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Pat's 70's Music Obsession Finally Pays off With the Best Theory Ever About Trump

September 27, 2016
Lori Hanes

Writer

In what has been an unprecedented election season, Donald Trump has positioned himself as an outsider and bulldozed the competition to become the Republican presidential nominee. How did this anomaly happen? Co-host Pat Gray may have stumbled upon the best theory ever.

"This has all come down to Donald Trump, and what is the model? What is the historic model here, and how does it all end?" Glenn asked Tuesday on his radio program.

Believe it or not, Pat's theory involves radio personality Howard Stern.

"Oh, my gosh, that is the best comparison I have ever heard, and it explains why it's working," Glenn remarked when he heard the theory for the first time.

So what brilliance has Pat possibly discovered that could explain the phenomenon that is Donald Trump?

Read below or listen to the full segment for answers to these historic questions:

• Will Pat ever listen to anything other than the '70s on Seven?

• Why does Glenn describe Donald Trump as the Howard Stern of politics?

• How did Howard Stern crush some of the most successful radio show hosts in the '80s and '90s?

• Is Howard Stern the wind beneath Donald Trump's wings?

• Why did Glenn say, Damn right! in response to something Donald Trump said at the debate?

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

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

GLENN: So everyone says this is an anomaly. Donald Trump is an anomaly. It never happened before.

PAT: Uh-huh.

GLENN: Yada, yada. Yes, it has just not in politics.

PAT: Right.

GLENN: But it has happened in our lifetime in a very, very visual, in your face, everybody watched it, witnessed it, sort of way. Listen to this.

PAT: And we just never thought of it. At least I haven't heard anybody talk about this. It kind of hit me as I was -- there's kind of a strange circuitous way I got to this. But I was just looking at the ratings for Sirius XM, and, you know, trying to find out -- I listen to the '70s on Seven all the time.

GLENN: Just get to the point.

PAT: It's number four. But Howard Stern was number one. So I'm thinking about that as I'm coming into work today and thinking about how Trump had mentioned him last night. And then it hit me.

Howard Stern, when he goes into markets -- he started in New York, and then he goes into Washington, DC, and then he goes into Philadelphia. And every time he does that --

GLENN: Now, this is in a time when radio -- this is before XM Sirius. This is --

PAT: Yeah, this is before massive syndication. There's no syndicated shows at this time.

GLENN: And everyone said, when he was in Washington, DC, it won't work.

PAT: It won't work.

GLENN: It won't work here. It's unique. It's a flash in the pan. He's a one-hit wonder.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: And when he moved from Washington, DC, he went to New York, and it worked again. He starts syndication.

PAT: And so he goes to Philadelphia, and the number one show for I think a decade or more was John DeBella.

GLENN: More than that.

PAT: He had been number one in Philadelphia for as long as anybody could remember.

GLENN: And everybody loved -- he was Mr. Philadelphia.

PAT: Loved DeBella. Yeah, everybody listened to him. Everybody loved him.

GLENN: And there was a graveyard of people with millions of dollars in promotion behind them --

PAT: That tried to --

GLENN: Just bodies filled with people who tried to take on John DeBella. Tried everything, and it never worked.

PAT: Howard Stern came in and took on John DeBella, immediately. Focused on him every day. Started talking about him. Started repositioning. Put his wife on the air. His ex-wife. You know, she told secrets about him. He became -- he became this laughingstock after a while.

GLENN: Yeah.

PAT: He completely repositioned John DeBella, and John DeBella wound up I think getting fired later on. Stern went to number one in Philadelphia. He went into Rochester.

GLENN: Wait. Wait. Wait. So bad -- it was so bad in Philadelphia that if I'm not mistaken, John DeBella's ex-wife committed suicide. Committed suicide.

PAT: Eventually committed suicide, yeah.

GLENN: Because -- and you can't ever prove --

PAT: No, you can't blame that that on Stern.

