Glenn Talks With Evan McMullin About Taking the Lead in Utah

Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin joined Glenn on radio Thursday to talk about his recent surge in Utah. Unheard of less than three months ago, the momentum in McMullin's campaign has been astonishing.

"You have now pulled ahead of both candidates in one state. And if you saw the polls in the others, you may be doing the same in a couple of others, at least in the Mountain West. That changes the dynamic of everything," Glenn said to McMullin.

RELATED: How Evan McMullin Could Win Utah and the Presidency

Encouraged by the traction his campaign is experiencing, McMullin talked with Glenn about a return to principled leadership and why he's running for president.

Read below or watch the clip for answers to these questions:

• Does Evan McMullin know what partial-birth abortion is?

• How is McMullin polling in Idaho?

• What is McMullin's vision for the Supreme Court?

• What are McMullin's 13 Principles for New American Leadership?

• Is McMullin building a new conservative movement?

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

GLENN: Evan McMullin is on the phone. EvanMcMullin.com. Running for president.

Evan, what's the problem with partial-birth abortion?

EVAN: Well, it's a violation of our basic inalienable right to life. I mean, you know, it's sad that we even have to make that defense in this day and age. But, look, these are lives, and they have a right to them. And we have an obligation to protect them.

GLENN: Now, I'm going to play Hillary Clinton, and she responds, "Well, I know women who have had to have this because of the life of the mother, and you think don't like moms." How do you respond?

EVAN: Well, look, first of all, I think those kinds of scenarios are extremely, extremely rare. So it's a bit of a -- you know, it's a bit of a cop-out, I think, to make that defense. In most cases, that's not at all the case.

PAT: They were common in the 1800s, Evan. They were common in the 1800s.

EVAN: Yeah, right.

GLENN: So partial-birth abortion, to save the life of the mother.

EVAN: Yeah. It's -- first of all, it's illegal I think in the vast majority of states across the country. Most Americans are even opposed to partial-birth abortions, if not -- I mean, the vast majority are.

PAT: It's illegal in most of the world, actually.

EVAN: Yeah, most of the world too. I mean, you look at both of these candidates, both of these candidates have been supportive of late-term abortions. Forget about partial-birth abortions. Late-term abortions in the past. Donald Trump only became pro-life when he decided to run for president as a part of the -- through the Republican primary.

Mindy Finn and I are the only pro-life candidates running for president and vice president this year. And it's deeply -- well, I guess Pence is pro-life as well. But I'm the only presidential candidate who is pro-life -- truly pro-life in this race.

GLENN: Evan, a new poll has come out. Three months ago, you know, nobody knew who you were. Now, at least in Utah, you are beating Hillary. Last week, you were not. This week, you were beating Hillary and Donald Trump.

EVAN: That's right.

GLENN: And you're beating by four points?

PAT: Yeah, 31-27.

EVAN: Yeah, I'm over Donald Trump by four points. And Hillary by more than that. You know, it's one poll and we've got a lot of work to do. And there's a few weeks left. We're very encouraged by our progress, by our momentum. We see it in the polls. We see it in our online engagement. We feel it in our events. But we're hoping that it will spill over into other states in the Mountain West, and beyond. Even though there are only a few weeks left, we think we can advance this momentum pretty far.

PAT: Evan, if you were to talk about the importance of Supreme Court justices, what is the first thing you would identify as -- as the cause of that importance? Why is the Supreme Court justice so important right now?

EVAN: Well, we need Supreme Court justices who will enforce the Constitution, who will -- who will take it as it's written. That's what we need: Originalists. You know, the one thing that I heard last night from Hillary Clinton is that she thought our justices needed to --

PAT: Originalists.

EVAN: -- quote, represent us.

PAT: Right.

EVAN: And I thought, "My goodness, this is a woman who does not understand what the court is there to do." As I said it, it's there to enforce the Constitution. It's actually precisely not there to represent us. That's the point.

STU: Yeah.

PAT: One of the Supreme Court justices --

(cuts out online and on the app)

PAT: -- what you would identify as the cause of that.

(Cuts out online and on the app) (music)

VOICE: We apologize for this disruption in our regular programming. Thanks for your patience. We'll return to our scheduled show, as soon as we can.

(music)

GLENN: -- you believe your campaign is working and what it stands for.

But are there other states that you're also doing well in?

EVAN: Yes. Well -- so as you mentioned, we're doing very well in Utah. There are not a lot of polls in Idaho unfortunately, because it's just been a very, very -- you know, it's gone Republican.

