What the Election Should Be: Bernie Sanders Versus Ted Cruz

January 25, 2016

Editor

A lot happened over the weekend. Glenn went to Iowa and officially endorsed someone he hopes will be the next President of the United States. Unlike what some headlines would lead you to believe, he did not endorse Bernie Sanders.

"The press is reporting that I like Bernie Sanders over Donald Trump," Glenn said Monday on The Glenn Beck Program. "Would I vote for Bernie Sanders over Donald Trump? No, I wouldn't. I'll vote third party."

He went on to correct the misrepresentations from the media.

"What I did say this weekend is, 'Here's what the election should be: The election should be Bernie Sanders versus Ted Cruz.' Because here's two honest men who are telling you exactly who they are, exactly what they believe and exactly what they'll do," Glenn said.

Unlike Martin O'Malley and Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders isn't trying to hide the fact that he's a complete socialist.

"Let's be really, really clear---the truth matters," Glenn said.

Glenn also shared a moment he had with his family over the weekend, explaining to his children what he thinks will complete America's fundamental transformation.

Because the fundamental transformation of this country that Barack Obama talked about was making---finishing Woodrow Wilson's dream, making this a place where it's just an administrator. Congress doesn't really matter. It's all about the whims of the president of the United States and what he can get done with his phone and his pen. That is what has been happening for the last 100 years, and it's been happening in both parties.

Listen to the segment from radio or read the transcript below for more. Start at 7:34.

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

GLENN: I've pledged, as Thomas Jefferson said, on the altar of God, to do all that I can to stand against tyranny. Because I have pledged to many in this audience eyeball to eyeball, my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor. And more importantly, because of my children.

I sat down at the dinner table last night with my children. My older children and my whole family, we get together on Sundays, and we eat with the children and the grandchildren. And I said, "If we have Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, or Donald Trump, kids, I can't tell you what America looks like in four years. But the fundamental transformation is complete." Because the fundamental transformation of this country that Barack Obama talked about was making -- finishing Woodrow Wilson's dream, making this a place where it's just an administrator. Congress doesn't really matter. It's all about the whims of the president of the United States and what he can get done with his phone and his pen. That is what has been happening for the last 100 years, and it's been happening in both parties.

I said this weekend -- the press is reporting that I like Bernie Sanders over Donald Trump. No. Would I vote for Bernie Sanders over Donald Trump? No, I wouldn't. I'll vote third party.

Do I think Bernie Sanders will be better for the country than Donald Trump? No, I think they're both a disaster. For completely different reasons. But what I did say this weekend is, here's what the election should be. The election should be Bernie Sanders versus Ted Cruz. Because here's two honest men who are telling you exactly who they are, exactly what they believe, and exactly what they'll do.

Bernie Sanders, unlike O'Malley, unlike Hillary Clinton, who will play around the corner and say, "Oh, well, we're not social -- we're not socialists at all. That socialism. Stop being so racist. Stop being so antiwoman by calling Hillary Clinton a socialist. I'm not socialist. What? I'm hiding all of my papers from college on Saul Alinsky. Saul, who? What?" She's lying to you. And let's be really, really clear, the truth matters.

And as I said in my speech this weekend, here's one truth that is self-evident that needs to be spoken. Hillary Clinton should be in prison, not running for president. She should be in prison.

If you and I did what she has admitted to doing, we would number prison. We are a nation of laws and not men. But, see, that is the final transformation. That is the fundamental transformation that Barack Obama has wanted, that we are a nation of men and not laws, that men make the decision when they're in office. And Donald Trump has said that he will -- he'll still do executive orders; his will just be good. Not constitutional: Good.

I went to Iowa against my own self-interests to endorse Ted Cruz this weekend, to break something that I have sworn that I would never do: Endorse somebody for president. Because I think we're at the end, gang. This is it.

What happens in Iowa in nine days may -- may mean the difference between our country surviving as a constitutional republic or not. Are you for the Constitution of the United States of America? And will you protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America from all enemies, foreign and domestic?

Ted Cruz was -- was born for this time. He was raised for this time. He memorized the Constitution when he was 13. He can still quote it back.

And America is angry. And it's only going to get worse if we play into the anger. We never make a good decision when we're angry. The press wants Donald Trump. They want Donald Trump to be the candidate on the Republican side because they're going to unleash hell on him.

Now, whether he wins or loses at that point doesn't matter to me. If he is the candidate, he has destroyed the Republican Party because then you don't stand for principles. You stand only for winning and the same kind of progressive ideas.

If he wins the presidency, you can kiss the Constitution goodbye, just as much as you can with Hillary or Bernie Sanders. Something that I've warned since I was on Fox. I'm consistent. If you are thinking about voting for Ben Carson, who is a really good man -- I like Ben. If you're thinking about Marco Rubio, who is a really good man, I like Marco. If you're thinking about voting for Rand Paul -- I like them. But I have to tell you. They do not have a chance of winning in Iowa. And if Donald Trump puts 13 points ahead of number two, it's over. Donald Trump will be the G.O.P. candidate. I'm convinced of it. Unless he implodes. But we've been saying that for a while.

He got up this weekend and he said -- and I quote: I could shoot people on Fifth Avenue, and I won't lose a vote. The hubris on that is stunning. To think that you could say, "Yes, my people are lemmings. It doesn't matter what I do. I could shoot people, and they won't abandon me." Oh, my gosh. It's stunning and dangerous.

But people want to win. And if he's 15 points, 13 points, 15 points ahead of number two in Iowa, it's over. And so I went to Iowa this weekend to look those people in the eye and say, "Can you give America a chance? Can you give the rest of America a chance to have their vote count?" Because the media -- even if it's close -- I think if -- I think if Cruz won by three points, the media will say, "You know what, he wasn't expecting to win in Iowa anyway and, I mean, that's an evangelical -- for him to do that great, it's almost really a win anyway." And then he'll win by ten points in New Hampshire, and then it's over.

Now, I hope I'm wrong. I don't think I am.

I know I'm not wrong on Ted Cruz. Might be wrong on Donald Trump. Hope I am. But I know I'm not wrong on Ted Cruz.

PAT: You're not wrong on Donald Trump either.

(chuckling)

Featured Image: Screen shot from The Glenn Beck Program.

'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

The dangerous lie: Rights as government privileges, not God-given

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

Glenn's Show Prep