GLENN: Yeah, you can't blame it on Stern.

PAT: But the humiliation factor was there.

GLENN: So strong in -- in this. And he destroyed the -- any semblance of normalcy for John DeBella and his family.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: He completely repositioned him. Within a year, it was over.

PAT: And Stern was number one from then on. And DeBella was nowhere to be found. He went into Rochester, New York, where they had Brother Wease. And he had shares in the teens and 20s at one point. The guy was a legend --

GLENN: So you know -- yeah, Brother Wease was -- everyone knew Brother Wease. Everybody loved Brother Wease. Brother Wease was a guy on the rock station, so he was really cool. He was very charitable. He had a child that was very handicapped. He would tell a story. Everybody loved Brother Wease.

PAT: And Stern made fun of all that. Took him into an old guy. He's tired. He's a has-been.

GLENN: Took on his handicapped child.

PAT: Took on his handicapped child and destroyed Brother Wease. He became number one in Rochester.

GLENN: And in both of those -- in both of those scenarios, everybody in the market will get into what their strategy was. But everybody in the market said, "This won't work. You can't take him on like that. You can't do those things."

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: And then when he would take on the handicapped child and he would take on the wife and the wife would kill herself, everybody would say, "This is going to backfire." And it never did. It only made Howard Stern much stronger.

PAT: Stronger and cooler and hipper.

GLENN: Yep, yep.

JEFFY: Stronger.

PAT: Well, then he went into probably the toughest market of all, he went into Los Angeles in like '94, '95, and nobody thought Howard Stern could possibly work in Los Angeles. Completely different attitude. Completely different mindset. Completely different audience.

It's a -- California is laid-back. It's not like New York. That attitude is not going to work there. Plus, Mark & Brian were by far number one in Los Angeles.

GLENN: And they were the coolest, so funny, so -- just -- I mean, so innovative. They were absolutely brilliant.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: And had totally changed the landscape of morning radio. Totally doing something completely different.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: And everybody not only liked them, these guys were not old, they were really hip and cool.

PAT: Early to mid-30s, young guys, and they took the old zoo format and completely turned it on its head.

GLENN: Turned it upside down.

PAT: And made morning radio really cool again.

GLENN: Yeah. But on a rock station. So they weren't bubble gum. They were on a rock station.

PAT: Yes.

GLENN: Each time, he went in taking down the number one guy --

PAT: Because he was on a rock station.

GLENN: -- they were on the rock station. So this wasn't Top 40 bubble gum stuff. These were the cool people in the town that he was taking apart.

PAT: And Stern never bothered with anybody else. He only took on the top person. He didn't -- he didn't bother with, "I'm going to get number ten, and then I'm going to work my way -- he always went for the top morning show in any given market.

GLENN: Untouchable.

PAT: So he repositioned Mark & Brian from funny and hip and cool to stupid and lame and sissies. And they were too nice. And so he repositioned nice into wuss cakes.

GLENN: And homosexuals.

PAT: And homosexuals. He made them out to be gay. And he played old clips of their TV show, which didn't work out well. The TV show -- the Adventures of Mark & Brian. You remember that?

GLENN: NBC. It was on NBC.

JEFFY: Oh, right.

PAT: And it was not a good show because they were radio guys and it was just radio stunts on NBC and it just didn't work. But he repositioned them completely. They went from number one in Los Angeles to number 11 in a very -- I think it was like six months. Nobody thought it could happen. Stern went from nowhere to number one. Mark & Brian didn't just go to number two, they went to number 11.

They went from a nine-share to a 3-6 in less than a year. And they were never the same again. They never recovered from that.

GLENN: So now, tie this to the election.

PAT: So Donald Trump is the Howard Stern of politics.

GLENN: Yep.

PAT: Donald Trump takes on every challenger, everybody who comes near him -- his next closest competitor, he repositions. It's lying Ted. It's little Marco.

GLENN: It's crooked Hillary.

PAT: It's crooked Hillary.