But so has Utah. But a few weeks ago, we saw polls in Idaho that had us at about the same place we were in Utah. And we're seeing a lot of momentum there online, as well as at our events. And so I think what's happening there is similar to what's happening in Utah. We just haven't been able to quantify it yet.

STU: Yeah, we should point out, as a message to pollsters out there -- I mean, if Evan McMullin is on the ballot in your state, he needs to be included in these polls. I mean, these guys are polling states and leaving "other" as one of the options. And "other" is mysteriously getting 11 percent in the poll. I mean, it would follow logically to believe that a lot of that is going to Evan McMullin. He's been making great gains. I mean, the idea that you're leaving him out at this point, you know, Evan, I think it's just --

GLENN: When you called us three months ago, we were like, "Okay. I don't know who you are. And this is not going to work. I mean, this is crazy."

(chuckling)

GLENN: But now -- you have now pulled ahead of both candidates in one state.

EVAN: Yeah.

GLENN: And if you saw the polls in the others, you may be doing the same in a couple of others, at least in the Mountain West. That changes the dynamic of everything.

PAT: Uh-huh.

GLENN: Of everything.

EVAN: Yeah, sure. Absolutely.

GLENN: Can you give me the --

EVAN: But, you know, these pollsters, they've got their established plans, and their established plans are competitors. And so, you know, there's a reason why I think many of us are leaving us off. I'm trying to understand it myself.

But look, where they do include us, we register. And we're very excited about that. And we know that we have a great deal of support out there that's growing very quickly. So, you know, we hope that they'll start including us. When they do, they tend to register our support. And in a place like the Mountain West, it's significant. So hopefully we'll see more out of Utah -- or, more out of Idaho.

GLENN: Can you give me any of the items of what you stand for? It was a list on your website. I don't remember what it was called.

EVAN: Yeah, yeah. We released -- Glenn, we released a document called Principles for New American Leadership. And it's just 13 principles that we think are basic for uniting the conservative movement and for drawing in to our side people who are conservatives, but tend to vote on the Democratic side. I'm talking about a lot of people in the Hispanic community, people think -- especially in the African-American community, there are a lot of people who are actually conservative, but they vote Democratic because they don't think they're welcome in the Republican Party.

So what are those principles? Some of the first ones are simply that all of us, all men and women are created equal, that we have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That's the first thing. The second thing is that we have an inspired Constitution that needs to be respected for how it was written, not how some people wish it were.

The other thing is that we need to have, as the Constitution lays out, a separation of powers, that's both vertical and horizontal. Meaning, the balance of powers between the federal branches, as well as the empowerment of the states, beyond those powers that are explicitly listed in the Constitution for the federal government. These are the types of things.

Another thing is that we need honest and wise leaders because, even though we have an inspired Constitution, Glenn, it doesn't matter if our leaders don't respect it and if they are not wise and honest. We must -- absolutely must have honest and wise leaders. If we don't, our Constitution will be trampled upon, and it won't mean much.

And then the last thing maybe I'll mention her -- and I'm going through the top five points. The last point is that we need a new era of civic engagement. All of us. We cannot trust our leaders anymore, Glenn. And that's why Mindy and I have gotten into this race. Because we couldn't trust them to do the right thing anymore. We -- all Americans have to step up. We need to recruit honest and wise leaders and promote them into office and be educated -- well-educated on the issues and drive this thing forward.

GLENN: What message do you hope that the American people get, the media gets, the two-party system, the Republicans get? What message do you hope that you are sending, you know, the day after the election?

EVAN: Well, we're building a new conservative movement. And that's what -- that's what we're doing.

So, yes, there's a chance that we can block Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, if the race is very close. Right now, Hillary Clinton is absolutely dominating Donald Trump in the electoral college. So it doesn't look like it's going to be a close race.

So what we're building is a new conservative movement that will be dedicated to the principles that I've just described, and others that we believe will unite conservatives. True conservatives, by the way. True conservatives. And also appeal to people who aren't conservative, but who haven't felt welcome in the Republican Party in the past.

That is the kind of leadership that this country leads. That will create a powerful conservative movement in this country that is electorally viable, unlike the type of conservatism -- if you can even call it that -- that Donald Trump has offered the American people. And I wouldn't call it conservatism, to be clear.

But that's the kind of leadership, that's the kind of movement we need in this country, to be powerful and prosperous and to unify us as well.

PAT: If only there was a place where people could go to help your campaign, to donate or volunteer service.

GLENN: Oh, my gosh, we're back to that.

JEFFY: Right.

PAT: Man, if they --

GLENN: I didn't think we would hear this for four more years.

