Donald Trump Will Fundamentally Transform the Presidency

December 13, 2016

WRITER

Just as Barack Obama promised to --- and succeeded in --- transforming the United States of America, so too will Donald Trump fundamentally transform America and the presidency, possibly more than anyone else. Woodrow Wilson and FDR changed it a great deal, but will President-elect Trump take it even further than President Obama?

"He is going to fundamentally transform the media, the media that comes out of the White House, the way the president communicates, the way the president is viewed, the things the president can say and do, the way the president behaves, and I think the fundamental structure of the presidency itself," Glenn said Tuesday on radio.

Is that a good or a bad thing?

"Just let me make the same warning to the right that I gave to the left in 2008: Don't push the pendulum too far. If you allow the president to have all kinds of unlimited power, and you like it because it's your side, remember the pendulum will swing back just as far, if not further. And at some point, there will be an emergency, and some president is going to grab the pendulum," Glenn said.

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

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

GLENN: Let me go back to what we were talking about. Because I made a statement that I believe that Donald Trump will change and fundamentally transform the United States of America and the presidency, possibly more than anyone else did, besides -- no, I think even more so. Woodrow Wilson and -- Woodrow Wilson and -- and FDR changed it a great deal. And I think Donald Trump is going to take it further than Barack Obama did. And you can look at that as a good thing or a bad thing. Just let me make the same warning to the right that I gave to the left in 2008.

Don't push the pendulum too far. If you -- if you allow the president to have all kinds of unlimited power and you like it because it's your side -- remember, the pendulum will swing back just as far, if not further. And at some point, there will be an emergency, and some president is going to grab the pendulum.

PAT: And if you don't believe that, it's happened both ways since you started talking about this during the Bush administration. It swung to the left.

GLENN: Yeah.

PAT: And we had Obama. Now it swung way back to the right, and we got Trump.

GLENN: So here's what's really interesting -- let me just take you through this pendulum, and then I'll get to the reason why I say this with the prediction.

If you -- if you look in 2001, we were already really angry with the left and right. We were already really angry with each other because of 2000, right? The election. It was selected not elected. It was all of that.

Then it was George Bush knew. He was part of 9/11. They forgot that it was Sandy Berger that went in and stole all the documents. So we know the Clintons had something to hide as well. But I don't believe the Clintons nor George Bush knew the World Trade Centers were coming down, had any indication at all. It's just that we excuse a lot of things from the Saudis. Okay?

That's the only thing I think they were covering up. We excuse a lot from the Saudis. So we were already mad. And then what happened?

9/11 was such a crystallizing moment for, what?

What happened to us, as a people? And really, me and you, all of us, what happened to us at 9/11?

First of all, we all loved each other, right? We even looked at Nancy Pelosi, standing there, singing God bless America. And we were like, "You know what, she and Harry Reid, they love the country just as much as we do. And we're all in this together." Right? That was the first reaction.

And what were they singing? Governor God Bless America. Okay. Not a problem. But then we became jingoistic. Then everything was wrapped in the red, white, and blue. The Patriot Act. The phrase even, "You're either with us or you're against us." And if you were against us, you were un-American.

And what did Hillary Clinton say? "I am tired of being told that if I have a different opinion than my -- right?

So who did we elect? We elected a guy who people in the country actually believed wasn't an American. And he was probably the most unlike an American president, more than anyone else. Would you agree with that?

He was an American. I don't question any of that.

STU: I mean, as far -- you're not outing yourself as a birther years after the birther controversy?

GLENN: No. No.

STU: Okay.

GLENN: Never been a birther. Here's the thing: Is there a president that was more -- that had a different view of America, a different upbringing of America than any other president? Any other president have more of a different view of America?

STU: To illustrate this point, the Clinton campaign specifically had internal memos that said, "We're not going to point out that he -- we're never going to say that he doesn't have an American background. But he's not going to relate to the center of the country."

This is back in 2007 and 2008. And this was one of the things they thought they could press on, all the time. Constantly talk about Hillary and her upbringing and the fact that she's been in America the whole time.

GLENN: Yeah.

STU: And she has those same values. They even saw that as a point of differentiation.

GLENN: Right. It's not good or bad. It just is. The guy grew up in a different -- more different than any other president that we've ever had. Okay?

