Brad Thor: We Can Survive Hillary Clinton, Not Donald Trump

March 30, 2016

Writer

Outspoken conservative author and New York Times best seller Brad Thor joined Glenn's radio program to share his thoughts on the 2016 presidential election Wednesday.

But first, he had to clarify something.

“I got to tell you, I may be outspoken, but I haven't threatened to stab anybody, Glenn," Thor said, referencing the time Glenn jokingly threatened to stab his co-host, Stu Burguiere. Certain media outlets took the comment out of context and went so far as to accuse Glenn of threatening Donald Trump with violence.

With that out of the way, Glenn dove into the deeper subject of who we are as Americans and what's at stake in the upcoming election.

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program or read the transcript below.

My Fellow Americans

GLENN: So, Brad, give me your take. I want to hear about, who are we? Do you even recognize your fellow Americans right now?

BRAD: You know what, I -- there are moments that I do and moments that I don't. And I had a talk with my wife over the dinner table the other night, and I said, "Let's take a moment and just put ourselves in the shoes of people who are in small towns across the country where the factory has closed. And they feel the American dream has slipped away from them."

And this rugged individualism that we used to encourage in people, we don't anymore. You know, the whole Andy Warhol, people are going to be famous for at least 15 minutes in their life. I think social media and all the other craziness out there has convinced everybody that they deserve certain things, regardless of what actions they take. So the spirit of getting up and moving, you know, leaving the Dust Bowl and finding jobs, whether it's in California, so on and so forth, we don't instill that kind of get-up-and-go self-determination.

So I said, if I was a person in one of these towns and I'm looking at my wife and my two lovely children and I can't feed them and I don't -- what might I do? That doesn't mean I agree with Trump at all. Because I don't. But I am trying to be at least somewhat empathetic and say, why might there be people who do support him?

But there are things we're seeing across the country, the violence, and all that, that's terrible. And regardless of who you are and what your job is situation is, you should demand more of a candidate than the Trump followers are demanding of Trump, particularly honesty, integrity, and accountability, which is not being asked for by anybody who follows him.

No Apologies for Lewandowski

GLENN: Well, he's saying that yesterday he would not apologize for Lewandowski. I'm sure you followed this.

BRAD: Absolutely. And, by the way, there's a great article up on The Blaze right now that's talking -- it's Mark Levin talking about, "Is this the kind of person you want in the White House?" And one of the points that Mark makes in the audio that's up -- I believe it's on the front page of The Blaze right now -- is saying, "You know what, Trump, you didn't give these tapes to the police. The police were going to get them either voluntarily, or they were going to get them under subpoena."

And the real big problem here is that Trump said originally, "It didn't happen." Blah, blah. And Lewandowski actually tweeted out to Michelle Fields right after she made these allegations, before even a police report, said she was delusional. He's never met her. He never touched her.

So he outright lied. And Trump -- this is a representative for Trump's campaign. It's his campaign manager. If he wants to work security, let him take that role. The campaign manager shouldn't be putting hands on anybody.

Do Not Tweet #TrumpLovesPecker

STU: Brad Thor has done a lot of good work, Brad, you have, on kind of opening people's eyes on the relationship between Donald Trump and the guy who is the head of the National Enquirer. And his affinity -- Trump's affinity for David Pecker. You really, I think crystallized that.

BRAD: Stu, first of all, I don't want this large audience to think that Trump loves Pecker. Because if we say Trump loves Pecker and it's not in context, then people start going around saying, "Trump loves Pecker. Trump loves Pecker." It could be misunderstood, and it could hurt --

STU: Right. And he's saying we don't want to say that.

BRAD: Absolutely. So please if I could just let everyone listening, to say Trump loves Pecker, to tweet it, to retweet #TrumpLovesPecker would be a horrible disservice to Trump and to Pecker. I mean, they have a very close relationship. And I do believe Trump loves Pecker, but I think it's inappropriate to put that out there without context.

GLENN: Okay. All right. This may beneath a number one New York Times best-selling author, you know, Brad Thor.

BRAD: But, Glenn, I do believe it was Saul Alinsky who said, "Ridicule: Do it."

War Gaming the Presidency With Brad

GLENN: Okay. Brad, one last thing. You are a guy -- you were part of the government's red cell program. Which, war games. Tell me a little about -- war game what happens if Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton are president.