PAT: I didn't either. If only there was a place --

(chuckling)

EVAN: There is.

PAT: Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

JEFFY: What?

EVAN: I know you're surprised by that. And guess what, it's a website, and it's called EvanMcMullin.com.

GLENN: I don't know what that is.

PAT: EvanMcMullin.com. Now, that's with an I at the end of McMullin, right? Instead of an E? Kind of counterintuitive --

EVAN: That's right. That's right. Ends in I-N.

PAT: Now, also, I know you're doing well in both Utah and Idaho, but as a BYU grad, do you have a prediction for BYU/Boise State tonight?

EVAN: Oh, yeah. Well, I'm going to go with the Cougs, of course. Go Cougs!

PAT: He's going to win Utah.

GLENN: All right. Good. I'm glad we have that.

PAT: He's going to win Utah.

GLENN: You guys got to bring Jell-O dishes and share those.

EVAN: Oh, yeah. I'll be eating a lot of Jell-O tonight. You know it.

GLENN: All right. Evan, thanks a lot. I appreciate it. EvanMcMullin.com.

STU: That's the only reason you wanted him on, Pat. Wasn't it?

PAT: That's it. Yeah.

Featured Image: Screenshot from The Glenn Beck Program

Last week, Glenn published his updated "Preparedness Quiz" to see how prepared his audience is for a big crisis—and the results are in! Thankfully, not very many of you are "Toast." In fact, most of you could survive a big disaster, and even some of you could survive a nuclear apocalypse—not very many could say that!

If you haven't taken the quiz already, you can take it HERE, and be sure to download Glenn's "Ultimate Preparedness Guide" filled with practical tips on how to keep you and your family safe for a future crisis.


1.7% of Glenn's audience is TOAST! Thankfully, that's very few of you. 

There is little chance you'd survive repairing your kitchen table, not to mention enduring a massive economic crisis or natural disaster. With no money, food, or supplies stocked up, you will have to rely on the altruism of your more-prepared friends and family. But then again, if you can't even navigate to their house without your phone, you may still be TOAST.

13.8% of Glenn's audience could survive a little disaster. 

Congrats on having some of your finances set aside for emergencies... and some useful tools and skills tucked away in case of an emergency. You could potentially endure a "little disaster" of financial hardship. However, if you want to survive a massive financial crisis or natural disaster, you're going to have to start stockpiling some more money and supplies.

68.9% of Glenn's audience could survive a big disaster. 

Congrats on being more prepared than most! You have some investment in precious metals, an emergency fund, some food and supplies stockpiled, and maybe an extra generator. Even though you may not be a "prepper," you have taken steps to prepare for hard times, which will protect you and your loved ones for weeks... even months—which is way better than nothing!

14.7% of Glenn's audience could survive a nuclear apocalypse. 

Congratulations on being one of the few people in this world who could actually survive a nuclear apocalypse! Seriously... there are very few of you. Your bunker is stocked with food, water, and supplies to last you MONTHS. Your silver, gold, and emergency fund will help you cruise in times of financial distress. You can secure more goods because you have learned a bunch of "barter" skills. Congrats on being able to keep yourself and your loved ones safe!

On Monday, Biden exercised his veto powers for the first time to strike down a bill that would ban states from taking ESG into consideration when investing state pension funds. In his veto message, Biden said:

Retirement plan fiduciaries should be able to consider any factor that maximizes financial returns for retirees across the country. That's not controversial — that's common sense.

At the risk of using the loaded word "gaslit," it continues to be the operative word in describing the policies coming out of the Biden White House. It is painfully obvious that ESG itself inhibits investors from "maximizing financial returns." That was never ESG's goal in the first place. Yet Biden said the opposite.

ESG aims to incentivize investors to make "socially conscious" (a.k.a woke) investments, even if they are at odds with the greatest return on investment. It has enabled state governments and investment firms to use their monopoly over the investment space to force companies to choose between adopting their woke ESG standards and losing critical investment. Isn't there a word for that? Extortion? Or modern-day politics?

ESG enables state governments to force companies to choose between adopting their woke ESG standards and losing critical investment.

That is the sole reason why Republicans brought the bill to his desk in the first place: As Glenn said, "ESG poses a clear and present danger to the American way of life, the soul of our nation and every sector of our economy. ESG was never about ROI. It was always about pushing a leftist agenda.

And Biden knows this.

Why would he want to give up something that enables his political party and corporate elites to control and manipulate the political affiliations of their people? Who would want to give up that power? Biden certainly doesn't.

And he didn't.

