Darryl Glenn Closing Gap to Defeat Senator Who Supported Obamacare, Iran Deal

September 24, 2016

Writer

Darryl Glenn, a promising new face on the national political scene, joined The Glenn Beck Program on Friday to discuss his current campaign for senator in the state of Colorado. A 21-year veteran of the U.S military with an MBA and law degree, Glenn is currently an El Paso County commissioner in Colorado Springs. Now within striking distance of defeating his Democratic opponent, Senator Michael Bennet, Glenn optimistically predicted a four-point win.

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

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

GLENN: An Air Force veteran retired in 2009 as a lieutenant colonel, he's involved in local politics and for some reason wants to commit living and working in Washington, DC, for the next six years. Good luck with that.

Darryl Glenn is joining us now from Colorado, nominee for Senate.

Hi, Darryl, how are you, sir?

DARRYL: Doing great. Thanks for having me back on.

GLENN: You bet. You have the endorsement of Ted Cruz. You have the endorsement I believe of Freedom Works. We talked to Club For Growth, and they're taking another look at you because you're now within striking distance. They said, the last time they looked at you, you were about 20 or 30 points behind. And now you're within striking distance of being the next senator in Colorado.

DARRYL: Yeah. If you believe polls, we're within seven, and closing rapidly. Our campaign has been based on faith and hard work, and we're going to win this thing by four.

GLENN: You're going to win it by four?

DARRYL: Absolutely.

GLENN: Why should -- why should the people in Colorado trust you, and what makes you not your stereotypical G.O.P. guy?

DARRYL: Well, I recognize the fact that so many people have helped me get to where I'm at.

You know, I'm a deep man of faith. Family, commitment, and making sure that we lay out a pathway to take care of that next generation. Because they're important to me. I spent 21 years serving this country. Retired as a lieutenant colonel. I've been blessed to have two adult daughters. And I'm looking at the direction that this country is going. And I'm concerned.

And enough to where you roll up your sleeves and you do something about it. So I'm grounded in making sure that we have people that will stand up for the Constitution, stand up for the founding principles that make us a great nation. And I'm going to do that.

GLENN: Darryl, what do you say to the people in Charlotte or the people in Tulsa that are rioting right now?

DARRYL: Well, what I do is tell them to take pause and allow the process to take place. We need to be calm. There needs to be clearly an investigation -- a very open and transparent investigation. But what I would caution people and really encourage them, what they need to do is this is a perfect opportunity where we need to bring people in the policy-making group, along with law enforcement, along with the community leaders, and we need to get together and start coming up with a plan on what is going on as far as making sure that we learn from the situation and learn from one another. Too often --

GLENN: In North Carolina, you've got a situation where a black officer killed a black man, and they're crying racism. How is that even possible? And how do you -- how do you solve -- better question: How do you solve a situation when the facts don't seem to matter?

Because we know there are bad cops. We know that -- there's bad people in all businesses and industries. So there's bad cops. And there's been a history of it. And we all want the bad guys out. But when -- when everyone who fires their gun are only firing their gun because they're a racist or they hate black people, you've got a real problem. How do you -- how do you come together with that?

DARRYL: Well, and that's where it takes leadership. Because a lot of the frustration that's out there, it comes from years of underlying tension, of not really recognizing and addressing issues that are within the community. And you can only do that when you bring all of the parties together and really have some substantive discussions. Because we keep talking over one another. Because like you've mentioned, good cops do not want bad cops on the street.

GLENN: No.

DARRYL: But also communities need to understand that if you are there and you're underemployed and unemployed, you need to also look at the policymakers that are in place. And what are they doing to help or hurt you? But we also must recognize that there are cultural differences. And the best way to talk about that is in a civil setting, where you get to know one another. And you also want to make sure that people understand the tactics that are being used by law enforcement so you can work together so there isn't this fear or perception that the law enforcement community is specifically targeting members of color.

So we got a lot of work to do.

GLENN: You'd be the second black senator, the first black senator was Tim Scott. A Republican. You are running for the Republican seat in Colorado. Is there anything to that for you that's special?

DARRYL: Service is special. I -- you know, this is -- and I'm very serious about this. I've been blessed to be in public office for over 13 years. And this is the only election where I've even thought about race. And that's because I believe that the current administration and the tone that's being sent out there, he ran as a great unitor, and I believe we are more racially divided today than we were back then. So now what?

