Ted Cruz Feeling Peaceful, Encouraged and Inspired in Iowa

February 01, 2016

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How is Ted Cruz feeling on Iowa Caucus day? The senator called in to The Glenn Beck Program to let listeners know.

"I'm feeling very good. I'm feeling at peace. I'm feeling encouraged. And I'm feeling inspired," Senator Cruz said. "I mean, the energy, you and I, as we crisscrossed the state of Iowa yesterday, you saw the energy and passion on the ground. People are hungry. They're hungry to turn the country around."

Glenn spent the weekend in Iowa, speaking at several rallies on behalf of Senator Cruz and his constitutional conservatism. On Monday, he asked the senator what it was like to work so hard and so long for one day like this.

"Well, I'll tell you, on Election Day, my approach is to just become more and more calm. You know, we'll travel around. Actually, today we're going to hit our 99th county," Cruz said. 'We will have been to every county in Iowa, done events all across the state."

The senator will spend the evening visiting several of the larger caucuses, pouring everything he can into winning Iowa.

Cruz has a solid chance of winning in Iowa, but regardless, his time in the Hawkeye state has been well spent --- win or lose he'll keep fighting the good fight.

Trump, who is polling about five points ahead of Cruz feels differently.

"Just yesterday, he said, 'If he doesn't win Iowa, then everything here was a big, fat, and very expensive waste of time.' You know, I got to admit, I have a very different view," Cruz said. "Regardless of the outcome, it has been an unbelievable privilege to spend so much time with so many wonderful people here in Iowa, people who have welcomed us into their homes, churches that have welcomed my father to preach. I mean, the hospitality, the passion, the hard work. You know, last night, Glenn, we had our closing rally in Des Moines. And there was a young lady. Thirteen years old, a girl from Lubbock, Texas, who was at the rally. She yesterday made 833 calls for us."

If Cruz wins anything less than 100 percent in Iowa, however, the press will likely pounce.

"I'll go ahead and concede we won't win 100 percent of the votes tonight --- [and] the press will spin it as a stunning defeat for Cruz," the senator admitted.

But that won't stop him from pushing forward.

"We have from day one run been running a national campaign. We've got an incredible team here in Iowa," Cruz said. "But we have an amazing team on the ground in New Hampshire. We have an amazing team in South Carolina. We have an amazing team in Nevada. We're all-in in each of the first four states. And then ten days after South Carolina is Super Tuesday, the so-called SECC states: Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas."

Cruz's ground campaign has been noted as impressive and strong. Results from the Iowa Caucus should come rolling in around 8:00 or 9:00 PM CT.

Listen to this segment from :The Glenn Beck Program

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors:

GLENN: Oh, I didn't see him up on the board. Let's go to Ted. Hi, Ted.

TED: Good morning. How are you doing?

GLENN: Very good. How are things? How are you feeling today?

TED: I'm feeling very good. I'm feeling at peace. I'm feeling encouraged. And I'm feeling inspired. I mean, the energy, you and I, as we crisscrossed the state of Iowa yesterday, you saw the energy and passion on the ground. People are hungry. They're hungry to turn the country around.

GLENN: Yeah, it was an amazing thing. It was so -- first of all, it was an honor to be with you this weekend. It was a surreal experience, and it was a weird experience for my kids. They -- you know, my son played fuse ball with the next president of the United States. It was bizarre.

TED: I got to say, Raphe is a good little fuse ball player.

GLENN: Yeah.

TED: Although Pat could hustle fuse ball professionals.

STU: And he said.

GLENN: I said to him, I said, "You're playing fuse ball with the guy who might be the next president of the United States --

PAT: Next president and the boss' son.

GLENN: Right.

PAT: And yet still a crushing defeat. That's integrity right there. That's integrity.

TED: You know, I have to say, Pat, the victory dance on Raphe was probably a bit much. You probably pressed it there.

PAT: That was maybe too far? Okay.

GLENN: Yeah. When he threw him down to the ground, "I crushed you!"

PAT: I might rethink that next time.

GLENN: Yeah. Yeah.

Ted, how does it feel to be -- you've worked so hard and so long. All the candidates have. Your life is -- that picture of you guys playing fuse ball last night, that's kind of like the only fun you have, and that was while somebody else was -- well, me -- I was giving a speech that you had heard four or five times. And that's like your only outlet of having any personal time is just a little bit of time in between. And it's over today and you move on to another state. What does it feel like today, to be in your position or any candidates' position?

TED: Well, I'll tell you, on Election Day, my approach is to just become more and more calm. You know, we'll travel around. Actually, today we're going to hit our 99th county. So we'll complete the full Grassley this afternoon. We will have been to every county in Iowa, done events all across the state. And we'll do that at I think 1 o'clock this afternoon.

And then we'll visit several of the larger caucuses in the evening. And, you know, my approach to a campaign, you pour everything you can into it. We've been working 16, 18 hours a day for six to seven days a week for the past year. And when you pour everything you can into it, when you try to do it right, when you do it with integrity and character, which is how we set out to do it at the beginning, that we were going to take the high road, that we would not go down into the mud. That if others insulted us, we would not respond in kind, but we would keep the campaign focused on issues, focused on substance, focused on record.