Spent a lot of his time, not even overseas in Europe, which is similar, but Asia, which is completely different than what we know as the American experience.

So he comes in. His name is Barack Obama. The pendulum had swung so far to the baseball, apple pie, and mom, and red, white, and blue, that when it swung back, it swung to a guy named Barack Obama.

Then I said at that time, "If he is elected -- because he was so click. Remember, pendulum also (sound effect) shoe. Remember all of that from George W. Bush?

STU: Right.

GLENN: Where he was at times seemed incapable of coming up with easy words.

STU: Uh-huh.

GLENN: Barack Obama, never lost for words. Barack Obama, on prompter, slick, slick, slick. No George Bush moments, at least to be seen of Barack Obama trying to get the doors opened in China. No, you know, turkey sticking his, you know, face into the president's pants. All of those faux pas, completely eradicated. The halo. So it swings all the way back.

At the time, we're going to have a gravy stain guy that said, "Yeah, I farted. Everybody farts, right?" Well, that pretty much is Donald Trump.

STU: Completely right. That prediction -- the pendulum theory on that worked exactly the way you said it was going to work.

GLENN: Exactly right. Exactly right. So what does the pendulum going go back to? I'm not sure yet. But no place good. No place good.

STU: I'll tell you where it goes back to. He's in the Trump Tower right now, meeting with Donald Trump. His name's Kanye West. Kanye 2020. That's what it ends up as.

GLENN: I think if we're lucky, it swings back to Tom Hanks. We look for an adult in the room. And it swings back to somebody like Tom Hanks. But it could swing to a Kanye West.

STU: We're at the point now we're not even considering people who aren't celebrities. It's either Kanye or Tom Hanks. Which one is it going to be?

GLENN: So here is the reason why I say that Donald Trump is going to change the presidency more than any other president ever.

We have said for a long time, "This job is too big. This job is just -- how come you be somebody who has run a company, is perfectly clean in everything, is -- can -- can use the media and understand how to communicate ideas -- how can you be all of those things?"

We've said forever, "You can't. You can't."

And so we've gone -- we have gone for people who just know the Constitution. But that's not very popular.

Look at, Ted Cruz was the worst when it comes to communication skills. The worst.

But he is -- in my opinion, he was the most competent on the -- on the dais. The most competent.

Now, a lot of people thought, "Oh, I like Ted Cruz, but he's just the worst when it comes to presentation. So I'll go for Marco Rubio. I'll go for Donald Trump." A lot of people went for Donald Trump because, quote, he could win. He will beat Hillary. He will beat the press.

Well, that's only one part of the presidency.

Donald Trump is meeting today with Kanye West. What could he possibly have to say to Kanye West? Nothing. The guy is a showman. The guy is -- he is putting together a show for America.

Now, I think that's important. And it may be -- to get things done, it may one of the most important things. But how he puts everything together, I don't know.

But look at how he's already changed.

The president, under George W. Bush, was -- was an honored space. You didn't go in -- you didn't go into the Oval Office -- think of this. During the George Bush administration, a lot of people were up in arms because one of the girls volleyball teams or something -- a couple of the girls showed up in the Oval Office wearing flip-flops. Do you remember that controversy?

STU: Yes. Yeah.

GLENN: Okay. Somebody was in the picture, in the Oval Office wearing flip-flops.

The president, until Barack Obama, didn't carry a phone. The controversy of him carrying a phone -- who do you need to call? You're the president. They'll get them on the phone for you. Why do you need a phone?

Now it has swung back so far from that, that we can tell you when the president-elect gets up at night to go pee. It's usually about 3 o'clock in the morning because that's when he tweets again. So he's getting up in the morning to take a pee, sitting down on the crapper and deciding to tweet something, then go back to bed.

He is going to fundamentally transform the media, the media that comes out of the White House, the way the president communicates, the way the president is viewed, the things the president can say and do, the way the president behaves, and I think the fundamental structure of the presidency itself.

Featured Image: President-elect Donald Trump and Kanye West stand together in the lobby at Trump Tower, December 13, 2016 in New York City. President-elect Donald Trump and his transition team are in the process of filling cabinet and other high level positions for the new administration. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

VP debate recap: A Vance victory

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This might have been the most consequential VP debate in recent memory.