GLENN: But aren't we more divided -- I mean, I don't even want to ask you about what you think about the front runner of the Republican Party because, no matter what you say, the party will split. And there is no acceptance of you one way or the other.

And aren't -- I mean, it's not just racial divides. We're doing it as conservatives. We're divided ourselves.

DARRYL: Well, I've been blessed to have started my campaign early. I've traveled around Colorado. And I am getting support from all parties, when it comes to -- when you're breaking down the Republican Party and all the internal problems that we're having, because I'm trying to stay focused on the message. The message is extremely important.

Because we're at a point in this country where this is a monumental election, where we're going to forever change -- when you start thinking about issues with regard to the Supreme Court, you need somebody to step up and lead. And that's what I'm bringing to the table. So the issues that I'm addressing are issues that resonate across this country. When you start thinking about national security issues. When you start thinking about energy independence. When you start thinking about fiscal responsibility and coming up with real solutions to deal with our debt.

It doesn't matter if you're Republican, Democrat, unaffiliated, if you're a American, if you love this country, we must buckle down and address these issues today because the next generation is going to suffer if we don't do our job.

GLENN: How do you do that with the next generation not paying attention because they don't believe in anybody? They don't believe in the parties. They don't believe in anything any politician can do. They see it as broken. They're going to pay the price. And, quite honestly, we are the -- this is the first time in my life that I have seen a culture that the facts do not matter, on either side.

DARRYL: Well, I happen to be blessed -- I have two millennials. And our campaign has been very successful being able to bring them into the fold because, one, we empower them and give them leadership positions within my organization. And we're including them in the conversation and talking with them instead of at them and showing them that if we support certain things -- that, really, when you think about the potential liberty infringements upon the millennials, they get that. They also get the importance of the debt and the fact that, guess what, they're going to be the ones that will have to deal with that.

So I'm very optimistic, at least about the millennials that we've been in contact with. And we're going to continue to work with them and empower them and invite them to be a part of our team. That's why we're telling everybody to go to ElectDarrylGlenn.com.

GLENN: So sitting Senator Michael Bennet, he's not going to debate with you. He's skipping the debate. You could look at him as the deciding vote that gave us Obamacare. He likes the Iran Nuclear Deal. He's a fan with Planned Parenthood. Seems to be okay with abortion. Even on board with population control with the United Nations.

If the good people of Colorado reelect Michael Bennet, would you say that is evidence that legalizing marijuana is a really bad thing? Maybe everyone was high.

DARRYL: Well, I think that -- well, luckily we won't have that problem because I'm going to win this race.

GLENN: How -- how is this the legalization of marijuana working out there? Has that changed anything? Go ahead.

DARRYL: It really has opened up, you know, a discussion about the pushback and whether or not we're going to stand up for the Tenth Amendment, states' rights or not. It's really opened up that discussion.

And there are some unintended consequences. And I still believe there's still more discussion that needs to occur. So you're going to continue see me to push to try to resolve that conflict. Because you either respect states' rights, or you need to do something else. And so we've got a long way to go.

GLENN: There's one more question, there's a lot of people in the Senate you could buddy up with. Who do you see in the Senate that you think, "I have to be in this group of senators. I want to be around these people?"

DARRYL: Well, I've -- believe it or not, I was just there yesterday. And I met with so many senators. And I generally get along with every single person that I've worked with or at least have talked to. And they've come out to campaign for me.

Senator Lankford is a personal hero of mine because we have a very deep connection when it comes to faith. Tim Scott has come out. Ted Cruz has come out. Mike Lee. Rand Paul. These are all guys that I really -- Ben Sasse, are all guys that I really personally see ideologically a lot alike.

GLENN: Wow. Hang on just a second, Darryl. I want everybody in this audience, if you feel small and insignificant like you haven't made a difference, remember in 2012 where we were. Could you list those senators again that you like?

DARRYL: Sure. I personally have relationships with Ben Sasse, with Ted Cruz, with Mike Lee, with Rand Paul, with Tim Scott, with -- when you start thinking about Senator Lankford, it's unbelievable. And guess what, I even shook hands with Mitch McConnell --

GLENN: Ooh. Ooh.