BRAD: Well,it -- yeah, you've got two very, very different -- different outlooks on the world. The one thing, and I think it would be a disaster to have Trump as president. I think the way he overreacts to every single thing that happens makes you question how -- how stable he would be as president. And the last debate where he had said -- or the previous debate where he said that the military will carry out my orders, believe me, they'll do what I'll tell them to do is terrifying.

Now, does Trump become kind of a George Bush figure or a Reagan figure in that our enemies see him as a cowboy and unpredictable and they don't want to cross him? There's a potential there. That's the silver lining in a very bad, bad storm. Very bad cloud if Trump gets elected.

Narcissist in Chief

GLENN: Wait. Wait. Hold on. Do you believe there's a -- an equal chance that he becomes a Vladimir Putin here in America?

BRAD: I think there's absolutely no question. If you look at how Trump is using the press and using the media to bully his enemies -- listen, Glenn, Donald Trump is on his best behavior right now. It's not going to get better in the White House. This is his best behavior. This is all he's capable of.

He is, in my opinion, narcissistic personality disorder, and if you look the all the boxes that need to be checked for narcissistic personality disorder, it's a very dangerous person to hand basically unlimited power to. And if you think he'll intimidate the way he's done other foes around him, you're deluding yourself.

GLENN: People will say that's a good thing. He'll get things done.

BRAD: No way. This is not a country of men. We are a country of laws. And that is what a republic is. And he needs to respect those laws. And I don't believe he will. And I will do everything in my power to make sure he does not become president of the United States. He is bad for America. And he doesn't want it. I encourage everybody to read that open letter to Trump supporters from his former top strategist.

We Can Survive Hillary, Not Trump

GLENN: Hillary Clinton, if it's between him and Hillary.

BRAD: Well, I got to tell you, listen, I will never vote for Donald Trump. I will never -- Hillary is a thorough progressive. I mean, she was on TV last night talking about her progressiveness. I think Hillary would be a disaster for the country but we could survive and come out on the other side stronger. I don't think we can survive Trump. I'm even at the point now where if a third party or a write-in wouldn't guarantee that Trump loses, I might even vote Hillary Clinton if that's what it takes to stop Donald Trump because I think she's the lesser of two evils.

Featured Image: Hillary Clinton appears at 'The Ellen Degeneres Show' Season 13 Bi-Coastal Premiere at Rockefeller Center on September 8, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

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4 ways Biden is SABOTAGING Trump on his way out of office

ROBERTO SCHMIDT / Contributor | Getty Images

President Biden has less than a week left in the White House, but that doesn't mean he's down for the count quite yet.

Next Monday, January 20th, President-elect Trump will be officially sworn into office, marking the beginning of his second term. But after such a bitter and contentious election, the Democrats aren't ready to roll over. Instead, they have been working around the clock to ensure that Trump will face as many obstacles and challenges as possible the minute he is sworn in. These political landmines are designed to sabotage his presidency—at the cost of the well-being of the American people.

Biden's job approval rating currently sits around 38.7 percent, one of the lowest approval ratings of any president, he has nothing to lose from these reckless ploys. Here are four ways Biden and the Left are trying to sabotage Trump:

Pardoning criminals

Andrew Harnik / Staff | Getty Images

In November, President Biden customarily pardoned the Thanksgiving turkey ... along with his son Hunter and dozens of other controversial criminals, including 37 felons on death row. Hunter's 11-year-long blanket immunity sets a dangerous precedent for future presidents, and we may never know the full extent of the Biden family's crimes and corruption.

Destroying U.S. energy

J. David Ake / Contributor | Getty Images

Biden has made several moves that have damaged America's ability to produce its energy independently, including canceling the Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office. Earlier this month, Biden signed another order that has dire consequences for the energy sector, effectively blocking any new drilling off the U.S. coast indefinitely. This not only further kneecaps the U.S. oil industry during a time when gas and energy prices are on the rise, but moreover, the way the executive order was written means Trump will have a much harder time undoing it. Thanks, Biden.

Escalating overseas wars

Global Images Ukraine / Contributor | Getty Images

America's involvement with the ongoing war in Ukraine has been tenuous from the beginning, but under Biden, it has escalated to a Cold War-like proxy war. Neither pleas from Americans in need nor threats from Russia have deterred Biden. He has approved countless aid packages sent to Ukraine, totaling billions of dollars. Recently, Biden has decided to up the ante by supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles, despite Putin's warnings that Russia would consider this an act of war. It's almost like Biden wants to start WWIII before handing the reigns over to Trump.

Installing a "shadow cabinet"

It's time we borrow an idea from our British friends. My proposal for a shadow cabinet isn’t just about holding our political leaders accountable - it strengthens and protects our democracy.