For those of you who missed the debate, it was a decisive victory for J.D. Vance and the Trump-Vance team as a whole. Vance presented a calm, collected, and considerate side of the Republican party that compliments Trump and helps to make their platform more palatable. Meanwhile, Tim Walz had a lackluster, though certainly not catastrophic, night. He had a few embarrassing gaffes and came across as overly nervous, but like Vance, kept it civil.

Both VP candidates entered the stage as relative unknowns to most Americans, and by the end, both men had given an accurate representation of their characters. Here is a brief recap just in case you missed the debate:

J.D. Vance looked great

ANGELA WEISS / Contributor | Getty Images

Vance came out of the gate swinging, with a stellar opening statement that helped set the stage for the rest of the debate. He delivered a concise yet compelling recap of his life, which framed him as everything Walz claims to be: a relatable veteran from humble beginnings who earned his position through hard work and service. He then went on to deliver a clear and palatable defense of Trump's platform and mission while cooly drawing attention to the failures of the Biden-Harris administration.

Overall, J.D. Vance looked incredibly presidential. He presented himself not just as a capable vice president, but as a strong successor to Trump and as a valid replacement if anything should happen to the former president between now and the end of his hypothetical second term. Vance also successfully dispelled the notion that he is "weird" as Walz called him, and if anyone looked strange during the debate, it certainly wasnot Vance.

Tim Walz's gaffes

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

While Tim Walz certainly didn't have an awful night, he did not stack up well against Vance. Walz had a major gaffe around halfway through the debate when asked to explain the change in his position on assault weapon bans. Walz then claimed that he had befriended school shooters during his time in office. While that was clearly not the intention of what he was saying, it was embarrassing nonetheless.

Another weak moment was when the moderators asked Walz to explain a claim he had made regarding being in Hong Kong during the infamous Tiananmen Square protest in 1989, which has since been proven false. Walz gave a long-winded, rambling answer about taking students to visit China and how Trump should have joined in on those trips, before being called out by the moderator for dodging the question.

Vance fact-checked the fact-checkers

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

One of the conditions of the CBS debate was that the moderators would not fact-check the debaters live, but instead rely on after-the-matter fact-checking. But, CBS couldn't keep to its own rules. While Vance was describing the migrant crisis that has swelled during the Biden-Harris administration, one of the CBS moderators, Margaret Brennan, chimed in with a "fact check." She claimed that the Haitian migrants in Ohio have legal status, to which Vance clapped back by calling Brennan out for breaking the rules of the debate, then proceeded to correct her, explaining that they only had legal status due to overreach by the Biden-Harris administration.

Dockworker strike: Everything you need to know

Anadolu / Contributor | Getty Images

At midnight on September 30th, dockworkers across the East Coast went on strike, effectively cutting the country's import and export capabilities in half.

Don't go out and panic buy a pallet of toilet paper and instant ramen just yet. It's going to take some time for the full effects of the strike to be felt and hopefully, the strike will be good and over by then. But there are no guarantees, and this election cycle could get significantly more insane as we draw near to the election. And even if the strike is settled quickly, it shows growing cracks in our infrastructure and industrial capacity that needs to be addressed if America wants to maintain its global dominance.

Here is everything you need to know about the dockworker strike:

What do the dockworkers want?

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As with most strikes, pay is the driving factor behind this situation the country now finds itself in. The longshoremen want more pay, and with rising inflation who can blame them? After all, working the docks is hard and dangerous business, and fair compensation only seems... fair. But when you compare the wage of a dockworker, which is around $100,000 to $200,00 a year to the average income in America of $56,000, suddenly they seem significantly less sympathetic.

How much money are they asking for? For most Americans, a three percent raise is considered high, but the unions are asking up to 15 percent, depending on location. On top of that, they are asking for a 77 percent raise over the next six years. The West Coast dock workers recently made off with a 36 percent raise and were considered lucky. These increases in costs are just going to be transferred to the end consumer, and we'll likely see a jump in prices if these terms are accepted.

The other major ticket item is protection against automation. Autonomous ports are quickly becoming a reality, with major ports in China that are capable of handling vast amounts of cargo being run by a single office, not an army of dock workers. Naturally, the longshoremen are concerned that their jobs are at risk of being replaced by machines that can work harder, longer, for cheaper, and without risk of injury.

How will it affect Americans?