DARRYL: -- and he is supportive of my campaign. And so trust me, they are realizing that we need the Senate and they need Darryl Glenn in the Senate.

GLENN: Yeah.

Well, Darryl, it is great to talk to you. Elect Darryl Glenn is the website, is that right?

DARRYL: ElectDarrylGlenn.com.

GLENN: ElectDarrylGlenn.com is the website. And we think that you're somebody definitely to watch and if we were living in Colorado, we would definitely be voting for you. I should speak for myself: I would be voting for you, from what I know. And it's great to have you on the program. And best of luck to you.

DARRYL: Thank you and God bless.

GLENN: Thank you.

Look at that list. Is that -- was that not amazing?

STU: Some really good ones.

GLENN: And those were all from the Tea Party. Those were all from the Tea Party. There was a time where we couldn't name one in the Senate that we could trust.

Featured Image: Darryl Glenn arrives on stage during the evening session of the Republican National Convention at the Quicken Loans arena in Cleveland, Ohio on July 18, 2016. The Republican Party opened its national convention Monday, kicking off a four-day political jamboree that will anoint billionaire Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee. (Photo Credit: DOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images)

What is the Secret Service trying to hide about Trump's assassination attempt?

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / Contributor, Anadolu / Contributor | Getty Images

This past weekend we were mere inches away from a radically different America than the one we have today. This was the first time a president had been wounded by a would-be assassin since 1981, and the horrific event has many people questioning the competency and motives of the supposedly elite agents trusted with the president's life.

The director of the Secret Service apparently knew about the assassin's rooftop before the shooting—and did nothing.

Kimberly Cheatle has come under intense scrutiny these last couple of weeks, as Secret Service director she is responsible for the president's well-being, along with all security operations onsite. In a recent interview with ABC, Cheatle admitted that she was aware of the building where the assassin made his mark on American history. She even said that she was mindful of the potential risk but decided against securing the site due to "safety concerns" with the slope of the roof. This statement has called her competence into question. Clearly, the rooftop wasn't that unsafe if the 20-year-old shooter managed to access it.

Glenn pointed out recently that Cheatle seems to be unqualified for the job. Her previous position was senior director in global security at America's second-favorite soda tycoon, PepsiCo. While guarding soda pop and potato chips sounds like an important job to some, it doesn't seem like a position that would qualify you to protect the life of America's most important and controversial people. Even considering her lack of appropriate experience, this seems like a major oversight that even a layperson would have seen. Can we really chalk this up to incompetence?

Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

The Secret Service and DHS said they'd be transparent with the investigation...

Shortly after the attempted assassination, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Secret Service, launched an investigation into the shooting and the security protocols in place at the rally. The DHS promised full transparency during the investigation, but House Republicans don't feel that they've been living up to that promise. Republican members of the House Oversight Committee are frustrated with Director Cheatle after she seemingly dodged a meeting scheduled for Tuesday. This has resulted in calls for Cheatle to step down from her position.

Two FBI agents investigate the assassin's rooftop Jeff Swensen / Stringer | Getty Images

Why is the Secret Service being so elusive? Are they just trying to cover their blunder? We seem to be left with two unsettling options: either the government is even more incompetent than we'd ever believed, or there is more going on here than they want us to know.

Cheatle steps down

Following a horrendous testimony to the House Oversight Committee Director Cheatle finally stepped down from her position ten days after the assassination attempt. Cheatle failed to give any meaningful answer to the barrage of questions she faced from the committee. These questions, coming from both Republicans and Democrats, were often regarding basic information that Cheatle should have had hours after the shooting, yet Cheatle struggled with each and every one. Glenn pointed out that Director Cheatle's resignation should not signal the end of the investigation, the American people deserve to know what happened.

What we DO and DON'T know about Thomas Matthew Crooks

Jim Vondruska / Stringer | Getty Images

It has been over a week since 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks narrowly failed to assassinate President Trump while the president gave a speech at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennslyvania. Despite the ongoing investigations, we still know very little about the would-be assassin, which has left many wondering if the agencies involved are limiting the information that Congress and the public are receiving.