GLENN: It is the Howard Stern act.

PAT: And it hit me that here they are good friends, Trump has been on the show multiple times. I mean, the guy was on the show all the time. He's a huge fan.

GLENN: And he lives the lifestyle of Howard Stern.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: Which also explains how Joe lunch bucket sitting there on the barstool, he's just saying the same thing -- well, yeah. He's -- he's speaking to the Howard Stern fan. Okay?

PAT: Uh-huh.

GLENN: He's speaking to that same mentality, that that is just the guy who is sitting on the barstool. That's the way -- this -- he is the Howard Stern of politics.

PAT: He learned his lessons, I think, directly from Stern.

GLENN: Yes.

PAT: And he thought, "Wow, that is a winning formula." And it is. And he's used it in politics so effectively. And I --

GLENN: I have been saying -- I have been saying that Roger Ailes is the guy who is going to get Donald Trump elected. But I think Howard Stern is actually going to be responsible for getting him elected. Not that Howard is doing anything behind the scenes or anything like that --

PAT: Or that it was even intentional.

GLENN: Or that it was even intentional. But he is using the Howard Stern model. And everyone who is fighting against him, they don't realize that the old model is over.

PAT: Right.

GLENN: And so every single person -- Wease, what's his name in Chicago -- or, I mean, in Philadelphia.

PAT: Philadelphia. DeBella.

GLENN: Yeah, DeBella, and Mark & Brian, they all did the same thing: Ignore him, ignore him, ignore him. He'll go away.

PAT: Mark & Brian never once mentioned his name. Never mentioned him.

GLENN: Yeah. And as it went along the road, every time that he would do something outrageous -- he's calling Mark & Brian homosexuals. That should not fly in Los Angeles. That should not fly in Los Angeles.

PAT: Not with fans of theirs.

GLENN: Right. And just not with the California mindset. You're going to start calling people gay? Okay. Then you don't take on somebody's handicap child. You don't take on somebody's family. Their wife and get in the middle of a divorce.

PAT: And he mocked a handicap guy during the campaign. And nobody cares.

GLENN: Nobody cares. Nobody cares. In fact, it all makes him stronger.

That's incredible. That's incredible.

So the American people, you're making your own choice. You know, the American people -- what the American people are doing is making their own choice. And they will decide which one is going to be president or not. And it is the parties that are going to lose. It's the parties that are going to lose. They don't realize that Donald Trump last night showed them the noose that is going around all of their necks.

Remember, he is burning everything down. And here's an example of it: Can you imagine a time in American history where someone could say, "Yeah, I'm worth $640 million, and I know that doesn't sound like very much." What?

640 million, that sounds like a lot to me. Ten minutes later, it's $650 million, not 640. Not even ten minutes -- within ten minutes, it was $650 million that he was worth. Okay?

But that's not the point. He then said, "I use bankruptcy as a tool." Not as a last resort. Not as, hey, it's shameful. It's -- you know, a lot of people lost their jobs. It was really hard. It was the most embarrassing. I used that as a tool. You don't like it? Don't make that law.

PAT: Change the laws.

GLENN: I use everything at my disposal. The reason why he's not showing income tax -- his incomes taxes, because it shows he paid no income tax.

STU: Which he seemed to honestly admit last night.

GLENN: Right. So you have -- everybody else ran from that. What did he say? That makes me smart.

What is Joe Lunch Bucket saying? The parties are saying, "Oh, you can't say that." He's saying it. And what is the average person saying, "Damn right, I wish I could get away with that."

JEFFY: Yep.

GLENN: If I could get away with that -- it's the burning of the system. If I can get away with it, I'm going to do it.

I admire him because he's getting away with it. It's the Tony Soprano. Looking at Tony Soprano and saying, ah, Tony Soprano, what a life. Eh, you know, he's not that bad of a guy.

No, no.

PAT: The guy is a killer.

GLENN: The guy is a killer.

