NYC office. This morning, Joel joined Glenn on radio to update him on the ramifications of Hurricane Sandy to the New York City area, and the future implications it could have on the election.

Like most event that occur overnight like this, it's hard to know what the damage level in until the light of day. And, as Joel confirmed, that was the case with the widespread devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

Joel described how small communities up and down the New Jersey coastline were absolutely devastated.

"I just watched the police chief of a little town in New Jersey, Seaside Heights break down on the air because he's been up all night rescuing people. But he said, my town is devastated. He said 'my town is devastated'. And he related having rescued 25 people overnight, and he himself operating in a five‑ton vehicle. They call it a deuce, almost being swept out to sea. He said, 'I thought he was going to lose my own life'. But he said, 'I go around my town and it's just gone'. And we're seeing that more and more," Joel explained. "We're hearing reports of people trapped in their homes in waist‑deep water with no power. We're not going to know the full extent of this for a very long time. But, you know, we do know we have six and a half million people without power in the Tri‑State area back here and just a lot of devastation."

Everyone in and around the storm area, and even those just looking at pictures and video of the aftermath, are all saying the same thing: "We've never seen anything like this."

The NYC area is the media's hometown, so the coverage of this event is going to be intensive. Unlike most communities, gas prices and shortages won't play a huge factors because many don't own cars or drive. But, as the water recedes and people return home and see the damage, stories will be unfolding.

"How does this play out, you think?" Glenn asked Joel. "What are we looking at in the ‑‑ are we looking at Katrina? Are we look at less than Katrina? What are we looking at?"

"I think that you're going to ‑‑ I think we're going to see this play closer to Katrina. I think you're going to see as the day progresses more and more stories of loss of life, certainly devastation in terms of infrastructures, of towns," Joel answered.

"You know, Manhattan they still don't know what the full damage assessment's going to be because they can't get into the subway tunnels yet. But they do know that there is standing water. You've got an entire metropolis that is completely shut down. I mean, I think that this will probably rank in the books in terms of dollars and maybe loss of life as one of the most expensive catastrophes to hit this country. And I think again it will unfold as the day goes on."

While Mayor Bloomberg did a good job alerting the public of the storm, and closed the subway system early to get people out in the event of flooding, it's likely that many lost their lives down there. Glenn, who lived in the city for a long time, explained how people live in the subway.

" The loss of life that may never be counted of the people who live in those subways who didn't get necessarily the warning until they started to hear that there were no trains and wondered, what, why are there no trains, I'll bet you ‑‑ I'll bet you hundreds of people lost their lives that you will never ‑‑ you may never even know because of the people that live in the subway systems."

Joel agreed.

As much as the focus is (and should continue) to be on the victims of the storm and the best way to provide help to those who need it, the election is only a week away. With power out to millions, widespread devastation, there will be a political impact from Hurricane Sandy.

"How is this do you think going to play out for the president?"

"Well…you've got a huge section of the country that is now going to have to figure out how they start up business again, how they start up just operating in the normal course. And we've got an election a week away. I'm going to be very curious to see how they resolve that," Joel answered. "I mean, you've got polling places at the very least that have been wiped out, you've got people who will have no access to power or transportation for maybe up to two weeks or more. You know, how we conduct an election given these circumstances is going to be really interesting to see."

Some are saying that FEMA is going to be rebuilding the polling places, which will obviously cause many to lose confidence in the election system.

"If a giant government‑run FEMA truck is controlling the polling place, that's not going to give people confidence," Glenn noted.

"I think there's enough justifiable distrust of FEMA on a variety of levels that that's just going to send shivers down the spine of most people," Joel added.

The biggest concern following the storm, should the election not be postponed, is going to be surrounding Tuesday.

"In the most important election in our country's history arguably, you know, you're going to have millions of people who either won't have access or because of their own personal plight will consider that a secondary priority and, you know, what does that mean?" Joel asked.

As Glenn has shared many times, he belies God is not neutral in man's freedom. Because of that, he believes, if people turn to God and are faithful, this will work out how it is supposed to -- what that is, he's not sure. Glenn shared a conversation he and Joel had yesterday before the worst of the storm rolled through on the timing of the storm and his faith.

"We were both saying, look, I know God's will will be done, one way or another. And I don't presume to know God's will and I don't think God ‑‑ you know, God doesn't bring the storms on to punish people or anything like that," Glenn emphasized, "but I can't figure out divine providence because I know God's not neutral in the freedom of man. And I don't know how ‑‑ I mean, divine providence will play a role in this election. That's the only thing that's going to save us. And I can't figure out how this one ‑‑ I mean, this is really take your hands off the wheel, gang, and just live your life and do the right thing because God only knows how this is going to turn out with this hurricane thing now."