Instead, he boldly asserts the exact opposite: that ESG itself "maximizes financial returns," relying on the divided American people to debate the policy into oblivion, while he gets exactly what he wants: the retention of power over the American consumer. Dare I say again that "gaslit" is the operative word here?

If one thing is clear, it is that we cannot rely on the federal government to act in the best interests of the American people. However, in this critical moment, the state governments are stepping up to do what the federal government refuses to: protecting the rights of the American consumer.

In a joint resolution led by Florida Governor Ron Desantis, 19 states have pledged “to protect individuals from the ESG movement" at the state level. This is critical.

We cannot rely on the federal government to act in the best interests of the American people.

Florida leads Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming in signing the historic policy agreement among all 19 states, pledging to ban ESG practices within their jurisdictions.

The anti-ESG alliance calls ESG what it is:

A direct threat to the American economy, individual economic freedom, and our way of life, putting investment decisions in the hands of the woke mob to bypass the ballot box and inject political ideology into investment decisions, corporate governance, and the everyday economy.

This alliance takes aim at two specific practices used by left-leaning states to force companies to adopt ESG-approved practices.

First, the alliance promises to protect "taxpayers from ESG influences across state systems."

While other states are using YOUR taxpayer dollars to fund pro-ESG corporations, these states pledge to BAN this practice to ensure "that only financial factors are considered to maximize the return on investment."

The chief factor behind any investment should be determining whether that investment yields the maximum return on their investment. However, many states are using YOUR taxpayer-funded pension and retirement funds to invest in ESG-approved businesses. This not only forces businesses to consider adopting ESG standards in hopes of obtaining investment. Moreover, states are using YOUR taxpayer dollars to fund them! Would you want your government to invest your hard-earned money for partisan purposes?

The anti-ESG alliance is taking the politics out of investment and putting consumer power back in the hands of the American people. These state governments pledged to make investment decisions based solely on maximizing the return on investment, not in using your taxpayer dollars to fund their political agendas.

Second, the alliance promises to protect "citizens from ESG influences in the financial sector."

ESG standards force businesses to consider the political leanings of their customer base. For example, Discover announced they will begin tracking its customers' gun-related purchases. One of the leaders behind this push is Amalgamated Bank, which boasts on their website that their institution "supports sustainable organizations, progressive causes, and social justice." Amalgamated Bank CEO Priscilla Sims Brown said:

We all have to do our part to stop gun violence and it sometimes starts with illegal purchases of guns and ammunition The new code will allow us to fully comply with our duty to report suspicious activity and illegal gun sales to authorities without blocking or impeding legal gun sales.

This virtue signaling at the cost of your privacy is earning both Discover and Amalgamated ESG brownie points.

There are countless stories of Americans, like YOU, getting locked out of their bank accounts, dropped as clients, tracked and targeted, all because their personal political beliefs don't align with big corporations' ESG goals. Their individual privacy and dignity as a consumer aren't worth the risk of lowering the company's ESG score.

That's why the anti-ESG alliance is pledging to protect the residents in their states from this corrupt ESG exploitation. The alliance promised to ban "so-called social Credit Scores' in banking and lending practices aimed to prevent citizens from obtaining financial services like loans, lines of credit, and bank accounts."

They also promised to stop "financial institutions from discriminating against customers for their religious, political, or social beliefs, such as owning a firearm, securing the border, or increasing our energy independence."

In short, they have targeted the political extortion hidden behind the virtuous ESG veil to protect citizens from being discriminated against based on political affiliation.

It's time to step up.

Biden may have struck down the effort to restore the freedom of the American consumer at the federal level. However, these states are taking it upon themselves to do what they ought: to ban practices that threaten the freedoms and privacy of their citizens.

If your state did not joining the anti-ESG alliance, it's time to demand that they step up and do their job to protect you and the rest of your fellow citizens from corrupt ESG practices. As Glenn said, "The conservative movement is best when it moves in unison." We must act and unison and push our states to protect our economic freedom and our way of life.

How prepared are YOU to weather a future crisis? We recently published a brand new quiz so you can find out exactly how prepared you are. Whether you're a "prepper" with a bunker fit for the apocolypse or just want to feel more secure for the future, there is always something more to learn. That's why Glenn wants to give his newsletter subscribers his "Ultimate Preparation Guide," filled with practical tips for building a solid foundation to weather future crises. And let's face it—in our crazy world right now, who couldn't use a bit more peace of mind?

Enter your email below to get "Glenn's Ultimate Preparation Guide" sent straight to your inbox!