Joe Raedle / Staff | Getty Images

Don't panic yet!

It is going to take some time for consumers to feel the effects of the strike and it is possible that a resolution could happen at any time.

Week one should be pretty much business as usual. It might be a good idea to stock up on fruit and other perishables, but there is no need to go COVID-lockdown-crazy yet.

Week two is when you'll first start feeling the pinch. Fresh fruits and veggies will become scarce, along with other imported goods like shoes, toys, and TVs. Prices will start to creep up as the shelves will start to look a little sparse. The supply of tools, lumber, and other hardware materials will also begin to dry up.

By week three, the cracks in the system will really start to show. Entire industries will begin to slow down, or even stop. Factory workers will get furloughed and sent home without pay. Stores will have to ration items, prices will be sky-high, and online orders will come to a standstill. At this point, the strike will have escalated into a full-blown crisis, and even if it was resolved immediately, it would still take weeks to restore everything to working order.

At the four-week mark, the situation will have developed into a national security crisis, and as Glenn describes, a poly-crisis. Small business will be closing their doors, entire brands will be out of stock, and everything that remains will be so expensive it is unaffordable. By this point, the holiday season will be drawing near and there will be a rush on any sort of gift or decor items left. At this point, irreparable damage to our economy will have occurred and it will be months if not years before it can be mended.

While that sounds bleak, with the election just around the corner, it seems unlikely that the Biden-Harris administration will let it get that bad. That being said, their administration has not been characterized by good decision-making and reasonable policy, so there are no guarantees.

What can be done?

The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

The big question is "Why hasn't Biden already done something?"

President Biden, who ran on the image of a blue-collar, union-worker, has been uncharacteristically absent from the issue. Despite his earlier involvement in a train strike, Biden has declared that involvement in union fights is not a presidential issue unless it getsreally bad.

So where's the line? At what point will he step in? He has to understand that an economic crisis right before the election will reflect poorly on Kamala.

Join Glenn TONIGHT for BlazeTV's exclusive VP debate coverage!

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Join Glenntonight for Vice Presidential debate coverage you do not want to miss!

Tonight is the first (and only) Vice Presidential debate, and it will be hosted by CBS News. But don't be reliant on CBS News or any other mainstream media channel for their biased coverage. Join the BlazeTV live stream tonight to get the uncensored truth alongside top-quality commentary from Glenn and the rest of the world-class panel.

Glenn is joined by Megyn Kelly, Liz Wheeler, Allie Beth Stuckey, Steve Deace, Jill Savage, Dave Landau, and more to cover the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate. Blaze Media subscribers gain access to live chat with the fantastic panel of hosts! If you subscribe today by visiting BlazeTV.com/debate you will get $40 off of your annual subscription with code DEBATE. This is the largest discount ever offered, so take advantage NOW!

See you TONIGHT at 8 PM ET for an event you do NOT want to miss it!

POLL: Can the VP debate affect the election?

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The first (and likely only) Vice President debate will be held on CBS News on Tuesday, October 1st.

The debate takes place at 9 p.m. Eastern Time and will be the first time we see J.D. Vance and Tim Walz face off in person. Typically, the VP debate is little more than a formality, and rarely does it affect the election in any significant way. But this is no ordinary election. The stakes are higher than they have been in years, and Trump and Harris are still in a razor-thin race, according to the polls. Both Vance and Walz are relative newcomers to the national stage and still have room to make an impression on the American people, and with the race as tight as it is, that might make all the difference.

So what do you think? Can this VP debate make an impact on the election? Are you going to tune in? And what sort of questions and issues need to be brought up? Let us know in the poll below:

Glenn's Show Prep

Donald Trump Will Fundamentally Transform the Presidency

VP debate recap: A Vance victory

J.D. Vance looked great

Tim Walz's gaffes

Vance fact-checked the fact-checkers

Dockworker strike: Everything you need to know

What do the dockworkers want?

How will it affect Americans?

What can be done?

Join Glenn TONIGHT for BlazeTV's exclusive VP debate coverage!

POLL: Can the VP debate affect the election?

Will this VP debate be important in the overall election?

Are you going to watch the VP debate?

Should the debaters be asked about the Biden-Harris administration's failing economy?

Should the debaters be asked about climate change and energy policy?

Should the debaters be asked about the rise of globalism?