Donald Trump's Despicable Debate

February 16, 2016

Writer

The Context

Back live on the air following Presidents Day, Pat and Stu filled in for Glenn on The Glenn Beck Program. Top on their minds was the most recent GOP debate in South Carolina, particularly Donald Trump's performance, which took political discourse to an all-time low.

"The guy is despicable," Pat said. "And has he proven it any more than he did on Saturday night? I mean, just despicable."

Stu agreed.

"The single worst debate performance of any candidate I've ever seen," he said.

The Boos Have It

Trump was booed nine times for his behavior which bordered on angry and psychotic. Rather than focus on issues and solutions, Trump took to name calling and attacking his fellow presidential hopefuls. The audience responded accordingly, especially when the real estate mogul attacked Jeb Bush on foreign policy, blaming his brother, President George W. Bush, for the terror attacks on 9/11 that brought down the World Trade Center buildings.

"Has that ever happened? Has there ever been a debate in the history of politics in which one of the candidates was booed six, seven, eight, nine, times?" Stu asked.

Trump --- seemingly without evidence --- blamed the booing on lobbyists and donors supporting Bush.

Double Standard

During the previous presidential debate, Marco Rubio suffered a loss in polls and votes in New Hampshire after what the media labeled a bad debate performance. He was blasted for repeating talking points multiple times in an exchange with Chris Christie, who has now dropped out of the race.

"It's the end of his life. The man might as well just move out of the country because he's such a disgrace to this nation," Stu joked about Rubio.

Yet Trump's despicable debate performance in South Carolina hasn't seemed to hurt him in the polls or with his supporters. Likewise, the media has given him a platform to complain about the Republican Party and threaten a third party run --- which he promised not to do.

Common Sense Bottom Line

Donald Trump is not fit for the presidency. He is not the man of character and honor we need at this hour. He is not a true conservative, and has changed his opinions to suit the political climate. Learn the truth about Donald Trump's character --- in his own words and actions --- in our Donald Trump series. The choice for president has never been more critical.

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

PAT: Glenn is off today. So Stu and I are filling in. Pat and Stu and Jeffy is here too. A lot, of course, happened over the weekend. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died. And we have to get to the G.O.P. debate from Saturday. We do that, right now.

(music)

PAT: Welcome to the GlennBeck.com Glenn Beck Program with Pat and Stu and Jeffy too. So, yeah, Antonin Scalia died over the weekend. That was tragic, of course, for his family. It's horrific for the country. I mean, we'll get into that coming up. Also, we'll have the debates -- we should stop doing the debates on Saturday night. I hate the Saturday night debate. Can we do it during the week? I don't want to watch a debate on Saturday night. First of all, I don't care about the debate on the weekend, okay.

JEFFY: You don't care about it on the weekday.

PAT: I care about it on a weekday, okay? Don't bother me about your dumb debate on a start Saturday night. I have other stuff going on. Okay? I got other stuff.

STU: Is it connected to the Democratic proposal to like make sure nobody watches it?

PAT: I guess that's what it is.

STU: I mean, they got really big ratings. 13.8 million or something watched it, which is five million more than the last Democratic debate. 5 million more. Pretty impressive.

PAT: Pretty good. The Democrats, I don't know where they get off thinking they have this thing in the bag or they can pummel the G.O.P. like they are because all indications are otherwise. All indications are that they're in trouble.

STU: I think a big part of that is the current frontrunner of the Republican Party.

JEFFY: Yes.

PAT: That could be.

STU: They're like, "Oh, we're running against that guy."

PAT: We got this in the bag.

STU: Oh, okay. We should be good. Let's run the socialist. Let's see how that works out this time.

PAT: And it might work out for them okay if they do, if Trump gets the nomination. The guy is despicable. And has he proven it any more than he did on Saturday night? I mean, just despicable. Was that not angry, mean --

STU: The single worst debate performance of any candidate I've ever seen.

PAT: I thought it was.

STU: Think about it from the perspective of -- Marco Rubio came out, and he apparently repeated a line from his stump speech a couple times in a debate, and it's the end of his campaign. It's the end of his life. The man might as well just move out of the country because he's such a disgrace to this nation.