Learn more from my speech today on the House floor.⬇️ pic.twitter.com/cjP8pP7fxw
— ARCHIVE Rep. Wiley Nickel (@RepWileyNickel) November 14, 2024

For years Glenn has warned of the dangers of the deep state, and its very existence has been denied ... until recently. Shortly after the election Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel made a disturbing speech on the House floor where he proposed the creation of a "Shadow Cabinet" designed to hamper the Trump administration and to step in if Trump were removed from office. This "Shadow Cabinet" would be composed of Democrat counter-picks to Trump presidential cabinet members, and they would scrutinize every act made by the Trump administration and propose alternative actions. This just proves that the deep state will do anything to stop President Trump.

How California leadership is to blame for HORRIFIC wildfires

PATRICK T. FALLON / Contributor | Getty Images

California's progressive policies emphasize ideology over lifesaving solutions. The destruction will persist until voters hold their elected officials accountable.

America is no stranger to natural disasters. But it’s not the fires, floods, or earthquakes that are the most devastating — it’s the repeated failures to learn from them, prevent them, and take responsibility for the damage.

My heart goes out to the families who have lost homes, cherished memories, and livelihoods. But if we’re going to help California rebuild and prevent future disasters, we need to confront some uncomfortable truths about leadership, responsibility, and priorities.

California — ironically, in the name of environmentalism — continues to ignore solutions that would protect both the environment and its residents.

While Californians continue to face heart-wrenching losses, those who have the power to enact change are mired in bureaucracy, regulation, and ideologies that do nothing to protect lives or preserve the land. The result? A state that keeps burning, year after year.

Where did all the water go?

We all know that water is essential to life. When NASA searches for signs of life on other planets, it looks for water. Yet, California has spent decades neglecting its water infrastructure. The state hasn’t built a new major reservoir since 1979 — over 40 years ago. Back then, California’s population was roughly half what it is today. Despite massive population growth, the state’s water storage capacity has remained frozen in time, woefully inadequate for current needs.

Moreover, billions of gallons of rainwater flow straight into the ocean every year because no infrastructure exists to capture and store it. Imagine how different things could be if California had built reservoirs, aqueducts, and desalination plants to secure water for its dry seasons.

Water is life, but the state’s failure to prioritize this essential resource has put lives and ecosystems at risk.

Misplaced priorities and critical leadership failure

This neglect of critical infrastructure is part of a larger failure of vision, and in California, the consequences of that failure are on full display.

Consider the progressive leadership in Los Angeles, where the mayor cut the fire department’s budget to fund programs for the homeless, funneling money to NGOs with little oversight. While helping the homeless is a worthy cause, it cannot come at the expense of protecting lives and property from catastrophic fires. Leadership must put safety and well-being over political agendas, and that’s not happening in Los Angeles.

The same misplaced priorities extend to environmental policies. Progressive leaders have blocked sensible forest management practices, prioritizing dead trees over living creatures. They reject controlled burns, forest thinning, and other commonsense measures, bowing to the demands of activists rather than considering real solutions that would protect those they govern.

California’s wildfire crisis is, in many ways, a man-made disaster. Yes, factors like Southern California’s dry climate, strong Santa Ana winds, and little rain play a role, but the biggest contributing factor is poor land management.

The forests are choked with dry brush, dead trees, and vegetation that turn every spark into a potential inferno. The crisis could have been mitigated — if only the state had made forest management and fire prevention a higher priority.

Finland and Sweden, for example, understand the importance of maintaining healthy forests. These countries have perfected the art of clearing underbrush and thinning trees sustainably, turning potential fire fuel into biomass energy. This approach not only reduces the risk of wildfires, but it also creates jobs, boosts the economy, and improves the ecosystem. And yet, California — ironically, in the name of environmentalism — continues to ignore these solutions that would protect both the environment and its residents.

We need to stop pretending that something as devastating as the Palisades and Eaton fires are just “part of life” and hold leaders accountable.

Insurance rules put California residents at risk

California faces another major and often overlooked liability when it comes to natural disasters: insurance.

California’s ongoing disasters make the state an uninsurable risk. Insurance companies are pulling out because the odds of widespread devastation are just too high. This creates a vicious cycle: With private insurers gone, the government steps in to subsidize high-risk areas. This enables people to rebuild in fire-prone zones, perpetuating the destruction. The solution isn’t more government intervention; it’s better decision-making.