Editor's Note: Arizona House Bill HB2770 has since been shut down! AZ Rep. Rachel Jones tweeted that the AZ Freedom Caucus shut down the bill before it could reach the board. It is encouraging to see states stepping to protect the American people from getting one step closer to a Central Bank Digital Currency. Hopefully, Arizona will be a precedent for the other states!

On today's radio broadcast, Glenn warned about dangerous Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) language being smuggled into routine legislation in REPUBLICAN-led states. This is unacceptable, and as Glenn said, we can't let this legislation pass as it now stands.

The legislation being used to smuggle in this CBDC language is the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), a routine piece of legislation passed on the state level that helps standardize commercial and business transactions. However, a new round of UCCs being deliberated RIGHT NOW amongst a swath of Republican-led states anticipate the use of "electronic money." In a public letter sent to the Republican states currently deliberating this legislation, the Pro-Family Legislative Network said this can only refer to the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) under consideration and testing by the Federal Reserve. Biden's Executive Order 14067 issued in March of 2022 started the push for CBDC, and now these states, knowingly or unknowingly, are laying the legislative groundwork for making CBDC a reality.

There is absolutely no reason why Republican-led states should aid in laying the foundation for CBDC, yet 12 of them are deliberating it RIGHT NOW, with one UCC bill already on one GOP governor's desk! We have to act NOW to stop these UCCs in their tracks and demand our lawmakers amend the bills without the "electronic money" language.

If your state is listed below, contact your representative NOW to put an end to CBDC language.

1. North Dakota

North Dakota House Bill HB1082 passed BOTH chambers and is now sitting on Governor Burgum's desk. Burgun has 3 DAYS to veto this bill once it's placed on his desk—if not, it will pass automatically. If you are a North Dakota resident, it is absolutely CRUCIAL that you contact Governor Burgum's office NOW and demand that he veto this bill and re-introduce it without the "electronic money" language.

2. Arizona

Arizona House Bill HB2770 has been SHUT DOWN! See the above editor's note for more details.

Arizona House Bill HB2770 passed the House majority and minority caucuses. Arizona residents, contact your representative's office NOW so that they amend this bill without the "electronic money" language.

3. Arkansas

Arkansas House Bill HB1588 is in committee, and if passed, will head to the House floor. Though the bill is only in its beginning stages, it's important for Arkansas residents to stop this bill in its tracks and amend it without the "electronic money" language.

4. Missouri

Missouri House Bill HB1165 is also in its beginning stages in committee. That means it's important to contact your representative as soon as possible to amend it without the "electronic money" language.

5. Oklahoma

Oklahoma House Bill HB 2776 passed the House Committee and will go to a chamber vote soon. If passed, it will go to the Senate, then the governor's desk. If you are an Indiana resident, contact your representative's office NOW to amend the bill without the "electronic money" language.

6. Indiana

Indiana Senate Bill SB0486 passed the Senate and is headed to the House. Republicans control Indiana's executive office and BOTH chambers of the legislature. There is no excuse for this bill to pass. If you are an Indiana resident, it's vital you contact your representative NOW and demand they amend this bill without the "electronic money" language.

7. Kentucky

Kentucky Senate Bill SB64 passed the Senate and is now being deliberated in the House. If you live in Kentucky, contact your representative's office to amend the bill without the "electronic money" language.

8. Montana

Montana Senate Bill SB370 passed the Senate and was sent to the House on March 3rd. If you are a Montana resident, contact your representative's office NOW so that the bill doesn't without changing the "electronic money" language.

9. Nebraska

Nebraska's Legislative Bill LB94 passed committee and the first floor vote. As Nebraska only has one legislative chamber, this bill is dangerously close to passing the legislature and being sent to the governor's desk. If you are a Nebraska resident, contact your representative's office NOW and demand they amend the bill without the "electronic money" language.

10. New Hampshire

New Hampshire House Bill HB584 is currently in House committee deliberations and has not yet reached the House floor. If you are a New Hampshire resident, contact your representative's office NOW to amend the bill without the "electronic money" language.

11. Tennessee

Tennessee House Bill HB0640 didn't successfully pass the House. However, it was deferred to a Senate committee and has now taken the form of Senate Bill SB0479, which is now in committee. This bill is still alive, and it's important for you, Tennessee residents, to stop it before it reaches the floor! Contact your representative to amend the bill without the "electronic money" language.

12. Texas

Texas House Bill HB5011 was filed and is ready to be taken up by committee. Fellow Texans, let's not let this bill progress any further! Contact your representative and demand they amend the bill without the "electronic money" language.