PAT: Yeah, go back to Cuba.

STU: Donald Trump was booed more than over a half dozen times, where his own party was supposedly the one holding it.

PAT: Over and over again.

STU: Which I say supposedly, because I don't see how there's any evidence other than the fact that he apparently registered as a Republican, there's any other evidence that he actually is a Republican.

Has that ever happened? Has there ever been a debate in the history of politics in which one of the candidates was booed six, seven, eight, nine, times? Those are your lobbyists.

PAT: I don't think so. And that's his thing. That's his thing.

Those are Jeb's donors. Those are Jeb's donors. I don't have any donors. I just have my wife and my son here. I'm just a little guy. I don't have a bunch of big donors. I'm self-funded.

STU: Yeah, which is weird because then someone should go to his campaign team and figure out where the embezzled funds are going that are coming from the giant donate button on his website. They should really track that one down. Because someone is funneling millions of dollars to some vacation resort, some, I don't know, Bugatti. Someone is buying something awesome with the money coming in. Because for some reason they continue to have a donate button even though they claim they're self-funding.

PAT: Yeah, he's despicable. Here's what he said. They started out the debate in a very somber way, talking about Antonin Scalia.

DONALD: Well, I can say this. If the president -- and if I were president now, I would certainly want to try and nominate a justice, and I'm sure that -- frankly, I'm absolutely sure that President Obama will try and do it. I hope that our Senate is going to be able to -- Mitch and the entire group is going to be able to do something about it in times --

PAT: Mitch and the entire group. It's Mitch and the Entire Group performing today. One show only! Mitch and the Entire Group!

STU: That's really bad.

PAT: The guy doesn't know Mitch McConnell's last name is. He doesn't know what the US Senate is called. He can't think on his feet.

DONALD: We could have a Diane Sykes, or you could have a Bill HEP Pryor. We have some fantastic people. But this is a tremendous blow to conservatism. It's a tremendous blow frankly to our country.

PAT: Conservatism.

VOICE: So just to be clear on this, Mr. Trump, you're okay with --

STU: Stop for one second. I love that he's naming a couple of justices there. Obviously he knows that last time he tried to improv that answer, he named his sister, which he now claims was a joke, which it was not a joke at all.

PAT: No.

STU: He claimed his sister who was a hard-core abortion activist in the courts.

PAT: Big-time leftist.

STU: Big-time leftist. Overturned the partial-birth abortion ban. To remind you, partial-birth abortion is opposed by about 90 percent of the American people. They overturned that. He initially names her as a good Supreme Court justice. Now he comes back with a couple of names. I really wish -- you know, Cruz did okay in the debate, I thought. He wasn't unbelievable, but did pretty well. I would have loved to have seen Cruz push back on those names because you know he knows who those people are.

Really, Don, so what exactly makes you think Diane Sykes would be a great choice? Can you name any one of the -- how about this, give me one way she ruled once? How about that?

PAT: It's so easy to take this guy apart, and nobody will. Except Jeb. I mean, Jeb is the only one with the giblets to do something about him.

JEFFY: He's trying. Yes, he is.

PAT: And I think it's because he's so far behind, he's got nothing to lose. With Cruz, it's just too risky right now. And so I think he's trying to walk that fine line of not pushing too hard because you don't want the blowback coming from that blowhard. So it's a tough line to walk. But he had more to say --

JEFFY: It's already coming.

PAT: I know. I know.

VOICE: -- nominating somebody.

DONALD: I think he's going to do it whether I'm okay with it or not. I think it's up to Mitch McConnell and everybody else to stop it. It's called delay, delay, delay.

PAT: Oh, he did -- it's called we have a country, okay?

STU: It's called we have a country.

Featured Image: Republican presidential candidates (L-R) Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Donald Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) participate in a CBS News GOP Debate February 13, 2016 at the Peace Center in Greenville, South Carolina. Residents of South Carolina will vote for the Republican candidate at the primary on February 20. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

'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?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

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?

Glenn's Show Prep