Glenn’s debate preview with Rick Santorum

October 03, 2012

Writer

Rick Santorum has participated in countless debates over the course of his career, most recently during the GOP primary race. What does he think are the biggest problems caused by the format? How will Mitt Romney do tonight? Check out the conversation from radio today in the clip above.

Rough transcript of interview is below:

GLENN: I have on the phone Rick Santorum. Let talk about the debate.

VOICE: I would say that this is going to be the an important debate that and I'm hopeful that they give the opportunity to have a real engagement. I mean one of the big problems I have with the debates the 20 debates I was involved in that the media decided they were the story, and not the candidates. They didn't allow the type of interaction that is really important to get a sense of who these candidates really are. I'm hoping they try to get these guys engage each other.

GLENN: President Obama has not been questioned except by Univision in four years. Nobody has really pushed him up against the wall, and questioned him. Romney I believe the goal should be if I'm a strategist, and I'm not saying Romney he's got to be very careful. Through the power of prayer should be to get the President to reveal who he really is. He's not a likable person and he's an arrogant, arrogant guy. And you know when we were thinking about this. There's only two candidates that ran on the right that Barack Obama absolutely 100% despises, and that is you, and Mitt Romney. You're Christians. You're good practicing Christians. You're white males. You might as be wearing a pilgrim outfit, and bringing a turkey. You are Mr. Colonialist in his mind. Mitt Romney is a big businessman. He's got to despise Mitt Romney. His faith, anti-abortion, anti-Planned Parenthood helped with the proposition 8 in California. There's nobody he hates more. Do you think.

VOICE: It gets to why. I think you sort of laid it out. Barack Obama is a fundamentally different vision for America. He wants to transform America. But what he's not been clear about. He's been clear on the policy but is his vision for America he sort of hides the ball. What his real vision. His vision he'd like us to be the French -- the culmination if you will of the French Republic as opposed to the American Republic. One of the reasons I wrote this book. I do I'm sort feeling I'm pro-Glenn Beck, and teaching us American history. But I thought it's just really important for us to get out there, and lay out who we are. Our founder's vision versus Obama's vision, and Obama's vision is the French Revolution now in its current iteration versus the American Revolution which is the founding principle as you mentioned God given rights, you know people being responsible for the problems they have, and their families and their communities. And government is there to provide an atmosphere for these great treasures of family and faith and community to be able to knit a society as opposed to the French vision which is not liberty from the beginning. But liberty in the end and the folks who're going to craft that liberty and equality is the government. That's European socialism which has adopted the French model is all about. That's what we mean. That's Obama's vision. Romney vision my vision your vision hopefully your listener's vision is something that is more akin to the American one that made us the greatest country in the world.

GLENN: The heroes by Rick.

VOICE: Disappeared.

GLENN: They're erased.

VOICE: Again, again, I feel like I'm repeating the words you say all the time on the radio. They've erased it because this is the elites in our culture who're trying to transform America and you can't do it with one President. You've got to do with it education system, and with entertainment, and Hollywood and news media. So I tip to my hat to you, and to be out there and be willing to provide a place for the truth about who we are, and what America is, and what's going on in the world today.

GLENN: I will tell you Rick that I look for books that I can read to my son that will get him involved in the American movement, and you know so many times you'll pick up a history book and they're boring as snot and they go and on and on and on and he just loses interest. Great, great book. Short, sweet. To the point. Well done.

VOICE: Thank you. Well, look again I don't want to be sucking up to you here. One of the things I do learn in looking at you, and how you've effectively communicated is I thought some of your most powerful books from some of the little books that did that short sweet, delivered a message did it clearly and had the biggest impact. Trying to follow in the footsteps of great steps of great fuss.

GLENN: It's available everyone but you can get it Patriotic voices. The name of the book is Patriotic voices answering the call to freedom. What is the one thing that Mitt Romney has got to do tonight.

VOICE: You know, I really do believe this, and I saw it in me and my debates. The debates I did well I was comfortable. I was confident. I wasn't arrogant but you conveyed a message by how you handled yourself. And I think that is really important for -- how Obama is able to pull it off in so many cases is that he can pull it off he just -- he looks the part. And I think Romney -- as much as you think people know Mitt Romney they don't. And a lot of people for the first time are going to size him up in this kind of intense atmosphere, and see what is this guy made of, and I think it's really important for Romney just to relax, to be as natural as he possibly can.