But we're looking at now the burning down of the system. And so he did not say the Democrats or the Republicans, the progressives or the conservatives, he put everyone into the same bucket. Which is what America is doing, politicians. Politicians: bad. Us: good.

He's putting the rope around every politician's neck

PAT: Yeah. And the thing I couldn't understand last night was how conservatives are okay with him -- and he's done this every single debate. They're completely okay, apparently, with him declaring bankruptcy four times and making that into a positive thing. They let him get away with that every single time.

JEFFY: Business.

GLENN: Yeah, it's business. Business.

PAT: Business. Business. And I'm just using the system.

GLENN: And what he said on taxes was abhorrent and absolutely right. Abhorrent. "I didn't pay any taxes, that makes me a genius." Come on, man. You know that's not right. But genius. "And even if I did pay it, you'd squander it anyway." I sat in my living room and went, "Damn right."

PAT: That's true. Yeah.

GLENN: Okay? The burning down of the entire system.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: The worst leading us to the worst.

Featured Image: oward Stern arrives at the 'America's Got Talent' Season 10 Red Carpet Event at New Jersey Performing Arts Center on March 2, 2015 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

The Woodrow Wilson Mother's Day loophole

Stock Montage / Contributor, Xinhua News Agency / Contributor | Getty Images

I’ve got a potentially helpful revelation that’s gonna blow the lid off your plans for this Sunday. It’s Mother’s Day.

Yeah, that sacred day where you’re guilt-tripped into buying flowers, braving crowded brunch buffets, and pretending you didn’t forget to mail the card. But what if I told you… you don’t have to do it? That’s right, there’s a loophole, a get-out-of-Mother’s-Day-free card, and it’s stamped with the name of none other than… Woodrow Wilson (I hate that guy).

Back in 1914, ol’ Woody Wilson signed a proclamation that officially made Mother’s Day a national holiday. Second Sunday in May, every year. He said it was a day to “publicly express our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” Sounds sweet, right? Until you peel back the curtain.

See, Wilson wasn’t some sentimental guy sitting around knitting doilies for his mom. No, no, no. This was a calculated move.

The idea for Mother’s Day had been floating around for decades, pushed by influential voices like Julia Ward Howe. By 1911, states were jumping on the bandwagon, but it took Wilson to make it federal. Why? Because he was a master of optics. This guy loved big, symbolic gestures to distract from the real stuff he was up to, like, oh, I don’t know, reshaping the entire federal government!

So here’s the deal: if you’re looking for an excuse to skip Mother’s Day, just lean into this. Say, “Sorry, Mom, I’m not celebrating a holiday cooked up by Woodrow Wilson!” I mean, think about it – this is the guy who gave us the Federal Reserve, the income tax, and don’t even get me started on his assault on basic liberties during World War I. You wanna trust THAT guy with your Sunday plans? I don’t think so! You tell your mom, “Look, I love you, but I’m not observing a Progressive holiday. I’m keeping my brunch money in protest.”

Now, I know what you might be thinking.

“Glenn, my mom’s gonna kill me if I try this.” Fair point. Moms can be scary. But hear me out: you can spin this. Tell her you’re honoring her EVERY DAY instead of some government-mandated holiday. You don’t need Wilson’s permission to love your mom! You can bake her a cake in June, call her in July, or, here’s a wild idea, visit her WITHOUT a Woodrow Wilson federal proclamation guilting you into it.

Shocking Christian massacres unveiled

Aldara Zarraoa / Contributor | Getty Images

Is a Christian Genocide unfolding overseas?

Recent reports suggest an alarming escalation in violence against Christians, raising questions about whether these acts constitute genocide under international law. Recently, Glenn hosted former U.S. Army Special Forces Sniper Tim Kennedy, who discussed a predictive model that forecasts a surge in global Christian persecution for the summer of 2025.

