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Bill O’Reilly on his new book, Ted Cruz, Obamacare, and the future of this country

September 30, 2013
Wilson

Writer

On radio this morning, Bill O’Reilly, author of the recently released Killing Jesus, joined Glenn to talk about his new book, the looming government shutdown, the future of this country and more. Bill made headlines this morning for an interview he did with CBS’s Norah O’Donnell on last night’s 60 Minutes, in which O’Donnell made it clear she has little knowledge of Christian teachings or beliefs.

In discussing his new book, Bill explained he felt a calling to write the book. “I believe, because I’m a Catholic, that comes from the Holy Spirit,” he said of the motivation and idea to write the book. “My inspiration comes from that and so I wrote ‘Killing Jesus,’ because I think I was directed to write that.”

O’Donnell responded by noting that the host seemed to be distinguishing himself as especially important. “You are suggesting that you’re the chosen one, Bill,” she quipped. Bill reiterated that he’s not the “chosen one,” but that he is someone who has been given gifts that he uses for good.

“Look, I set everybody straight. That was a provocative question and I set her straight,” Bill said on radio this morning. “Everybody's inspired to do good and everybody's tempted to do evil and then you select.”

Despite his Catholic faith, Bill explained that this book is not at all religious. Instead, it is a historical look at the life and death of Jesus.

“There's really no religion in this book,” Glenn asked.

“No. It's a history book and that's what it says on the cover. Look, this book is for people to know what happened to Jesus while he walked the Earth. That's it. It's very simple,” Bill said. “He's the most famous human being who ever lived, most famous person who walked this planet. How did that happen? He had no money, no infrastructure, no PR guy, no mass media.”

“There are two things that I took away from the book for me personally as a human being. Number one, we just discussed, how do you become the most famous human being with no infrastructure. And the second is why were thousands of people following Jesus around? Back then you had to work to eat. It wasn't like you had a refrigerator and stored‑up food, okay, go down to the Safeway and buy what you want. So every day you had to work to eat, okay? You had to fish and farm. You had to whatever,” he continued. “These people stopped doing that and they followed the Nazarene around to backwaters all over Judea. Why? Why would they do that? Couldn't hear him. There were thousands of people. He didn't have a mic. Couldn't hear him, okay? He was doing something that attracted all these people. Now, I don't say in Killing Jesus he was performing miracles because how would I know? No doctor there. I can't report that as a historian. What I can report is that the Romans and the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Sanhedrin were receiving reports of these miraculous healings, which would have driven crowds like that. That's the only explanation. Jesus was doing something that got the word out and these thousands of people were converging on where they thought he was going to be. Just to see him or touch his robe. And that had never happened before. And I don't think it's ever happened since.”

Switching gears, Glenn asked Bill about his thoughts on Ted Cruz.

“You know, I have two minds on Ted Cruz. Number one, I understand exactly what he's doing. He wants to run for president. He wants to be the head of the conservative wing of the Republican Party. This was his view. That's why he did what he did. I think he really believes that Obamacare is bad for the country. I think he's a sincere man and I think he was representing the sentiments of his district,” Bill said. “All of that is good, but I think in the end you have to compromise to some extent to get anything done long term. And so I would like to see Senator Cruz say, ‘All right, if you give us a year and don't have the individual mandate for a year, we'll talk about it.’ I don't want my way or the highway.”

One of the more interesting elements of this debt-ceiling showdown and Obamacare debate has been the lack of public interest in the topic. The television ratings for coverage of the situation are abysmal, which is disheartening when you consider what that means in regards to an informed electorate.

“What does it say about us and how do we fix our country if people don't pay attention to real news,” Glenn asked.

“Listen. With the computers now people are creating their own lives, they're playing games, they're watching porn, they're doing whatever they want to do, and it's an addiction. So they are becoming addicted just like it would be to a drug. They have to have a machine in their hands, they have to text, they have to play a game, whatever,” Bill explained. All that takes you away from the serious business of running the country and the serious business of living your life. So I do not see that ever changing. So you will have an elite that rules the country and then you'll have some people who pay attention, and most people will be living lives of escapism. Just like in Roman times.”

“That leads you to an elite governing the country. Now, whether that leads to a collapse or not remains to be seen. But you're going to have a very few people calling the shots because most people aren't paying attention and don't know what the hell's going on,” he continued. “That's why Barack Obama was reelected. The so‑called low‑information voters just voted on emotion. That's what they heard. Do they know anything… But that doesn't mean there's going to be a collapse. You know, if a good, smart person who cares about the American people and the country gets elected, they happen that person will be able to do a lot of good. But if you're telling me that the folks are going to rally back into the arena and pay attention, with all these machines that they have? Not going to happen.”

“So wait a minute. So you are saying then we will not be a real republic anymore,” Glenn interjected. “Will be more of a – and I hate to use this word because it's so inflammatory, but basically what you were describing is a fascistic sort of rule.”

“It depends on who's in power, if he's not a fascist. Look… I'm not as pessimistic as you are,” Bill responded. “But I will be pessimistic in this sense: I think right now 50% of Americans have no blankin' clue what's going on. And I think that number will rise to 60, 65% in the next ten years.”

So what will happen if Obamacare impacts people’s lives the way it looks like it’s going to?

“Then the Democratic Party will be banished for 10, 15 years. That's what will happen. They will be banished. They will lose. There will be a Republican president the next time around,” Bill explained. “You know, there are enough people getting subsidies from Obamacare who are going to like those subsidies. So it's not a clear black and white. But do I think it's a chaotic thing that will collapse? Yes, I do. Will it collapse overnight? I don't think so.”

“Next two years,” Glenn asked.

“Maybe,” Bill said. “It depends how many doctors bail… If you get doctors bailing out on this that say, ‘I am not going to take the exchange insurance rates,’ then you will have a revolution in this country, not just ‘We hate the Democrats.’”

Watch the entire interview below:

Civics isn’t optional—America's survival depends on it

JEFF KOWALSKY / Contributor | Getty Images

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

Samuel Corum / Stringer | Getty Images

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.