This doesn’t mean abandoning people to their fate, but we must address the root of the problem: California’s inadequate disaster preparedness and poor land management. If the state continues to resist commonsense solutions like forest thinning, controlled burns, and better zoning laws, no amount of insurance or government assistance will ever be enough to mitigate the losses. The cycle will repeat until the costs — financial and human — become unbearable. It’s time to stop pretending the risk isn’t real and start making decisions that reflect the reality of California’s landscape.

What’s the solution? California’s government needs to put its people over harmful political agendas that put its residents at risk. Start by managing your forests. Implement controlled burns, remove dead trees, and clear underbrush.

But how you vote matters. California’s progressive policies have focused on political correctness and ideology instead of practical, lifesaving solutions. Until voters hold leaders accountable, the cycle of destruction will persist.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Crazy enough to be true? The connection between the Cybertruck bomber and cryptic drones

WADE VANDERVORT / Contributor | Getty Images

Not knowing — and not being told — fuels distrust and speculation.

A chilling story has emerged: A whistleblower, claiming to possess knowledge of advanced military technologies and covert operations, took his own life in a shocking explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. He left behind a manifesto filled with claims so extraordinary they sound like science fiction. Yet if even a fraction of them prove true, the implications are staggering and demand immediate attention.

This whistleblower alleges that the United States and China developed “gravitic propulsion systems,” technologies that manipulate gravity itself to enable silent, undetectable flight at unimaginable speeds. According to his claims, these systems are not theoretical — they are operational, deployed both in the United States and China. If true, this would render conventional defense systems obsolete, fundamentally altering the global balance of power.

America’s founders warned us about unchecked government power. Today, their warnings feel more relevant than ever.

Imagine aircraft that defy radar, heat signatures, and missile defense systems. They carry massive payloads, conduct surveillance, and operate without a sound. If such technologies exist, they pose a national security threat unlike any we’ve faced.

But why haven’t we been told? If these claims are false, they must be debunked transparently. If true, the public has a right to know how such technologies are being used and safeguarded.

The whistleblower’s manifesto goes farther, claiming that with this technology, the United States and China developed and deployed the infamous drones that were seen across the United States starting late last year. He alleged that China launched them from submarines along the U.S. East Coast, calling them “the most dangerous threat to national security” because of their stealth, ability to evade detection, and unlimited payload capacity. He ties this advanced technology to other surveillance systems, creating a network so advanced it makes our current intelligence capabilities look primitive.

These claims may sound far-fetched, but they highlight a deeper issue: the cost of government secrecy. Not knowing — and not being told — fuels distrust and speculation. Without transparency, these incidents dangerously erode public confidence in our leaders and institutions.

The cost of secrecy

Beyond technology, the manifesto also alleges moral failures, including war crimes and deliberate cover-ups during U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan. In one particularly harrowing claim, the whistleblower describes attacks in Afghanistan’s Nimroz Province in 2019. He alleges that 125 buildings were targeted, with 65 struck, resulting in hundreds of civilian deaths in a single day. Even after civilians were spotted, he claims, the strikes continued knowingly and deliberately.

The United Nations investigated similar incidents and confirmed civilian casualties during these operations. However, the whistleblower’s accusations go farther, implicating high-ranking officials, the Department of Defense, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Central Intelligence Agency, and even top military generals in a broader pattern of deceit, eroding the moral integrity of our military and government.

Whether these specific claims hold up, they underscore a larger issue: Secrecy breeds corruption. When people in power hide their actions and evade accountability, they break trust — and everyone pays the price, not just those at the top but also the citizens and soldiers they serve.

Transparency is an imperative

America’s founders warned us about unchecked government power. Today, their warnings feel more relevant than ever. From the COVID-19 pandemic to the Capitol riot on January 6 to the potential misuse of advanced technologies, the American people have been kept in the dark for too long.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and sunlight is coming. Transparency must become our rallying cry. As we look to the future, we must demand accountability — not just from those we oppose politically but from all leaders entrusted with power. This isn’t about partisanship; it’s about preserving our nation from self-destruction.

As we enter a new chapter in our nation’s history, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Whether it’s uncovering the truth about advanced technology, holding perpetrators of corruption accountable, or seeking justice for war crimes, we must act. This isn’t just a call to action — it’s a moral imperative.

Our strength lies in our unity and our resolve. The powerful fear an informed and vocal citizenry. Let’s prove them right. By demanding transparency and accountability, we can restore trust and ensure that the government serves the people — not the other way around.