From Africa to Asia and the Middle East, extreme actions—some described as genocidal—have intensified over the past year. Over 380 million Christians worldwide face high levels of persecution, a number that continues to climb. With rising international concern, the United Nations and human rights groups are urging protective measures by the global community. Is a Christian genocide being waged in the far corners of the globe? Where are they taking place, and what is being done?

India: Hindu Extremist Violence Escalates

Yawar Nazir / Contributor | Getty Images

In India, attacks on Christians have surged as Hindu extremist groups gain influence within the country. In February 2025, Hindu nationalist leader Aadesh Soni organized a 50,000-person rally in Chhattisgarh, where he called for the rape and murder of all Christians in nearby villages and demanded the execution of Christian leaders to erase Christianity. Other incidents include forced conversions, such as a June 2024 attack in Chhattisgarh, where a Hindu mob gave Christian families a 10-day ultimatum to convert to Hinduism. In December 2024, a Christian man in Uttar Pradesh was attacked, forcibly converted, and paraded while the mob chanted "Death to Jesus."

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommends designating India a "Country of Particular Concern" and imposing targeted sanctions on those perpetrating these attacks. The international community is increasingly alarmed by the rising tide of religious violence in India.

Syria: Sectarian Violence Post-Regime Change

LOUAI BESHARA / Contributor | Getty Images

Following the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024, Syria has seen a wave of sectarian violence targeting religious minorities, including Christians, with over 1,000 killed in early 2025. It remains unclear whether Christians are deliberately targeted or caught in broader conflicts, but many fear persecution by the new regime or extremist groups. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a dominant rebel group and known al-Qaeda splinter group now in power, is known for anti-Christian sentiments, heightening fears of increased persecution.

Christians, especially converts from Islam, face severe risks in the unstable post-regime environment. The international community is calling for humanitarian aid and protection for Syria’s vulnerable minority communities.

Democratic Republic of Congo: A "Silent Genocide"

Hugh Kinsella Cunningham / Stringer | Getty Images

In February 2025, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an ISIS-affiliated group, beheaded 70 Christians—men, women, and children—in a Protestant church in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, after tying their hands. This horrific massacre, described as a "silent genocide" reminiscent of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has shocked the global community.

Since 1996, the ADF and other militias have killed over six million people, with Christians frequently targeted. A Christmas 2024 attack killed 46, further decimating churches in the region. With violence escalating, humanitarian organizations are urging immediate international intervention to address the crisis.

POLL: Starbase exposed: Musk’s vision or corporate takeover?

MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO / Contributor | Getty Images

Is Starbase the future of innovation or a step too far?

Elon Musk’s ambitious Starbase project in South Texas is reshaping Boca Chica into a cutting-edge hub for SpaceX’s Starship program, promising thousands of jobs and a leap toward Mars colonization. Supporters see Musk as a visionary, driving economic growth and innovation in a historically underserved region. However, local critics, including Brownsville residents and activists, argue that SpaceX’s presence raises rents, restricts beach access, and threatens environmental harm, with Starbase’s potential incorporation as a city sparking fears of unchecked corporate control. As pro-Musk advocates clash with anti-Musk skeptics, will Starbase unite the community or deepen the divide?

Let us know what you think in the poll below:

Is Starbase’s development a big win for South Texas?  

Should Starbase become its own city?  

Is Elon Musk’s vision more of a benefit than a burden for the region?

Shocking truth behind Trump-Zelenskyy mineral deal unveiled

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have finalized a landmark agreement that will shape the future of U.S.-Ukraine relations. The agreement focuses on mineral access and war recovery.

After a tense March meeting, Trump and Zelenskyy signed a deal on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, granting the U.S. preferential mineral rights in Ukraine in exchange for continued military support. Glenn analyzed an earlier version of the agreement in March, when Zelenskyy rejected it, highlighting its potential benefits for America, Ukraine, and Europe. Glenn praised the deal’s strategic alignment with U.S. interests, including reducing reliance on China for critical minerals and fostering regional peace.