As Glenn has pointed out, there are still major questions about the shooter that are unanswered, and the American people are left at the whim of unreliable federal agencies. Here is everything we know—and everything we don't know—about Thomas Matthew Crooks:

Who was he?

What we know:Thomas Crooks lived in Bethel Parks, Pennsylvania, approximately an hour south of Butler. Crooks went to high school in Bethel Parks, where he would graduate in 2022. Teachers and classmates described him as a loner and as nerdy, but generally nice, friendly, and intelligent. Crooks tried out for the school rifle team but was rejected due to his poor aim, and reports indicate that Crooks was often bullied for his nerdy demeanor and for wearing camo hunting gear to school.

After high school, Crooks began work at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center as a dietary aide. In fact, he was scheduled to work on the day of the rally but requested the day off. He passed a background check to work at the facility and was reportedly an unproblematic employee. Crooks was also a member of a local gun club where he practiced shooting the day before the rally.

It was recently revealed that sometime before his attempted assassination, Crooks posted the following message on Steam, a popular computer application used for playing video games: "July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds." Aside from this, Crooks posted no warning or manifesto regarding his attack, and little other relevant information is known about him.

What we don't know:It is unclear what Crook's political affiliations or views were, or if he was aligned with any extremist organizations. Crooks was a registered Republican, and his classmates recall him defending conservative ideas and viewpoints in class. On the other hand, the Federal Election Commission has revealed he donated to a progressive PAC on the day Biden was inaugurated. He also reportedly wore a COVID mask to school much longer than was required.

Clearly, we are missing the full picture. Why would a Republican attempt to assassinate the Republican presidential nominee? What is to gain? And why would he donate to a progressive organization as a conservative? This doesn't add up, and so far the federal agencies investigating the attack have yet to reveal anything more.

What were his goals?

What we know: Obviously we know he was trying to assassinate President Trump—and came very close to succeeding, but beyond that, Crooks' goals are unknown. He left no manifesto or any sort of written motive behind, or if he did, the authorities haven't published it yet. We have frustratingly little to go off of.

What we don't know: As stated before, we don't know anything about the movies behind Crooks' heinous actions. We are left with disjointed pieces that make it difficult to paint a cohesive picture of this man. There is also the matter that he left explosives, ammo, and a bulletproof vest in his car. Why? Did he assume he was going to make it back to his car? Or were those supplies meant for an accomplice that never showed up?

The shocking lack of information on Crooks' motives makes it seem likely that we are not being let on to the whole truth.

Did he work alone?

What we know: Reportedly, Crooks was the only gunman on the site, and as of now, no other suspects have been identified. The rifle used during the assassination attempt was purchased and registered by Crooks' father. However, it is unlikely that the father was involved as he reported both his son and rifle missing the night of the assassination attempt. Crooks' former classmates described him as a "loner," which seems to corroborate the narrative that he worked alone.

What we don't know: We know how Crooks acquired his rifle, but what about the rest of his equipment? He reportedly had nearly a hundred extra rounds of ammunition, a bulletproof vest, and several homemade bombs in his car. Could these have been meant for a co-conspirator who didn't show? Did Crooks acquire all of this equipment himself, or did he have help?

There's also the matter of the message Crooks left on the video game platform Steam that served as his only warning of the attack. Who was the message for? Are there people out there who were aware of the attack before it occurred? Why didn't they alert authorities?

We know authorities have access to Crooks' laptop and cellphone that probably contain the answers to these pertinent questions. Why haven't we heard any clarity from the authorities? It seems we are again at the mercy of the federal bureaucracy, which begs one more question: Will we ever know the whole truth?

Who will be Kamala Harris' VP pick?

JIM WATSON / Contributor, Chris duMond / Stringer, Justin Sullivan / Staff | Getty Images

Over the weekend, President Joe Biden officially dropped out of the 2024 presidential election and put forward his endorsement behind his Vice President Kamala Harris.

Glenn recently predicted that Biden would step down due to the mountain of pressure within his party to do so. But now that we are here we are faced with an all-new line of questions, like, who will be the candidate on the Democratic ticket? Who will be their pick for vice president?