GLENN: Let ask you this. How hard to relax. Mitt Romney has to know if he blows it tonight he's blown it. He's worked eight years. As much as you say you want him to relax. How hard to do that moment.

VOICE: It's really hard. In that moment for me I did particularly well. I had a debate where that was sort of I thought one of the key points for me we had just done very, very well. We were starting to gain momentum and I didn't come across well. I didn't connect and communicate well. I think it cost me a lot. And I'll be honest with you. It was the same thing for Mitt Romney, and he did. He did very, very well. It was my first moment to be in the kind of spotlight, and be under that kind of intensity. I did okay. I didn't do well as I could have. I didn't do as well he could have. I think it's hard but he's been through this. He's done it with the debate with me. But he did it in other debates with other folks at other times and Obama hasn't had that. He hasn't been in the situation for four years. Even when he was he has been so cobbled by the media that if Mitt Romney can have that AURA I think you're going to see the real people come out in this debate.

GLENN: You're the President. Let's say you're Mitt Romney, and you're standing against the President of the United States. Mr. Romney you said 47%. It appears that you don't care about 47% of this nation. How would you respond.

VOICE: You respond from the truth which is truth is that Mitt Romney is dedicated his career in creating opportunities and serving the public not and trying to help people experience a part of the American dream. Mr. President you're the guy that's caused highest level of poverty in history. You're your policies. My career has been about successfully taking on and giving opportunities for those to get off the programs you want to put people on. I think you've got to paint the positive vision what he's done, and what he's about. Don't run away from dependency. It's not that people want to be dependency. They make short-term economic decisions that where the government has come in with such largesse it makes the economic choices very, very difficult to go out and work, and sacrifice things in the short-term that which may end up long-term.

PAT: How hard is that to turn the thing around in a positive light. You went through the debates in the Republican debates. First of all they never went to you. Because you had two% support. And then at the end when you were actually leading the race, then it was all spun in a negative way you had the war on women. Is it hard to turn it around, and get your message out there and push forward your agenda.

VOICE: It is. But governor Romney has been prepping for this, and the lines of attack are going to be pretty obvious, and he has to be comfortable with again -- it's not just not what he says. Does he come across Asner /SRUS and off balance when he's answering. Or does he come across as Reagan would do. He's not Ronald Reagan. To slough it off, and take it seriously but sort of turn it into something that.

GLENN: Make sure you have a twinkle in your eye.

VOICE: Those are important. It's hard to do. That's what you've got to do. If you want to be President of United States.

GLENN: Rick Santorum. A book that everyone should read. Thanks Rick. We'll talk again.

Are Gen Z's socialist sympathies a threat to America's future?

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In a republic forged on the anvil of liberty and self-reliance, where generations have fought to preserve free markets against the siren song of tyranny, Gen Z's alarming embrace of socialism amid housing crises and economic despair has sparked urgent alarm. But in a recent poll, Glenn asked the tough questions: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from—and what does it mean for America's future? Glenn asked, and you answered—hundreds weighed in on this volatile mix of youthful frustration and ideological peril.

The results paint a stark picture of distrust in the system. A whopping 79% of you affirm that Gen Z's socialist sympathies stem from real economic gripes, like sky-high housing costs and a rigged game tilted toward the elite and corporations—defying the argument that it's just youthful naivety. Even more telling, 97% believe this trend arises from a glaring educational void on socialism's bloody historical track record, where failed regimes have crushed freedoms under the boot of big government. And 97% see these poll findings as a harbinger of deepening generational rifts, potentially fueling political chaos and authoritarian overreach if left unchecked.

Your verdict underscores a moral imperative: America's soul hangs on reclaiming timeless values like self-reliance and liberty. This feedback amplifies your concerns, sending a clear message to the powers that be.

Want to make your voice heard? Check out more polls HERE.

Without civic action, America faces collapse

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Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

Samuel Corum / Stringer | Getty Images

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

Glenn's Show Prep

Glenn’s debate preview with Rick Santorum

Are Gen Z's socialist sympathies a threat to America's future?

Without civic action, America faces collapse

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Taking up the torch

Start small and local

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Picking up his torch

Two turning points, decades apart

A time for courage

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family