However, the agreement signed this week differs from the March proposal Glenn praised. Negotiations led to significant revisions, reflecting compromises on both sides. What changes were made? What did each leader seek, and what did they achieve? How will this deal impact the future of U.S.-Ukraine relations and global geopolitics? Below, we break down the key aspects of the agreement.

What did Trump want?

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

Trump aimed to curb what many perceive as Ukraine’s overreliance on U.S. aid while securing strategic advantages for America. His primary goals included obtaining reimbursement for the billions in military aid provided to Ukraine, gaining exclusive access to Ukraine’s valuable minerals (such as titanium, uranium, and lithium), and reducing Western dependence on China for critical resources. These minerals are essential for aerospace, energy, and technology sectors, and Trump saw their acquisition as a way to bolster U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. Additionally, he sought to advance peace talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war, positioning the U.S. as a key mediator.

Ultimately, Trump secured preferential—but not exclusive—rights to extract Ukraine’s minerals through the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, as outlined in the agreement. The U.S. will not receive reimbursement for past aid, but future military contributions will count toward the joint fund, designed to support Ukraine’s post-war recovery. Zelenskyy’s commitment to peace negotiations under U.S. leadership aligns with Trump’s goal of resolving the conflict, giving him leverage in discussions with Russia.

These outcomes partially meet Trump’s objectives. The preferential mineral rights strengthen U.S. access to critical resources, but the lack of exclusivity and reimbursement limits the deal’s financial benefits. The peace commitment, however, positions Trump as a central figure in shaping the war’s resolution, potentially enhancing his diplomatic influence.

What did Zelenskyy want?

Global Images Ukraine / Contributor | Getty Images

Zelenskyy sought to sustain U.S. military and economic support without the burden of repaying past aid, which has been critical for Ukraine’s defense against Russia. He also prioritized reconstruction funds to rebuild Ukraine’s war-torn economy and infrastructure. Security guarantees from the U.S. to deter future Russian aggression were a key demand, though controversial, as they risked entangling America in long-term commitments. Additionally, Zelenskyy aimed to retain control over Ukraine’s mineral wealth to safeguard national sovereignty and align with the country’s European Union membership aspirations.

The final deal delivered several of Zelenskyy’s priorities. The reconstruction fund, supported by future U.S. aid, provides a financial lifeline for Ukraine’s recovery without requiring repayment of past assistance. Ukraine retained ownership of its subsoil and decision-making authority over mineral extraction, granting only preferential access to the U.S. However, Zelenskyy conceded on security guarantees, a significant compromise, and agreed to pursue peace talks under Trump’s leadership, which may involve territorial or political concessions to Russia.

Zelenskyy’s outcomes reflect a delicate balance. The reconstruction fund and retained mineral control bolster Ukraine’s economic and sovereign interests, but the absence of security guarantees and pressure to negotiate peace could strain domestic support and challenge Ukraine’s long-term stability.

What does this mean for the future?

Handout / Handout | Getty Images

While Trump didn’t secure all his demands, the deal advances several of his broader strategic goals. By gaining access to Ukraine’s mineral riches, the U.S. undermines China’s dominance over critical elements like lithium and graphite, essential for technology and energy industries. This shift reduces American and European dependence on Chinese supply chains, strengthening Western industrial and tech sectors. Most significantly, the agreement marks a pivotal step toward peace in Europe. Ending the Russia-Ukraine war, which has claimed thousands of lives, is a top priority for Trump, and Zelenskyy’s commitment to U.S.-led peace talks enhances Trump’s leverage in negotiations with Russia. Notably, the deal avoids binding U.S. commitments to Ukraine’s long-term defense, preserving flexibility for future administrations.

The deal’s broader implications align with the vision Glenn outlined in March, when he praised its potential to benefit America, Ukraine, and Europe by securing resources and creating peace. While the final agreement differs from Glenn's hopes, it still achieves key goals he outlined.