As of now, the answer to the first question seems to be Kamala Harris, who received the support of the president and several prominent democrats. It's still too early to call for certain, and Glenn doesn't think it's likely, but assuming Kamala becomes the Democrat nominee, who will her VP pick be? There are endless possible options, but there are a 5 big names that could prove beneficial to Harris' campaign:

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

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Governor Newsom has spiked in popularity within his party since his taking office in 2019 due to his scathing criticisms of President Trump and other Republicans. Newsom has been a popular contender as a possible Biden replacement, and a future presidential bid seems likely.

His widespread recognition may be a boon to Kamala's ticket, but the California governor comes with a dark side. Newsom was famously nearly recalled as Governor in 2021, hanging on to his office by a narrow margin. He also faced criticism for his hypocrisy during the COVID lockdowns, attending large gatherings while the rest of his state was locked inside. There's also the issue that both Newsom and Kamala are from California, meaning that if they were to appear on the same ticket, that ticket would lack geographical balance and would potentially lead to a Constitutional issue that would force the duo to forfeit all 54 of the states' Electoral College votes.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Tom Williams / Contributor | Getty Images

Another prominent Democrat Governor, Josh Shapiro has also been floated as a potential VP pick. Governor Shapiro has become a viable pick due to his well-received performance as Pennslyvania's Governor. The governor has good support within the swing state due to his handling of the I-95 bridge collapse, the train derailment in East Palestine, which had effects on his state, and the assassination attempt on the former president last week. Shapiro would bring much-needed support from the swing state if he was put on the ticket.

That being said, Shapiro has little time to build nationwide name recognition before the DNC in August and the November election. This would be Shapiro's debut on the national stage, and he would find himself in the most unforgiving situation possible.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

FREDERIC J. BROWN / Contributor | Getty Images

Former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and opponent of Biden during the 2020 Democratic primaries, "Mayor Pete's" name recognition might be what Kamala needs on her presidential ticket. Buttigieg rose to popularity during the 2020 election due to his youth and status as "openly gay." Buttigieg has served as the Secretary of Transportation during the Biden administration for the past four years and has formally endorsed Harris.

Nevertheless, Buttigieg has some dark spots on his resume. The East Palestine train derailment disaster has besmirched his reputation as Secretary of Transportation. And while his youth may work in his favor when compared to the other elderly members of our federal government, it also means Buttigieg lacks the experience and prestige that other politicians enjoy.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

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Yet another governor of a crucial swing state, Whitmer was elected in 2018, two years after President Trump was elected, helping secure the state for the Democrats. Whitmer is known for her strong opposition to Trump, both during his presidency and his reelection campaign. Whitmer serves as co-chair for the Biden-Harris campaign and as vice chairperson of the DNC, which gives her influence over the Democratic party, something that would come in handy as a Vice President. Gov. Whitmer also established the Fight Like Hell PAC, which is dedicated to helping Democrats get elected and to stopping Trump by any means.

On the other hand, in a statement following Biden's resignation from the election, Governor Whitmer stated that her role “will remain the same.” It is also worth noting that if she were to be chosen as Kamala's VP, that would make their ticket all-female, which may foster some "woke points," but is politically risky.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

Lexington Herald-Leader / Contributor | Getty Images

Andy Bashear has seemingly beaten the odds twice, having been elected and reelected as the Governor of Kentucky, despite the deep-red nature of the state. Beshear, who has moderate tendencies, would be a boon to the Harris campaign as he has a track record of reaching rural, typically conservative regions where Democrats tend to struggle. He is also known for his propensity to talk about his Christian faith and willingness to work with Republicans, which are traits that might help win over moderates.

But, like Gov. Shapiro, Bashear has very little time to whip up national support and recognition. He also is unlikely to be very much help for the Harris campaign in winning over important swing states.

Five times Glenn had J.D. Vance on his show and where he stands on key issues

CHANDAN KHANNAMANDEL NGAN / Contributor | Getty Images

We finally have an answer to the long-awaited question of who Trump will pick for his running mate, and it's none other than Ohio Senator and friend of the show, J.D. Vance. At the RNC in Milwaukee, Trump officially accepted the party's nomination as the Republican candidate and announced J.D. Vance as his running mate.

Glenn has had Senator Vance on the show several times to discuss everything from DEI to the Southern Border. If you are looking to familiarize yourself with the next potential Vice President, look no further, here are five conversations Glenn had with Trump's VP pick:

Glenn's Show Prep