"This is one of those supreme examples of a time where I, for the life of me, common sense doesn't play into it, logic doesn't play into it, and I keep reminding myself that there is a much bigger picture that's held by God," Joel responded.

Joel later added that, he continues to remind himself to relax in the fact that God's will is perfection, and that it's okay if he can't figure it out.

"This is such a definitive event, and the timing is so incredible, that you know there's a plan," he told Glenn. "There has to be."

EXPOSED: Your tax dollars FUND Marxist riots in LA

Anadolu / Contributor | Getty Images

Protesters wore Che shirts, waved foreign flags, and chanted Marxist slogans — but corporate media still peddles the ‘spontaneous outrage’ narrative.

I sat in front of the television this weekend, watching the glittering spectacle of corporate media do what it does best: tell me not to believe my lying eyes.

According to the polished news anchors, what I was witnessing in Los Angeles was “mostly peaceful protests.” They said it with all the earnest gravitas of someone reading a bedtime story, while behind them the streets looked like a deleted scene from “Mad Max.” Federal agents dodged concrete slabs as if it were an Olympic sport. A man in a Che Guevara crop top tried to set a police car on fire. Dumpster fires lit the night sky like some sort of postapocalyptic luau.

If you suggest that violent criminals should be deported or imprisoned, you’re painted as the extremist.

But sure, it was peaceful. Tear gas clouds and Molotov cocktails are apparently the incense and candles of this new civic religion.

The media expects us to play along — to nod solemnly while cities burn and to call it “activism.”

Let’s call this what it is: delusion.

Another ‘peaceful’ riot

If the Titanic “mostly floated” and the Hindenburg “mostly flew,” then yes, the latest L.A. riots are “mostly peaceful.” But history tends to care about those tiny details at the end — like icebergs and explosions.

The coverage was full of phrases like “spontaneous,” “grassroots,” and “organic,” as if these protests materialized from thin air. But many of the signs and banners looked like they’d been run off at ComradesKinkos.com — crisp print jobs with slogans promoting socialism, communism, and various anti-American regimes. Palestinian flags waved beside banners from Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, and El Salvador. It was like someone looted a United Nations souvenir shop and turned it into a revolution starter pack.

And guess who funded it? You did.

According to at least one report, much of this so-called spontaneous rage fest was paid for with your tax dollars. Tens of millions of dollars from the Biden administration ensured your paycheck funded Trotsky cosplayers chucking firebombs at local coffee shops.

The same aging radicals from the 1970s — now armed with tenure, pensions, and book deals — are cheering from the sidelines, waxing poetic about how burning a squad car is “liberation.” These are the same folks who once wore tie-dye and flew to help guerrilla fighters and now applaud chaos under the banner of “progress.”

This is not progress. It is not protest. It’s certainly not justice or peace.

It’s an attempt to dismantle the American system — and if you dare say that out loud, you’re labeled a bigot, a fascist, or, worst of all, someone who notices reality.

And what sparked this taxpayer-funded riot? Enforcement against illegal immigrants — many of whom, according to official arrest records, are repeat violent offenders. These are not the “dreamers” or the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. These are criminals with long, violent rap sheets — allowed to remain free by a broken system that prioritizes ideology over public safety.

Photo by Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg | Getty Images

This is what people are rioting over — not the mistreatment of the innocent, but the arrest of the guilty. And in California, that’s apparently a cause for outrage.

The average American, according to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, is supposed to worry they’ll be next. But unless you’re in the habit of assaulting people, smuggling, or firing guns into people’s homes, you probably don’t have much to fear.

Still, if you suggest that violent criminals should be deported or imprisoned, you’re painted as the extremist.

The left has lost it

This is what happens when a culture loses its grip on reality. We begin to call arson “art,” lawlessness “liberation,” and criminals “community members.” We burn the good and excuse the evil — all while the media insists it’s just “vibes.”

But it’s not just vibes. It’s violence, paid for by you, endorsed by your elected officials, and whitewashed by newsrooms with more concern for hair and lighting than for truth.

This isn’t activism. This is anarchism. And Democratic politicians are fueling the flame.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck's 'No King but Christ' merch: Will faith STOP the chaos?

On Saturday, June 14, 2025 (President Trump's 79th birthday), the "No Kings" protest—a noisy spectacle orchestrated by progressive heavyweights like Randi Weingarten and her union cronies—will take place in Washington, D.C.

Thousands will chant "no thrones, no crowns, no king," claiming to fend off authoritarianism and corruption.

But let’s cut through the noise. The protesters' grievances—rigged courts, deported citizens, slashed services—are a house of cards. Zero Americans have been deported, Federal services are still bloated, and if anyone is rigging the courts, it's the Left. So why rally now, especially with riots already flaring in L.A.?

Chaos isn’t a side effect here—it’s the plan.