You know, when you've put everything within your ability into it and you've done your very best, there's a peace that comes with -- as you're waiting for election returns, at some point, it's out of your hands. It's out of your hands. And it's in the people's hands. And it's in God's hands. And that peace is very much where I am now. I'm hopeful. I believe we'll have a good night. But the voters of Iowa are going to let us know later this evening.

GLENN: Two questions: First, there are scenarios where Donald Trump comes in even third, but if he comes in second, how long is it going to take him -- this is kind of like how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, but how many minutes does it take before he turns on the voters of Iowa?

(laughter)

TED: Well, you know, that's an easy one to predict because he has already. You know, in the course of the campaign, he already bellowed, "How stupid are the people of Iowa," and that's while he was asking for their votes.

PAT: And that was just over a poll.

TED: Yeah. And yesterday -- well, he was mad that some people liked Ben Carson. That made him angry, and that's why he yelled how stupid are they.

PAT: Yeah.

TED: Just yesterday, he said, "If he doesn't win Iowa, then everything here was a big, fat, and very expensive waste of time." You know, I got to admit, I have a very different view. Regardless of the outcome, it has been an unbelievable privilege to spend so much time with so many wonderful people here in Iowa, people who have welcomed us into their homes, churches that have welcomed my father to preach. I mean, the hospitality, the passion, the hard work. You know, last night, Glenn, we had our closing rally in Des Moines. And there was a young lady. Thirteen years old, a girl from Lubbock, Texas, who was at the rally. She yesterday made 833 calls for us.

PAT: Wow.

GLENN: Wow.

TED: Sat in the headquarters just calling and calling and calling. That's inspiring.

GLENN: I met two doctors. Because I went to your phone center. And that was impressive. But I went to the phone center, and I met two doctors that have walked away from their practice since the beginning of December to make phone calls for you. Just moved. Just left the state. I think they're from Nebraska. Just left. Went to Iowa and started making phone calls. I mean, the sacrifice that these people have made because they believe in you and the ground game that you have -- the people -- the number of people that you have on the ground that are volunteers dwarfs anything else that anybody has. It's impressive.

TED: Go ahead.

GLENN: I'm up against a break here. I only have about three minutes, so I want to get to one question. Because if you come in second or, God forbid, third tonight, they're going to -- the press -- if you win, the press is going to say, "Of course, you won, the evangelicals."

TED: Right.

GLENN: "This was made for him. Of course, he won. He had to win."

If you come in second or third tonight, they're going to count him out and say, "See, he's just unelectable. People don't like him." And blah, blah. So there's no way for you to win in the press. Let's just play this scenario out.

TED: Yeah.

GLENN: You come in and you do as the polls show or a little less than what the polls show.

TED: Right.

GLENN: Donald Trump wins. Is there a path to you winning or anybody winning if Donald Trump wins?

TED: Oh, of course, there is.

Listen, the press -- if we win anything less than 100 percent of the votes tonight, which I'll go ahead and concede we won't win 100 percent of the votes tonight -- the press will spin it as a stunning defeat for Cruz. That's where the reporters are.

But we have from day one run been running a national campaign. We've got an incredible team here in Iowa. But we have an amazing team on the ground in New Hampshire. We have an amazing team in South Carolina. We have an amazing team in Nevada. We're all-in in each of the first four states. And then ten days after South Carolina is Super Tuesday, the so-called SECC states: Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas.

Our team across the Super Tuesday states is stronger by a factor of three or four or five than anybody else's team. And the reports just came out publicly that on the money front, that we ended last year with nearly $20 million in the bank, which is roughly as much as Rubio, Bush, Christie, and Kasich combined. So we've got the resources to go the distance. If Donald pulls out a win tonight, I will happily congratulate him. And then we will see this two-man race continue to go nationally, and we've got the resources and the grassroots.

And it will be a choice for the voters. Do Republicans want to nominate a candidate, who like Donald Trump, agrees with Hillary that we should adopt full-on socialized medicine, we should expand Obamacare to make it socialized medicine? The Republicans want to nominate a candidate like Donald Trump and like Marco Rubio, who agrees with Hillary Clinton that the 12 million people here illegally should be given a path to citizenship. Donald would send them home first, but then let them come back as citizens. I don't think the American people agree with that.

But we can have those debates on issues and substance. And the most important thing right now, Glenn, is for every one of your listeners in Iowa, if you want to turn this country around, if you want to get back to the Constitution, if you want to believe again in the promise of America, then I ask you to come out tonight, 7:00 p.m. and caucus. But don't just come. Bring your friends. Bring your family. Get on the phone this afternoon. If you know anybody in Iowa, come out and caucus. If conservatives show up tonight, we will win. And we're seeing that old Reagan coalition coming together. We're seeing conservatives and evangelicals and Libertarians and Reagan Democrats. And it's all about turnout right now

GLENN: Great. Thank you very much, Ted.

PAT: TedCruz.org.

GLENN: Thank you very much. We'll talk to you again, and we'll be watching tonight. Ted Cruz.

Featured Image: Screen shot from The Glenn Beck Program

'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.

POLL: Is Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

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A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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