This is not about liberty; it's a power grab dressed up as resistance. The "No Kings" crowd wants you to buy their script: government’s the enemy—unless they’re the ones running it. It's the identical script from 2020: same groups, same tactics, same goal, different name.

But Glenn is flipping the script. He's dropping a new "No Kings but Christ" merch line, just in time for the protest. Merch that proclaims one truth: no earthly ruler owns us; only Christ does. It’s a bold, faith-rooted rejection of this secular circus.

Why should you care? Because this won’t just be a rally—it’ll be a symptom. Distrust in institutions is sky-high, and rightly so, but the "No Kings" answer is a hollow shout into the void. Glenn’s merch begs the question: if you’re ditching kings, who’s really in charge? Get yours and wear the answer proudly.

Truth unleashed: 95% say media’s excuses for anti-Semitism are a LIE

ELI IMADALI / Contributor | Getty Images

Glenn asked for YOUR take on the rising tide of anti-Semitism, and you delivered. After the Boulder attack, you made it clear: this isn’t just a news story—it’s a crisis the elites are dodging.

Your verdict is unmistakable: 96% of you see anti-Semitism as a growing threat in the U.S., brushing aside the establishment’s weak excuses. The spin does not fool you—95% say the media is deliberately downplaying the issue, hiding a cultural rot that’s all too real. And the government’s response? A whopping 95% of you call it a disgraceful failure, leaving communities exposed.

Your voices shatter the silence. Why should we trust narratives that dismiss your concerns? With 97% of you warning that anti-Semitism will surge in the years ahead, you’re demanding action and accountability. This is your stand for truth.

You spoke, and Glenn listened. Your bold response sends a message to those who’d rather ignore the problem. Keep raising your voice at Glennbeck.com—your input drives the fight for justice. Take part in the next poll and continue shaping the conversation.

Want to make your voice heard? Check out more polls HERE.

JPMorgan Chase CEO issues dire warning about America's prosperity

Win McNamee / Staff | Getty Images

Jamie Dimon has a grim forecast for America — and it’s not a recession. He sees a fragile nation drifting into crisis while its leaders fight over TikTok.

Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase — one of the most powerful financial institutions on earth — issued a warning the other day. But it wasn’t about interest rates, crypto, or monetary policy.

Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California, Dimon pivoted from economic talking points to something far more urgent: the fragile state of America’s physical preparedness.

We are living in a moment of stunning fragility — culturally, economically, and militarily. It means we can no longer afford to confuse digital distractions with real resilience.

“We shouldn’t be stockpiling Bitcoin,” Dimon said. “We should be stockpiling guns, tanks, planes, drones, and rare earths. We know we need to do it. It’s not a mystery.”

He cited internal Pentagon assessments showing that if war were to break out in the South China Sea, the United States has only enough precision-guided missiles for seven days of sustained conflict.

Seven days — that’s the gap between deterrence and desperation.

This wasn’t a forecast about inflation or a hedge against market volatility. It was a blunt assessment from a man whose words typically move markets.

“America is the global hegemon,” Dimon continued, “and the free world wants us to be strong.” But he warned that Americans have been lulled into “a false sense of security,” made complacent by years of peacetime prosperity, outsourcing, and digital convenience:

We need to build a permanent, long-term, realistic strategy for the future of America — economic growth, fiscal policy, industrial policy, foreign policy. We need to educate our citizens. We need to take control of our economic destiny.

This isn’t a partisan appeal — it’s a sobering wake-up call. Because our economy and military readiness are not separate issues. They are deeply intertwined.

Dimon isn’t alone in raising concerns. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has warned that China has already overtaken the U.S. in key defense technologies — hypersonic missiles, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence to mention a few. Retired military leaders continue to highlight our shrinking shipyards and dwindling defense manufacturing base.

Even the dollar, once assumed untouchable, is under pressure as BRICS nations work to undermine its global dominance. Dimon, notably, has said this effort could succeed if the U.S. continues down its current path.

So what does this all mean?

Christopher Furlong / Staff | Getty Images

It means we are living in a moment of stunning fragility — culturally, economically, and militarily. It means we can no longer afford to confuse digital distractions with real resilience.

It means the future belongs to nations that understand something we’ve forgotten: Strength isn’t built on slogans or algorithms. It’s built on steel, energy, sovereignty, and trust.

And at the core of that trust is you, the citizen. Not the influencer. Not the bureaucrat. Not the lobbyist. At the core is the ordinary man or woman who understands that freedom, safety, and prosperity require more than passive consumption. They require courage, clarity, and conviction.

We need to stop assuming someone else will fix it. The next crisis — whether military, economic, or cyber — will not politely pause for our political dysfunction to sort itself out. It will demand leadership, unity, and grit.

And that begins with looking reality in the eye. We need to stop talking about things that don’t matter and cut to the chase: The U.S. is in a dangerously fragile position, and it’s time to rebuild and refortify — from the inside out.